AD. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



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the Tartars, had bene twise, as a messenger and inter- 

 preter, with the king of Hungarie, menacing and plainely 

 foretelHng those mischiefes which afterward happened, 

 unlesse he would submit himselfe and his kingdome unto 

 the Tartars yoke. Well, being allured by our Princes to 

 confesse the trueth, he made such oathes and protesta- 

 tions, as (I thinke) the devill himselfe would have beene 

 trusted for. First therefore he reported of himselfe, that 

 presently after the time of his banishment, namely about 

 the 30. yere of his age, having lost all that he had in the 

 citie of Aeon at dice, even in the midst of Winter, being 

 compelled by ignominious hunger, wearing nothing about 

 him but a shirt of sacke, a paire of shooes, and a haire 

 cappe onely, being shaven like a foole, and uttering an 

 uncoth noise as if he had bene dumbe, he tooke his 

 journey, and so traveiling many countreyes, and finding in 

 divers places friendly enterteinment, he prolonged his life 

 in this maner for a season, albeit every day by rashnesse of 

 speech, and inconstancie of heart, he endangered himselfe 

 to the devill. At length, by reason of extreame travaile, 

 and continuall change of aire and of meats in Caldea, he 

 fell into a grievous sickenesse, insomuch that he was wearie 

 of his life. Not being able therefore to go forward or 

 backeward, and staying there a while to refresh himselfe, 

 he began (being somewhat learned) to commend to writing 

 those wordes which hee heard spoken, and within a short 

 space, so aptly to pronounce, and to utter them himselfe, 

 that he was reputed for a native member of that countrey : 

 and by the same dexteritie he attained to manie languages. 

 This man the Tartars having intelligence of by their spies, 

 drew him perforce into their societie : and being admon- 

 ished by an oracle or vision, to challenge dominion over 



[I. 21.] the whole earth, they allured him by many rewards to 

 their faithfull service, by reason that they wanted Inter- 

 preters. But concerning their maners and superstitions, 

 of the disposition and stature of their bodies, of their 

 countrey and maner of fighting &c, he protested the 

 particulars following to be true : namely, that they were 



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