ANTHONY JENKINSON a.d. 



1558. 

 me wel, and demanded of me divers questions, and at 

 my departure gave me his letters of safeconduct. 



This city or towne of Urgence standeth in a plaine 

 ground, with walles of the earth, by estimation 4. miles 

 about it. The buildings within it are also of earth, 

 but ruined and out of good order : it hath one long 

 street that is covered above, which is the place of their 

 market. It hath bene wonne and lost 4. times within 

 7. yeeres by civill warres, by meanes whereof there are 

 but few merchants in it, and they very poore, and in 

 all that towne I could not sell above 4. kerseis. The 

 chiefest commodities there sold are such wares as come 

 from Boghar, and out of Persia, but in most smal quantity 

 not worth the writing. All the land from the Caspian 

 sea to this Citie of Urgence is called the land of Turke- Tke countrey 

 man, & is subject to the said Azim Can, and his brethren °f Turkeman - 

 which be five in number, and one of them hath the 

 name of the chiefe king called Can, but he is little 

 obeyed saving in his owne Dominion, and where he 

 dwelleth : for every one will be King of his owne por- 

 tion, and one brother seeketh alwayes to destroy another, 

 having no natural love among them, by reason that 

 they are begotten of divers women, and commonly they 

 are the children of slaves, either Christians or Gentiles, 

 which the father doeth keepe as concubines, and every 

 Can or Sultan hath at the least 4. or 5. wives, besides 

 yong maidens and boyes, living most viciously : and 

 when there are warres betwixt these brethren, (as they 

 are seldome without) he that is overcome if he be not 

 slaine, flieth to the field with such companie of men 

 as will followe him, and there liveth in the wildernesse 

 resorting to watering places, and so robbeth and spoileth 

 as many Caravans of Marchants and others as they be 

 able to overcome, continuing in this sort his wicked 

 life, until such time as he may get power and aide to 

 invade some of his brethren againe. From the Caspian 

 sea unto the Castle of Sellizure aforesaid, and all the 

 Countreis about the said Sea, the people live without 



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