He Treated Us In The Same Hospitable
Manner, And Transmitted Us Free Of Expense To Conrad, Duke Of Lautiscia, Or
Masovia, where, by God's grace, Wasilico[2], duke of Russia, then was, from
whom we fully learned the arts of
The Tartars, as he had sent messengers to
them who were already returned. Learning that it was necessary for us to
make presents, we caused some skins of beavers and other animals to be
purchased with part of the money which had been given us in charity to
defray our expences; and we received more of the same skins from duke
Conrad, from Grimislava, duchess of Cracow, from the bishop, and from
certain nobles of that place. And at the request of the duke, bishop, and
nobles of Cracow, Wasilico conducted us into his country, and entertained
us there for some days at his expense. Likewise he convened his bishops at
our request, to whom we read the Pope's letters, admonishing them to return
into the unity of the church, adding our own exhortation to the same
purpose. But because duke Daniel, the brother of Wasilico was absent at the
court of Baatu, they could not then give a satisfactory answer.
After this Wasilico sent us forward to Kiow, the chief city of Russia,
under the conduct of one of his servants; in which journey we were in great
danger of our lives from the Lithuanians, who often invaded the borders of
Russia in the very places through which we had to pass; but by means of
this servant we were secured against any injury from the Russians, of whom
indeed the greater part had been slain, or carried into captivity by the
Tartars. In this journey we had almost perished of cold at Danilou[3],
through the prodigious depth of the snow, although we travelled in a
wagon. On our arrival at Kiow, and consulting with the millenary[4], and
other nobles, respecting our farther journey, we were advised not to carry
the horses we then had into Tartary, as they would all certainly die by the
way, as they were not used to dig under the snow in search of grass like
the Tartar horses, and no food could be procured for them, as the Tartars
make no provision of hay or straw, or any other provender, against winter.
We determined therefore to leave them behind, under the care of two
servants, till our return, and by means of presents, we prevailed on the
millenary to allow us post-horses and a guide. We began our journey on the
second day after the Purification[5], and arrived at Canow, which was under
the immediate dominion of the Tartars. The governor allowed us horses, and
a guide to another town, of which one Micheas, a most malicious person, was
governor; who, gained by our presents, conducted us to the first station of
the Tartars.
[1] The journal of Carpini begins here, that of Asceline never appears. - E.
[2] At this period Jeroslaw, or Jeroslaus, was grand duke of Wolodimir or
Wladimire, then considered as the sovereigns of Russia, who was
succeeded by Alexander. - Playf. Syst. of Chronol. Wasilico,
therefore, or Wasile, must have been a subordinate duke, or a junior
member of the reigning family. - E.
[3] There is a town named Danilovska, near the S. E. frontiers of European
Russia. - E.
[4] From this circumstance, it may be presumed that Kiow was then occupied
by a guard of Tartars, under a commander of a thousand men. - E.
[5] This was the 4th February, probably of 1247. - E.
SECTION XX.
Of his first Reception by the Tartars.
On the first Saturday after Ash-Wednesday, while we were taking up our
quarters for the night, near sunset, a number of armed Tartars came
suddenly upon us, in a threatening manner, demanding who we were. Having
told them that we were messengers from the Pope, and giving them some
victuals, they immediately went away. When we proceeded on our journey
next morning, the chiefs of this guard met us, and demanded to know the
purpose of our journey. We answered "That we were messengers from our Lord
the Pope, the father and lord of the Christians, going to their emperor and
princes, and the whole Tartar nation, to desire peace and friendship
between the Tartars and the Christians: And as the Pope wished the Tartars
to become great, and to acquire the favour of God, he admonished them by
us, and by his letters, to embrace the faith of Christ, without which they
could not be saved: That the Pope was astonished to hear of their monstrous
slaughter of mankind, more especially of the Hungarians, Mountaineers, and
Polanders, who were his subjects, and who had neither injured, or attempted
to injure the Tartars; and as God is sore offended by such proceedings, the
Pope admonished them to refrain in future, and to repent of what they had
done, and requested an answer as to their future intentions." On which they
promised us horses and a guide to Corrensa, but for which favour they
demanded presents. Some of them rode swiftly on before, to inform Corrensa
of our message, and we followed. This Corrensa is general or duke of all
the Tartars who are placed as a guard against the people of the West, lest
some enemy might suddenly invade them; and is said to have 60,000 men under
his command.
SECTION XXI.
His Reception at the Court of Corrensa.
On our arrival at the residence of Corrensa, our tent was ordered to be
pitched at a considerable distance, and his agents came to demand what
gifts we would offer in paying our obeisance to him. We answered that our
lord the Pope had sent no gifts, as he was uncertain if we should ever
arrive at their country, considering the dangerous places we had to pass
through; but that we should honour him with part of those things which had
been given us to defray the charges of our journey.
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