A.D. 

 1246. 



Their customc 

 of purifying. 



[I. 57.] 



The people of 

 Tartaria. 



The ori^nal 

 13 the ex- 

 ploits of 

 Chingis, 



THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



that they take in hand, and they call the moone the 

 Great Emperour, and worship it upon their knees. All 

 men that abide in their tabernacles must be purified with 

 fire : Which purification is on this wise, They kindle two 

 fires, and pitch two Javelines into the ground neere unto 

 the said fires, binding a corde to the tops of the Javelines. 

 And about the corde they tye certaine jagges of buckram, 

 under which corde, and betweene which fires, men, beastes, 

 and tabernacles do passe. There stand two women also, 

 one on the right side, and another on the left casting 

 water, and repeating certaine charmes. If any man be 

 slaine by lightning, all that dwell in the same tabernacle 

 with him must passe by fire in maner aforesaid. For 

 their tabernacles, beds, and cartes, their feltes and gar- 

 ments, and whatsoever such things they have, are touched 

 by no man, yea, and are abandoned by all men as things 

 uncleane. And to bee short, they thinke that all things 

 are to be purged by fire. Therefore, when any ambassa- 

 dours, princes, or other personages whatsoever come unto 

 them, they and their giftes must passe betweene two fires 

 to be purified, lest peradventure they have practised 

 some witchcraft, or have brought some poyson or other 

 mischiefe with them. 



Of the beginning of their empire or government. 



Chap. 8. 



THe East countrie, whereof wee have entreated, which 

 is called Mongal, is reported to have had of olde 

 time foure sortes of people. One of their companions 

 was called Yeka Mongal, that is the great Mongals. 

 The second company was called Sumongal, that is, the 

 Water-Mongals, who called themselves Tartars of a 

 certaine river running through their countrey named 

 Tartar. The third was called Merkat, and the fourth 

 Metrit. All these people had one and the same person, 

 attire of body and language, albeit they were divided by 

 princes and provinces. In the province of Yeka Mongal, 

 there was a certaine man called Chingis. This man 



142 



