Nec Habebamus Aliquid Ad Bibendum Prater Niuem In Caldario Liquefactam.

Ibamus autem per Comaniam equitando fortissime quoniam habebamus equos recentes quinquies aut pluries in die, nisi quando per deserta ibamus, et tunc equos meliores atque fortiores, qui possent continuum sustinere laborem, accipiebamus.

Et hoc ab ineunte quadragesima vsque ad octo dies post Pascha. [Sidenote: Comania descriptio.] Hac terra Comania ab Aquilone immediate post Russiam habet Morduynos. Byleros, id est, magnam Bulgariam, Bastarcos, id est, magnam Hungariam, post Bastarcos, Parositas et Samogetas. [Sidenote: Oceanus septentrionalis.] Post Samogetas, illos, qui dicuntur habere faciem caninam in Oceani littoribus desertis. A meridie habet Alanos. Circassos, Gazaros, Graciam et Constantinopolin, ac terram Iberorum, Cathos, Brutachios, qui dicuntur esse Iudai, caput radentes per totum, terram quoque Cithorum atque Georgianorum et Armeniorum et Turcorum. Ab occidente autem Hungariam habet atque Russiam. Et est Comania terra maxima et longa. Cuius populos, scilicet Comanos, Tartari occiderunt, quidam tamen a facie eorum fugerunt, et quidam in eorum seruitutem redacti sunt. Plurimi autem ex eis, qui fugerunt, ad ipsos redierunt. [Sidenote: Terra Kangittarum.] Post hac intrauimus terram Kangittarum, qua magnam habet in plurimis locis penuriam aquarum, in qua etiam homines pauci morantur propter aqua defectum. [Sidenote: Ieroslaus, Dux Russia.] Vnde homines Ieroslai, Ducis Russia, cum ad ipsum in terram Tartarorum perrexerunt, plures eorum in illo deserto pra siti mortui sunt. In hac etiam terra et in Comania multa inuenimus capita et ossa mortuorum hominum, super terram acentia tanquam sterquilinium. Per hanc itaque terram iuimus ab octo diebus post Pascha fere vsque ad Ascensionem Dominicam. Huiusque habitatores Pagani erant, et tam ipsi quam Comani non laborabant, sed tantum de animalibus viuebant, nec domos adificabant, sed in tabernaculis habitabant. Istos etiam Tartari deleuerunt, et habitabant in terris eorum, illique qui remanserunt, redacti sunt in seruitutem ipsorum.

The same in English.

How departing from Bathy, they passed through the land of Comania, and of the Kangitta. Chap. 23.

Moreouer, vpon Easter euen, we were called vnto the tent, and there came forth to meete vs the foresaid agent of Bathy, saying on his masters behalfe, that we should go into their land, vnto the Emperor Cuyne, deteining certaine of our company with this pretence, that they would send them backe vnto the Pope, to whom we gaue letters of al our affaires to deliuer vnto him. But being come as farre as duke Montij aforesaid, there they were kept vntill our returne. [Sidenote: They trauelled post from Easter day to the 22 of Iuly Eastward to Volga.] Vpon Easter day, hauing said our praiers, and taken a slender breakfast, in the company of two Tartars, which were assigned vnto vs by Corensa, we departed with many teares, not knowing whether we went to death or to life. And we were so feeble in bodie, that we were scarce able to ride. For all that Lent through, our meat was Millet onely with a little water and salte. And so likewise vpon other fasting dayes. Neither had we ought to drinke, but snow melted in a skillet.

Enter page number Go  Previous Next
Page 68 of 162
Words from 34359 to 34860 of 82784