when there is an Eclipse, they play vpon their Timbrels and Organs, and make a great noise, and a loude crye, when the Eclipse is past, they giue themselues to feasting, and drinking, and make great ioy. They foretell fortunate and vnlucky dayes for all businesse or affaires. Whereupon they neuer leuie an Armie, nor vndertake Warre without their direction. And they had long since returned into Hungarie: but their Sooth-sayers doe not suffer them. They make all things which are sent to the Court passe betweene fires, and they haue a due portion thereof. They also purge all the houshold-stuffe of the Dead, drawing them betweene the fires. For when any one dieth, all things whatsoeuer appertayne to him, are separated, and not mingled with other things of the Court, till all be purged by the Fire. So did I see it done to the Court of that Ladie, which died, while wee were there. Whereupon, there was a double reason why [ 10] Friar Andrew, and his fellowes should goe betweene the fires, both because he brought presents, as also for that they belonged to him, who was dead, (to wit) Ken Chan. No such thing was required of me, because I brought nothing. If any liuing creature, or any thing else, fall to the ground, while they thus make them passe betweene the fires, that is theirs. They also the ninth day of the Moone of May, gather together all the white Mares of the Herd, and conse∣crate them. The Christian Priests also must come together thither with their Censers. Then they cast ••ew Cosmos vpon the ground, and make a great Feast that day; because then they thinke they drinke Cosmos first, as it is the fashion somewhere with vs, touching Wine, in the Feast of Saint Bartholmew, or Sixtus, and of fruits, in the Feast of Saint Iames and Christopher. They also are inuited, when any child is borne, to foretell his destinie. They are sent for also when any is sicke, to vse their Charmes: and they tell whether it bee a naturall infirmitie, or [ 20] by Sorcerie. Whereupon that woman of Mentz, whereof I spake before, told mee a won∣derfull thing.
On a certaine time, very costly Furres were presented, which were layd downe at the Court of her Ladie, who was a Christian, as I said before. And the Sooth-sayers drew them through betweene the fires, and tooke more of them then was their due. And a certaine woman, vnder whose custodie the treasure of her Ladie was, accused them thereof vnto her Ladie: where∣vpon the Ladie her selfe reproued them. It fell out after this, that the Ladie her selfe began to be sicke, and to suffer certaine sudden passions in diuers parts of her bodie. The Sooth-sayers were called: and they sitting farre off, commanded one of those Maidens, to put her hand vpon [ 30] the place where the griefe was, and if shee found any thing, shee should snatch it away. Then shee arising did so. And she found a piece of Felt in her hand, or of some other thing. Then they commanded her to put it vpon the ground; which being layd downe, it began to creepe, as if it had beene some liuing Creature. Then they put it into the water, and it was turned, as it were, into a Horse-leach: and he said, some Witch hath hurt you thus with her Sorceries: and they accused her that had accused them of the Furres, who was brought without the Tents into the fields, and receiued the bastinado seuen dayes together there, and was thus tormented with other punishments, to make her confesse; and in the meane space her La∣die died. Which shee vnderstanding, said vnto them, I know my Ladie is dead, kill mee, that I may goe after her, for I neuer did her hurt. And when shee confessed nothing, Mangu Chan [ 40] commanded to suffer her to liue. Then the Sorcerers accused the Ladies daughters Nurse, of whom I spake before: who was a Christian, and her husband was the chiefe among all the Ne∣storian Priests, so shee was brought to punishment, with a certaine Maide of hers, to make her confesse. And the Maide confessed, that her Mistresse sent her to speake with a certaine Horse, to demand answeres. The woman also her selfe, confessed some things which shee did to bee be∣loued of her Ladie, that she might doe her good, but shee did nothing that might hurt her. Shee was demanded also, whether her husband were priuie to it: shee excused him, for that he had burnt the Characters and Letters which she had made. Then shee was put to death, and Mangu Chan sent the Priest her husband to the Bishop which was in Cataia, to be iudged, although he were not found culpable. [ 50]
In the meane time it fell out, that the principall wife of Mangu Chan, brought forth a sonne, and the Sooth-sayers were called, to fore-tell the Destinie of the child, who all prophecied pro∣speritie, and said, he should liue long, and be a great Lord: after a few dayes, it happened, the child died. Then, the mother enraged, called the Sooth-sayers, saying, you said my sonne should liue, and loe hee is dead. Then they said, Madam, behold wee see that Sorceresse, the Nurse of Chirina, who the other day was put to death, shee hath killed your sonne; and behold wee see, shee carries him away. Now there remayned one sonne and a daughter of that woman growne to full age in the Tents: and the Ladie sent presently for them in a rage, and caused the young man to be slayne of a man, and the maide of a woman, in reuenge of her sonne, whom the Sooth-sayers affirmed to be killed of their mother not long after, Mangu Chan dreamed of those chil∣dren, and demanded in the morning, what was become of them. His seruants were afraid to [ 60] tell him: and he being troubled the more, demanded where they were, because they had ap∣peared vnto him in a Vision by night. Then they told him. So hee presently sending for his wife, demanded whence shee learned, that a woman should giue sentence of death, without the