[Sidenote: Kergis.] At The Same Time Occoday Can Sent Duke Cyrpodan With An Armie Against Kergis, Who Also Subdued Them In Battell.

These men are Pagans, hauing no beardes at all.

They haue a custome when any of their fathers die, for griefe and in token of lamentation to drawe as it were, a leather thong ouerthwart their faces, from one eare to the other. This nation being conquered, duke Cyrpodan marched with his forces Southward against the Armenians. And trauailing through certain desert places, they found monsters in the shape of men, which had each of them but one arme and one hand growing out of the midst their breast, and but one foote. Two of them vsed to shoote in one bowe, and they ran so swiftly, that horses could not ouertake them. They ran also vpon that one foote by hopping and leaping, and being weary of such walking, they went vpon their hand and their foote, turning themselues round, as it were in a circle. And being wearie of so doing, they ran againe according to their wonted manner. [Sidenote: Cyclopodes.] Isidore calleth them Cyclopedes. And as it was told vs in court, by the clergie men of Russia, who remaine with the foresayd Emperour, many ambassadours were sent from them vnto the Emperours court, to obtaine Peace. [Sidenote: Armenia and Georgia conquered.] From thence they proceeded forth into Armenia, which they conquered in battell, and part also of Georgia. And the other part is, vnder their iurisdiction, paying as yet euery yeare vnto them for tribute, 20000. pieces of coyne called Yperpera. [Sidenote: The Soldan of Aleppo his land.] From thence they marched into the dominions of the puissant and mighty Soldan called Deurum, whom also they vanquished in fight. And to be short, they went on farther sacking and conquering, euen vnto the Soldan of Aleppo his dominions, and now they haue subdued that land also, determining to inuade other countries beyond it: neither returned they afterward into their owne land vnto this day. [Sidenote: The Caliph of Baldach.] Likewise the same armie marched forward against the Caliph of Baldach his countrey, which they subdued also, and exacted as his handes the daylie tribute of 400. Byzantines, besides Balkakines and other giftes. Also euery yeare they send messenters vnto the Caliph mouing him to come vnto them. Who sending back great gifts together with his tribute beseecheth them to be fauourable vnto him. Howbeit the Tartarian Emperour receiueth al his gifts, and yet still neuertheles sends for him, to haue him come.

Qualiter Tartari se habent in pralijs. Cap. 17.

Ordinauit Chingischam Tartaros per Decanos et centenarios et millenarios. [Sidenote: Tartarorum militaris disciplina.] Decem quoque millenarijs praponunt vnum, cunctoque nihilominus exercitui duos aut tres Duces, ita tamen vt ad vnum habeant respectum. Cumque in bello contra aliquos congrediuntur nisi communiter cedant, omnes qui fugiunt, occiduntur. Et si vnus aut duo vel plures ex decem audacter accedunt ad pugnam, alij vero ex illo Denario non sequuntur similiter occiduntur. Sed etiam si vnus ex decem vel plures capiuntur, socij eorum si non eos liberant, ipsi etiam occiduntur. Poro arma debent habere tallia. Duos arcus vel vnum bonum ad minus. [Sidenote: Armatura.] Tresque pharetras sagittis plenas, et vnam securim et funes ad machinas trahendas. Diuites autem habent gladios in fine acutos, ex vna parte tantum incidentes, et aliquantulum curuos. Habent et equos armatos, crura etiam tecta, galeas et loricas. Verum loricas et equorum cooperturas quidam habent de corio, super corpus artificiose duplicato vel etiam triplicato. Galea vero superius est de chalybe, vel de ferro: sed illud, quod in circuitu protegit collum et gulam, est de corio. Quidam autem de ferro habent omnia supradicta, in hunc modum formata. Laminas multas tenues ad vnius digni latitudinem et palma longitudinem faciunt, et in qualibet octo foramina paruula facientes, interius tres corrgias strictas et fortes ponunt. Sicque laminas, vnam alij quasi per gradus ascendendo, supponunt. Itaque laminas ad corrigias, tenuibus corrigiolis per foramina pradicta immissis, ligant, et in superiori parte corrigiolam vnam ex vtraque parte duplicatam cum alia corrigiola consuunt, vt lamina simul bene firmiterque cohareant. Hac faciunt tam ad cooperturas equorum, quam ad armaturas hominum. Adeoque faciunt ilia lucere, quod in eis potest homo faciem suam videre. Aliqui vero in collo ferri lancea vncum habent, cum quo de sella, si possunt, hominem detrahant. Sagittarum eorum ferramenta sunt acutissima, ex vtraque parte quasi gladius biceps incidentia, semperque iuxta pharetram portant limas ad acuendum sagittas. Habent vero scuta de viminibus, aut de virgulis facta. Sed non credimus, quod ea soleant portare, nisi id castra et ad custodiam Imperatoris ac principum, et hoc tantum de nocte. [Sidenote: Vsas bellorum.] In bellis astutissimi sunt: quia per annos xlij. cum cateris gentibus dimicarunt. [Sidenote: Mos tranandi flumina.] Cum autem ad flumim peruenerunt, maiores habent rotundum ac letie corium, in cuius summitate per circuitum ansas erebras facientes funem imponunt ac stringunt, ita quod in circuitu quasi ventrem efficiunt, quem vestibus ac rebus cateris replent, fortissimeque ad inuicem comprimunt. In medio autem ponunt sellas et alias res duriores: ibi quoque sedent homines. Huiusmodi nauim ad equi caudam ligant, et hominem, qui equum regat, pariter natare faciunt, vel habent aliquando duos remos, cum quibus remigant. Equo igitur in aquam impulso, omnes alij equi sequuntur illum, et sic transeunt fluuium. Pauperior autem quilibet vnam bursam vel saccum de corio bene consutum habet, in quo res suas omnes imponit, et in summitate fortiter ligatum, ad equi caudam suspendit, sicque modo pradicto transit.

The same in English.

How the Tartars behaue themselues in warre. Chap. 17.

[Sidenote: The military discipline of the Tartars] Chingis Cham diuided his Tartars by captaines of ten, captaines of an 100, and captaines of a 1000. And ouer ten Millenaries or captains of a 1000, he placed, as it were, one Colonel, and yet notwithstanding ouer one whole army he authorised two or three dukes, but yet so that all should haue especiall regart vnto one of the said dukes. And when they ioine battel against any other nation, vnles they do all with one consent giue backe, euery man that flies is put to death.

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