AD. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



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men of the citie, keeping continuall watch and ward about 

 the said city, for the great Can the Emperour of Catay. 

 The people of this countrey say, that they have one 

 duetie injoyned unto them by their lord : for every fire 

 payeth one Balis in regard of tribute : and a Balis is five 

 papers or pieces of silke, which are worth one floren and 

 an halfe of our coine. Tenne or twelve housholds are 

 accompted for one fire, and so pay tribute but for one 

 fire onely. Al those tributary fires amount unto the 

 number of 85. Thuman, with other foure Thuman of the 

 Saracens, which make 89. in al ; And one Thuman con- 

 sisteth 1 0000. fires. The residue of the people of the 

 city are some of them Christians, some marchants, and 

 some traveilers through the countrey : whereupon I mar- 

 veiled much howe such an infinite number of persons 

 could inhabite and live together. There is great abound- 

 ance of victuals in this citie, as namely of bread and wine, 

 and especially of hogs-flesh, with other necessaries. 



Of a Monastery where many strange beastes of 

 divers kindes doe live upon an hill. 



N the foresaide citie foure of our friers had converted 

 a mighty and riche man unto the faith of Christ, at 

 whose house 1 continually abode, for so long time as I 

 remained in the citie. Who upon a certaine time saide 

 unto me : Ara, that is to say. Father, will you goe and 

 beholde the citie ? And I said, yea. Then embarqued 

 we our selves, and directed our course unto a certaine 

 great Monastery : where being arrived, he called a reli- 

 gious person with whom he was acquainted, saying unto 

 him concerning me : this Raban Francus, that is to say, 

 this religious Frenchman commeth from the Westerne 

 parts of the world, and is now going to the city of 

 Cambaleth to pray for the life of the great Can, and 

 therefore you must shew him some rare thing, that when 

 hee returnes into his owne countrey, he may say, this 

 strange sight or novelty have 1 scene in the city of 

 Canasia. Then the said religious man tooke two great 



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