Purchas his pilgrimes. part 3 In fiue bookes. The first, contayning the voyages and peregrinations made by ancient kings, patriarkes, apostles, philosophers, and others, to and thorow the remoter parts of the knowne world: enquiries also of languages and religions, especially of the moderne diuersified professions of Christianitie. The second, a description of all the circum-nauigations of the globe. The third, nauigations and voyages of English-men, alongst the coasts of Africa ... The fourth, English voyages beyond the East Indies, to the ilands of Iapan, China, Cauchinchina, the Philippinæ with others ... The fifth, nauigations, voyages, traffiques, discoueries, of the English nation in the easterne parts of the world ... The first part.

§. III. Of COBILA CAN the fift Emperour, of the Tartarians: Of the Warre with BARCHA, and Tartarian quarrell with the Christians, HAO∣LAONS death. Acts of the Soldan of Egypt. Of ABAYA and other Sonnes and Suc∣cessors of HALOON.

[ 40]

BVt before he could come to the Kingdom of Persia, he heard that the Nobles & Princes had placed his Brother Cobila Can in the Imperial Seat of the Tartars,* 1.1 which he heard whilst he was at Tauris: where he vnderstood that Barcat (or Barcha) was marching thither with a great Armie, purposing to make himselfe Emperour. Haoloon therefore assembled his people and met with his Enemies, on a certayne Riuer which was frozen, where beganne a very great Battaile. But the Ice being broken by the great multitude of Horses and Men, there was drowned on the one side and on the other thirtie thousand Tartars; Insomuch, that the Armies on each side returned. But Guiboga whom Haoloon had left in the Kingdome of Syria, and the Prouince of Palestina held those Countreyes peaceably, and loued the Christians well, for he was of the Progenie of the three Kings which went to worship the Natiuitie of our [ 50] Lord. But when he had laboured earnestly to reduce the Holy Land againe vnder the power of the Christians, the Deuill sowed the seed of scandall, and discord betwixt him and the Christi∣ans of those parts, which hapned on this manner. In the Land of Belforte,* 1.2 which is of the Ter∣ritory of the Citie of Sidon, there were sundry Townes and Villages inhabited by Saracens, which paid certayne Tribute to the Tartars, on whom some of Sidon and Belforte made diuers rodes and spoyles killing sundry of the Saracens, and carrying others away Captiue with a great droue of Cattle. A Nephew of Guiboga remayning neere thereabouts, followed speedily after those Christians that had committed those out-rages to tell them on the behalfe of his Vncle, that they should dismisse their bootie. But some of them vnwilling to large their prey they had taken, ranne vpon him, and slue him, with diuers other Tartarians that accompanyed him.* 1.3 Gui∣boga [ 60] hearing that the Christians had slaine his Nephew, rode presently and tooke the Citie of Sidon, dismanteled the walls thereof, and slue some few Christians, the rest sauing themselues in an Iland. And neuer after would the Tartars trust the Christians of Syria, neither durst they put confidence in the Tartars, who were afterwards driuen out of the Kingdome of Syria by the Saracens, as shall be declared.

31. Whiles Haoloon was busie in the warre with Barcat, as hath beene said, the Soldan of Egypt assembling his Armie came to the Prouince of Palestina,* 1.4 and in a place called Hamalech, he ioyned battaile with Guiboga and his Tartars, where Guiboga was slaine, and his Armie de∣feated. The Tartars which escaped went into Armenia, and by this meanes the Kingdome of Syria was wholly subdued by the Saracens, sauing certayne Cities of the Christians, which were seated neere the Sea. When Haloon vnderstood how the Soldan of Egypt had inuaded Syria, and driuen thence his people,* 1.5 he gathered his Armie and sent to the King of Armenia, and to the King of Georgia, and the other Christians of the East to prepare themselues against the Soldan of Egypt and the Saracens, and when his Armie was in readinesse a sicknesse seized him, of which he languished the space of a fortnight, and then dyed, by whose death the enterprize of the Ho∣ly Land had an end. Abaga his Sonne held the Dominion of his Father, who intreated the Em∣perour [ 10] Cobila Can being his Vncle,* 1.6 to confirme him therein, to which he willingly accorded. So he was called Abaga Can, and began to reigne in the yeare of our Lord 1264.

32. Abaga was wise and gouerned prosperously in all things, two only excepted, one that he would not be a Christian, as his Father had beene, but worshipped Idols, beleeuing the Ido∣latrous Priests. The other, that he was alwayes in warres with his Neighbours, by reason wher∣of the Soldan was long in quiet, and the power of the Saracens much increased. Those Tartars (or rather Turks) which could escape from out the Dominion of the Tartars, fled vnto the Sol∣dan, seeking to auoid the heauie burthens which the Tartars imposed on them. And the Soldan dealt politikely, for he sent Messengers by Sea to the Tartars, in the Kingdomes of Cumania, and [ 20] Russia, and made composition and agreement with them, that whensoeuer Abaga should mooue warre against the Land of Egypt, then they should inuade his Countrey, for which he promised them great gifts, by meanes whereof Abaga could not well inuade the Land of Egypt, but the Soldan could easily without resistance inuade the Christians in the parts of Syria, insomuch, that the Christians lost the Citie of Antioch, and diuers other places of strength, which they held in that Kingdome.

* 1.733. Moreouer, Bendecar the Soldan of Egypt was so fortunate that he much abased the King∣dome of Armenia. For it hapned that the King of Armenia with many of his men was gone to the Tartars, which the Soldan hearing, sent a Captayne of his to inuade the Kingdome of Ar∣menia. The Sonnes of the King of Armenia, gathering together all that could beare Armes, en∣countred [ 30] the Egyptians in the Confines of their Kingdome, and resisted them couragiously; but the Armie of the Armenians being ouerthrowne, one of the Kings Sonnes was taken, and the other was slaine in battaile. So that the Saracens thereby wasted and spoyled all the Kingdome of Armenia, and carryed infinite riches thence to the great damage of the Christians, whereby the Enemies power was much encreased, and the Kingdome of Armenia wondrously weakned. The King whose endeauour was wholly bent about the destruction of the Infidels, hauing heard this most vnhappie newes of his owne Countrey, busied his thoughts night and day how to af∣flict the Saracens, and oft-times very earnestly dealt with Abaga, and his Tartars to attempt the ouerthrow of faithlesse Mahomet,* 1.8 and the reliefe of the Christians. But Abaga excused himselfe by reason of the warres, in which he was daily entangled with his Neighbours. The [ 40] King of Armenia seeing that hee could not haue any present ayde of the Tartarians, sent and made truce by his Messengers with the Soldan of Egypt, that he might redeeme his Sonne which was Prisoner. The Soldan also promised him that if he restored him a friend of his called An∣goldscar whom the Tartars held captiue, and yeelded vp the Castle Tempsach, and some holds of the Citie of Halappi, which he had gotten in the time of Haoloon, hee would set his Sonne at li∣bertie. Whereupon the Soldan, hauing receiued his friend, and the Castle of Tempsacke beeing yeelded, and two other Castles throwne downe at his appointment, deliuered his Sonne out of Prison, and restored him accordingly. Then afterwards King Haython of famous memorie, ha∣uing reigned fortie fiue yeares, and done much good to the Christians, yeelded vp his Kingdome and Dominion to his Sonne Liuon, whom he had deliuered out of captiuitie, and renouncing this [ 50] Kingdom of the World became professed in Religion, and was called Macharius, changing his name (according to the custome * 1.9 of the Armenians) when they enter into Religion, and in short time after dyed in peace in the yeare of our Lord 1270.

34. This King of Armenia Liuone was wise, and gouerned his Kingdom prouidently, and be∣ing much beloued by his owne People, and by the Tartars, he laboured earnestly to destroy the Saracens, so that in his time Abaga made peace with al his neighbors, who of long time had been his enemies. Then the Soldan of Egypt entred the Kingdome of Turkie, and slue many of the Tartars, and draue them out of many Townes. For a Saracen, called Paruana, being Captaine ouer the Tartars that were in Turkie, rebelled against Abaga, and sought the destruction of the Tartarians. Abaga hearing thereof, posted thither so speedily, that in fifteene dayes hee rode [ 60] fortie dayes iourney. The Soldan hearing of his comming departed suddenly, not daring to make any longer abode. Yet could not so speedily withdraw himselfe, but that the Tartars following swiftly, ouertooke the rereward of his Armie in the entrie of the Kingdome of Egypt, in a place called Pasblanke. There the Tartarians rushing on them, tooke two thousand Horsemen of

the Saracens, beside much riches, and fiue thousand of the Cordines which liued in that Countrie. Abaga being come to the Confines of Egypt, was perswaded to goe no farther for heat: for that Land is very hote, and his Tartars, and their beasts hauing come speedily from farre, could hard∣ly haue indured it, by reason whereof hee returned into Turkie, and spoiled and wasted all the Countries that had rebelled, and yeelded to the Soldan.* 1.10 But he caused the Traytor Paruana with his partakers to be cut asunder in the midst, after the Tartarian manner, and part of his flesh to be serued in all his meats, whereof he and his Captaines did eat. Such was the reuenge of King Abaga on the Traitor Paruana.

35. Abaga hauing effected his desires in Turkie, and enriched his Tartars with the spoyles of the rebellious Saracens, he called to him the King of Armenia,* 1.11 and offered him the kingdome [ 10] of Turkie, in regard that his father and hee had beene euer faithfull to the Tartarians. But the King of Armenia being discreet and wise, rendred great thankes to Abaga for so great a Present, but excused himselfe from the accepting thereof, as vnable to gouerne two Kingdomes. For the Soldan of Egypt was in his full strength, and earnestly bent against the Kingdome of Armenia: so that hee had enough to doe to prouide for the defence thereof. Yet aduised him to settle and dispose the Kingdome of Turkie in such sort ere his departure, that there might bee no feare of Rebellion afterwards: and in any case to permit no Saracen to command there. Which aduice Abaga accepted of, and neuer after suffered any Saracen to beare rule in that Countrey.* 1.12 The king of Armenia then desired him to thinke of deliuering the Holy Land out of the hands of the Pagans: wherein he promised all his best endeauour: and wished the King to send messen∣gers [ 20] to the Pope, and to other Princes of Christendome for their assistance. So Abaga hauing orde∣red the affaires of Turkie, returned to the Kingdome of Corazen, where hee had left his familie.* 1.13 Bendecar the Soldan of Egypt, after he had receiued such damage by the Tartars, was poisoned, died in Damascus: whereof the Christians of those parts were very glad.* 1.14 And the Saracens very sorrowfull: for they had not his like after, as they themselues commonly reported. For his sonne, called Melechahic, succeeded him, who was soone driuen out of his Dominion by one called Elsi, who violently vsurping, made himselfe Soldan.* 1.15

36. The time appointed being come, when Abaga was to begin his warre against the Sol∣dan of Egypt, hee appointed his brother Mangodanior to goe to the Kingdome of Syria with [ 30] thirtie thousand men, being Tartars, and couragiously to ouercome the Soldan, if he came in bat∣tell against him: or otherwise to take in the Castles and Holds of the Countrey, and deliuer them to the Christians, if the Soldan should shun the fight.* 1.16 When Mangodanior with his Armie setting forward, was come neere the Confines of Armenia, hee sent for the King of Armenia, who came presently vnto him with a goodly companie of Horse: so that they entred the King∣dome of Syria, and went spoyling and forraging, till they came to the Citie Aman, now called Camella, which is seated in the midst of Syria. Before this Citie lieth a faire great Playne, where the Soldan of Egypt had assembled his Power, intending to fight with the Tartarians.* 1.17 And there the Saracen on the one side, with the Christians and Tartars on the other side, fought a great battell. The King of Armenia with the Christians ruled and commanded the right wing of the [ 40] Armie which inuaded the Soldans left wing manfully, and put them to flight, and pursued them three dayes iourney, euen to the Citie Aman.* 1.18 Another part of the Soldans Armie was also rou∣ted by Amalech a Tartarian Captaine, who pursued them also three dayes iourney, to a Citie cal∣led Turara. When they thought the Soldans Power vtterly ouerthrowne, Mangodanior who neuer had seene the conflicts of warre before, being afraid without any reasonable cause of cer∣taine Saracens, called Beduini, withdrew himselfe out of the field, hauing the better, forsaking the King of Armenia, and his Captaine which had preuayled against his enemies. When the Soldan, which thought he had lost all, saw the field cleere, and all abandoned, he got vpon a little hill, with foure armed men, and stood there. The King of Armenia returning from the pursuit, and missing Mangodanior in the field, was much astonied, and imagining which way hee should be gone, followed after him.

[ 50] But Amalech returning from the enemies whom he had pursued,* 1.19 abode two dayes expecting his Lord, supposing that he had followed after him, as he ought, for the further subduing of his enemies, and the Countrey which they had ouercome: till at last, hauing heard of his retrait, leauing his victorie, hee made speed after him; whom hee found on the banke of the Riuer Eu∣phrates staying for him. And then the Tartars returned to their owne Prouince.* 1.20 But the King of Armenia sustained much losse, and hard aduenture in his returne: for the Horses of the Christians of the Kingdome of Armenia, were so wearied and spent with the length of the way, and want of Fodder, that they were not able to trauell, so that the Christians going scatteringly by vnv∣suall wayes, were often found out, and slayne without mercy by the Saracens inhabiting those [ 60] parts: Insomuch that the greatest part of the Armie was lost, and in a manner all the Nobility. And this misaduenture of Mangodanior happened in the yeere of our Lord 1282.

When Abaga vnderstood the successe hereof, he assembled all his people,* 1.21 and when hee was readie to set forward with all his power against the Saracens, a certaine Saracen, the sonne of the Deuill, came to the Kingdome of Persia, and preuayled by giuing great gifts to s••me that

serued neere about Abaga, in such sort, that both he and his brother Mangodanior were poyso∣ned both in one day:* 1.22 and died both within eight dayes after. The trueth whereof was after∣wards disclosed by the mischieuous Malefactors themselues. And so died Abaga Can in the yeere of our Lord 1282.

* 1.2337. After the death of Abaga Can the Tartars assembled themselues, and ordayned ouer them a brother of his, called Tangodor, who had ouergone the rest of his brethren. In his youth he had receiued the Sacrament of Baptisme, and was baptised by the name of Nicholas. But be∣ing come to riper yeeres, and keeping companie with Saracens, whom hee loued, hee became a wicked Saracen,* 1.24 and renouncing Christian Religion, would be called Mahomet Can, and labou∣red by all meanes to turne all the Tartarians to that irreligious Sect of Mahomet the sonne [ 10] of Iniquitie; in such sort, that those that hee could not compell by violence, hee a••lured by preferments and rewards: insomuch that in his time many of the Tartarians became profes∣sed Saracens, as at this day appeareth. This Child of perdition commanded the Churches of the Christians to be destroyed, and forbade them to vse any of their religious Rites or Ceremonies. Hee caused the doctrine of Mahomet to bee publikely preached, the Christians to bee banished, and their Churches in the Citie of Tauris vtterly to bee destroyed. Hee sent Messengers also to the Soldan of Egypt, and concluded a Peace and a League with him, promising that all the Chri∣stians within his Dominion should become Saracens, or else lose their heads, which gaue the Sa∣racens cause of much reioycing, and made the Christians very sad.

* 1.25Hee sent moreouer to the King of Armenia in Georgia, and to the other Christian Princes of [ 20] those parts to come vnto him without delay. But they resolued rather to die in battell then to obey his commandement, for other remedie they could finde none. And the Christians being now in such anguish and bitternesse of heart, that they rather desired to die then to liue, euen God (which neuer refuseth them that put their trust in him) sent consolation to them all. For a Brother of this Mahomet, with a Nephew of his also, called Argon, opposing themselues, and rebelling against him for his euill deeds did signifie to Cobila Can the great Emperour of the Tartarians,* 1.26 how he had forsaken the steps of his Ancestors, and was become a wicked Saracen: labouring with all his might to bring the rest of Tartars to be Saracens also. Which when Co∣bila Can vnderstood he was much displeased thereat: insomuch that he sent and required Ma∣homet to reforme his euill wayes, for otherwise he would proceed against him. Which message [ 30] replenished him with wrath and indignation, insomuch that he being perswaded there was none that durst gainsay his proceedings but his Brother and his Nephew Argon,* 1.27 he caused his Brother to be slayne: and intending the like to his Nephew, he went against him with a mightie Armie. Argon being not of strength to withstand his forces, betooke himselfe to a strong Hold among the Mountaines; which that Sonne of Iniquitie besieged with his deuillish Armie.

Argon finally yeelded himselfe, with condition that he might still enioy his Dignitie and Do∣minion. But Mahomet deliuered him to the Constable and others of the Nobilitie, to bee kept in Prison. And departing towards the Citie of Tauris, where he left his wiues and children, he gaue direction that his Armie should come softly after him: but appointed the Constable, and such as he trusted most, to put his Nephew to death secretly, and to bring him his head. These [ 40] things thus hastily ordered and directed, there was amongst those that had receiued the com∣mand of that bloudy execution, a man of some Place and Authoritie, brought vp vnder Abaga the Father of Argon,* 1.28 who hauing compassion of his distresse, tooke Armes, and in the night time slue the Constable of Mahomet and all his followers, and deliuering Argon, made him Lord and Ruler of all: some for feare, and others for loue being obedient to his will and commande∣ment. Argon being thus established, accompanied with his faithfull followers, pursued present∣ly after Mahomet,* 1.29 whom he ouertooke and seized on before he came to Tauris, and caused him after their manner, to be cut asunder in the midst. And such was the end of that cursed Caitiffe Mahomet, before he had sate two yeeres in his seat.

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Notes

• * 1.1

  The Ciuill war betweene Haolon and Barcat or Bar∣cha.

  See Polo, §. 1. Guiboga of the Kindred of the three Kings that came to worship the Natiuitie of Christ.
• * 1.2

  Belforte.
• * 1.3

  He destroyeth the Citie of Sidon.
• * 1.4

  The Soldans enterprize a∣gainst Guiboga.
• * 1.5

  Haolono prepa∣ring to renew the wars, dieth.
• * 1.6

  Abaga his Son and Successor.
• * 1.7

  Bendecar Sol∣dan of Egypt inuadeth Ar∣menia. Ramusio cals him Bun∣hocdore.
• * 1.8

  He concludeth a truce with the Soldan.
• * 1.9

  That the Greeke Monkes changed their names, appea∣reth by the ex∣ample of Alex∣ander Comneus in Nicet. p. 48.6. and of Andro∣nicus the Em∣perour in Gre∣goras, lib. 9 p. 47 and of Canta∣cuzenus the Emperour in Calcondilas lib. 1. Abaga entred the Kingdome of Egypt, and destroyed Turkie. Paruana.
• * 1.10

  Paruana cut asunder and eaten.
• * 1.11

  King Liuono re∣fuseth the offer of the King∣dome of Tur∣kie.
• * 1.12

  Hee vrgeth the deliuering of Ierusalem from Pagans.
• * 1.13

  Corazen.
• * 1.14

  The death of the Soldan.
• * 1.15

  Melechahic his sonne and suc∣cessor.

  Elsi the Soldan.
• * 1.16

  Mangodanior deputed Ge∣nerall by his Brother.
• * 1.17

  He commeth to battell a∣gainst the Soldan.
• * 1.18

  Turara.
• * 1.19

  Almach.
• * 1.20

  The King of Armenia, his great losse at his returne.
• * 1.21

  1282. Abaga prepa∣reth a reuenge
• * 1.22

  He is poisoned wi••h his Bro∣ther.
• * 1.23

  Tangodor the brother and Succ••ssor of Abaga.
• * 1.24

  Of a Christian turneth Sara∣cen.
• * 1.25

  Hee seeketh to betray the Kings of Armenia and Georgia.
• * 1.26

  Hee is accused to Cobila Can.
• * 1.27

  He slayeth his Brother.
• * 1.28

  Argon of a Prisoner is made King.
• * 1.29

  His reuenge on Tangodor.