Chapter III: Introduction (2)

I wote not who wolde verifie this, that I shall saie nowe[12] if he haue not seene it. For it may well be demaunded whereof shulde so great a nombre of people lyve travaileng thus every daie! wheare is the coʳne they eate? wheare do they gett it? To the which, I that haue seene it, do answere on this wise. About the mooneth of Februarie they make proclamac̃ons throughout the Lordo, that he which woll sowe shall prepare his things necessarie against the mooneth of Marche, to sowe in such a place. And such a daie of that mooneth they must take their waie thitherwards. This doon, they that are mynded to sowe prepare themselfs, and being agreed togither, lading their seede on cartes[13] wᵗʰ such cattaill as their busynes require, togither wᵗʰ their wiefs and children or parte of them they go to the place appointed, which most cōmonly passeth not ij ioʳneys from the place of the Lordo wheare the crie is made. And there do they eare, sowe, and tarie, till they haue furnisshed that they came for, which doon they retoʳne to their Lordo.

Thempoʳ, wᵗʰ the Lordo, doth this meane while, as the mother is wonte to do wᵗʰ her children. For whan she letteth them go plaie she ever keepeth her eye on them, and so doth he never departe from these plowemen iiij ioʳneys, but compasseth about them nowe here, nowe there, till the corne be rype, and yet when it is ripe he goeth not thither wᵗʰ his LORDO, but sendeth those that sowed it and those that mynded to bye of it wᵗʰ their cartes, oxen, and camells, and those other things that they need; even as they do at their village.

[Sidenote: Zattere arr polles so tied one to an other, that thei can not synke.]

[Sidenote: Rialto is the merchauntes assembling place in Venice.]

[Sidenote: Lordes ouer the night is an office of great auctoritie in Venice.]

Thearthe is fertile, and bringeth fooʳthe lᵗⁱᵉ busshells wheate for one of seede: and their busshell is as great as the PADOUANE. And of MIGLIO they haue an c for one; and sometimes thei haue so great plentie that they leaue no small quantitie in the feelde. To this purpose I shall tell yoᵘ, There was a sonnes sonne of VLUMAHUMETH, who, having ruled certein years, fearing his cousyn Cormayn that dwelled on the other side of the ryver of Ledil, to thentent he wolde not loose such a parte of his people as must haue goon to this tyllaige, which they coulde not haue doon wᵗhout their manifest perill, he wolde not suffer them to sowe in the space of xj yeres. All which tyme they lyved of fleshe, mylke, and other things. Nevertheles, they had alwaies in their tavernes a little meale and PANICO: but that was verie deere. And whan I asked them howe they did, they wolde answer that they had fleshe; and yet, for all that, he at leingth was driven awaie by his said cousin. Finallie, VLUMAHUMETH, of whom we spoke afore, whan ZIMAHUMETH was arryved neere vnto his confines, seeing himself unhable to resist, lefte his Lordo and fledde wᵗʰ his children and others, by reason whereof Zimahumeth became emperoʳ of all the people: and went to wards the ryver of TANA in the mooneth of June, and passed the same about ij daies ioʳney above Tana wᵗʰ all that nombre of people, their cartes, and cattaill: a mervailouse thinge to believe, but more wonderfull to beholde. For they passed all wᵗhout any rumoʳ, and as saufe as if they had goon by lande. Their maner of passaige is this. They that are of the most substanciall sende of their folkes afore, who make certein zattere[14] of drie woode, whereof there is plentie alonge the ryver. They also make certein bondells of softe reades, which they putt vnder their zattere and vnder their cartes, and so tye the same to their horses, who swymeng over the ryver (guyded by certein naked men) passe the hole companie aftre this maner. About a mooneth aftre, rowing vp the water towarde a certein fissheng place, I mett wᵗʰ so many zatteres and bondells comyng downe the water (which this people had lett go), that we coulde skarselie passe, and besids that I did see so many zatteres and bondells on the banks, that it made me to wonder. And whan we arrived at the fissheng place we founde that these had doon much woʳse there than those that I haue writen of before. And bicause I woll not forget my freends yoᵘ shall vnderstande that EDELMULGH, the empoʳˢ brother in lawe before named, came unto TANA, and his sonne wᵗʰ him, and soddainelie embraced me, saieng, here I haue brought the my sonne, and incontinently tooke a cassacke from his sonnes backe and putt it vpon me, wherewᵗʰ he gave me also viij sklaves of the nation of Rossia, saieng, this is parte of the praye that I haue taken in Rossia. In recompence whereof I presented him wᵗʰ convenient things again, and so he taried wᵗʰ me ij daies. Some there be that, departing from others, thinking never to meete again, do easylie forgett their amitie, and so vse not those curtesies that they ought to vse: wherein, by that litle experience that I haue had, me seemeth they do not well. For, as the saieng is, mountaignes shall never meate, but men may. In my retoʳneng out of PERSIA wᵗʰ the Ambassadoʳ of ASSAMBEI,[15] willing to passe through Tartarie, and so through POLONIA to cōme to Venice (though at that time I went not through that waie), it chaunced me to be in companie of divers Tartarien merchaunts of whom I enquired for this Edelmulg, and learned by signes of the phisonomie, and by the name, that he which was given me by the father, as those Tartariens than telled me, was great wᵗʰ thempoʳ. So that if we had goon further we must needes haue fallen into his handes. In which cace I am assured I shulde haue had no lesse good cheere of him, than as I haue made both to him and his father, but who wolde haue belieued that xxxvᵗⁱᵉ yeres aftre in so ferre distant cuntreys a Tartarien shulde haue mett wᵗʰ a Venetian? An other thinge I woll rehearse even to the same purpose. The yere 1455, being in a vinteners seller in the Rialto, as I ꝑvsed the seller in thone end of the same, I ꝑceaued twoo men tyed in chaynes, which, by their countenaunce, me thought shulde be Tartariens. I asked who they were, and they answered that they had been sklaves of the Catelaines, and that, fleing awaie, in a litle bote, they were taken by this vyntener, wherevpon I went incontinently to the SIGNORI DI NOTTE, and declared this matter, who by and by sent officers thither, brought them to the coʳte, and in the vinteners presence delivered them, putteng him to his fyne. Thus I gate them loosed, and had them home to my house, and askeng them what they were and of what cuntrey; thone of them answered, he was of Tana, and had been serunt to Cazadahuch, whom I had knowen well, for he was thempoʳˢ customer over all things that came vnto Tana; so that, regarding him more advisedly, me seemed to remembre his face, for he had been many tymes in my house. I asked him what was his name. He answered, Chebechzi, which signifieth a bulter of meale. And whan I had well behelde him, I saied vnto him, doest thoᵘ knowe me? He answered, no. But, as soone as I mentioned TANA and JUSUPH (for so they called me there), he fell to thearthe, and wolde haue kissed my feete: saieng vnto me, thoʷ hast saved my lief twies, and this is thone of them, for being a sklave I rekened myself deade, and thother was whan Tana was on fyre, thoʷ madest an hole in the wall, through the which so many creatures escaped, amongest whom was I and my mʳ both. And it is true, for whan Tana was sett on fyre, I made an hole in the wall forneagaint a certein grounde wheare many persons were assembled: through the which there issued aboue xl, and amongest them this felowe and CAZADAHUCH. I kept these twoo Tartariens in my house about twoo moonethes, and when the shippes departed towardes TANA I sent them home. Wherefore, I saie that departeng one from an other, wᵗʰ opinion never to retoʳne into those ꝑties againe, no man ought to forgett his amitie as though they shuld never meete, for there may happen a thousande things that, if they chaunce to meete againe, he that is most hable shall haue neede of his succoʳ that can do least. Nowe, to retoʳne vnto the things of Tana. I woll describe it by the west and northwest, costing the sea of Tabacche to the going fooʳthe on the lefte hande, and aftre some parte of the sea called MAGGIORE, even to the Province named Mengleria. Departing than from Tana about the foresaid coste of the sea, iij joʳneys wᵗhin lande, I founde a region called Chremuch, the lorde whereof is named Biberdi, which signifieth given to God; he was sonne vnto Chertibei, that signifieth twelve Lorde. He hath many villaiges vnder him, which at a neede woll make a thousand horses, faire champaignes, many good woodes, and ryvers plentie. The principall men of this region lyve by robbing on those plaines and speciallie on the roberie of the carouanes that go from place to place. They are well horsed, valiaunt men, and subtill witted, but not verie gryme of visaige. They haue corne enough, fleshe, and honye, but no wyne. Beyonde these are cuntreys of divers languages, though not much different one from an other; that is to witt, Elipehe, Tatarcosia, Sobai, Cheuerthei,[16] As Alani, of whom I haue spoken here before. And these renne alongest even vnto Mengleria[17] for the space of xij ioʳneys. Mengleria confyneth wᵗʰ Caitacchi, which are neere the mountaigne Caspio, and wᵗʰ parte of Giorgiana, and wᵗʰ the sea Maggiore, and wᵗʰ the mountaigne that passeth through Circassia, and hath on thone side a ryver called Phaso that compasseth it and falleth into the sea Maggiore. The Lorde of this province, named Bendian, hath two walled townes on the foresaid sea, one called VATHI and an other SEUASTOPOLI, and besides that divers other piles and stronge houses. The cuntrey is all stonie and barayn, wᵗhout any kinde of grayne, saving PANICO. Salte is brought vnto them out of Capha. They make a litle cloth, but it is both course and naught: and they arr beastly people. For proof whereof, being in Vathi (where one Azolin Squarciafigo, a Genowaie, arryved in companie of a PARANDERIA of Turks that went thither wᵗʰ us from Constantinople), there was a yonge woman stode in her doore vnto whom this Genowaie saied SURINA PATRO NI COCON? which is, mistres is the good man wᵗhin? meaneng her husbande. She answered, Archilimisi, that is to witt, he woll cōme anon. Whereupon he swapped her on the lippes and shewed her vnto me, saieng, beholde what faire teethe she hath: and so shewed me her breast and toouched her teates, which she suffered wᵗhout moving. Afterwardes, we entred into her house, and sate us downe, and this Azolin fayneng to haue vermyn about him beckened on her to searche him: which she did verie diligentlie and chastely. This, meane while, the good man came in, and my companion put his hande in his purse, and saied PATRON TETARI SICA, which is as much to saie as, mʳ, hast thoʷ any mooney? Wherevnto he made a countenaunce that he had none about him: and so he tooke him a fewe aspres, wᵗʰ the wᶜh he went streight to bye some vittaills. Within a while after, we went through the towne to sporte vs, and this Genowaie did every wheare after the maner of that cuntrey what pleased him wᵗhout reproche of any man, whereby it may appeare weather they be beastly people or no, and therefore the Genowaies that practise in those ꝑties vse for a proverbe to saie, Thoʷ art a Mongrello, whan they arr disposed to saie thoᵘ art a foole. And nowe, bicause I haue saied that TARTARI signifieth mooney, I haue thought good to declare that TETARI properlie signifieth white, and by this they understande syluer mooney, which is white, for the Greeks also call it aspri, wᶜh signifieth white, the Turkes AKCIA, which signifieth white and in Venice in tyme past, and yet to this present we haue mooney called BIANCHI, in Spaigne also they haue mooney called Bianche. Whereby it may appeare howe many nacōns agree in their languaige to call one thinge by one maner of name.

[Sidenote: Chersonesus.]

Retoʳning backe to the Tana, I do passe the ryver wheare ALAMA was, as I haue saied before, and so discurre by the sea of Tabacche, on the right hande, going fooʳthe even to the Isle of Capha, wheare is a straict of the lande that knitteth the Ile wᵗʰ the mayne lande, liek vnto that of MOREA, which is called ZUCHALA. There are verie great salt springes, that of itself being dried woll become ꝓficte salte. Costeng this ilande, first on the sea Tabacche is the cuntrey named Cumania, of the people Cumani. After that is the hedde of the isle wheare Capha standeth, in the same place wheare Gazzaria hath been. And yet to this daie the PICO, that is to saie, the yarde wherewᵗʰ they measure at Tana, and in all those ꝑties is called PICO DE GAZZARIA. The champaigne of this Ile of Capha is vnder the Tartariens domynion, who haue a Lorde called Vlubi, sonne of AZICHAREI. They are a good nombre of people hable at a neede to make iij or iiijᵐᵗ horses; they haue twoo places walled, but not stronge, thone whereof is called Sorgathi, which they also called INCREMIN, that signifieth a forteresse; and thother Cherchiarde, which signifieth xl placs. In this ilande, first at the mowthe of the sea Tabacche, is a place called Cherz, which we call BOSPHORO CIMERIO; next to that is Capha, Saldaia, Grasui, Cymbalo, Sarsona, and Calamita. All at this present vnder the great Turke, of the which I neede to saie no more, bicause they are knowen well enough. And yet me thinketh it necessarie to declare the losse of Capha, as I learned it of one ANTONY DA GUASCO, a Genowaie, who was present there, and fledde by sea into GIORGIANA, and from thense into Persia, the same tyme that I happened to be there, to thentent it may be knowen aftre what maner this place is fallen into the Turks hands. In that tyme there was a Tartarien Lorde in the Champaigne named Emimachbi, who had yerely of them of Capha a certein tribute as the custome of the cuntrey there is. Betweene him and them of Capha there happened variaunce, insomuch that the CONSULE of CAPHA, being a Genowaie, determined to sende vnto thempoʳ of Tartarie for some one of the bloudde of this Eminachbi, by whose favoʳ he thought it possible to expell Eminachbi out of his astate. And having therevpon sent a shippe vnto Tana wᵗʰ an ambassadoʳ, this ambassadoʳ went into the Lordo and there obteigned of thempoʳ one of the bloudde of this Eminachby, named Menglieri, promiseng to conduct him to Capha, and that if the towne wolde not accept this appointement than to sende Menglieri backe again. Eminachbi, mistrusteng this matter, sent an ambassadoʳ vnto Ottomanno, promiseng him that if he wolde sende an armie by sea to assaulte the towne he would assault it by lande, and so shulde Capha be the Turkes. Ottomanno being desirouse thereof sent his armie, and in shorte space gate the towne, in the which Menglieri was taken, and sent to Ottoman̄o, who kept him in prison many yeres. Not longe after Eminachbi, through the Turks yll conversac̃on, repenting him of giveng the towne to Ottomanno, prohibited the passaige of all vittailles into the towne, by reason whereof they had so great skarsetie of corne and fleshe that they rekened themselfs in maner besieged. Wherevpon the Turke was ꝓsuaded that if he sent Menglieri to Capha, keeping him wᵗhin the towne in curteise warde, the towne shulde haue plentie: for Menglieri was welbeloued of the people wᵗhout. And so Ottomanno did; so that, as soone as it was knowen that he was arrived, incontinently the towne had plentie of all things, for he was also beloued of the townesmen. This man thus remaineng in curteise warde went wheare he wolde wᵗhin the towne; and one daie amongest other, there happened a game of shooting for a prise. The maner wheʳof is, they honge on certein polles sett vp like a galowes, a boll of sylver tied only wᵗʰ a fyne threede. Those nowe that shall shoote for the prise shoote thereat wᵗʰ forked arrowes and arr on horsebaike, and first must gallopp vnder the gallowes, so that being in his full carier passed a certein space, he turneth his bodie and shooteth backewarde, the horse galoping still awaywarde, and he that after this sorte cutteth the threede wynneth the game. Menglieri, findeng occasion vpon this to escape, appointed an c horsemen (wᵗʰ whom he had intelligence before) to hide themselfs the same daie in a litell valey not ferre from the towne, and fayneng to renne for the game he made awaie to his companie; wherevpon the force of all the whole iland folowed him: by reason whereof, he being waxed stronge, went to Surgathi, a towne vi miles from Capha, and took it, and so having slayne Eminachbi, made himself Lorde of all those places. The yere folowing he determined to go towards Citerchan,[18] a place xvi ioʳneys distant from Capha, vnder the domynion of one Mordassa[19] Can, who in that tyme was wᵗʰ his Lordo vpon the ryver of Ledil. He fought wᵗʰ him, tooke him and tooke his people from him: a great parte whereof he sent into the Ile of Capha, and so aboade the wynter on that ryver. At which tyme, by chaunce, there was an other Tartarien Lorde lodged a fewe ioʳneys of, who, hearing that he wyntered there, whan the ryver was frozen came on him soddainely, assaulted him, and discompfited him, and so recovered Mordassa that had been kept prisoner. Menglieri being thus discompfited, retoʳned vnto Capha in yll ordre. And Mordassa, wᵗʰ his Lordo, came the next springe even to Capha, and made certein roades to the dammaige of the ilande. But, seing he coulde not haue the towne yelden vnto him, he toʳned backe. Nevertheles, I was enformed that he was making of a newe armye to com̄e againe into the ilande and to chace Menglieri awaie, as it proved after in dede; but hereof sprange a false rumoʳ, through thignorance of them that vnderstande not whereof the warre amongest these Lordes proceadeth, not knowing what difference is betwene the great Can and Mordassa Can. For they, hearing that Mordassa Can made a newe armie to retoʳne vnto the ilande, bruted that the great Can shulde come by Capha, awaie against Ottomanno, purposeng by the waie of Moncastro to entre into Valachia, into Hungarie; and so, wheareas Ottomanno was behinde the ilande of Capha, which standeth on the sea Maggiore is Gothia, and aftre that Alania, which goeth by the ilande towardes Moncastro, as I have saied before.

[Sidenote: The furlane and florentine differ but in phrase of speeche from the Venetian.]

The Gothes speake dowche, which I knowe by a dowcheman, my serūnt, that was wᵗʰ me there: for they vnderstode one an other well enough, as we vnderstande a furlane[20] or a florentine.

Of this neighboʳhode of the Gothes and Alani, I suppose the name of Gotitalani to be deryved, for Alani were first in this place. But than came the Gothes and conquered these cuntreys, myngleng their name wᵗʰ the Alani, and so being myngled togither called themselfs Gotitalani, who, in effect, folowe all the Greekish fac̃ons, and so also do the Circassi.

[Sidenote: Mare Caspi’u is nowe called Bachu.]

And bicause we haue spoken of Tumen and Cithercan, thinking good to write the things there woʳthie of memorie, we saie that going from Tumen east northeast about vij ioʳneys, is the ryver Ledil, whereon standeth Cithercan, which at this p’nt is but a litle towne in maner destroied; albeit, that in tyme passed it hath been great and of great fame. For, before it was destroied by Tamerlano, the spices and silke that passe nowe through Soria came to Cithercan, and from thense to Tana, wheare vj or vij galeys only were wonte to be sent from Venice to fetche those spices and silkes from Tana; so that, at that tyme, neither the Venetians nor yet any other nacion on this side of the sea costes, vsed merchaundise into Soria. The ryver Ledil is great and large, and falleth into the Sea of Bachu about xxvᵗⁱᵉ myles distant from Cithercan, and as well in that ryver as in the sea arr innumerable fisshes taken.

[Sidenote: Marchetto is not worthe an Englishe halfepeny.]

[Sidenote: Stufe is an hote-house.]

That sea yeldeth much salte, and yoʷ may saile vp that ryver by ioʳneys almost as ferre as Musco, a towne of ROSSIA. And they of Musco come yerely wᵗʰ their boates to Cithercan for salte. There arr many ilandes and woodes on this ryver, some of which ilandes conteigne xxx myles in cōpasse. In these woodes arr great trees growing, which, being made holowe, serue for boates of one peece, so bigge that thei woll carie viij or x horses at a tyme and as many men. Passing this ryver and going east northeast towards Musco, keeping the rivers side xv ioʳneys continuallie, arr innumerable people of the Tartariens, but toʳneng plaine northeast yoʷ arryve at the confines of Rossia, at a litle towne called RISAN, which appertaigneth to a brother in lawe of John Duke of Rossia, and there they be all Christians aftre the ryte of the Greekes. This countrey is verie fertyle of corne, fleshe, honye, and divers other things: and their drynke is called BOSSA,[21] which signifieth ale. There arr also many woodes and villages, and so passing a litle further yoʷ com̄e to a citie called Colona. The one and other of both which townes arr fortified wᵗʰ woodde, whereof also they buylde their houses, bicause there is small quantitie of stone to be founde thereabouts. Three ioʳneys from thense is the said towne of Musco, wheare the forenamed John Duke of Rossia dwelleth, throwgh the middest of which towne renneth the most noble ryver of MUSCO, and hath certein bridge over it: and, as I believe, the towne tooke his name of the ryver. The castell is on a litell hyll environed about wᵗʰ woodes. The habundance that they haue of corne and fleshe may well be cōmprehended by this, that they sell not their fleshe by weight, but by the eye; and surely they have iiijˡ for a marchetto. Yoʷ shall haue lxx hennes for a ducat, and a goose for iij MARCHETTI. But the colde is so fervent in that cuntrey that the ryvers are frozen. In the wynter arr brought thither hogges, oxen, and other beastes, readie flayne, and sett vpright on foote as harde as stones, and in such nombre that he who wolde bye twoo hundred in a daie may haue them there. But they woll not be cutt, for they arr harde as marble till they be brought into the stufes. As for fruictes, they haue none, saving a fewe apples and nuttes and litle wylde nuttes.

[Sidenote: Sani arr sleddes.]

Whan thay be disposed to travaile, specially any longe ioʳneys, they go in the wynter, for than is it frozen over all: and by reason thereof good travaileng, saving that it is colde, and than do they carie what they lyst with great ease vpon those sani which serue them as cartes serue vs and oʳ parties, we call them TRANOLI. But in the som̄er they darr not in maner go fooʳthe of their doores, for the vnreasonable mooyre and moltitude of stingeng flies which com̄e fooʳthe of so many great woodes as they haue about them: the greatest parte whereof is vnhabitable. They haue no grapes, but make them wyne of honye, and some make ale of miglio, in thone and other whereof they putt hoppes, which giveth a taste that maketh a man as doonye[22] or dronken as the wyne.

Furthermore, me seemeth it not convenient to forgett the provisions that their foresaid duke made to brydle such dronkardes, as throʷgh their dronkenesse neglected the woʳking and doing of many things which shulde haue been proffitable for them. He made a crye that they shulde make neither ale nor wyne of honye, nor use hoppes in any thinge, and by this meane hath reduced them to good lyving, which hath contynued nowe for the space of xxvᵗⁱᵉ yeres. In tyme passed[23] the Rossians paied trybute to Themꝓoʳ of Tartarie, but nowe they haue subdued a towne called Cassan (which, in oʳ tonge, signifieth a cawldron[24]), that standeth on the ryver Ledil, on the lefte hande as yoʷ go towards the Sea of Bachu, v ioʳneys from Musco. This is a towne of great merchaundise. From whense cometh the most parte of the furres that are caried to Musco and into Polonia, Prusia, and Flandres, which furres come out of the Northe and Northeast, from the regions of Zagatai and Moxia, northerne cuntreys enhabited by Tartariens, that for the most parte arr idolatrers; and so also be the Moxii. And bicause I haue had some experience of the things of the Moxii, therefore I entende to speake somewhat of their faith and maners, as I haue learned.

At a certein tyme of the yere they vse to take a horse: which they laie alonge on the plaine. His iiij feete bounden to iiij stakes, and his heade to an other. This doon, cometh one wᵗʰ bowe and arrowes; and, standing a convenient distance of, shooteth towardes the hert so often, till he haue killed him. And whan the horse is thus deade they flaye him and make a bottell of his hide, vsing with the fleshe certein ceremonies: which, nevertheles, they eate at leingth. Than they stufe the hyde so full of strawe, that it seemeth hole again; and in every of his legges putt a pece of woodde; and so sett him afoote againe, as though he were on lyve. Finally, they go to a great tree and thereof cutt such a boowe as they thinke best, and thereof make a skaffolde whereon they sett this horse standing, and so woʳship him. Offering sables, armelynes,[25] menyver,[26] martrons, and foxes, which they hange on the same tree, even as we offer up candells. By reason whereof the trees there are full of such furres. This people, for the more parte, lyve of fleshe, and the greatest parte thereof wilde fleshe: and fishe they haue also in those ryvers. Nowe that I haue spoken of the Moxij I haue no more to saie of the Tartariens, saving that those which be Idolatrers worship Images that they carie on their cartes, though some there be that vse daylie to woʳship that beast that they happen first to meete whan they go fooʳthe of their doores. The duke also hath subdued Novgroth, which in oʳ tonge signifieth ix[27] castells, and is a verie great towne, eight ioʳneys distāt from Musco, northweast: which before tyme, was governed by the people; being men wᵗhout reason and full of heresies. Nevertheles, by litle and litle they arr nowe brought to the Catholike faith. For some belieue in dede, and some belieue not; but they lyve nowe wᵗʰ reason and haue justice mynistred amongst them.

[Sidenote: Mostacchi is the berde of the vpper lyppe.]

Departing from Musco yoʷ haue xxij daies ioʳney into Polonia, the first place whereof is a castell called Trochi:[28] the comyng wherevnto from Musco is through woodes and litle hilles which be in maner deserte. It is true that travaileng from place to place, whereas[29] other haue lodged before yoʷ shall finde wheare fyre hath been made, and there the way faring ꝓsons may rest and make fyre if they woll: and sometimes a litle out of the waie yoʷ shall finde some small villaige: but that is seldome. Likewise, departing from Trochi, yoʷ finde woodes and hilles, but sometimes houses amonge. And at thende of ix ioʳneys from Trochi yoʷ finde a walled towne called Lonici, and than do yoʷ enter the region of LITTUANIA, wheare there is a towne called Varsovich,[30] apꝓteyneng to certein gentlemen, subiects of CAZIMIR, King of POLONIA. The cuntrey is fertile and hath many townes and villaiges, but not of any great accompte. From Trocchi into POLONIA arr vij ioʳneys, and the region is good and faire, and than finde yoʷ Mersaga, a verie good citie, wheare Polonia endeth: of whose townes and castells, bicause I knowe them not, I woll saie no more. But that the king, wᵗʰ his children and all his famylie, arr very Christian; and that his eldest sonne is nowe King of Boemia. Being departed out of Polonia wᵗhin iiij ioʳneys, we finde Frankforth, a citie of the Marquis of Brandenburgh, and so we enter into Allemaigne: whereof I neede not to speake, bicause it is a cuntrey in maner at home and knowen well enough. So that nowe there resteth somewhat to be saied of GIORGIANA, which is forneagainst the place, here before spoken, and confyneth wᵗʰ Mengrelia. The king of this province is called PANCRATIO, who hath a faire cuntrey, plentyfull of breade, wyne, fleshe, graine, and many other fruictes; the most parte of which wynes growe on trees, as that doth in Trabisonda, and the men arr faire and bigge, but they have very fylthie apparill and most vile customes. They go with their heades rounded and shaven, leaving only a litle heare, aftre the maner of our abbotts, that haue great revenewes, and they suffer their mostacchi to growe a quarter of a yarde longer than their beardes.[31] On their heades they were a litell cappe, of divers coloʳˢ, wᵗʰ a creste on the toppe. On their backes they were certein garments[32] meetely lenge, but they be straite and open behinde downe to the buttocks; for, otherwise they coulde not gett to horsebacke; wherein I do not blame them, for I see the Frenchmen vse the like. On their feete and leggs they were bootes or busgynes, made wᵗʰ their soles of such a sorte, that whan they stande, the heele and the too tooʷche the grounde, but the plante of the foote standeth so high that yoʷ may easelie thrust yoʳ fyst vndernethe wᵗhout hurting of it, whereof it foloweth that whan they go afoote they go wᵗʰ paine. I wolde in this parte blame them, if it were not that I knowe the Persians vse the same. In their feeding (as I haue seene thexperience in the house of one of the principall of them) they vse this maner. They haue certein square tables of halfe a yarde brode, wᵗʰ a ledge rounde about: in the myddest whereof they putt a quantitie of panico sodden, wᵗhout salte or other fatt; and this they vse in steade of podaige. On an other like table they putt the fleshe of a wilde bore, so little brooyled that whan they cutt it the bloudde cōmeth out, which they eate very willingely. I coulde not awaie[33] wᵗhall, and therefore drave fooʳthe the tyme wᵗʰ that podaige. Wyne we had plentie, and that trugged[34] about lustilie: but other kinde of vittailes we had none.

There be in this province great mountaignes and many woodes. It hath a citie called Zifilis,[35] by the which passeth the ryver Tigris, and that is a good towne, well inhabited. There is also a towne called Gori, which confineth wᵗʰ the Sea Maggiore, and this is as much as I haue to saie toocheng my voyage vnto Tana and those regions, togither wᵗʰ the things woʳthie of memorie in those ꝑties. And nowe it behoveth me, taking an other beginneng, to describe the seconde parte: wherein I shall declare the things apꝓtaigneng to my voiage into Persia.

[Here beginneth the Seconde Parte which concerneth the voiage that I, Josaphat Barbaro, made, as Ambassadoʳ into Persia.]

[Sidenote: Signoria signifieth the Venetian astate.]

During the warres between our most excellent Signoria and Ottomano, the yere 1471, I, being a man, vsed to travaile, and of experience amongst barbarouse people, and willing also to serue oʳ foresaid most excellent Signoria, was sent awaie wᵗʰ thambassadoʳ of Assambei, King of Persia: who was come to Venice to compfort the Signoria to folowe the warres against the said OTTOMANNO.

[Sidenote: Caramano was lorde of Cilicia.]

We departed from Venice wᵗʰ ij light galeys, and aftre vs came ij great galeys, well furnished wᵗʰ men and municōns, besides other presents that the forsaid most excellent Signoria sent to Assambei: wᵗʰ comission that I shulde arrive in the cuntrey of Caramano or on those sea costes wheare, if the said Assambei shulde come or sende, I shulde give all these things vnto him. The proporcōn was of artillerie, certein bombardes, springards, and hangonnes,[36] wᵗʰ powder, shott,[37] waggens, and other yrons, of divers sortes, to the value of iiijᵐ ducates. The souldeoʳˢ were crossbowes and handgones: cc vnder the leading of iiij conestables and one governoʳ, named Thomas of Imola, who had x men sufficiently provided for every governaunce. Than were there presentes of vessell of syluer to the value of three thousande ducates; cloth of golde and sylke to the value of ijᵐˡ vᶜ ducates. Scarletts and other fyne wollen clothes to the value of iijᵐ ducates. And so being arryved in the Ile of Cyprus we entered into Famagosta, and there togither came before the king, the Busshop of Romes[38] ambassadoʳ, King Ferdinandos ambassadoʳ, and we twoo, that is to weete Assambeis ambassadoʳ and I, wheare enquireng wheather we might go sauf through the cuntrey of Caramano into Persia, we founde that Ottomanno had gotten all the townes both on the sea costes and wᵗhin lande. By reason whereof we were constreyned to tarie a certein tyme in Famagosta. In which tyme (being desirouse to folowe on my ioʳney) I divers tymes, in companie of thambassadoʳ of CARAMANO (whom I founde in Cyprus) went wᵗʰ a light galey vpon the costes of CARAMANO: leaving thother ambassadoʳ behinde me. And on one tyme amongst other, I arryved in an haven, whereas standeth a certein castell called Sigi, and there we spake wᵗʰ the Lorde of that place:[39] who, notwᵗhstanding that he had lost all his fortresses, had yet about a cᵗʰ horses and some people that went as vagabonds about the cuntrey, which did all folowe him.

[Sidenote: Stradiottes are light horsemen, Greekes.]

This lordes elder brother[40] was goon to Assembei for succoʳ against Ottomanno, so that we, finding him of oʳ affection, talked wᵗʰ him; and in cōicacōn amongest other things reioiseng he saied vnto vs, that he had waited for vs and shewed lʳᵉˢ from Assambei, willeng him to be of good compforte, for the Venetian armie shulde shortlie come vnto him; by whose helpe he trusted to recover his astate, specially the places on the sea costes. Whereupon, I hearing that oʳ armie shulde come into those ꝑties, tooke order that our galeys which remayned of Famagosta, should come to Sigi. This meane while I hearde that our generall capitaigne Mʳ. Pietro Mocenico, together with the Proveditoʳ Mʳ. Vettorio Soranzo, and Mʳ. Stephano Malipiero, with the other galeys and capitaignes were arryved in the haven of Curcho;[41] wheare as is a faire castell of the same name. Wherefore incontinently I sent Augustino Contarini, the sopracomito vnto him; adviseng him that if he went about any enterprise I thought he shulde do well to come to Sigi, wheare I was, for that waye might he soonest obteigne victorie; howbeit, if he thought it not good, I was readie to folowe his comaundement. Sigi is but xx myles distant from Curcho; so that the generall capitaigne having herde my opinion (notwᵗʰstanding he had alreadie begonne his batterie there) lefte of and came wᵗʰ the armie vnto Sigi. In which armie were lvᵗⁱᵉ[42] galeys besides the twoo light and twoo great ones that I had brought that made up lx, all of oʳ most excellent signoria, xvj galeys of the King FERDINANDOS, v galeys of the King of Cyprus, ij galeys of the great Mʳ of Rodes, and xvj galeys of the Busshopp of Romes,[43] which at that time remained at Modone. So that in all they were nynetie and nyne galeys. On the which there were ccccxl horses of ours wᵗʰ their stradiotte,[44] that is to wete, viij in every galey, v galeys excepted, which in dede had no horse. As soone as they arryved in the haven they landed their horses and a good ꝓᵗᵉ of the people, who made themselfs readie. The next daie folowing the capⁿᵉ sent for me, and told me that the castell seemed vnto him verie stronge, and by reason of the site in maner not expugnable, because it standeth on the height of an hyll, and therefore asked myne opinion. I answered it was vndoubtedly very stronge, but that, on thother side again, there passed not xxv good men in it to garde and defende it, being a myle in compasse; wherefore I made my rekenyng that folowing thentreprise we shulde soone obteigne it, he pawsed a great while and answered nothing, but wᵗhin two howres after he sent his admirall vnto me, saying that he was determyned to go through with thentreprise, bidding me to be of good compforthe. Whereupon I went streight to warne THEMINGA, a capⁿᵉ of the caramano, who likewise reioysed much, and made me to declare it vnto his lord, which I did; and so retorneng by THEMINGA came to oʳ capitaigne that than travailed for the preparacon of thassaulte. The next morning about iiij houres of the day, Theminga tolde me there came one out of the castell to him, offering to yelde the castell if we wolde save their persons and their goodes, which I declared to oʳ capitaigne; and so was commanded by him to promise, by means of Theminga, that they and all theirs, wᵗʰ their goodes, shulde be saufe, and that in case they were not disposed to contynewe there they shulde be saufely conducted whither they wolde. Having declared this to Theminga, he wolde I shulde go speke wᵗʰ the lorde of the castell; and so went to the gate, wheare, through a little square wyndowe, I spake wᵗʰ him, and, aftre many woordes, he concluded that vpon this condicion rehearsed he wolde deliver the castell. Whereupon, the promise being made, he opened the gates and suffered me wᵗʰ oʳ Admyrall and three of oʳ galeymen, wᵗʰ oʳ interpretoʳ to enter. I asked him wheare he wolde be, he answered that he desired to go into Soria; and for his more suretie to be conducted wᵗʰ his wife, children and goods by one of oʳ galeys, which I promised him. And so incontinently he caused his goodes to be packed, whereof a great deal was made readie before, and he issued out of the gate wᵗhall, and the rest of those that were in the castell aftre him, which were to the nombre of clⁱᵉ ꝑsons in all, and descending downe the hyll mett wᵗʰ oʳ capitaigne that was comyng up wᵗʰ a good nombre of galeymen to receaue the castell, which galeymen, neither for the capⁿᵉˢ commandement nor yet for thretenyng, wolde forbeare the spoyle of those goodes and persons, being not a litle grief to the capitaigne and proveditoʳ, and to all them that had vnderstanding, considering the faithful promise that had been made in their name. Thus having receaued the castell I retoʳned to the galey, and that evenyng late the capⁿᵉ sent for me, lamenting wonderfully the chaunce that was happened, willing me to go to the capitaine of the Caramano to excuse him, and to declare what I thought convenient touching the disobedience and rage of the galeymen; and what he further mynded to do, as well in their favoʳ that had been robbed as against them that had com̄itted the roberie. Thus being retoʳned to the seaside, I founde myne interpretoʳ wᵗʰ an asse laden wᵗʰ these goods, which I not only caused incontinently to be taken from him, but also made him to be well beaten. Than went I to Theminga, capⁿᵉ to caramano, and whan I had excused the matter as I was appointed, in conclusion I promised him the next daye following all thinges shulde be restored. He receaued me thankfully, saieing that it greved him that the lorde of Sigi wᵗʰ all his (being rebells vnto his lorde) had not been slayne, wherefore seing he passed so litle vpon that which was happened, I salued the matter, saieng it was convenient we shulde observe oʳ promise made vnto them, and that the thing so chaunced proceaded of the galeymennes furie sore against the captaignes, proveditors, and all the sopracomitos willes. Whan I was retoʳned vnto oʳ capitaigne, he commanded Mʳ. Vettor Soranzo, wᵗʰ certein sopracomiti, to see the persons and goods taken contrarie to thappoinctmᵗ recovered. Whearevpon, early in the moʳneng, cries were made vpon great penaltie that everie man shulde bringe on lande as well the persons as the goods so taken, and besides this the galeys were dilygently searched. The persons were all founde, and a great ꝑte of the goodes, whereof those of smallest valewe were cast on a great heape, and such parte of it taken out as apꝑertaigned to the Lorde, and likewise out of the sackes or elswheare all that was his was had out, and all togither brought into the galley of Mʳ Vettor Soranzo, the proveditoʳ, because the Lorde wᵗʰ his wief were entered into that galey, vnto whom all the things that coulde be founde were presented. And for the rest of the peoples goodes they were all assigned to their own captaigne, who made a crye that every one shulde come fooʳthe and take his owne, and so they did. It was thought this lorde shulde have no small treasure lefte him by his father, and, as it appeared, what of preciouse stones, perles, golde, sylver, and clothe, there were doseins of thousande ducates. For proof whereof one SOPRACOMITO, a Candiot, which had twoo sackes of the said goodes thone whereof be restored, and caried thother wᵗʰ him vnto Rodes: wheare he died; bequethed vnto the said lorde in recompense of that which he had of his viijᶜ ducates. This doon, twoo of the same lordes bretherne came to hym into the galey, and wᵗʰ divers reasons so ꝑsuaded him, that he consented to retoʳne to lande againe wᵗʰ all his; wheare, shortly after, the galeys being departed, they caused him to die; and, as though that had been but a small matter, thone of them also maried his brothers wief.

[Sidenote: Archipelago was sometime Mare Egeū.]

Tharmye retoʳned to Curcho, before named: and whan the men were landed the bombards were bestowed in their place to batter likewise that castell: in the which was a garryson of Ottomanos men, and there also was the Lorde CARAMANO arrived wᵗʰ his men: and having taken the first wall they yelded, bodie and goods saved: so that we tooke the castell and restored it vnto CARAMANO. Aftre this I, wᵗʰ certein of CARAMANOS company went to Silephica, a famoᵘse towne[45] likewise gotten by Ottomano, and thretened them wᵗhin; but if they wolde not yelde the towne (for the wᶜʰ their bodies and goodes shulde be saved) they shulde be assaulted, and ꝓchaunce whan they wolde yelde they shulde not be accepted, but be hewen to peeces: wherevnto I was answered that I shulde departe for that tyme in Godds name; and the next mornyng they wolde signifie vnto CARAMANO what their entent was: which in effect proved so, for they hadde him come to receave it, and they accordingly yelded. Vpon this our capitaigne, wᵗʰ all tharmie, retoʳned into Cyprus, disposing themselfs to abide neere vnto Famagosta, to take ordre for the rule and governance of that Ilande, bicause King James[46] happened to dye while we were in Caramanos lande. And having establisshed all things well there, wᵗhin a fewe daies they went towardes the Archipelago, and I remaigned in the haven of FAMAGOSTA with three light galeys and twoo great: togither wᵗʰ the conestable and souldeoʳˢ that were comitted vnto me by the most excellent SIGNORIA, wheare I taried a certein space. This, meane while, there arryved two galeys of King Ferdinandos, in the which was the Archebusshop of Nicosia, a Catelaine borne, and wᵗʰ him a messynger of the kings to treate of the mariage of a bastarde doughter of King James.[47] Amongst which practises there happened one night a great alarme, wᵗʰ ryngeng of belles: insomuch that the busshop, wᵗʰ those that folowed him gate the markett place and consequently the towne: and aftre that had Cirenes[48] wᵗʰ the rest in maner of all the Ilande at his cōmaundement. But oʳ capitaigne-generall hearing of the passaige of these twoo galeys, wᵗʰ the busshop eastwardes, suspected they went into Cyprus: and therefore sent Mʳ. Vettor Loranzo, the Proveditor, wᵗʰ x light galeys aftre him: who arryved at Famagosta, and founde one of the said galeys in the haven there, and aftre longe reasonyng the said busshop wᵗʰ his complices agreed to restore the towne and all that they had taken, and so to departe. Which doon, King Ferdinandos ambassadoʳ retuʳned to Naples, and the Busshop of Romes remaigned still in Famagosta. I, wᵗʰ Assambeis ambassador, desirouse to furnishe my ioʳney (having first sent backe into Candia the twoo great galeys, wᵗʰ thartillerie and presents before named, by appoinctement of the Signoria, who caused ꝑte of it to remaigne there, and parte to be had againe to Venice), caused the souldeoʳˢ to remaigne for the garryson of Cyprus, and wᵗʰ a light galey retoʳned to Curco, the site whereof I shall nowe describe, bicause I haue not spoken of it before. This Curco standeth on the sea, and hath forneagainst it westwarde a rocke, the thierde parte of a myle in compasse,[49] on the which heretofore hath been a castell both stronge and faire and well wrought, though at this present it be greatly decaied. On the principall gates were graven certein lᵗʳᵉˢ, which seemed verie faire and lyke to the Armenians, but in an other kinde than those which the Armenians vse at this present: for I had certein Armenians there wᵗʰ me which coulde not reade them.[50] This broken castell is distant from Curco towardes the mowthe of the haven, the shoote of a crosbowe, and Curco is partely edified on a rocke, and partely it hangeth downe hill towards the sea. Out of the rocke is hewen a great dyche on theaste side, and on the sande towardes the hyll side is an exceading stronge wall, scarfelled, that it can not be annoyed wᵗʰ artyllerie. Such an other place is likewise in the castell wᵗʰ exceading great walles and most stronge, towards which in all may compasse twoo thirde partes of a myle, and the same hath also vpon the gates (which arr twoo) certein Armenian lᵗʳᵉˢ graven. Everie habitac̃on of this towne hath his cisterne of freshe water, and in the open streates arr iiij very great cisternes of exceading pure water, sofficient to furnishe a verie great citie. In the high waie, a boweshoote out of the towne eastewardes, arr certein arches of marble, of one peece (for the most parte broken), wᶜʰ contynewe on both sides the waie to a certein churche halfe a myle distant: seemyng to haue been a verie great thinge and all wrought wᵗʰ very great pillers of marble and other excellent things.

The grounde about the towne is hyllie and stonye, liek vnto that of Istria, and hath been inhabited by the subiects of the Lorde Caramano. There groweth much wheat, cotton, and cattaill, and specially they breed many oxen and horses, and haue excellent fruictes of divers sortes: the ayre being as ferre as I coulde ꝑceaue very temꝓate, but what cace the country is in at this present I wot not; for I heare saie it hath been destroied by Ottomano. Neere to the seaside arr ij castells, one of Sigi, before named, buylded on an hyll, and an other very stronge. The first whereof is wᵗhin a bowe shoote of the sea and thother vj myles distant from that.

Likewise on the sea-side, departing from Curco, ten myles northwest is Seleucha,[51] on the top of an hyll; under the which reñeth a ryver[52] that falleth into the sea beside Curco, about the bignesse of Brenta: and neere vnto this hill is a theatre liek vnto that of Verona, verie great, and environed wᵗʰ pillers of one peece, and gryses[53] about. Clymbeng the hyll, to enter the towne on the lefte hande, arr seene many arches, parte of one peece (as it is said before) separate from the hill, and partely digged out of the same hill. And clymbing a little higher, ye enter the gates of the first circuite to the towne, which stande in maner on the height of the hill, wᵗʰ a great towne on either side, and arr of yron, wᵗhout any tymber, about lᵗⁱᵉ[54] foote high and half as broad, wrought no lesse finely than as if they were sylver, exceding thicke and stronge. The wall is verie great, full wᵗhinfooʳthe wᵗʰ his garde before which is so well laden and covered wᵗhout fooʳth wᵗʰ verie harde earth, and so well cowched[55] that by it ye can not clymbe to the walles; and this earthe environneth them and defendeth so much from the walles that the circuite thereof bylowe is iij myles, wheare the wall itself is not pas a myle about, so that it is made like a suger loofe. Within this circle is the castell of Seleucha, wᵗʰ the walles full of towres, between which wall and the vtter wall there is so much voide grounde as for neede wolde beare ccc busshells of wheate, and leave aboue xxx paces space between it and the inner warde. Within this castell is an holowe quadrant digged out of the rocke, v paces deepe, xxx paces longe, and about vij paces broade; wherein was much tymber for munic̃ion, and, besides that, a great cisterne that can never lacke water.

[Sidenote: At this time there was a Soldan in Egipt.]