Chapter IX: Appendix (7)

Imprinted at London in Breadstreat at the nether ende
by Thomas East. An 1568
The 6 day of October

[Decoration]

[Decoration]

_Here beginneth the journall of Frier Odoricus, one of the
order of the Minorites, concerning strange things which hee
sawe among the Tartars of the East._

ALBEIT many and sundry things are reported by divers authors concerning the fashions and conditions of this world: notwithstanding I frier Odoricus of Friuli, de portu Vahonis being desirous to travel unto the foreign and remote nations of infidels, sawe and heard great and miraculous things, which I am truly able to avouch. First of al therefore sayling from Pera by Constantinople, I arrived at Trapesunda.[1] This place is right commodiously situate, as being an haven for the Persians and Medes, and other countries beyonde the sea. In this lande I behelde with very great delight a very strange spectacle, namely a certain man leading about with him more than foure thousande partriges. The man himselfe walked upon the grounde, and the partriges flew in the aire, which he ledde unto a certaine castle called Zavena, being three days journey distant from Trapesunda. The saide partriges were so tame, that when the man was desirous to lie downe and rest, they would all come flocking about him like chickens. And so hee led them unto Trapesunda, and unto the palace of the Emperour, who tooke as many of them as he pleased, and the reste the saide man carried unto the place from whence he came. In this citie lyeth the body of Athanasius, upon the gate of the citie. And then I passed on further unto Armenia major, to a citie called Azaron,[2] which had been very rich in olde time, but nowe the Tartars haue almost layde it waste. In the saide citie there was abundance of bread and flesh, and of all other victuals except wine and fruits. This citie also is very colde, and is reported to be higher situated, then any other city in the world. It hath most holesome and sweete waters about it: for the veines of the saide waters seeme to spring and flow from the mighty river of Euphrates, which is but a dayes journey from the saide city. Also, the saide citie stands directly in the way to Tauris.[3] And I passed on unto a certaine mountaine called Sobissacalo. In the foresaide countrey there is the very same mountaine whereupon the Arke of Noah rested; unto the which I would willingly haue ascended, if my company would haue stayed for me. Howbeit the people of that countrey report, that no man could euer ascend the saide mountaine, because (say they) it pleaseth not the highest God. And I travailed on further unto Tauris that great and royal city, which was in olde time called Susis. This city is accompted for traffique of merchandize the chiefe citie of the world: for there is no kinde of victuals, nor any thing else belonging unto merchandize, which is not to be had there in great abundance. This citie stands very commodiously: for unto it all the nations of the whole worlde in a maner may resort for traffique. Concerning the saide citie, the Christians in those parts are of opinion, that the Persian Emperour receives more tribute out of it, then the King of France out of all his dominions. _Neare unto the saide citie there is a salt-hill yeelding salt unto the city: and of that salt ech man may take what pleaseth him, not paying ought to any man therefor._ In this city many Christians of all nations do inhabite, over whom the Saracens beare rule in all things. Then I traveiled on further unto a city called Soldania,[4] wherein the Persian Emperour lieth all Sommer time: but in Winter hee takes his progresse unto another city standing upon the sea called Baku.[5] Also the foresaide city is very great and colde having good and holesome waters therein, unto the which also store of marchandize is brought. Moreover I travelled with a certaine company of Caravans toward upper India: and in the way, after many days journey, I came unto the citie of the three wise men called Cassan,[6] which is a noble and renowned city, saving that the Tartars haue destroyed a great part thereof, and it aboundeth in bread, wine, and many other commodities. From this citie unto Jerusalem (whither the three foresaid wisemen were miraculously led) it is fifty days journey. There be many wonders in this citie also, which for brevities sake, I omit. From thence I departed unto a certain city called Geste, _whence the sea of sand is distant one dayes journey, which is a most wonderful and dangerous thing_. In this city there is abundance of all kinds of victuals and especially of figs, raisins, and grapes: more (as I suppose) then in any part of the whole world besides. This is one of the three principall cities of all the Persian Empire. Of this city the Saracens report, that no Christian can by any means live therein above a yeere. Then passing many dayes journey on forward, I came unto a certain city called Comum[7] which was a huge and mightie citie in olde time, conteyning well nigh fiftie miles in circuite, and hath done in times past great damage unto the Romanes. In it there are stately palaces altogether destitute of inhabitants, notwithstanding it aboundeth with great store of victuals. From hence travailing through many countreys, at length I came unto the land of Job called Hus, which is full of all kinde of victuals and very pleasantly situated. Thereabouts are certaine mountaines having good pastures for cattell upon them. Here also Manna is found in great aboundance. Four partriges are here solde for lesse than a groat. In this countrey there are most comely olde men. Here also the men spin and card, and not the women. This land bordereth upon the North part of Chaldea.

[Footnote 1: Trebizonde.]

[Footnote 2: Erzeroum.]

[Footnote 3: Tauris, a city of Persia.]

[Footnote 4: Or Sultania.]

[Footnote 5: The Caspian Sea.]

[Footnote 6: Or Cassibin.]

[Footnote 7: Como.]

_Of the maners of the Chaldeans, and of India._

FROM thence I traveled into Chaldæa, which is a great kingdome and I passed by the tower of Babel. This region hath a language peculiar unto itselfe, and there are beautiful men and deformed women. _The men of the same countrey used to haue their haire kempt, and trimmed like unto our women: and they weare golden turbants upon their heads richly set with pearle, and pretious stones. The women are clad in a course smock onely reaching to their knees and having long sleeves hanging downe to the ground._ And they goe barefooted, wearing breeches which reach to the ground also. They weare no attire upon their heads, but their haire hangs disheaveled about their eares: and there be many other strange things also. From thence I came into the lower India, which the Tartars overran & wasted. And in this countrey the people eat dates for the most part, whereof 42 li are there sold for lesse than a groat. I passed further also many dayes journey unto the Ocean Sea & the first lande where I arrived, is called Ormes,[1] being well fortified, and having great store of merchandize and treasure therein. Here also they use a kinde of Bark or shippe called Jase, being compact together onely with hempe. And I went on board into one of them, wherein I could not finde any yron at all, and in the space of 28 days I arrived at the city of Thana,[2] wherein foure of our friers were martyred for the faith of Christ. This countrey is well situate having abundance of bread and wine, and of other victuals therein. This Kingdome in olde time was very large and under the dominion of King Porus, who fought a great battell with Alexander the great. The people of this countrey are idolaters worshipping fire, serpents and trees. And ouer all this land the Saracens do beare rule, who tooke it by maine force, and they themselues are in subjection unto King Daldilus. There be divers kinds of beasts, as namely blacke lyons in great abundance, and apes also, and monkeis, and battes as bigge as our doves. And there are mise as bigge as our countrey dogs, and therefore they are hunted with dogs, because cats are not able to encounter them. Moreouer in the same countrey every man hath a bundle of great boughs standing in a water-pot before his doore, which bundle is as great as a pillar, and it will not wither, so long as water is applied thereunto: with many other novelties and strange things, the relation whereof would breed great delight.

[Footnote 1: Ormus.]

[Footnote 2: Thana, whereof Frederick Cæsar maketh mention.]

_How peper is had: and where it groweth._

MOREOUER, that it may be manifest how peper is had, it is to be understood that it groweth in a certaine kingdome whereat I myself arrived, being called Minibar,[1] and it is not so plentifull in any other part of the worlde as it is there. For the wood wherein it growes conteineth in circuit 18 dayes journey. And in the said wood or forrest there are two cities one called Flandrina,[2] and the other Cyncilim. In Flandrina both Jewes & Christians doe inhabite, betweene whom there is often contention and warre: howbeit the Christians overcome the Jewes at all times. In the foresaid wood pepper is had after this maner: first it groweth in leaves like unto pot-hearbes, which they plant neere unto great trees as we do our vines, and they bring forth pepper in clusters, as our vines doe yeeld grapes, but being ripe, they are of a green colour, and are gathered as we gather grapes, and then the graines are layd in the Sunne to be dried, and being dried are put into earthen vessels: and thus is pepper made and kept. Now, in the same wood there be many rivers, wherein are great store of Crocodiles, and of other serpents, which the inhabitants of that countrey do burne up with strawe and with other dry fewel, and so they go to gather their pepper without danger. At the South End of the said forrest stands the city of Polumbrum,[3] which aboundeth with marchandize of all kinds. All the inhabitants of that countrey do worship a living oxe, as their god, whom they put to labour for sixe yeres, and in the seventh yere they cause him to rest from al his worke, placing him in a solemne and publique place: and calling him an holy beast. _Moreouer they use this foolish ceremonie: Every morning they take two basons, either of silver or of gold, and with one they receive the urine of the oxe, and with the other his dung. With the urine they wash their face, their eyes, and all their fiue senses. Of the dung they put into both their eyes, then they anoint the bals of their cheeks therewith, and thirdly their breast: and then they say that they are sanctified for all that day: And as the people doe, euen so doe their king and Queene._ This people worshippeth also a dead idole which from the navel upward, resembleth a man, and from the navel downward an oxe. The very same Idol delivers oracles unto them, and sometimes requireth the blood of fourtie virgins for his hire. And therefore the men of that region do consecrate their daughters and their sonnes unto their idols, euen as Christians do their children unto some Religion or Saint in heaven. Likewise they sacrifice their sonnes and their daughters, and so, much people is put to death before the said Idol by reason of that accursed ceremony. Also, many other hainous and abominable villainies doeth that brutish beastly people commit: and I saw many more strange things among them which I meane not here to insert. Another most vile custome the foresaide nation doeth retaine: _for when any man dieth they burne his dead corpse to ashes: and if his wife surviveth him, her they burne quicke, because (say they) she shall accompany her husband in his tilthe and husbandry, when he is come unto a new worlde. Howbeit the said wife having children by her husband, may if she will, remaine still alive with them, without shame or reproche: notwithstanding, for the most part, they all of them make choice to be burnt with their husbands._ Now, albeit the wife dieth before her husband, that law bindeth not the husband to any such inconvenience but he may marry another wife also. _Likewise, ye said nation hath another strange custome, in that their women drink wine, but their men do not. Also the women haue the lids & brows of their eyes & beards shaven, but the men haue not_: with many other base and filthie fashions which the said women do use contrary to the nature of their sexe. From that kingdome I traveiled 10 daies journey unto another kingdome called Mobar,[4] which containeth many cities. Within a certaine church of the same countrey, the body of S. Thomas the Apostle is interred, the very same church being full of idols: and in 15 houses round about the said Church there dwell certaine priests who are Nestorians, that is to say, false, and bad Christians and schismatiques.

[Footnote 1: Malabar.]

[Footnote 2: Or Alandrina.]

[Footnote 3: _Query_, whether this is not _Kaulam_ or
_Ballád-ul-Falfal_, the Pepper Country, or Malabar, latinized
into Columbum or Columbus.]

[Footnote 4: Malabar.]

_Of a strange and uncouth idole: & of certaine customes
and ceremonies._

IN the kingdome of Mobar there is a wonderfull strange idole, being made after the shape and resemblance of a man, as big as the image of our Christopher, & consisting all of most pure and glittering gold. And about the necke thereof hangeth a silke riband, ful of most rich & precious stones, some one of which is of more value than a whole kingdome. The house of this idol is all of beaten gold, namely the roofe, the pavement, and the sieling of the wall within and without. Unto this idol the Indians go on pilgrimage, as we do unto St. Peter. Some go with halters about their necks, some with their hands bound behind them, some with knives sticking on their armes or legs: and if after their peregrination, the flesh of their wounded arme festereth or corrupteth, they esteeme that limme to be holy, & thinke that their God is wel pleased with them. _Neare unto the temple of that idol is a lake made by men in an open and common place, whereinto the pilgrimes cast gold, silver and precious stones, for the honour of the idol and the repairing of his temple. And therefore when anything is to be adorned or mended, they go unto this lake taking up the treasure which was cast in. Moreouer at euery yerely feast of the making or repairing of the said idol, the king and queene, with the whole multitude of the people, & all the pilgrimes assemble themselues, & placing the said idol in a most stately & rich chariot, they cary him out of their temple with songs, & with all kinds of musical harmonie, and a great companie of virgins go procession-wise two and two in a rank singing before him. Many pilgrims also put themselves under the chariot wheeles, to the end that their false god may go ouer them, and al they ouer whom the chariot runneth, are crushed in pieces, & divided asunder in the midst, and slaine right out. Yea, & in doing this, they think themselves to die most holily & securely, in the service of their god._ And by this meanes every yere, there die under the said filthy idol, mo then 500 persons, whose carcases are burned, and their ashes are kept for reliques, because they died in that sort for their god. Moreover they haue another detestable ceremony. For when any man offers to die in the service of his false god, his parents & all his friends assemble themselues together with a consort of musicians, making him a great & solemne feast: which feast being ended, they hang 5 sharpe knifes about his neck carrying him before the idol & so soone as he is come thither, he taketh one of his knives crying with a loud voice, For the worship of my god do I cut this my flesh, and then he casteth the morsel which is cut, at y^e face of his idol: but at the very last wound wherewith he murthereth himselfe, he uttereth these words: "Now do I yeeld myself to death in the behalfe of my god" and being dead his body is burned, & is esteemed by al men to be holy. The king of the said region is most rich in silver, gold, and precious stones, & there be the fairest unions in al the world.

Traveling from thence by the Ocean sea 50 daies journey southward, I came unto a certaine land named Lammori,[1] where, _in regard of extreeme heat, the people both men and women go stark-naked from top to toe: who seeing me apparelled, scoffed at me, saying that God made Adam and Eve naked. In this countrey al women are common, so that no man can say, this is my wife. Also when any of the said women beareth a son or a daughter, she bestowes it upon anyone that hath lien with her, whom she pleaseth. Likewise al the land of that region is possessed in common, so that there is not mine & thine, or any propriety of possession in the division of lands: howbeit euery man hath his owne house peculiar unto himselfe._ Mans flesh, if it be fat, is eaten as ordinarily there as beefe in our countrey. And albeit the people are most lewd, yet the countrey is exceeding good, abounding with al commodities, as fleshe, corne, rise, silver, gold, wood of aloes, Camphir, and many other things. Marchants coming unto this region for traffique do usually bring with them fat men, selling them unto the inhabitants as we sel hogs, who immediately kil and eat them. In this island towards the south, there is another kingdome called Simoltra,[2] where both men and women marke themselves with red-hot yron in 12 sundry spots of their faces: and this nation is at continual warre with certaine naked people in another region. Then I traveled further unto another island called Java, the compasse whereof by sea is 3000 miles. The king of this Iland hath 7 other crowned kings under his jurisdiction. The said Island is throughly inhabited & is thought to be one of the principall Ilands of y^e whole world. In the same Iland there groweth great plenty of cloves, cubibez, and nutmegs, and in a word all kinds of spices are there to be had, and great aboundance of all victuals except wine. The king of the said Iland of Java hath a brave and sumptuous pallace, the most loftily built, that euer I saw any, & it hath most high greeses[3] and stayers to ascend up into the roomes therein contained, one stayre being of silver, & another of gold, throughout the whole building. Also the lower roomes were paved all ouer with one square plate of silver, & another of gold. All the walls upon the inner side were seeled ouer with plates of gold, wherupon were ingraven y^e pictures of knights, having about their temples, ech of them a wreath of golde, adorned with precious stones. The roofe of the palace was of pure gold. With this King of Java the great Can of Catay hath had many conflicts in war; whom notwithstanding the said king hath always overcome and vanquished.

[Footnote 1: Perhaps he meaneth Cammori.]

[Footnote 2: Sumatra.]

[Footnote 3: Steps.]

_Of certaine trees yeelding meale, honey, and poyson._

NEERE unto the said Iland is another countrey called Panten, or Tathalamasin.[1] And the king of the same countrey hath many Ilands under his dominion. In this land there are trees yeelding meale, hony, & wine & the most deadly poison in all y^e whole world: for against it there is but one only remedy: & that is this: if any man hath taken of y^e poyson, & would be delivered from the danger thereof, let him temper the dung of a man in water, & so drinke a good quantitie thereof, & it expels the poyson immediatly, making it to avoid at the fundament. Meale is produced out of the said trees after this maner. They be mighty huge trees and when they are cut with an axe by the ground, there issueth out of the stock a certain licour like unto gumme, which they take and put into bags made of leaues, laying them for 15 days together abroad in the sunne, & at the end of those 15 dayes, when the said licour is throughly parched, it becometh meale. Then they steepe it first in sea water, washing it afterward with fresh water, and so it is made very good & savorie paste, whereof they make either meat or bread, as they thinke good. Of which bread I my selfe did eate, & it is fayrer without & somewhat browne within. By this countrey is the sea called Mare mortuum, which runneth continually Southward, into y^e which whosoever falleth in (_is_) never seene after. In this countrey also are found canes of an incredible length, namely of 60 paces high or more, & they are as bigge as trees. Other canes there be also called Cassan,[2] which overspread the earth like grasse, & out of euery knot of them spring foorth certaine branches, which are continued upon the ground almost for the space of a mile. In the said canes there are found certaine stones, one of which stones, whosoever carryeth about with him, cannot be wounded with any yron: & therefore the men of that countrey for the most part, carry such stones with them, whithersoever they goe. Many also cause one of the armes of their children, while they are yong, to be launced, putting one of the said stones into the wound, healing also, and closing up the said wound with the powder of a certaine fish (the name whereof I do not know) which powder doth immediatly consolidate and cure the said wounde. And by the virtue of these stones the people aforesaid doe for the most part triumph both on sea and land. Howbeit there is one kinde of stratageme, which the enemies of this nation, knowing the vertue of the sayd stones, doe practise against them: namely, they provide themselues armour of yron or steele against their arrowes, & weapons also poisoned with the poyson of trees & they carry in their hands wooden stakes most sharpe and hard pointed, as if they were yron: likewise they shoot arrowes without yron heads, & so they confound and slay some of their unarmed foes trusting too securely unto the vertue of their stones. Also of the foresayd canes called Cassan they make sayles for their ships, and litel houses, and many other necessaries. From thence after many dayes travell, I arrived at another kingdome called Campa, a most beautiful and rich countrey, & abounding with all kind of victuals: the king whereof, at my being there, had so many wives & concubines, that he had 300 sonnes & daughters by them. This king hath 10004 tame Elephants, which are kept even as we keepe droves of oxen or flocks of sheepe in pasture.

[Footnote 1: _Query_, The Tathsiaulu of Marco Polo, or
Thibet.]

[Footnote 2: An exaggeration for bamboos.]

_Of the abundance of fishes, which cast themselues upon
the shore._

IN this countrey there is one strange thing to be observed, y^t euery several kind of fishes in those seas come swimming towards the said countrey in such abundance, that, for a great distance into the sea, nothing can be seene but the backes of fishes: _which casting themselues upon the shore when they come neere unto it, do suffer men, for the space of 3 daies to come & take as many of them as they please, & then they return again to the sea. After that kind of fishes comes another kind, offering itselfe after the same maner, & so in like sort all other kinds whatsoever: notwithstanding they do this but once in a year. And I demaunded of the inhabitants there how, or by what meanes this strange accident could come to passe: They answered, that fishes were taught, even by nature to come and do homage unto their Emperour._ There be Tortoises also as bigge as an oven. Many other things I saw which are incredible, unlesse a man should see them with his own eies. In this countrey also dead men are burned, & their wives are burned aliue with them, as in the city of Polumbrum aboue mentioned: for the men of that countrey say that she goeth to accompany him in another world, that he should take none other wife in mariage. Moreouer I traveled on further by the ocean-sea towards the South, & passed through many countries and islands, whereof one is called Moumoran, & it containeth in compasse ii. M miles, wherein men & women haue dogs faces, and worship an oxe for their god: and therefore euery one of them cary the image of an oxe of gold or silver upon their foreheads. The men & women of this country go all naked, saving that they hang a linen cloth round their loins. The men of the said country are very tall and mighty, and by reason that they goe naked, when they are to make battell, they cary yron or steele-targets before them, which do cover and defend their bodies from top to toe: and whomsoever of their foes they take in battel not being able to ransome himselfe for money, they presently devoure him: but if he be able to redeeme himselfe for money, they let him go free. Their king weareth about his necke 300 great & most beautiful unions,[1] and saith euery day 300 prayers unto his god. He weareth upon his finger also a stone of a span long, which seemeth to be a flame of fire, and therefore when he weareth it, no man dare approach unto him: and they say that there is not any stone in the whole world of more value than it. Neither could at any time the great Tartarian Emperour of Katay either by force, money, or policie obtain it at his hands, notwithstanding that he hath done the utmost of his indeavour for this purpose.

[Footnote 1: Large and fine pearls.]

_Of the Island of Sylan: and of the mountaine where Adam
mourned for his sonne Abel._