A.D. 



1246. 

 [I. 67.] 



The first 

 court of the 

 Emperour. 



The land of 

 Naymani. 



The 22. of 

 July. 



THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



wives beareth rule there. For it is a custome among the 

 Tartars, that the Courts of Princes or of noble men are 

 not dissolved, but alwayes some women are appointed to 

 keepe and governe them, upon whom certain gifts are 

 bestowed, in like sort as they are given unto their Lords. 

 And so at length we arrived at the first court of the 

 Emperour, wherein one of his wives dwelt. 



Howe they came unto Cuyne himselfe, who was 

 forthwith to be chosen Emperour. Chap. 



25- 



BUt because we had not as yet seene the Emperour, 

 they would not invite us nor admit us into his Orda, 

 but caused good attendance and entertainement, after the 

 Tartars fashion, to be given unto us in our owne tent, 

 and they caused us to stay there, and to refresh our selves 

 with them one day. Departing thence upon the even of 

 Saint Peter and Saint Paul, wee entered into the land of 

 the Naymani, who are Pagans. But upon the very feast 

 day of the saide Apostles, there fel a mightie snowe in that 

 place, and wee had extreame colde weather. This lande is 

 full of mountaines, and colde beyonde measure, and there 

 is little plaine ground to bee seene. These two nations 

 last mentioned used not to till their grounde, but, like 

 unto the Tartars, dwelt in tents, which the sayde Tartars 

 had destroyed. Through this countrey wee were travail- 

 ing manie dayes. Then entered wee into the lande of the 

 Mongals, whome wee call Tartars. Through the Tartars 

 lande wee continued our travaile (as wee suppose) for the 

 space of some three weekes, riding alwayes hastily and 

 with speede, and upon the day of Marie Magdalene we 

 arrived at the court of Cuyne the Emperour elect. But 

 therefore did we make great haste all this way, because our 

 Tartarian guides were straightly commaunded to bring us 

 unto the court Imperiall with all speede, which court hath 

 beene these many yeeres, ordained for the election of the 

 Emperour. Wherefore rising earely, wee travailed untill 

 night without eating of any thing, and oftentimes wee 



168 



