Whilest I laie in this citie, I had worde that the king, being aduertised, as is aforesaid, that his sonne had taken Syras, removed wᵗʰ all his people on his waie thitherwardes. Wherefore, immediately I departed from Soltania, and went to Chulperchean, which signifieth in oʳ tonge the lordes sklave, a litle towne, though by the rewynes of it, it seemeth to haue had goodly buyldengs, being of ij miles circuite, and conteyneng about vᶜ houses; in which place myne interpretoʳ died. So that, from thensfooʳthe, as longe as I remayned in those ꝓties (for the space of v yeres aftre), I coulde never finde any that vndrestode my langaige. Wherefore I was driven to take the office of interpretoʳ vpon me, contrary to the maner of all other ambassadoʳˢ. Departeng thense I repaired towardes the king, who hasted his ioʳney towardes Syras, in which ioʳney I noted in him one mervailouse poinct of severitie. Amongest others about him there was one Coscadam, an aged man, of lxxx (and yet a lustie man of his person), who had either v or vj sonnes, and all in good reputac̃on wᵗʰ the king. This man being of honoʳ was, by the king, com̄aunded to be taken: bicause he was aduertised that his sonne Ogurlu Mahumeth (who had wonne Syras) had writen certein l’res vnto this Cascadam that were not showed to the king.[96] Wherefore, he caused first his bearde to be shaven, and then made him to be had to the shambles, wheare he was strypped, and had twoo of those hookes, whereon the bocheoʳˢ vse to hange fleshe, driven in behinde his shouldres, on either side one: by the which he was hanged by lowe, wheare the fleshe is wonte to hange, and lyved twoo howres aftre. Nowe, by that I coulde learne, the said Ogurlu Mahumeth, hearing of his fathers coming to Syras, departed thense, and kept himself abroade; writeng vnto an vncle of his to be meane vnto his father for him. Offering to submytt himself and to be in any place wheare it shulde please his father to appoinct him: so that he might haue wherewᵗhall to lyve.[97]
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.
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.
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]
Pistacchi is a kynde of delicate nuttes.