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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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