But thy of the citie tought manfully against them, with engines, dartes, and arrowes, and when stones wanted they threw siluer, and especially melted siluer:Siluer cast at the enemie in¦stead of stones. for the same citie abounded with great riches. Also, when the Mongals had fought a long time and could not preuayle by warre, they made a great trench vnderneath the ground from the armie vnto the middest of the citie, and there issuing foorth they fought against the citizens, and the remnant also without the walles fought in like manner. At last, breaking open the gates of the citie, they entred, and putting the Emperour, with many other to the sworde, they tooke possession thereof and con∣ueighed away the golde, siluer, ad all the riches therein. And hauing appointed certaine depu∣ties ouer the countrey, they returned home into their owne lande. This is the first time, when the Emperour of the Kythayans being vanquished, Chingis Cham obtayned the Empire.Chingis Cham proclaimed Emperour. But some parte of the countrey, because it lyeth within the sea, they could by no meanes con∣quere vnto this day. The men of Kytay are Pagans, hauing a speciall kinde of writing by themselues,Part of Ca∣thay in the sea. and (as it is reported) the Scriptures of the olde and newe Testament. They haue also recorded in hystories the liues of their forefathers: and they haue Eremites,The letters, & the religion of the Cathayans. and certaine houses made after the manner of our Churches, which in those dayes they greatly re∣sorted vnto. They say that they haue diuers Saints also, and they worship one God. They a∣dore and reuerence CHRIST IESVS our Lorde, and beleeue the article of eternall life, but are not baptized. They doe also honourably esteeme and reuerence our Sciptures. They loue Christians, and bestowe much almes, and are a very courteous and gentle people. They haue no beardes, and they agree partly with the Mongals in the disposition of their countenance. In all occupations which men practise, there are not better artificers in the whole worlde.Their excellent workmanship. Their countrey is exceeding rich, in corne, wine, golde, silke, and other commodities.Of their warre against India maior and minor. Chap. 10.ANd when the Mongals with their emperour Chingis Cham had a while rested themselues after the foresayd victorie, they diuided their armies. For the Emperour sent one of his sonnes named Thossut (whom also they called Can,Thossut Can son of Chingis. that is to say, Emperour) with an armie a∣gainst the people of Comania, whom he vanquished with much warre, and afterward returned into his owne country. But he sent his other sonne with an armie against the Indians, who also subdued India minor. These Indians are the blacke Saracens, which are also called AEthiopians. But here the armie marched forward to fight against Christians dwelling in India maior.India minor sub∣dued. Which the King of that countrey hearing (who is commonly called Presbiter Iohn) gathered his souldiers together, and came foorth against them. And making mens images of copper, he set each of them vpon a saddle on horsebacke, and put fire within them, and placed a man with a paire of bellowes on the horse backe behinde euery image.The stratagem of the king of India. And so with many horses and images in such sorte fur∣nished, they marched on to fight against the Mongals or Tartars. And comming neare vnto the place of the battell, they first of all sent those horses in order one after another. But the men that sate behind laide I wote not what vpon the fire within the images, and blew strongly with their bellowes. Whereupon it came to passe, that the men and the horses were burnt with wilde fire, and the ayre was darkened with smoake. Then the Indians cast dartes vpon the Tartars, of whom many were wounded and slain. And so they expelled them out of their dominions with great con∣fusion, neither did we heare, that euer they returned thither againe.How being repelled by monstrous men shapen like dogs, they ouercame the people of Burithabeth. Chap. 11.BUt returning through the deserts, they came into a certaine countrey, wherin (as it was repor∣ted vnto vs in the Emperours court, by certaine clergie men of Russia, and others, who were long time among them, and that by strong and stedfast affirmation) they found certaine monsters resembling women:A strange re∣port of certain mōstrous wo∣men and dogs. who being asked by many interpreters, where the men of that land were, they answered, that whatsoeuer women were borne there, were indued with the shape of mankinde, but the males were like vnto dogges. And delaying the time, in that countrey they met with the said dogges on the other side of the riuer. And in the midst of sharpe winter, they cast them∣selues into the water: Afterward they wallowed in the dust vpon the maine land, and so the dust being mingled with water, was frozen to their backes, and hauing often times so done, the ice be∣ing strongly frozen vpon them, with great fury they came to fight against the Tartars. And when the Tartars threwe their dartes, or shot their arrowes among them, they rebounded backe againe. 0