A.D. 

 1246. 



THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



The voyage of Johannes de Piano Carpini unto 



the Northeast parts of the world, in the 



yeere of our Lord, 1246. 



Of the first sending of certaine Friers Prasdicants and 

 Minorites unto the Tartars, taken out of the 32. Booke 

 of Vincentius Beluacensis his Speculum Historiale : 

 beginning at the second Chapter. 



AsceUinus. I , , ^ .^ _ . iBout this time also, Pope Innocentius the 



fourth sent Frier Ascelline being one of 

 the order of the Praedicants, together with 

 three other Friers (of the same authoritie 

 whereunto they were called) consorted 

 with him out of divers Covens of their 

 order, with letters Apostolicall unto the Tar- 

 tars campe : wherein hee exhorted them to give over their 

 bloudie slaughter of mankinde, and to receive the Christian 

 faith. And I, in verie deede, received the relations con- 

 cerning the deedes of the Tartars onelie, (which, according 

 to the congruence of times, I have above inserted into this 

 my woorke) from a Frier Minorite, called Simon de Sanct. 

 Quintin, who lately returned from the same voyage. And 

 at that verie time also, there was a certaine other Frier 

 Minorite, namely Frier John de Piano Carpini, sent with 

 certaine associates unto the Tartars, who likewise (as 

 himselfe witnesseth) abode and conversed with them a 

 yeere and three moneths at the least. For both he & one 

 Frier Benedict a Polonian being of the same order, and a 

 partaker of all his miserie and tribulation, received straight 

 commaundement from the Pope, that both of them shoulde 

 diligently searche out all things that concerned the state of 

 the Tartars. And therefore this Frier John hath written 

 a litle Historic (which is come to our hands) of such 

 [I. 54.] things, as with his owne eyes hee sawe among the Tartars, 



or which he heard from divers Christians worthy of credit, 

 remaining there in captivitie. Out of which historie I 



134 



Simon 



Quintinianus. 

 John de piano 

 Carpini. 



Benedictus 

 Polonus. 



