WILLIAM DE RUBRUQUIS ad. 



1253. 



Clement is situate : on the South side the citie of Soldaia 

 whereat we arrived : on the East side Maricandis, and 

 there stands the citie of Matriga upon the mouth of the 

 river Tanais. Beyond the sayd mouth standeth Zikia, Zikia. 

 which is not in subjection unto the Tartars : also the 

 people called Suevi and Hiberi towards the East, who 

 likewise are not under the Tartars dominion. Moreover 

 towards the South, standeth the citie of Trapesunda, 

 which hath a governour proper to it selfe, named Guydo, 

 being of the linage of the emperours of Constantinople, 

 and is subject unto the Tartars. Next unto that is 

 Synopolis the citie of the Soldan of Turkie, who likewise 

 is in subjection unto them. Next unto these lyeth the 

 countrey of Vastacius, whose sonne is called Astar, of 

 his grandfather by the mothers side, who is not in 

 subjection. All the land from the mouth of Tanais 

 Westward as farre as Danubius is under their jurisdiction. 

 Yea beyond Danubius also, towards Constantinople, 

 Valakia, which is the land of Assanus, and Bulgaria minor 

 as farre as Solonia, doe all pay tribute unto them. And I 



besides the tribute imposed, they have also, of late yeares, [I- 94-] 

 exacted of every houshold an axe, and all such corne \ 



as they found lying on heapes. We arrived therefore at '\ 



Soldaia the twelfth of the Kalends of June. And divers \ 



merchants of Constantinople, which were arrived there ,j 



before us, reported that certaine messengers were com- \ 



ming thither from the holy land, who were desirous to j 



travell unto Sartach. Notwithstanding I my self had I 



publikely given out upon Palme Sunday within ye Church \ 



of Sancta Sophia, that I was not your nor any other mans 

 messenger, but that I travailed unto those infidels ■ 



according to the rule of our order. And being arrived, 

 the said merchants admonished me to take diligent heede 

 what I spake : because they having reported me to be a 

 messenger, if I should say the contrary, that 1 were no \ 



messenger, I could not have free passage granted unto me. \ 



Then I spake after this maner unto the governors of the 

 citie, or rather unto their Lieutenants, because the 



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