Purchas his pilgrimage. Or Relations of the vvorld and the religions obserued in all ages and places discouered, from the Creation vnto this present In foure partes. This first containeth a theologicall and geographicall historie of Asia, Africa, and America, with the ilands adiacent. Declaring the ancient religions before the Floud ... With briefe descriptions of the countries, nations, states, discoueries, priuate and publike customes, and the most remarkable rarities of nature, or humane industrie, in the same. By Samuel Purchas, minister at Estwood in Essex.

CHAP. XIII.

Of the alteration of Religion among the Tartars: and of the diuers sorts, sects, and nations of them now remaining.

AFter so long narration of the Religion of the auncient Tartars, and of the Cathayans, where their Emperours fixed their abode: it follow∣eth to consider of the times following, wherein they haue beene di∣uided both in policie and faith. Maginus a 1.1 diuideth them into fiue principall sorts: which may likewise be subdiuided into many inferi∣our braunches or Hords. The first of these he calleth Tartari minor, or the lesse, which is in Europe betwixt Boristhenes & Tanais comprehending Taurica Chersonesus, inhabited by the Precopite Tartars, or as Broniovius b 1.2 tearmeth them Perecopensis of Perecopia a towne and Castle in Taurica: they are called also Ossouen∣ses and Crims, of two Townes bearing those names. These are now subiect to the Turke both in state and religion, hauing some Townes and Mahumetane Temples, and monasteries and Turkish garrisons, and a few Temples and persons Christian, of the Armenian, Grecian and Westerne profession. They liue in their homely cottages in the winter, but in the summer, wander in their carts as the other Tartars, then whom they are somewhat more ciuile. They pay three hundred Christians yearely to the Turke for tribute: of whom their Can, since the time of Zelim, receiueth a banner, and his approbation to the Empire, giuing his children or brethren in hostage. They e∣lect also an heire apparant to their empire whom they call Galga, and if the Can will preferre his sonne to that dignitie: hee killeth all his brethren, as the Turkes also deale with theirs.

It should seeme that they deriue their pedegree from Cingis, descended (if I may coniecture, where certaine historie faileth) of some of the sonnes of Bathy, the great Conquerour in those parts of the world. Lochton Can was the first which ruled in Taurica: long since Bathy's time. They vse the Chaldean and Arabian letters: they haue their Cadies to administer religion and iustice, as haue the Turkes. Of these Eu∣ropaean Tartars c 1.3 Bronionius, Maginus, and others haue written a Discourse, to whom I referre such as desire to know further of their affaires.

They count the Don or riuer Tanais holy, in respect of the commodities which it yeeldeth them. These Tartars d 1.4 passing through the confines of Polonia and Podolia, to help the Turke in the warres of Hungary, the wayes being secured and defended with the garrisons, they vsed a new stratagem to make way, by driuing a multitude of Buls before them, which contrary to their expectation, affrighted with the Ordnance, recoiled vpon their driuers, treading them downe, and scattering them. The Chan, when St. Bathor King of Poland was dead, sent his embassadours to bee elected their King; affirming, that their Pope should be his, their Luther his also: and for dainties, horse-flesh would content him. His suite was reiected with laughter.

The second part in this diuision is attributed to Tartaria Deserta, so called of the Desert huge tract of Countrey betweene Tanais, the Caspian Sea, and the lake Kitay: sometime knowne by the name of Sarmatia Asiatica. It containeth many Tribes: of which the principall are, Zavolhensis, called Bulgar Tartars, of Volga: be∣tweene which riuer and Iaich they haue their abode. This they called the great Hord, and the Emperor thereof Vlucan, in the yeare 1506. subdued by the Crim-Tartars be∣fore mentioned: and after that by Basilius the Muscouite, to whose large stile Bulgaria is added, taking that name of Volga, as it were Volgaria, or of Bulgar a towne vpon that riuer. Cazan and Ashacan Hords of these Zavol Tartars haue beene sub∣iect also many yeares to the said great Duke, e 1.5 who caused the Prince of Casan (be∣ing taken prisoner, when he was yong) to be baptized. Neare vnto Cazan is Vachen, ••••he people whereof are Gentiles; and the Cheremizes halfe Gentiles, halfe Tartars,

and Mangat or Nagay, Mahumetan Tartars, which in the yeare 1558. were tho∣row ciuile warres, famine, and pestilence, destroyed to the number of aboue a hun∣dred thousand. These Nagayans haue their diuers hords subiect to their seuerall Dukes, whom they call Murzes, hauing no vse of money, corne, or Arts. They, in the time of their distresse, would for one loafe of bread, worth sixe pence, haue sold sonne or daughter to Maister Ienk if hee would haue bought a thousand, although other∣whiles they deride the Christians, as liuing on the toppes of weedes (so they call our corne.) This our Author and Countreyman trauelled downe the Riuer Volga to A∣stracan, which riuer, after it hath runne aboue two thousand English miles, hath threescore and tenne mouthes or falles into the Caspiansea. Through this Sea hee passed to Manguslaùe an other part of the Desart Tartaria. The Prince whereof Ti∣mor Soltan hee found and saluted in a f 1.6 little round house, not hauing Towne or Ca∣stell, made of reedes, couered without with felt, within with carpets, accompanied with the great Metropolitane of their Countrey, esteemed of amongst that field-peo∣ple, as the Bishop of Rome is in most parts of Europe. And had hee not presented himselfe to him with the great Dukes Letters, hee had beene spoyled of all that hee had.

They passed thence with a Carauan of Merchants twentie dayes, not finding wa∣ter, but as they drew out of olde deepe wells, brackish and salt: and passed some∣times two or three dayes without the same. After that, they came to a Gulfe of the Caspian Sea agayne, where the water is fresh, and sweete. Not so the people: For the Customers of the King of Turkeman tolled of euerie fiue and twenty, one; and se∣uen ninths, for the said King and his brethren. Into this gulfe the Riuer Oxus did sometimes fall, but is now intercepted by the Riuer Ardock, which runneth toward the North: and (as it were) loath to view so cold a Clime and barbarous Inhabi∣tants, after hee hath runne with a swift race a thousand miles, (as it were) in flight, hee hideth himselfe vnder ground for the space of fiue hundred miles, and then loo∣king vp, and seeing little amendment, drowneth himselfe in the Lake of Kithay.

Thence they had three dayes iourney to Sellizure, where finding Azim Can, to whome hee presented a ninth, hee receiued there the like festiuall entertainment as before with Timor, that is, the g 1.7 flesh of a wilde horse and mares milke without bread. Hee and his brethren ruled all from the Caspian Sea to Vrgence, and had continuall warres with the Persians; and is called Turkeman: for the other Hords of that huge Tartarian Desart, the Kirgessen, Melgomazan, Scibanski, Thumen (which still is said to remaine vnder the obedience of the Grand Can) Bascheridi, Heselits, harsh names of harsher people in those most harsh and horride Desarts, will hasten my Pen and your Eares, to some more pleasing subiect. The Thumen and their neighbours are great Inchanters, and by their Arte (they say) raise tempests and o∣uerthrowe their enemies. The Kirgessen obserue these stinking holies: Their h 1.8 priest mixeth bloud, milke, and cow-dung together with earth, and putting them in a vessell, therewith climeth a tree, and after his deuout exhortation to the people, he besprinckleth them with this sacred mixture, which they account diuine. When any of them die, they hang him on a tree instead of buriall.

The Tartars in Turkeman vse to catch wilde horses with hawkes tamed to that pur∣pose, which seising on the necke of the horse, with his beating, and the horses cha∣sing, tireth him, and maketh him an easie prey to his maister, who alwayes rideth with his bow, arrowes, and sword. They eate their meate, and say their prayers sitting on the ground crosse-legged, spending the time very idly. As maister Ienkinson with his company trauelled from hence towards Boghar, they were assailed with forty thieues: of whome they had intelligence somewhat before, and therefore certaine holie men (for so they account such as haue beene at Mecca) caused the Carauan to stay while they made their prayers and diuinations touching their successe. They tooke cer∣taine sheepe and killed them, and tooke the blade-bones' of the same, which they first sodde, and then burnt, mingling the bloud of the said sheepe with this poulder of their bones ••with which bloud they wrote certaine Characters, vsing many other ce∣remonies

and wordes, and thereby diuined, that they should meete with enemies, which after much trouble they should ouercome: which accordingly prooued true. Of the faithfulnesse of these holy men hee had good proofe, both here and elsewhere they refusing not to expose themselues to danger, and to forsweare themselues rather then betray him and the Christians to their theeuish Countreymen. For these robbers would haue dismissed the Bussarmans, so they call their Catholikes, if they would haue deliuered the Caphars, that is, infidells, as they esteeme the Christians, vnto their po∣wer. One of their holy men (which the enemies had surprized) by no torments would confesse any thing to the preiudice of his fellowes. But at last they were forced to agree, & giue the theeues twenty ninths, that is, twenty times nine seuerall things, and a Camell to carry the same away. This Countrey of Turkeman or Turchestan is the first habitation of the Turkes, and the people were called by that name, both in Haithons time, and in the time of Mauritius. Their i 1.9 religion then was the same with that which we haue aboue related of the Tartars, worshipping the foure Elements &c. as in the Turkish History you haue heard. Pliny nameth the Turkes nearer Maeotis: but whether in deuouring the people with their swords, as they did the pastures with their cattell, they came from hence, or these from thence, or that Pliny might easily wander in so wandering a subiect; all auerre, that from hence they went first into Per∣sia, and in succeeding ages haue made many fertile Countries, like their Turcomania, where Maister Ienkinson saith groweth no grasse, but heath whereon their cattell feed: The Ottoman-horse blasting with his breath the ground he treads on, (hath ac∣cording to their owne Prouerbe) there neuer groweth grasse more. The Turkeman Nation is (saith Haithon) for the most part Mahumetan, and many of them without Law at all. They vse the Arabian Letters.

These Deserts and Theeues haue almost made vs forget our diuision, according to which wēe should haue told you, that from the Caspian Sea hither you must (accor∣ding to Maginus) call the Tartars generally Zagathayans, k 1.10 so called of Zagathay, the great Cans brother, somtime their Prince. Which name l 1.11 comprehendeth also diuerse other Nations more ciuill then the former, possessing the Countries sometime known by the names of Bactriana, Sogdiana, Margiana, now Ieselbas, that is, Greene heads, of the colour of their Turbants: differing from the Persians, whome they call for like cause, Redde-heads. These haue cruell warres continually with the Persians, whome they call Caphars (as they doe the Christians,) for their supposed heresie, of which in the Persian relation hath beene shewed, and for that they will not cut the haire of their vpper lips, for which they are accounted of the Tartars great sinners. In m 1.12 Boghar is the feate of their Metropolitane, who is there more obeyed then the King, and hath sometime deposed the King, and placed an other at his pleasure. There is a little riuer running through the City, whose water breedeth in them that drinke thereof (espe∣cially strangers) a worme of an ell long, which lieth in the legge betwixt the flesh and the skinne, and is plucked out about the anckle, with great Arte of Surgeons well practised heerein. And if it breake in plucking out, the party dieth. They plucke out an inch in a day, which is rolled vp, and so proceede till shee bee all out. And yet will not the Metropolitane suffer any drinke but water or mares milke, hauing officers to make search and punish such as transgresse, with great seuerity. Zagatai liued the space of one hundred twenty and one yeares before Marcus Paulus, and was (as hee saith) a Christian, but his sonne followed him in his kingdome, not in his reli∣gion.

Heere in this Countrey is Samarcand the Citie of Great Tamerlane (of some cal∣led Temir Cuthlu, that is, as Mathias a Michou n 1.13 interpreteth it, Happy Sword) whose army contained twelue hundred thousand: whose conquests exceed (if Histories ex∣ceed not) all the Great Alexanders, Pompeys, Caesars, or any other Worthies of the World. And one of the greatest Monarchs now of the earth, The Great Mogore is said o 1.14 to descend of him.

Of him are many Histories written by some p 1.15 that haue liued since his time, and could not well know his proceedings, it being generally deplored, that this Achilles

wanted a Homer q 1.16 , which Alexander applauded in him, but wanted for himselfe: on∣ly one Alhacen (an Arabian which then liued) hath written largely thereof, and that (as he sayth) by Tamerlans commaund, which Iean du Bec, Abbot of Mortimer, in his voyage into the East Countrie, met with, and had it interpreted to him by an Arabian, and we vpon his credit: which if any thinke to be insufficient, I leaue it to his choise and censure. That Author sayth, that Tamerlan descended of the Tartarian Empe∣rours, and Og his father was Lord of Sachetay, who gaue to his sonne Tamerlan (which name signifieth heauenly grace in their Tongue) his Kingdome while he yet liued, ap∣pointing two wise Counsellors, Odmar, and Aly, to assist him. He was well instructed in the Arabian learning, and a louer of learned men. Nature had set in his eyes such rayes of maiestie and beautie, that men could scarce endure to looke on them. He wore long haire, contrarie to the Tartarian custome, pretending, that his mother came of the race of Sampson. He was strong, and had a faire legge: whereas Leunclauius sayth he was called Tamurleng, of his lamenesse. His first Warre was against the Mus∣couite, whome he ouercame: The second against the King of China, with like suc∣cesse (I mention not his battailes in ciuill warres:) The third against Baiazet the Turke (whome he captiued) passing thither by the way of Persia; where Guines, Au∣thor of the Sophian Sect, a great Astrologer, and accounted a holy man, encouraged him with Prophesies of his good successe. This Warre he made against Baiazet in behalfe of the Greeke Emperour, and others, whome the Turke oppressed. He went priuatly to Constantinople, and had sight of the Citie, with all kindnesse from the Em∣perour. He inuaded Syria and Aegypt, ouerthrew the Soldan, and wonne Cairo; d∣estroyed Damascus, visited and honoured Ierusalem, and the holy Sepulchre, and gran∣ted great Priuiledges thereunto. The Princes of Lybia and Barbarie, by their Embas∣sages in Aegypt, acknowledged his Soueraignetie: In his returne by Persia he was encountred by Guines, who brought with him an infinite number of sundrie kindes of beasts, which he made tame, and by which he taught men. As soone as he saw Tamer∣lan, he made his Prayers towards the Heauens for his health, and for the Religion of the Prophet, excommunicating the Ottomans, as enemies to the faithfull beleeuers. Tamerlan gaue him fifteene or sixteene thousand r 1.17 of his prisoners, which he instructed in his opinion: and after conquered Persia, and so returned to Samarcand, where he had vowed to erect a Church and Hospitall, with all sumptuous Magnificence. Thence hee went to Mount Althay, to burie his vncle and father in law, the Great Cham, in whose State he succeeded. He enriched Samarcand with the spoyles got∣ten in his Warres, and called the Temple which he there built, the Temple of Salomon, wherein he hanged vp Trophees and Monuments of his victories, and caused all his battailes therein to be ingrauen, thereby (said he) to acknowledge the Goodnesse of GOD. His Religion was not pure Mahumetisme, for he thought GOD was delighted with varietie of worships; yet he hated Polytheisme and Idols, onely one GOD he acknowledged, and that with much deuotion, after his manner. Thus he beat downe all the Idols in China, but honoured the Christians, with great admiration at the strict life of some Votaries. When Aly his Counsellor was dead, he built a stately Tombe for him at Samarcand, and caused Prayers to be said three dayes for his soule. Being neere his end, he blessed his two sonnes, laying his hand on the head of Sautochio the elder, and pressing it downe, but lifting vp the chinne of Le∣trochio the younger, as it were presaging vnto him the Empire, although the elder were proclaimed. But this Empire was too great, and too suddenly erected to continue.

These three sorts of Tartars which wee haue hitherto mentioned, are all, for the most part, Mahumetans. There are some yet (as Michonius s 1.18 affirmeth) neere the Caspian Sea, which are not Mahumetans, nor shaue their haire of their heads after the Tartarian manner; and therefore they call them Calmuch or Pagans.

The fourth are those which in greatnes are first, namely the Cathayans, called Cara∣bus (that is, black-heads) of their Turbants, as the former, Ieselbas. But of their religion, further then that which hath beene before expressed, we can say little. And it seemeth

by the relations mentioned in the former chapters, that they are Gentils or Christians, and not of Mahomets errour. Chaggi Memet t 1.19 , a Persian Marchant, related (as in part is said before) to Ramusius, that he had beene at Campion, Daimir Can then raig∣ning, and that vntill Camul, the Westerly part of Tanguth, they were Idolaters and Ethnikes: from thence Westwards, Musulmans, or Saracens. In the Epistle of Carua∣lius u 1.20 the Iesuite, it is reported by a Mahumetane Marchant, that they were Christians, happily because of Images which the Idolaters and Pseudo-Christians doe equally worship.

The fifth and last forme of our Tartars are those which abide in those places, whence the Tartars first issued to ouer-whelme all Asia with their Armies, of which is related at large in the ninth Chapter: of which, for want of probable intelligence, I can say little more. Our Mappes place there the Hords of the Danites, Nephthalites, Ciremis∣sians, Turbites, and other, which some deriue from the dispersion (as is said) of the tenne Tribes. Here is Tabor also, whose King was by Charles the fifth, Emperour, in the yeare 1540 (as before is said) burned at Mantua, for soliciting to Iudaisme.

Pope Innocent, King Lewes of Fraunce (by meanes of Will. de Rubruquis) and the King of Armenia, solicited (as you haue partly heard) both the great Can, and his chiefe Princes, to become Christians: and it is likely that the Tartars might, if dili∣gence had beene vsed, and some Superstitions had not darkened the Christian professi∣on, haue beene thereunto persuaded, which many also of them were, as appeareth in Haithon, Mat. Westmonast. and Vincentius.

But the Saracens, which had before polluted those Countries where the Mahume∣tan Tartars now abide, by that sutablenesse of their Law to their lawlesse lusts of Ra∣pine and Poligamie, preuailed (as Michouius x 1.21 reporteth) with Bathi and those other Tartars, to embrace Mahumet, and refuse CHRIST. They say, Eissa Rocholla, that is, IESVS is the Spirit of the LORD; Mahomet Rossolai, that is, Mahomet is the Iu∣stice of GOD. They obey (saith he) the Pentateuch of Moses, are circumcised, obserue the legall Ceremonies: they haue no Bells, but euery day cry, Lahi illo illoloh, which signifieth, that there is but one GOD. They professe themselues Ismaelites, the Chri∣stians they call Dzintzis, that is, Pagans; and Gaur, Infidels y 1.22 . They obserue three Feasts: the first Kuiram, to which they prepare themselues, with their thirtie dayes Lent, and in that Feast offer Rammes, Birds, &c. The second they celebrate for All Soules, for which they fast a moneth, visit the graues, and doe workes of mercie. The third they keepe for themselues and their owne saluation, and fast twelue dayes.

Iosafa Barbaro z 1.23 (a Venetian, which liued amongst the Tartars about the yere 1437) saith, That they embraced not the faith of Mahomet generally, but as euery man liked, vntill about that time, in the daies of Hedighi, a Captaine vnder Sidahameth Can, who first compelled them thereunto, being before free vnto their Idolatries, if they pleased. And of the other Tartars neere the Zagathayans, he saith, That many of thē were Ido∣laters, and carried Idols in the Carts: yea, some of them vsed to worship whatsoeure Beast they first met with, after they went abroad in the morning. Their neighbors, the Moxij, at a certaine time in the yeare, take a Horse, which they set in the field, with his foure legges tyed to foure posts, and his head to another post, fastened in the ground. This done, one of thē standing in a conuenient distance, shooteth him to the heart. Af∣terwards they flea him, & obseruing certaine ceremonies about the flesh, eat the same. The skinne they fill with chaffe, and in each of his legges thrust a straight sticke, that he may stand vpright, as if he were aliue. Lastly, they goe to a great Tree, and loppe there∣from as many boughes as they thinke good, and make a Roome or Sollar in that Tree, where they set this Horse on this feet, and worship him, offering vnto his Foxes, and diuers Beasts which beare rich Furres; of which offerings the Trees hang full.

Master Ienkinson mentioneth a Nation liuing among the Tartars, called Kings; which are also Gentiles, as are also the Kirgessen (of whome wee haue spoken) and the Colmackes, which worship the Sunne, as they doe also a redde Cloth, faste∣ned to the toppe of a Pole, and eate Serpents, Wormes, and other filth. Neere to which he placeth (in his Mappe of Russia) certaine Statues, or Pillars of Stone,

which sometimes were Hoords of Men and Beasts feeding, transformed by diuine power (if it be not humane error) into this stonie substance, retaining their pristine shape. These Nations are either Tartars, or, in manner of life, like vnto them, and may therefore passe vnder that generall appellation. And this may suffice touching the Tartarian Nation and Religion; which in the West and South parts of their abode is Mahumetane, in the more Northerly and Easterly, partly Heathenish, partly Iewish, or Moorish, or mixed, or as may best aduantage them, and most please them, wandring in opinion in like sort as in their habitation.

But I haue shewed my selfe no Tartarian, whiles I dwell so long on this Tartarian Discourse, happily herein as tedious to the Reader, as staying in one place would be to the Tartar; a thing to him so abhominable, as in anger he wisheth it as a Curse, Would GOD thou mayest abide in one place, as the Christian, till thou smell thine owne dung. In∣deede this Historie, not throughly handled before by any one, drew me along, and I hope will purchase pardon to this prolixitie.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Mag. Geogr. Precop. Desert. Zagathay. Caz •••• & Morgat.
• b 1.2

  Mart. Bronie. Tartaria.
• c 1.3

  L Chalcond. lib.3.
• d 1.4

  A Guag.de Sar∣mat. Sigism. ab Herberst Petr. Bertius in tab. Chytroeus, Auton.
• e 1.5

  Gen••roeus de im∣periis ex 4. sect. Mahum &c. P••.Camerar. Med. histor. ••••ca.98.
• f 1.6

  Regumq tur∣res, Pauperum tabernae.
• g 1.7

  Minimo con. tenta Natura.
• h 1.8

  Ortelius.
• i 1.9

  Niceph. Cal. libr.11.ca 30.
• k 1.10

  Marcus Pau∣lus li.1.
• l 1.11

  G. Boter.
• m 1.12

  Ant. Ienkins.
• n 1.13

  Michouius lib.1.ca.8.
• o 1.14

  Iesuit. epist. Rel. Mogor.
• p 1.15

  Leunclav. Pe∣orend. louius &c.
• q 1.16

  Cic. Orat. pro Arch.
• r 1.17

  Some say 30000.
• s 1.18

  Lib.1. cap.7.
• t 1.19

  Chag. Memet.
• u 1.20

  Carval. Epist.
• x 1.21

  Lib.1.c.5.
• y 1.22

  See the Sa∣racen Historie.
• z 1.23

  l.1. apud Ram.