An. Do.

1246.

To the great CAN of Tartaria; wherin he passed through Bohemia, Polonia, Russia, and so to the citie of Kiow vpon Boristhenes, and from thence rode continually post for the space of sixe moneths through Comania, ouer the mighty and famous riuers of Tanais, Volga, and Iaic, and through the countries of the people called Kangitta, Bisermini, Kara-Kitay, Naimani, and so to the natiue countrie of the Mongals or Tartars, situate in the extreme Northeasterne partes of all Asia: and thence backe againe the same way to Russia, and Polonia, and so to Rome; spending in the whole voyage among the sayd Tartars one whole yeere and aboue foure moneths. Taken out of the 32. booke of Vincentius Beluacensis his Speculum historiale.

LIBRI XXXII.

De prima missione Fratrum Pradicatorum et Minorum ad Tartaros. Cap. 2.

[Sidenote: Ascelinus.] Hoc etiam tempore misit Innocentius IIII. Papa Fr. Ascelinum de ordine Pradicatorum cum tribus alijs Fratribus, auctoritate, qua fungebantur, de diuersis ordinis sui conuentibus sibi associatis, cum literis Apostolicis ad exercitum Tartarorum, in quibus hortabatur eos, vt ab hominum strage desisterent, et fidei veritatem reciperent. [Marginal note: Vide Mechouium lib. I cap. 5.] [Sidenote: Simon Sanquintinianus.] Et ego quidem ab vno Fratrum Pradicatorum, videlicet a Fr. Simone de S. Quintino, iam ib illo itinere regresso, gesta Tartarorum accepi, illa duntaxat, qua superius per diuersa loca iuxta congruentiam temporum huic operi inserui. [Sidenote: Ioannes de Plano Carpini.] Siquidem et eo tempore quidam Frater ordinis Minorum, videlicet Fr. Iohannes de Plano Carpini, cum quibusdam alijs missus fuit ad Tartaros, qui etiam, vt ipse testatur, per annum et quatuor menses et amplius cum eis mansit, et inter eos ambulauit. [Sidenote: Benedictus Polonus.] A summo namque Pontifice mandatum, vt omnia, qua apud eos erant, diligenter scrutaretur, acceperat, tam ipse, quam Fr. Bendictus Polonus eiusdem ordinis, qui sua tribulationis particeps et socius erat. [Sidenote: Libellus historialis Iohannis de Plano Carpini.] Et hic ergo Fr Ioannes de his, qua apud Tartaros vel oculis proprijs vidit, vel a Christianis fide dignis, qui inter illos captiui erant, audiunt, libellum historialem conscripsit qui et ipse ad manus nostras peruenit. De quo etiam hic quasi per epilogum inserere libet aliqua, videlicet ad supplementum eorum, qua desunt in pradicta Fr Simoms historia.

The same in English.

The voyage of Iohannes de Plano Carpini vnto the Northeast parts of the world in the yeere of our Lord, 1246.

Of the first sending of certaine Friers Pradicants and Minorites vnto the Tartars, taken out of the 32 Booke of Vincentius Beluacensis [Footnote: Vincentius Belvacensis, or of Beauvais who died in 1264 was a favourite of Louis IX of France, who supplied him with whatever books he required. He thus obtained plenty of material for his _Speculum Majus_ (printed at Douay in 1624, 10 vols. in 4, folio), a badly chosen and ill-arranged collection of extracts of all kinds. It is in four parts the first called _Speculum naturale_ the second, _Speculum doctrinale_, the third _Speculum morale_ and the fourth _Speculum Historiale_.] his Speculum Historiale beginning at the second Chapter.

[Sidenote: Ascellinus.] About this time also, Pope Innocentius the fourth sent Frier Ascelline being one of the order of the Pradicants, together with three other Friers (of the same authoritie whereunto they were called) consorted with him out of diuers Conuents of their order, with letters Apostolicall vnto the Tartars campe: wherein hee exhorted them to giue ouer their bloudie slaughter of mankinde, and to receiue the Christian faith. [Sidenote: Simon Quintinianus.] And I in verie deede, receuied the relations concerning the deedes of the Tartars onelie, (which, according to the congruence of times, I haue aboue inserted into this my woorke) from a Frier Minorite called Simon de Sanct. Quintin who lately returned from the same voyage. [Sidenote: Iohn de Plano Carpini.] And at that verie time also, there was a certaine other Frier Minorite, namely Frier Iohn de Plano Carpini, sent with certaine associates vnto the Tartars, who likewise (as himselfe witnesseth) abode and conuersed with them a yeere and three moneths at the least. [Sidenote: Benedictus Polonus.] For both he and one Frier Benedict a Poloman being of the same order, and a partaker of all his miserie and tribulation, receiued straight commaundement from the Pope that both of them shoulde diligently searche out all things that concerned the state of the Tartars. And therefore this Frier Iohn hath written a litle Historie (which is come to our hands) of such things, as with his owne eyes hee sawe among the Tartars, or which he heard from diuers Christians worthy of credit, remaining there in captiuitie. Out of which historie I thought good by way of conclusion, to insert somewhat for the supply of those things which are wanting in the said Frier Simon.

De situ et qualitate terra Tartarorum. Cap. 3.

Iohannes de Plano Carpini.

[Sidenote: Tartaria descriptio.] Est in partibus Orientis terra, qua Mongal siue Tartaria dicitur, in ea scilicet parte sita, in qua Oriens Aquiloni coniungi creditur. Ab Oriente quidem habet terram Kythaorum et etiam Salangorum, a meredie vero terram Sarracenorum. Inter Orientem [Marginal note: Vel Occidentem.] et meridiem terram Huynorum, et ab Occidente prouinciam Naymanorum, ab Aquilone vero circundatur Oceano. In parte aliqua nimium est montuosa, et in aliqua campestris, sed tota fere admixta glarea plurimum arenosa, nec est in centesima parte fructuosa. Nec enim potest fructum portare, nisi aquis fluuialibus irrigetur, qua ibi sunt rarissima. Vnde nec villa nec aliqua ciuitates ibidem reperiuntur, excepta vna, qua Cracurim appellatur, et satis bona esse dicitur. [Sidenote: Syra orda.] Nos quidem illam non vidimus, sed ad dimidiam dietam prope fuimus, cum apud Syram ordam, qua curia maior Imperatoris, eorum est, essemus. Licet autem alias infructifera sit illa terra, tamen alendis pecoribus est apta. In aliqua eius parte sunt aliqua sylua modica, alia vero sine lignis est omnino. [Sidenote: Aeris intemperies.] Itaque tam Imperator quam Principes, et omnes alij sedent, et cibaria sua decoquunt ad focum, de boum et equorum stercoribus factum. Ipse quoque aer inordinatus est ibidem mirabiliter.

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