wanted, they threw Siluer, especially molten Siluer. But by vndermining, the Tartars
made way from the Armie into the middest of the Citie, where they issued vp, and ope∣ned
the gates by force, and slew the Citizens. This is the first time that the Emperour
of the Kythayans being vanquished, Cyngis Cham obtained the Empire. The men of
Kytay
are Pagans, hauing a speciall kinde of writing by themselues, and, as it is re∣ported,
the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament. They haue also recorded in
Histories the liues of their fore-fathers, and they haue Eremites, and certaine houses
made after the manner of our Churches, which, in those dayes, they greatly resorted
vnto. They say, that they haue diuerse Saints also, and they worship one GOD. They
adore and reuerence CHRIST IESVS our LORD, and beleeue the Article of e∣ternall
life, but are not baptized. They doe also honorably esteeme and reuerence our
Scriptures. They loue Christians, and bestow much almes, and are a very courteous
and gentle people. They haue no beards, and they agree partly with the Mongals in
the disposition of their countenance. There are not better artificers in the world. Their
Countrey is exceeding rich in Corne, Wine, Gold, Silke, and other Commodities.
After the conquest of Cathay, cyngis sent his sonne Thossut Can (for so they tearmed
him also) against the people of Comania, whome he vanquished. Another sonne hee
sent against the Indians, who subdued India Minor. These Indians are the blacke Sa∣racens
, which are also called Aethiopians. Thence he marched to fight against Chri∣stians,
dwelling in India Maior, whose King was commonly called Presbyter Iohn, who
by a stratageme repelled them out of his dominion. In trauelling homewards, the said
Armie of the Mongals came vnto the Land of Buirthabeth, the inhabitants whereof
are Pagans, and conquered the people in bartaile. This people haue a strange custome;
when any mans father dieth, he assembleth all his kindred, and they eat him. They haue
no beards, but with an yron Instrument plucke out the haires, if any grow. Cyngis
himselfe went vnto the Land of Kergis, which they then conquered not. And in his
returne home his people suffered extreame famine: and by chaunce finding the fresh
entrailes of a beast, they cast away the dung, sodde it, and brought it before cyngis,
and did eate thereof. Hereupon Cyngis enacted, That neither the bloud, nor the en∣trailes,
nor any other part of a beast, which might be eaten, should be cast away, saue
onely the dung. He was afterward slaine by a thunderclap, leauing behind him foure
sonnes; the first Occoday, the second Thossut can, the third Thiaday, the name of the
fourth is not knowne.
Cyngis being dead, Occoday
was chosen Emperor. He sent Duke Bathy his nephew,
the sonne of Thossut can, against the Countrey of Altisoldan, and the people called
Bisermini, who were Saracens, but spake the Language of Comania, whome he subdu∣ed.
Thence they marched against Orna, a Port Towne on the Riuer Don, where were
many Gazarians, Alanians, Russians, and Saracens, which he drowned with the Riuer
running through the Citie, turning it out of the chanell. Thence they passed into Rus∣sia,
and made foule hauocke there, destroying Kiou, the chiefe Citie. They proceeded
against the Hungarians and Polonians, and in their returne inuaded the Morduans,
being Pagans, and conquered them in battaile. Then they marched against the people
called Byleri, or Bulgaria magna, and vtterly wasted the Countrey. From hence they
proceeded towards the North against the people called Bastarci, or Hungaria magna,
and hauing conquered them, subdued also the Parossitae and Samogetae, thence pro∣ceeding
vnto the Ocean Sea.
At the same time Occoday sent cyrpodan against Kergis
, who subdued them in
battaile. These are Pagans, hauing no beards at all. They haue a custome, when
any of their fathers die, in token of lamentation, to draw (as it were) a Leather
thong ouerthwart their faces, from one eare to the other. Hence hee marched
with his forces Southward against the Armenians, which they conquered, with
part of Georgia, receiuing tribute of the other part; and from thence into the Do∣minions
of the mightie Soldan, called Deurum, whome they vanquished in sight. And
to be short, they went on further, sacking and conquering euen vnto the Soldan of A∣leppo,
whose Countries they subdued. They marched against the Caliph of Baldach,