Chapter V: Introduction (4)

All this region of Persia hitherto, by the waie that we came was verie barayn, drie, sandie, and stonye, having fewe waters, so that wheare water is there be some townes: though for the more parte destroied: every of which townes hath a castell fortified of earthe. Their cornes, vines, and fruictes encrease by force of their water; for wheare water is skarse there is harde dwelling; nevertheles, they vse to conveigh their water vnder earthe iiij and v daies ioʳney from the ryvers, whense they fetche them, and that in this maner. Neere to the ryver they make a pitt like vnto a well, from whense they folowe, diggeng by lyvells towardes the place they meane to bringe it to; so that it may evermore distende chanell wise: which chanell is deeper than the botome of the foresaid pytt, and whan they haue digged about xx paces of this chanell, than digge they an other pitt like to the first,[98] and so from pitt to pitt they conveigh the water alongest these chanells whither they woll. And whan they haue finisshed this worke than open they the skluse of the pitt towardes the ryver, and so letting in the water, convey it to their townes, and whither they woll, fetching that through the botome of mountaignes that is had out of the deepe of the ryvers. For if they did not thus there coulde be no dwelling there; considering that it rayneth very seldome, insomuch that I saied to those of tharmie their cuntrey was very barayne. Whearevnto I was answered that I needed not to mervaile, bicause the waie they tooke was freshe, so that they founde the better pasture and the cuntrey the holsōmer. In those ꝑties arr no woodes nor yet trees, no not so much as one, except it be fruite trees, which they plante, whereas they may water them; for otherwise they wolde not take. The tymber wherewᵗh they buylde arr trees which they sett in watrie places, in such nombre as suffiseth for their necessitie. The rather for that they haue excellent carpenters, who, being constreyned of necessitie to spare woll of one peece of tymber of two spannes in compasse sawed into boordes, make an handesome doore of two paces longe, so well wrought outwardes and so well ioyned, that it is a wonder, aftre which maner they also make their wyndowes and other things meete for their householde. In dede, wᵗhinfooʳthe the peeces of their ioynengs may well be discerned. Of this they also make chestes; and for proofe that there be none other trees, great nor small, neither on hill nor plaine, I have sometimes founde a shrubbe of thorne, on the which, as it were for a myracle, I haue seene certein peeces of cloth and ragges hanging, in token that the feaver and other infirmities arr healed there. And, notwᵗhstanding the great moltitude of people that is in their campe, yet shall yoʷ not heare any one mourning or lamenting; for they arr all meerie: synge, plaie, and laugh.

Folowing on oʳ ioʳney we came to a towne called SPAHAM,[99] which hath been a notable toune till of late, walled wᵗʰ mudde and diched, hauing about iiij myles in circuyte, and, rekenyng the subvrbes, aboue x myles: in which subvrbes arr no less goodly houses than wᵗhin the walles. I vndrestode that, by reason of the moltytude of the people amongest the which were nombres of good men, being also ryche, sometimes they disobeyed their king. And, about xx yeres passed, one GIANSA being King of Persia, came to this towne to reduce the same to obedience, and hauing taken ordre wᵗʰ them, deꝓted. But shortely aftre they rebelled againe; wherevpon he sent an armye thither wᵗʰ com̄aundement, that whan they had sacked and burned the towne, every man at his retoʳne shulde bringe one of thinhabitaunts heades wᵗʰ him: which they fulfilled so exactely that (as I haue hearde some of them reporte which were in that armie) they that coulde not gett mennes heades cutt off womens heades and shaved them, to fulfill the kings comaundement. By reason whereof, they overthrewe and destroied the whole towne; nevertheles, the vjᵗʰ parte of it is nowe enhabited again. It hath many great and notable antiquities, amongest the which the chiefest is a square cisterne, wᵗʰ cleere and sweete water, verie good to drynke, rounde about the which is a goodly wharfe sett wᵗʰ pyllars and vowltes: wheare arr innumerable roomethes[100] and places for merchaunts to bestowe their merchaundizes: which place is alwaies locked in the night for savegarde of the merchaundize. Divers other things and goodly monuments arr in this citie: whereof I woll forbeare to speak, saving that in the tyme rehearsed (as it was saied) there dwelled aboue Lᵐˡ persons. Aftre this, we founde a well enhabited citie called Cassan,[101] wheare for the more parte they make sylkes and fustians in so great quantitie that he who wolde bestowe xᵐˡ ducates in a daie may finde enough of that merchaundise to bestowe it on. It is about iij myles in compasse, walled, and wᵗhoutfooʳthe hath faire and large subvrbes. Than came we to a walled citie called COM, very rudely buylded. It is no towne of craftesmen; for they lyve of tyllaige, having many vineyardes and gardens and excellent good mellons; so great, that some one sholl waie xxxˡᵇ, grene wᵗhout, white wᵗhin, and as sweete as suger; and the towne conteigneth about xxᵐˡ houses.

[Sidenote: A resorting place for merchauntes to trafficke in.]

From thense, folowinge on oʳ waie we came to Jex,[102] a towne of artificers, as makers of sylkes, fustians, chamletts, and other like. Some may thinke I tell more than trowthe in many things; nevertheles, it is most trewe, as they knowe that have seene it. This towne is walled, of v myles in circuite, wᵗʰ very great subvrbes, and yet in maner they all arr wevers and makers of divers kindes of sylkes which came from STRAUA,[103] from AZZI, and from the ꝓties towardes ZAGATAI: towards the sea of Bachu, the best whereof come from Jex, wᶜʰ, wᵗʰ their woʳkes, do aftrewards furnishe a great parte of INDIA, PERSIA, ZAGATAI, CIM, and MACIM,[104] parte of CATAY, of Bursia, and of Turchie; wherefore lett him that woll bie good silkes of SORIA, faire and well wrought, take of these. And whan any merchaunt cōmeth to this towne for wares, he goeth into the FONDACO, rounde about the which arr certein litle shoppes, and in the middest a litle square place, likewise wᵗʰ shoppes, having twoo gates cheyned (bicause horses shulde not passe through). This merchaunt wᵗʰ his companie, if they be acquainted wᵗʰ any place, resorte thither to sytt: if not, they may sytt wheare pleaseth them in any of those shoppes, being vj foote square a peece. And if they be divers merchaunts, lightly they take eche one a shoppe by himself. An howre aftre the sonne ryseng certein go about wᵗʰ sylkes and other wares on their armes, passeng rounde about wiᵗhout speaking. And the merchaunts, if they see ought that pleaseth them, call the seller; and looke on his wares; the price whereof is writen on a paper sowed vnto it. If he lyketh them and the price, he throweth them into the litle shoppe, and so dispacheth them wᵗhout moore wordes. For he that deliuereth the stuff knoweth the owner of the shoppe, and therefore deꝓteth wᵗhout further question: which markett endureth till noone; and aftre dyner cometh the seller and receaueth his mooney; wheareas, if he fynde none that woll bye at his price one day, than he retoʳneth an other day: and so fooʳthe. They saie that towne requireth every daie twoo sompters of sylkes: which, aftre oʳ maner, amounteth to xᵐˡ weight. As for chamletts, fustians, and such other, I saie nothing; for, by the sylke they make, it may easelie be gessed how much more they make of those.

All my ioʳney hitherto hath been sowtheast, but nowe I shall retoʳne eastwardes, wheare the first towne in my waie was the city of SYRAS, being very great, of xxᵗⁱᵉ myles compasse, rekenyng the subvrbes wᵗhall. It conteigneth innumerable people, and is full of merchaunts; for all they that come from the vpper parties, that is to saie, frome ERE, SAMARCAHANTH, and NISU,[105] taking the waie throwgh Persia, do passe by SYRAS. Hither arr brought many jewelles, sylkes, both great and small, spices, rewbarbe, and semenzina, and is of the King Assambey, his domynion, closed wᵗʰ high mudde walles and deepe dyches, wᵗʰ gates according. It hath a nombre of excellent faire churches and good howses trym̄ed wᵗʰ MUSAICO and other goodly ornaments: and may conteigne ccᵐˡ houses, or ꝑadventure more. In which citie is very sure dwelling wᵗhout any disturbance. Going hense, they departe out of Persia, and take the waie vnto Ere,[106] a towne situate in the region of ZUGATAI, which towne apꝑteigneth to the sonne of the late Soldan Bosaith, and is very great, though not so bigge by the iijᵈᵉ parte as Syras, wheare they make sylkes and other like woʳkes as they do in Syras. I forbeare to speake of many castells, townes, and villaiges that arr in this waie, bicause there is nothing in them notable. But from thense, somewhat northeastwardes, they travaile xl daies ioʳney through desertes and barayn places, wheare no water is to be had but in such welles only as arr made for the purpose, and whereas is litle grasse and lesse woodde. And than come they in the self same region of Zagatai, to a verie great and well enhabited citie called Sammarcahanth, through the which all the merchaunts and travailers that come out of Cim Macim, and Catay do passe to and fro. The towne is well replenisshed of artificers and merchaunts both. The lordes whereof arr sonnes to Giarda.[107] I went no further this waie, but by that I learned there of others, this Cim and Macinn that I haue before named arr ij verie great provinces, thinhabitants whereof arr idolaters, and there make they vessells and disshes of PORCELLANA. In these ꝓties is verie great trafficque of merchaundize, specially jewells and clothes, as well of sylke as of other sortes, and from thense they go into the province of Catay. Of the which I shall rehearse as much as I knowe, by the reaporte of an ambassadoʳ of Tartarie that came thense. I, being at Tana, happened one tyme to talke wᵗʰ the saied ambassador tooching the cuntry of Catay, who telled me that in passeng throwgh the places hereafter menc̃oned, aftre he was ones entred into that cuntrey, his charges were borne from place to place, vntill he came to a towne called Cambale,[108] wheare he was honorably receaued, and lodging appoincted vnto him. And (as he said) even so the costes arr borne of all the merchaunts that passe that waie. Than was he brought to the princes presence, wheare, at his comyng to the gate, he was made to kneele wᵗhoutfooʳthe. The place was flatt and plaine, very large and longe. At the vpper ende whereof was a pavement of stone, on the which the Prince sate wᵗʰ his backe to the gatewardes. And on both sides sate iiij of his wᵗʰ their faces towardes the gate; and from the gate vnto these iiij on either side stode certein seruants of armes wᵗʰ syluer staves, making a lane in the myddest. In the which lane, here and there sate certein trowchemen on their heeles, as women do in oʳ parties. The said ambassadoʳ being brought to the gate, wheare he founde the things in thordre aforesaied, was comaunded to declare his messaige: which the trowchemen declared again from one to the other, till it came to the Prince. Wherevpon, it was answered that he was welcome and might retoʳne vnto his lodging, wheare he shulde receaue a further answere: and that he needed no more to retoʳne to the Prince, but only to conferre wᵗʰ such as were therevnto appoincted and sent to his lodging, who to and fro did so travaill, that he was both speedylie and thankefully dispatched. A servaunt of the said ambassadoʳˢ and a companyon of his, who were both wᵗʰ him, tolde me wonders of the justice they vse in those ꝑties. Amongest the which, this was one that being on a daye in MADIAN[109] which signifieth the markett place, they did see a woman carieng a payle of mylke on her heade, to whom one came that tooke it from her: and beginneng to drynke, she beganne to crye out, Helas! howe can we poore wydowes carie oʳ goodes to sell? Wherevpon, he was incontinently taken, and wᵗʰ a swearde cutt in sonder by the myddest: so that at ones ye shulde haue seene both the bloudde and the mylke gushe out of his bowells which thambassadoʳ himself affirmed aftrewardes to be trewe: addeng further that a certein woman weaving of fustian, had drawen out a shuttell and laied it behinde her; which shuttell, one that by chaunce passed by, tooke awaie and went on. But she, looking backe and mysseng her shuttell, beganne to crie: and being tolde her that he which had it went there, he was incontinently taken, and likewise cutt by the middest. They saie that not only wᵗhin the citie, but also in the high waies abroade, wheare men travaile, if there be anythinge laied on a stone or other place, which, being lost by the owners, hath been founde by others, there is no man so hardie as darreth take it to himself. And further, if any man on the waie aske an other whither he goeth, and that he of whom the question is so asked do either suspect or mistrust the person that moved the question, and therfore woll complaine: it shall behove the questioner to yelde a laufull reason why he asked it; orelles he shalbe punisshed for it: whereby it appeareth this cuntrey is of great freedome and justice. As, toocheng their merchaundize, I learned that all the merchaunt men which reasorte thither bringe their merchaundizes into the FONDACHI, wheare the officers repaire to see it, and if they finde any thinge meete for the Prince, they take that that pleaseth them, yelding the valewe for it in other things, the rest remayneth at the merchaonts libertie. The small mooney they spende in this place is made of paper, which they yerely chaunge into a newe printe: for tholde mooney at the yeres ende is brought to the mynte wheare the bringer receaueth as much of the faire newe mooney, paieng for it, nevertheles, aftre twoo in the hundred of good sylver; and than is the olde mooney throwen into the fyre. As for the golde and syluer, they sell it by weight, and of those mettalls, they also make certein great peeces of mooney.

[Sidenote: As some halles be in London.]

I suppose these Cataini be paynems of belief, though divers of Zagatai and of other macons that come thense, saye they be christened; for whan I asked them howe they knowe them to be Christians, they answere, bicause they haue ymages in their churches as we haue. It happened me whilest I was in Tana, the said ambassadoʳ being wᵗʰ me, as I haue said before, there passed an olde man by me, a Venetian, called NICOLO DIEDO, who sometimes ware a gowen of cloth, lyned with sendall, open sleved, as in tymes past they vsed in Venice vpon a furred dublett, wᵗʰ an hoode on his shulder and a twoopeny strawen hatt on his heade: whom the said ambassadoʳ wondered at: saieng vnto me, This maner of apparaill vse the CATAINI to weare, and they arr like vnto the men of oʳ religion, and arr apparailed as we be. There groweth no wyne in that cuntrey; for the region is very colde, but of other vittaills there is plentie enough. These, wᵗʰ divers other things which I forbeare at this ꝓnt, arr such as I learned of the reapoʳte of the said ambassadoʳ of Tartarie, and of his famyliars, as tooching the province of Catay, wheare I was not myself, and therefore retoʳneng backe towards Tauris, liek as I haue spoken of the wayes east northeast, so shall I nowe declare vnto yoʷ the waie east southeast. First, we founde a citie called Chuerch, passing over those townes that we founde in the waie, of the which there is no notable thinge to be remembered. In this citie there is a pitt like vnto a fountaigne, in the keeping of their TALAFTIMANNI; that is to saie, their priests, the water whereof hath great vertue against the leaprie. Of which infirmitie I haue somewhat seene, not of experience, but of other mennes credulitie. For, at the same tyme there passed a frencheman that waie wᵗʰ certein seruants and guydes, that were moores, which frencheman was infected wᵗʰ the leaprie: and therefore (as we were informed) travailed thither to bathe himself in that water. What became of him I wote not, but the com̄on voice went that many were healed there. For whilest I taried there myself, I vnderstode notable things of the vertue of that water.[110]

[Sidenote: Pistacchi is a kynde of delicate nuttes.]

This citie Chuerch is but litle; nevertheles, it is a through fare, for all they passe through it that go towardes the Redde Sea; that is to saie, vnto SINU PERSICO. In which sea there is an ilande that hath a citie called Ormuos, between xviij and xx myles from the mayne lande: the ilande being a lx myles in compasse. That citie is great and well enhabited, but they haue none other than well water and cisterne water; whereof, whan they finde any lacke, they arr faine to sende into the mayne lande for it, from whense they also haue their grayne. It yeldeth tribute to the King Assambei, and thinhabitaunts arr great makers of sylkes. And the merchaunts that travaill either out of India into Persia or out of Persia into India, for the more parte do all arryve in this ilande. The Lorde whereof is called Sultan Sabadin, who vseth to sende his barkes into India to fyshe for oysters of perles, and there looseth many; and whilest I remaigned on this citie there arryved twoo merchaunts out of India with perles, jewells, sylkes, and spices. Into this golfe of Persia falleth the notable ryver EUPHRATES, vpon the which vj daies ioʳney vpwardes is BAGDATH, sometime called BABILONE, which was so famouse, as the worlde knowᵗʰ, though at this present it be for the more parte destroyed, not exceading xᵐˡ houses. Nevertheles, it is plentyfully victailed, having abundance of fruictes: as dates, pistacchi, and other like, not only in great quantitie, but also of excellent goodnes: amongest the which arr qwynces of the taste and greatnesse of ours. Nevertheles, they haue qwinces that haue no hardenes wᵗhin them, as oʳˢ haue, but arr most sweete in the eating, as oʳ sweetest peares be. They also haue a kynde of pomegranates, not very great, but for the more parte wᵗʰ a thynne rynde, which they pyll as we pyll oranges: and than may byte it neither more nor lesse than as it were an apple; for they haue none of those cores in the myddest, but even a litell in the botome, and the sweetnes of it is myngled wᵗʰ a litle sharpe. And some there be that wante the litle cornell which oʳˢ hath wᵗhin the graine, and some other haue it so softe that yᵒ shall no more feele of it in yoʳ mowth to spytt out againe, than as if ye did eate of correyns. They also make much suger and ꝓfect confeciones thereof, specially siropes, of the which they furnishe Persia and other places.

Nowe, retoʳneng to Ormuos, I shall somewhat saie of the places that arr forneagainst it on the other syde of the foresaid golfe northewardes, which is of the coste of Persia. These places arr enhabited wᵗʰ Macomettanes, and this golfe in itself is ccc myles broade, and the places on the other syde of the golfe arr vnder the domynion of iii princes, Macomettanes. Comyng to lande eastsoutheast, as the golfe goeth, at thende of it there is a citie called CALICUTH, of verie great fame, being, as it were, a staple or a receipt of merchaunts of divers places, as who wolde saye of those that come out of the golfe of Catay and from all those partes: so that alwaies ye shall finde a nombre of shippes—yea, and great shippes there. Bicause there seldome happeneth any great tempest. The citie is a passaige haunted wᵗʰ merchaundise of all sortes, and is both great and well peopled.

[Sidenote: Half relieuo is thymage, wᵗh the foreparte full grauen and the back flatt.]

Retoʳneng alongest the coste, forneagainst Ormuos there is a towne called Lar, a great and a good towne of merchaundise, about ijᵐˡ houses: and is a passaige for those that go and come through this golfe lyghtely lande at this towne. Than is there Syras, of the which I haue spoken before; and so folowing the waye yoʷ come to a great towne called CAMARA.[111] And from thense, a daies ioʳney, ye come to a great bridge vpon the Byndamyr, which is a notable great ryver. This bridge they saie Salomon caused to be made at the towne of Camara, and there appeareth a rounde hyll which on thone side seemeth to be cutt and made in a fronte of vj paces high: on the toppe whereof is a plaine, and rounde about xl pillers called Cilminar,[112] which in their tongue signifieth xl pillers, every one whereof is xx yardes longe and as thicke as iij men can embrace; but some of them arr decaied. Nevertheles, by that which remayneth it appereth to haue been a very faire monument; for, vpon this plaine there is a mightie stone of one peece, on the which arr many ymages of men graven as great as gyaunts, and aboue all the rest one ymage like vnto that that we resemble to God the Father in a cercle, who in either hande holdeth a globe, vnder whom arr other litle ymages, and before hym the image of a man leanyng on an arche, which they saie was the fygure of SALOMON. Vnder them arr many other ymages, which seeme to susteigne those that be aboue. Amongest whom there is one that seemeth to haue a Popes myter on his hedde, holding vp his hande open as though he ment to blesse all that arr vnder him; liek as they looking towardes hym seeme also to gape for his blisseng. A litle further there is a great ymage on horsbacke, seemyng to be of a boysterouse[113] man: who they saie was SAMPSON; about the which arr many other ymages apparailed of the frenche fac̃on, wᵗʰ longe heares, and all those ymages arr of halfe relieuo. Two daies ioʳney from this place is a towne called THIMAR, and from thense two daies ioʳney an other towne, in the which is a sepulture that they affirme to be the tombe of Salomons moother, and over the same a litle churche: whearein certein Arabike l’res is writen, as they saie Mater Suleimen, that is to saye, the moother of Salomon: the gate whereof is towardes the East. From thense, iij daies ioʳney, yoʷ come to a towne called Dehebeth, wheare they vse tillaige and making of fustians. Twoo daies ioʳney further ye com̄e to a place called VARGARI,[114] which in tyme past hath been a great and a faire towne; but at this pñt it maketh not aboue mˡ houses, in the which they also vse tillaige and making of fustians, as is aforesaid.

Foure daies ioʳney thense ye come to a towne called Deiser,[115] and iij daies ioʳney further an other towne called Taste, from whense folowing that waie an other daies ioʳney ye come to JEX, of the which I haue made sufficient menc̃on before. Thense ye go to Meruth, a litle towne, and twoo daies ioʳney further is a towne called Guerde, in the which there dwell certein men called ABRAINI, which in myne opinion either be descended of Abraham orells haue Abrahams faith, and they weare longe heare. Twoo daies ioʳney further there is a toune called NAIM, evill enhabited, not exceading vᶜ houses; and twoo daies ioʳney thense is a towne called Naistan, and from thense twoo other daies ioʳney is Hardistan, a litle towne that maketh a vᶜ howses.

Three daies ioʳney thense ye come to Cassan, which I haue spoken of before, and from thense iij other daies ioʳney is Com, before named, and beyonde that one other daies ioʳney is Saua, having about mˡ houses. In all which places they vse tyllaige and making of fustians. Three daies ioʳney from Saua is a litle towne called EUCHAR,[116] from whense in iij other daies ioʳney ye come to Soltania, before named, and vij daies ioʳney thense is Tauris. Nowe, he that wolde departe thense to travaile towardes the sea of Bachu eastwardes, being of the region of Zagatai, shulde fynde these townes folowing, from Thauris to Soltania; viz., from Soltania to Euchar, iij ioʳneys; from Euchar to Saua, iiij ioʳneys; from Saua to Choi, a litle towne, vj joʳneys; from Choi[117] to Sarri, a litle towne, also iij ioʳneys; from Sarri to Lindan,[118] a litle towne, iiij ioʳneys; from Lindan to Tremigan, a litle towne, iij ioʳneys; from Tremigan to Bilan, vj ioʳneys; and than come ye to Straua.[119] Of the which the sylkes called Strauatine take this name. This towne is neere to the sea of Bachu, and standeth not very holsomely. There groweth litle wheate, wherefore they feede of ryse; of the which they make their breade. In this towne, and in all the villaiges vnder it, whereas any water is to be had, they spynne and make course sylkes, and alongest the bankes of those ryvers they haue their bowthes wᵗʰ their cawldrons for sylkes; for they keepe great nombres of sylke wormes and haue plentye of white mulberie trees. In these quarters arr innumerable pertriches, in such sorte, that whan the prince or other great ꝑsonaige maketh any feast, they booyle of these ꝓtriches and give everie man a dishe of ryse podaige, and than pertriches; so that all the people eateth; which to them arr not deynteth.[120]

Alongest the coste of the said sea arr many townes; that is, to witt, Straua, Lanzibeuth, Madrandani, and others; whereof, for this tyme, I speake not, but in those townes arr the best sylkes made that come out of these quarters.

And nowe, being come neere, me seemeth it not amysse to speake some what of the waie from TRABISONDA to THAURIS, going southwest; wherefore, first tooching Trabisonda, I saie that it hath been both a good and a great towne vpon the sea Maggiore. The lorde wheroof in tymes past hath had the tytle of Emperoʳ; for he was brother to Themperoʳ of Constantinople, and wolde also be called Emperoʳ himself, whereof all his successoʳˢ (though they were no emperours bretherne) did, nevertheles, from one to an other vse, or rather vsurpe, this tytle of Emperoʳ. As for the towne, I shall neede to saie no more of it: bicause it is sufficiently knowen over all. But, going thense towards Thauris, as I haue said, southwest, ye shall finde many villaiges and litle castells, and besides that ye shall travaill throwgh hilles and woodes, disenhabited, till ye com̄e to Baiburth, the first notable place that waie being a castell, standing in a plaine valley, environned wᵗʰ hylles, stronge, and walled, and in a plentyfull sooyle, the towne vnder the castell conteyneng mˡvᶜ howses, and is wᵗhin the domynion of the King Assambei. Five daies ioʳney further ye come to Arsengan, which hath been a great citie, but for the more ꝓte decaied at this ꝑnt. Going on west southwest ij myles further ye come to the notable ryver EUPHRATES, over the which ye passe on a faire great bridge of bricke, of xvij arches. Than come ye to a towne called CARPURTH,[121] v ioʳneys from Arsengan. In this place soggioʳned the wief of the King Assambei, she that was doughter to Themoʳ of Trabisonda.[122] The place is stronge, and is for the more parte enhabited by Greekes[123] attending on the said Queene. Following on, ye finde many litle townes and castelletts, till ye come to MOSCHONE, from thense to Halla, and so to Thene, which three arr stronge castells, and well walled, eche of them having about vᶜ howses vnder them: wᵗʰ a great ryver rennyng alongest, which cometh not ferre from Carpurth, aboue menc̃oned, and hath passaiges by boates. All the people enhabiteng these places vnder the iurisdic̃on of these castells arr called COINARI, which in oʳ tonge signifieth heardemen. Than going eastwarde ye come to a walled castell standeng on a rocke, called Pallu, the towne vnder it having about ccc houses vnder the which passeth a certein ryver. Travaileng, than, still eastwarde, iiij ioʳneys further ye come to a castell called Amus, standing in a champaigne, yll enhabited. All the countrey of Trabisonda, wᵗʰ the confynes, breedeth plentie of wyne, and the vynes growe vp alongest their trees wᵗhout any cutteng, so that contynually in those ꝑties one of our hoggesheades of wyne is lesse woʳthe than a ducate. Their woodes arr full of nutte trees of the kinde of Puglia,[124] and many other good fruictes they haue, and in some partes they make certein wynes called ZAMORA. From thense ye enter into TURCOMANIA, which heretofore was called Armenia; but now those that arr there borne arr called Caracoilu; that is, to wete, blacke ewes, liek as they of the provinces of Persia and Zagatai arr called Accoilu, wᶜʰ signifieth white ewes: being names of ꝑties amongest them, as who wolde saie amongest vs, Guelfi and Ghibellini, orells Zamberlani and Mastruccieri, vnder which titles arr great ꝑte takinges. After this ye come to a litle stronge castell called Mus, standing on an hyll amongest certein mountaignes, having a citie vnderneth it of iij myles compasse, very well enhabited. Three ioʳneys further is a faire, stronge castell, in a place called Allarch,[125] standing vpon a lake clᵗⁱᵉ myles longe, and in the brodest lᵗⁱᵉ myles brode. From which lake, xv myles northewardes, is an other lake of iiijˣˣ myles in compasse, wᵗʰ certein castells about it. Under Allarch is a towne of about mˡ houses, and in both these lakes arr many shippes that make their voyages into the sea. There is also vpon this seconde lake a towne called Ceus, a good walled towne. One ioʳney further costeng the sea, there is a towne called Herzil,[126] wᵗʰ a ryver and a bridge of v arches over it, and between Ceus and Herzil arr iiij other like bridges to passe over the ryver. In Herzil is the sepulture of the mother of Giansa, which was King of Persia and Zagatai. Five myles distant from this place ye come to Orias, a stronge castell standing on a litle hill. And so folowing eastwardes half a daies ioʳney, ye come to Coi, not that which I named before, but an other of the same name, and five ioʳneys thense ye enter into a champaigne, in the which is a great citie heretofore destroied by Zamberlan.[127] Than shall ye finde divers villaiges, and aftre that an other lake of cc myles longe and xxx myles brode: in the which arr certein ilandes enhabited. Finally, ye come to twoo cities, Tessu[128] and Zerister,[129] which betwene both may make iijᵐˡ fyres. Other notable things I haue seene none in these ꝓties, saving that generally they make fustians, lynen clothes, fryses, many rugges, and a litell sylke. They haue plentie of fleshe (specially of mutton), wynes, and other fruictes enough, which they conveigh into the sea Maggiore and to the townes about; wherefore, retoʳneng ones againe to beginne at THAURIS, and going east northeast, sometyme toʳneng north and tooʷching a litle of northwest, passing over also dyvers places by the waie of small accompt, not woʳthie to be spoken of, I saie that xij ioʳneys thense ye shall finde SAMMACHI,[130] a citie in Media in the region of Thezichia, the lorde whereof is called SIRUANZA,[131] which citie at a neede wolde make betwene viiij and xᵐˡ horseman. It confyneth towardes the sea of Bachu, wᵗhin vj ioʳneys, which sea is on the right hande of it, and on the lyfte hande is Mengrelia, towards the sea MAGGIORE, and Caitacchi, that inhabite about the mountaigne CASPIO. This is a very good citie; it hath betwene iiij and vᵐˡ houses, and maketh sylkes, fustians, and other thinges aftre their maner. It standeth in the great Armenia, and a goode parte of thinhabitants arr Armeniens. Departeng thens ye come to Derbenth, a towne, as they saie, buylded by Alexander, standeng vpon the sea of Bachu, a myle distant from the mountaigne, on which mountaigne it hath a castell that descendeth wᵗʰ twoo whynges; that is to saie walles, even into the water; so that the height of the walles arr twoo paces vnder water. The towne, from the one gate to the other, is halfe a myle brode: and the walles thereof arr of great stone, aftre the Romayn buyldeng.

Derbenth signifieth in oʳ tonge a straict; in somuch, that many which vnderstande the nature of that place do call it TEMIRCAPI; that is to saie, the gate of yron. And, truly, he that named it so, had very good reason: considering that this towne divideth MEDIA from SCYTHIA; so that they which woll travaile out of Persia, Turchie, Soria, and the other lowe cuntreys, to passe into Scythia, must needes enter in at thone gate of this towne, and yssue at the other, which to him that vnderstandeth not the site of those places shulde seeme mervailouse and almost impossible; but thoccasion is this. From the sea of Bachu vnto the sea Maggiore, the streight waie, as it were, by line, is vᶜ myles. All which grounde is full of mountaignes and valleys, in some places well enhabited by certein Lordes of it (throwgh whose territories no man darr passe for feare of robbyng); but, for the more parte, it is disenhabited. And, if any man wolde determyn to passe that waie, leaving Derbenth, he shulde be constregned first to go through Giorgiana, and than through Mengrelia, on the cost of the sea Maggiore, at a castell called ALUATHI, wheare is a mountaigne of so great height that it shall behove him to leave his horse and to clymbe vp afoote by the rockes, so that betwene ascending and descending he shulde travaill two ioʳneys, and than entre into Circassia, of the wᶜʰ I haue spoken in the beginneng, and that passaige is only vsed by them that dwell neere it, besides the which in all the said distance there is no passaige knowen, by reason of the difficultie of the places, wherefore retoʳneng to the purpose: the cause of this straict is, that the sea eateth even to the verie mountaigne, wheare Derbenth standeth. And from that forwardes it is all rocke, wᵗʰ very litle earthe. So that this straict endureth about lx myles; nevertheles, the waie is somewhat apte to be travailed on horsebacke. From thense, torneng backwarde on the lyfte hande the mountaigne torneth, so that it may be travailed: the same being it that aunciently was called MONTE CASPIO: wheare arr certein gray freeres and some priestes aftre oʳ Romayn fac̃on. The people there enhabiteng arr called Caitacchi, as it is said before. They speake languaiges different one from an other, and many of them arr Christians: some aftre the Greekes, some aftre the Armenians, and some aftre the Catholike. Vpon this syde of the sea there is an other citie called Bachu, wherof the sea of Bachu taketh name, neere vnto which citie there is a mountaigne that casteth fooʳthe blacke oyle, stynkeng horryblye, which they, nevertheles, vse for furnissheng of their lightes, and for the anoynteng of their camells twies a yere. For if they were not anoynted they wolde become skabbie. Over the champaigne of the mountaigne CASPIO ruleth one Tumembi, that signifieth in oʳ tonge lorde of xᵐˡ, throughout whose domynion they vse to make their houses coffyn-wise, even like to those houses that I made menc̃on of in the first parte of this treatise, the principall being made of a cercle of woodde bored wᵗʰ holes rounde about: the diameter being a pace and an halfe, in the which they fasten certein litle staves that arr drawen into a litle cercle in the toppe; which they cover wᵗʰ felte or cloth, according to their degrees, and whan they arr weery of dwelling in one place, then trusse they their houses on carts and remove to another place. Whan I retoʳned to this lorde there arryved a sonne of the Emperoʳ of Tartarie, which had maried a doughter of this lordes: whose father was than lately expelled out of his astate. This yonge Prince was entred into one of these houses, and was sett on the grounde, wheare he was viseted by some of his cuntreymen and by some other also of the cuntrey wheare he was. The maner of wᶜʰ visitac̃on was, that whan they came wᵗhin a stones cast of the gate, if they had any weapons they laied them on the grounde, and than marcheng certein paces towards the gate they kneeled doune, which they did twoo or iij tymes, marcheng alwaies forwarde, till they came wᵗhin x paces at the neerest, wheare they declared their matter. And having receaved their answer, retoʳned backewarde, never torneng their backes to the Prince.

I was divers tymes wᵗʰ this lorde Tumembei, whose lief (by that I coulde ꝓceave) was bent to be in contynuall dronkenes, wᵗʰ drinkeng of wyne made of honey.

And sothens[132] we haue spoken of the things of the mountaigne Caspio and of the nature of those that dwell thereaboutes, me seemeth it not amysse to recyte also an historie, which I lately hearde of one Vincent, a blacke freere, borne in Capha, who for certein affaires was sent into those ꝑties: and departed about x moonethes past, the rehersall whereof serueth to good purpose for oʳ religion. This freere reaported that out of the Soldanes cuntrey there came a certein secte of Macomettanes, cryeng wᵗʰ an extreme fervencie in their faith: Downe to death wᵗʰ these Christians: and the more they approached vnto Persia the greater their nombre encreased. These rybauldes tooke their waie towardes the sea of Bachu, and came to SAMMACHI, and so to DERBENTH, and into TUMEN, being a mervailouse great nombre, though partely wᵗhout armoʳ. And whan they were arryved at a ryver called Terch, which is in the province of TEZECHIA,[133] and about the mountaigne Caspio, wheare arr many Catholike Christians, they slewe them all, wheare so ever they founde them, men, women, and children. Aftre this, they overranne the cuntrey of GOG and MAGOG, which arr also Christians (though aftre the Greekish rites), and handled them likewise. Than retoʳned they towardes Circassia, taking their waie towardes CHIPPICHE and Charbatri, which arr both towards the SEA MAGGIORE, and there delte they likewise; never ceasing till they of TITARCASSA and CHREMUCH wᵗʰstode them, fought wᵗʰ them, and so discompfited them that there eskaped not xx of the hundreth which fledde wᵗʰ a mischief towards their owne cuntrey. So that we may well consider what miserable astate the poore Christen men thereabouts do endure. This happened the yere of oʳ Lorde 1486.

Of DERBENTH I shall tell yoʷ one mervailouse matter. Going from the one gate towardes this place, even till ye come vnder the walles, ye shall finde grapes and fruictes of all sortes, specially almons. On the other ꝓte there arr neither fruictes nor any trees, except it be certein wilde qwynces; and so it endureth x, xv, or xx myle of that side. And further, being there, I did see in a seller ij ankers of viijᶜl a peece, and more: which declareth that in tyme past they haue vsed in those p̄ties very great shippes: whereas, nowe, the greatest ankers thei haue arr betwene cl and ccl a peece.

Having hitherto declared that that apꝑteigneth vnto those regions, partely by heresaye, but most by that I haue seene; nowe, retoʳneng to Thauris, I shall showe what I did wᵗʰ the King Assambei, whan, at his departing from Thauris, he bruted that he wolde go against Ottomanno, though by divers tokens that I ꝑceaued, I beliued it not. He had in all as ferrefooʳthe[134] as I coulde esteeme betwene xx and xxiiijᵐˡ good horsemen: and the rest that came for the furnyture of the campe were about vjᵐˡ men. As for women, children, and serūnts, I shall neede to saie no more, bicause I haue sufficiently spoken of them before. Whan we had travailed vij daies we torned on the right hande towards GIORGIANA, in the confynes of the sea Maggiore, into the wᶜʰ cuntrey we entred. For the king mynded to spooyle it, and therefore sent his skowtes afore aftre their maner: being about vᵐˡ horses: which cleered the waie, the best they coulde, by felling and burneng the woodes; for their passaige laye through mightie mountaignes and very great woodes. So that we might see the fyre aferre of, and thereby knowe what waie to keepe. And thus was the waie readie made twoo daies ioʳney into Giorgiana, wheare we arryved at Tifilis, the which being habandoned (as the rest of all the hither parte of that region was) we tooke wᵗhout resistance. And passing from thens we came to Gory and to certein other places thereabouts; which were all putt to sacke, as the like was doon to a great parte of that region. At leingth, the King Assambei fell to composic̃on wᵗʰ the King PANCRATIO, King of Giorgiana, and wᵗʰ Giurgura, who confyneth wᵗʰ the same king that they shulde give him xvjᵐˡ ducates, and that he shulde leave all the cuntrey to them except Tefilis. Wherevpon the King PANCRATIO and GIURGURA, myndeng to paie this mooney, sent vnto Assambei iiij balasses, reasonable good, but neither so great nor so faire as those that arr wonte to be shewed on Saint Markes aulter in Venice. So that whan the King Assambei had receaued these iiij balasses, he sent for me to praise and to valewe them. But first, er I came at him, those ambassadoʳˢ of the said King Pancratio and of Giurgura (that had brought the balasses) sent to me, praieng me to valewe them well, considering they also were Christen men. Whan I was come to the king, he caused these balasses to be delivered unto me, and as I looked substancially on one of them, the King ASSAMBEI demaunded of me what it was woʳthe: wherevnto, answering that I thought him woʳthe iiijᵐˡ ducates, he fell on a lawghing, saieng, O they arr very deere in thy cuntrey. I woll no balasses, but I woll haue mooney. As the voice went there were at that tyme caried awaie out of those cuntreys betwene iiij and vᵐˡ p̄sons: and the places which we overranne were on the lyfte hande towardes the region of Giurgura. Cotathis,[135] belonging to the King Pancratio, is a litle towne standing on a litle hyll, wᵗʰ a ryver vnder it:[136] over the which they passe a verie great bridge of stone, and so go towardes Schender, a meetely stronge castell, wᵗʰ a great ryver rennyng throwgh it, and is iiij ioʳneys from Gory. Than, passeng one other mountaigne, yoʷ descende into the cuntrey of Assambei, in great Armenye. From whense, iij daies ioʳney, ye come to the castel Loreo, and iiij daies ioʳney thens shall ye fynde the mountaigne wheare Noe, aftre the great flowdde, rested wᵗʰ his arke, being a mervailouse high hyll wᵗʰ a great plaine vndernethe it, and is about ij daies ioʳney of circuite: on the which, both wynter and somer, the snowe contynually remaigneth. And joyneng vnto it there is an other litell hyll, likewise laden wᵗʰ snowe. Two ioʳneys further is a castell called Cagri, enhabited rounde about by Armeniens, which celebrate aftre the Catholike maner, and haue twoo monasteries, the p̄ncipall whereof is called Alengia, conteyneng lᵗⁱᵉ monkes, observants of Saint Benetts Ordre, that celebrate their masses aftre oʳ maner in their owne languaige. Their Prioʳ, aftre my retoʳne to Venice, died, and one of that house came thither, who arryved at San Giovanni Paolo, in Venice, and came to my house to haue my com̄endac̃on towardes oʳ most excellent Signoria, and the Busshop of Rome, that he might be made Prior of that house, being brother to the deade Prior.

[Sidenote: Mamalukes were the Soldane of Egiptes men of armes.]

Whan the King ASSAMBEI had concluded wᵗʰ the King PANCRATIO and the forenamed GIURGURA, and receaved the xvjᵐ ducates, he determyned to retoʳne vnto Thauris: wherefore, seing he ment nothing lesse than to make warre on OTTOMANNO, I tooke my leave of hym, entending to retoʳne homewards throwgh Tartarie, and entred into the company of an ambassadoʳ of the foresaid King Assambei, accompanied wᵗʰ many merchaunts of Tartarie. Of whom I learned that, as I haue writen in the beginneng, HAGMETH, sonne of Edelmugh, nephiewe to Thempoʳ of Tartarie, was aftre his fathers death growen great about the foresaid Emperoʳ, which Hagmeth was by his owne father given me as my sonne, wherefore I was the more desyrouse to keepe on that waie, assuring myself to haue founde much curtesye at his hands. But the warres were so great in those p̄ties, that I durst not folowe my ioʳney; and, being constrained to alter my purpose, retoʳned therefore to Thauris in the yere of oʳ Lorde 1478; wheare, at myne arryvall, I founde the King Assambei so sycke, that the night of the Epiphanie folowing he died, leaving iiij sonnes, iij by one mother and one by an other. The same night the iij whole bretherne strangled the iiijᵗʰ halfe brother, being a yonge man of xx yeres, and than departed thastate amongest them. Than did the seconde brother cause theldest to be slayne; and so remayned he king, in such sorte that he raigneth even to this present; wherfore, seeing all things brooyleng, I that by the fathers lief had taken good leave, both of the father and the sonnes, fell into the company of an Armenien that went to Assengan,[137] wheare he dwelled. And I had wᵗʰ me a boye of Sclavonie, which was onely lefte me of all those that I brought into that cuntrey wᵗʰ me. I apparailed myself wᵗʰ such poore and miserable clothes as I had, and rode both continually and speedylie for feare of those alterac̃ons, which aftre the death of such princes most com̄only do happen. The xxixᵗʰ of Aprile I came to Assengan, wheare I taried a mooneth, waiteng for the Carovana that shulde go to Aleppo. Departeng from hense we founde CYMIS,[138] CASSEG, and ARAPCHIR,[139] which be litell townes. Than came we to a good citie of merchaundise called MALATHEA, vnder the Soldans domynion; from Assengan to this towne arr many mountaignes and valleys, yll and stonie waie; though, in dede, there be certein houses by the waie and places not much enhabited. Being in this citie, at the custome house, amongest those of the CAROUANA, wᵗʰ whom I had accompanied myself: the customer there went vp and downe pervsing them that shulde paie. And while I kept myself a loofe looking whan the Carouana shulde departe, one of the same Carouana came vnto me, askeng me: What doest thoʷ? The customer woll haue v ducates of the: bicause it is tolde him thoʷ goest to Coz,[140] which in oʳ tonge signifieth HIERUSALEM. Wherfor go excuse thyself. I went to hym, and, fyndeng him sitteng on a sacke, asked him what he wolde wᵗʰ me. He badde me go paie v ducates, and notwᵗʰstanding that all they of the CAROUANA witnessed for me (as I had told them before), that I went to Syo to seeke my sonne, and wolde therewᵗʰ haue excused me, yet wolde he needes that I shulde paie. Syo is a place much spoken of in Persia and in all those p̄ties, and is called Seghex,[141] which signifieth mastike. For there groweth mastike, which in their p̄ties is very much occupied. This, meane while, one that (as I tooke him) was some famyliar of the customers, said, O lett him go; but he p̄severed, saieng, Still thoʷ shalt paie; hangeng his heade towardes the grounde. Wherevpon, the other chopped him wᵗʰ his fyste vnder the nose: saieng, The Devill go wᵗʰ the; that the bloudde sprange out. So that the customer cried, Thou foole, thoʷ wolt ever be a foole, and therevpon ridde me out of the prease,[142] and badde me farewell. I tooke my horse and went wᵗʰ the Carouano, and so travaileng founde divers castells, townes, and faire cuntreys, and being past the ryver of Euphrates arryved in Aleppo. Of the wᶜʰ I shall neede to write nothing, considering it is a place well enough knowen over all; howbeit, it is a notable great citie and very well traded wᵗʰ merchandise. Departing thense our merchaunts deliuered me a MUCHARIO;[143] that is to saie, a guyde, wᵗʰ whom I and my serūnt departed to come towardes the sea costes; that is, to witt, to Baruto.[144] And, being on the sea side forneagainst Tripoli, we founde a great rowte of MAMMALUCCHI a shooteng, and certein of them ꝑceaving my guyde, drewe their horses togither to cutt my waie; but I (ꝑceaving they were disposed to do me displeasʳ) badde my boye go on wᵗʰ the guyde, and I folowed faire and softelie, till I overtooke them, they having passed on twoo boweshootes before me. And whan I came neere I rode a litle besides the waie; wherevpon, one of them called me, howe father herken? I, wᵗʰ a good countenaunce approched, and asked him what he wolde? He again asked me whither I went? I tolde him I went wheare as myne evill fortune ledde me. He asked me what I ment by those words. Mary (qᵈ I), a xij moonthes past, I solde a trusse of sylkes to a merchaunt man, whom I haue sought in Aleppo to haue had my mooney, wheare I haue myssed him. And nowe it is tolde me that he is goon to Baruto, I am faine to go aftre to seeke my povertie: which answere moved him so to pitie me, that he badde me, Go on, poore man, a Godds name. I folowed my waie, and overtooke my guyde: who, as soone as he sawe me, beganne to laughe, saieng, Hay, hay, hay, meaneng that I had handled the matter well to escape out of the Mamalukes hands. For he coulde speake no Turkishe, nor I no Moresco. On this wise, I came to Baruti, wheare a fewe daies aftre arryved a shippe of Candia: on the which, at her retoʳne, I passed into Cyprus; and from thense, by the helpe of Almightie God, came to Venice. And, seing I haue tolde the things belonging to the waies, me thinketh it reasonable to tell also the things app̄teyneng some vnto their superstitions, some to their dissemblings of religion, and some vnto the yll entreatie that the Christians haue in those p̄ties that I haue travailed.

Comeng towardes SAMACHI, I laie in a litle hospital, wheare was a sepulture vnder an arche of stone, by the which was a man of yeres, wᵗʰ a longe bearde and heares, naked all, saving that a litle before and behinde he was covered wᵗʰ a certein skynne; and he sate on a peece of a matt vpon the grounde. I greeted him and asked what he did? He answered me, that he watched his father. I asked him againe, who was his father? Wherevnto, he answered that he is a father that doth good to his neighboʳ, as this man did that lieth there buried. Addeng, further, that he had kept him company xxx yeres, by his lief tyme, and was so determyned also to do aftre his death. And whan I die (said he), here woll I also be buried. Furthermore, he saied, I haue seene enough of the worlde, and nowe am determyned thus to remaigne till my death.

[Sidenote: Drauis are madde men esteemed to haue hollie spirites.]