Eastern Europe - The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques And Discoveries Of The English Nation - Volume 2 - Collected By Richard Hakluyt
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Howe they came vnto Cuyne himselfe, who was forthwith to be chosen
Emperour.
Chap. 25.
But because we had not as yet seene the Emperour, they would not inuite vs
nor admit vs into his Orda, but caused good attendauce and entertainment,
after the Tartars fashion, to be giuen vnto vs in oure owne tent, and they
caused vs to stay there, and to refresh our selues with them one day.
[Sidenote: The land of Naymani.] Departing thence vpon the euen of Saint
Peter and Saint Paul, wee entered into the land of the Naymani, who are
Pagans. But vpon the very feast day of the saide Apostles, there fel a
mightie snowe in that place, and wee had extreame colde weather. This lande
is full of mountaines, and colde beyonde measure, and there is little
plaine ground to bee seene. These two nations last mentioned vsed not to
till their grounde, but, like vnto the Tartars, dwelt in tents, which the
sayde Tartars had destroyed. Through this countrey wee were trauailing
manie dayes. Then entered wee into the lande of the Mongals, whome wee call
Tartars. Through the Tartars lande wee continued our trauaile (as wee
suppose) for the space of some three weekes, riding alwayes hastily and
with speede, and vpon the day of Marie Magdalene we arriued at the court of
Cuyne the Emperour elect. [Sidenote: The 22. of Iuly.] But therefore did we
make great haste all this way, because our Tartarian guides were straightly
commaunded to bring vs vnto the court Imperiall with all speede, which
court hath beene these if many yeeres, ordained for the election of the
Emperour. Wherefore rising earely, wee trauailed vntil night without eating
of any thing, and oftentimes wee came so late vnto our lodging, that we had
no time to eate the same night, but that which we should haue eaten ouer
night, was giuen vs in the morning. And often changing our horses, wee
spared no Horse-fleshe, but rode swiftly and without intermission, as fast
as our horses could trot.
Qualiter Cuyne Fratres Minores suscepit. Cap. 26.
Cum autem peruenimus ad Cuyne, fecit nobis dari tentorium et expensas,
quales Tartaris dare solent, nobis tamen melius quam alijs nuncijs
faciebant. [Sidenote: Cuyne in legatos benignitas.] Ad ipsum autem vocati
non fuimus, eo quod nondum electus erat, nec adhuc de imperio se
intromittebat. Interpretatio tamen literarum Domini Papa, ac verba etiam a
nobis dicta, a pradicto Baty erant ei mandata. Cum ergo stetissemus ibi per
quinque vel sex dies, ad matrem suam nos transmisit, vbi adunabatur curia
solennis. [Sidenote: Tentorium regium.] Et cum venissemus illuc, tam
extensum erat tentorium magnum, de alba purpura praparatum, eratque tam
grande nostro indicio, quod plusquam duo millia hominum poterant esse sub
illo. Et in circuitu factum erat ligneum tabulatum varijs imaginibus
depictum. [Sidenote: Comitia.] Illuc ergo perreximus cum Tartaris, nobis ad
custodiam assignatis, ibique conuenerant omnes duces, et vnusquisque cum
hominibus suis equitaibat in circuitu per planiciem et colles. In prima die
vestiti sunt omnes purpuris albis, in secunda vero rubeis. Et tunc venit
Cuyne ad teritorium illud. Porro tertia die fuerunt omnes in blaueis
purpuris, et quarta in optimis Baldakinis. In illo autem tabulato iuxta
tentorium erant dua maiores porta, per quarum vnam solus Imperator debebat
intrare, et ad illam nulla erat custodia, quamuis esset aperta, quia per
illam nullus audebat ingredi vel exire: per aliam omnes, qui admittebantur,
intrabant, et ad illam custodes cum gladijs et arcubus et sagittis erant.
Itaque si quis tentorio propinquabat vltra terminos, qui positi erant, si
capiebatur, verberabatur, si fugiebat, sagitta siue ferro sagittabatur.
Multique ibi erant, qui in franis, pectoralibus, sellis et huiusmodi,
iudicio nostro, auri circiter viginti marcas habebant. Sic Duces infra
tentorium colloquebantur, et de Imperatoris electione tractabant, vt a
nobis creditur. Alius autem vniuersus populus longe extra tabulatum
collocabatur, et ita fere vsque ad meridiem morabantur. Tunc incipiebant
lac iumentinum bibere, et vsque ad vesperas tantum bibebant, quod erat visu
mirabile. [Symposium procorum.] Nos autem vocauerunt interius, et dederunt
nobis cereuisiam: quia iumentinum lac non bibebamus. Et hoc quidem nobis
pro magno fecerunt honore: sed tamen nos compellebant ad bibendum, quod
nullatenus poteramus propter consuetudinem sustinere. Vnde ostendimus eis,
hoc esse nobis graue, ideoque nos cessauerunt compellere. [Ieroslaus Dux
Russia. Legati diuersarum nationum.] Foris autem erat Dux Ieroslaus de
Susdal Russia, pluresque Duces Kythaorum et Solangorum. Duo quoque filij
regis Georgia, nuncius etiam Caliphi de Baldach, qui erat Soldanus, et plus
quam decem alij Soldani Sarracenorum, vt credimus. Et sicut nobis a
procuratoribus dicebatur, erant ibi nunciorum plus quam quatuor millia,
inter illos, qui tributa portabant, et illos, qui deferebant munera, et
Soldanos ac Duces alios, qui ad tradendum seipsos veniebant, et illos, pro
quibus ipsi miserant, illosque qui terrarum prafecti erant. Hi omnes simul
extra tabulatum ponebantur, eisque simul bibere prabebatur. Nobis autem et
Duci Ierozlao fere semper ab eis dabatur superior locus, quando cum eis
eramus exterius.
The same in English
How Cuyne enterteined the Minorite Friers. Chap. 26.
[Sidenote: The curtesie of Cuyne towards Ambassadors] But when wee were
come vnto the court of Cuyne, hee caused (after the Tartars manner) a Tent
and all expenses necessarie to bee prouided for vs. And his people
entreated vs with more regarde and courtesie, then they did anie other
Ambassadours. Howbeeit wee were not called before his presence, because hee
was not as yet elected, nor admitted vnto his empire. Notwithstanding, the
interpretation of the Popes letters, and the message which we deliuered,
were sent vnto him by the foresaid Bathy. And hauing stayed there fiue or
sixe dayes, hee sent vs vnto his mother, vnder whome there was mainteyned a
verie solemne and royall court. [Sidenote: The tent roial] And being come
thither, we saw an huge tent of fine white cloth pitched, which was, to our
iudgement, of so great quantitie, that more then two thousand men might
stand within it, and round about it there was a wall of planks set vp,
painted with diuers images.
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