Also, If Any Man Disclose Their Secrets, Especially In Time Of Warre, He Receiueth An Hundreth Blowes On The Backe With A Bastinado, Layd On By A Tall Fellow.

In like sort when any inferiours offend in ought, they finde no fauour at their superiours handes, but are punished with grieuous stripes.

[Sidenote: Lawes of matrimonie.] They are ioyned in matrimony to all in generall, yea, euen to their neare kinsfolkes except their mother, daughter and sister by the mothers side. For they vse to marrie their sister by the fathers side onely, and also the wife of their father after his decease. The yonger brother also, or some other of his kindred, is bound to marry the wife of his elder brother deceased. [Sidenote: Andreas duke of Russia.] For, at the time of our aboad in the countrey, a certaine duke of Russia named Andreas, was accused before duke Baty for conueying the Tartars horses out of the land, and for selling them to others: and although it could not be prooued, yet was he put to death. His yonger brother and the wife of the party deceased hearing this, came and made their supplication vnto the forenamed duke, that the dukedome of Russia might not be taken from them. But he commanded the youth to marrie his deceased brothers wife, and the woman also to take him vnto her husband, according to the custome of the Tartars. She answered, that she had rather die, than so haynously transgresse the law. Howbeit, hee deliuered her vnto him, although they both refused as much as they could. Wherefore carying them to bed, they constrained the youth, lamenting and weeping, to lie down and commit incest with his brothers wife. To be short, after the death of their husbands, the Tartars wiues vse very seldome to marrie the second time, vnlesse perhaps some man takes his brothers wife or his stepmother in marriage. They make no difference betweene the sonne of their wife and of their concubine, but the father giues what he pleaseth vnto each one: [Sidenote: Melich and Dauid two brothers.] For of late the king of Georgia hauing two sonnes, one lawfully begotten call Melich; but the other Dauid, borne in adulterie, at his death left part of his lande vnto his base sonne. Hereupon Melich (vnto whome the kingdome fell by right of his mother, because it was gouerned before time by women) went vnto the Emperour of the Tartars, Dauid also hauing taken his iourney vnto him. Nowe bothe of them commmg to the court and proffering large giftes, the sonne of the harlot made suite, that he might haue iustice, according to the custome of the Tartars. Well, sentence passed against Melich, that Dauid being his elder brother should haue superioritie ouer him, and should quietly and peaceably possesse the portion of land granted vnto him by his father. Whensoeuer a Tartar hath many wiues, each one of them hath her family and dwelling place by her selfe. And sometime the Tartar eateth, drinketh and lieth with one, and sometime with another. One is accompted chiefe among the rest, with whom hee is oftener conuersant, then with the other. And notwithstanding (as it hath bin said) they are many, yet do they seldome fal out among themselues.

De superstitiosis traditionibus ipsorum. Cap. 7.

[Sidenote: [Greek: ethelothraskeia].] Quibusdam vero traditionibus indifferentia quadam esse peccata dicunt, quas vel ipsi vel antecessores eorum confinxerunt. Vnum est, cultellum in ignem figere, vel quocunque modo ignem cultello tangere, vel etiam de caldaria cum cultello carnes extrahere, vel cum securi iuxta ignem incidere. Credunt enim, quod sic auferri debeat caput igni. Aliud est appodiare se ad flagellum, quo percutitur equus: ipsi enim non vtuntur calcaribus. Item flagello sagittas tangere, iuuenes aues capere vel occidere, cum frano equum peroutere, os cum osse alio frangere. Itemque lac, vel aliquem potum aut cibum super terram effundere, in statione mingere. Quod si voluntarie facit, occiditur, si autem aliter, oportet quod pecuniam multam incantatori soluat, a quo purificetur. Qui etiam faciat, vt statio cum omnibus, qua in ipsa sunt, inter duos ignes transeat. Antequam sic purificetur, nullus audet intrare, nec aliquid de illa exportare. Praterea si alicui morsellus imponitur, quem deglutire non possit, et ilium de ore suo eijcit, foramen sub statione fit, per quod extrahitur, ac sine vlla miseratione occiditur. [Sidenote: [Greek: atheotaes].] Iterum si quis caleat super limen stationis Ducis alicuius, interficitur. Multa etiam habent his similia, qua reputant peccata. At homines occidere, aliorum terras inuadere, ac res illorum diripere, et contra Dei pracepta vel prohibitiones facere, nullum apud eos est peccatum. De vita aterna et damnatione perpetua nihil sciunt. Credunt tamen, quod post mortem in alio seculo viuant, gregesque multiplicent, comedant et bibant, et patera faciant, qua hic a viuentibus fiunt. [Sidenote: Cultus luna.] In principio lunationis vel in plenilunio incipiunt, quicquid noui agere volunt, ipsamque Lunam Imperatorem magnum apellant, eamque deprecantes genua flectunt. Omnes, qui morantur in stationibus suis, oportet per ignem purificari. [Sidenote: Lustrationis ritus.] Qua scilicet purificatio fit hoc modo. Duos quidem ignes faciunt, et duas hastas iuxta eos, vnamque cordam in summitate hastarum ponunt. Ligantque super cordam illam quasdam de Bucaramo scissiones, sub qua scilicet corda et ligaturis inter illos ignes transeunt homines, ac bestia ac stationes. Sunt etiam dua mulieres, vna hinc, et alia inde aquam proijcientes, ac quadam carmina recitantes. Caterum si aliquis a fulgure occiditur, oportet pradicto modo per ignes transire omnes illos, qui in illis stationibus morantur. Statio siquidem ac lectus et currus, filtra et vestes, et quicquid talium habent, a nullo tanguntur, sed ab hominibus tanquam immunda respuuntur. [Sidenote: Ignis super stitiosa efficacitas.] Et vt breuiter dicam, omnia purificari credunt per ignem. Vnde quando veniunt ad eos nuncij, vel Principes, aut qualescunque persona, oportet ipsos et munera sua per duos ignes, vt purificentur, transire, ne forte veneficia fecerint, aut venenum seu aliquid mali attulerint.

The same in English.

Of their superstitious traditions. Chap. 7.

[Sidenote: Ridiculous traditions. ] But by reason of traditions, which either they or their predecessors haue deuised, they accompt some things indifferent to be faults.

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