6i© The VOYAGES and TRAVELS Book I. 
becatiCc that though they have plenty of Wood, yet is there 
fuch frequent life of Stones and Laths, that the Wood 
would not ferve. 
It is not armfs, having fpoken of his Provifion abroad, 
to mention his Care for the Poor of Gambalu . When he 
hears of any honourable Family decayed by Misfortune, 
or of any which cannot work, and have no Subfiftance, he 
gives to fuch Families the whole Year’s Expences, each 
Head of fuch Families going to the Officer for that Pur- 
pole, and fhewing, their Bill of Allowance, receive Provi- 
Fons accordingly. There is a Place fet apart for thofe 
Officers y they are provided alfo of Garments for Winter 
and for Summer. The Khan having the Tenths of all 
Wool, Silk and Hemp, which he caufes to be made into 
Ooaths, in a Houfe for that Purpofe appointed ; for all 
Trades are bound 6ne Day in the Week to work for him. 
He provides alfo Apparel for his Armies, and in every 
City caufes Cloth to be made of his Tythe Wool. You 
imfft underftand, that the Tartars * according to their an- 
tient Cuftoms, bellowed no Alms, but rather upbraided 
thofe that were in Neceffity, as hated of God 5 but the 
Idolaters, efpecially thofe Bachft , have propounded it as a 
good Work acceptable unto God, and have taught him to 
be thus bountiful , fo that in his Court, Bread is never 
denied to any who afk it, and there is no Day in which is 
not given away twenty thoufand Crowns in Rice, Millet and 
Panike j whence he is elleemed as a God by his Subjects. 
There are in Camhalu , Chriftians, Saracens and Catay- 
ans, about five thoufand Aftrologers and Diviners, which 
the Great Khan provideth yearly in Food and Raiment, 
as he doth, thofe Poor abovefaid. Thefe have an Aftrok- 
ble, in which are marked the Signs of the Planets, the 
Hours and Points of all the Year. Herein all thofe Af- 
trologers, each Religion apart, view the Courfe of the 
Year according to every Moon, obferving the Difpofition 
of the Weather, referring always to God to do more or 
lefs after his own Pleafure. They write alfo upon certain 
Squares they call Tacuini , the things which are to 
come that Year, which they fell to thofe that will buy 
them, and fuch as fpeak moft Truth are moft honoured. 
If any intend any great Work, or to go a far Journey, 
and will know the Event before-hand, he has recourfe to 
thefe Aftrologers, to fee it with their Eyes in the Heavens, 
which they pretend to do, comparing the prefent Conftel- 
lation with that of his Birth, which they demand of him ; 
fo foreteliing him the Good or Evil. The Tartars reckon 
the Computation of their Years by Twelves, the firft fig- 
nified by a Lion, the fecond by an Ox, the third by a 
Dragon, the fourth by a Dog, and fo through the whole 
Twelve ; fo that if it be demanded of a Man when he was 
born, he will anlwer, fuch a Point of fuch an Hour of fuch 
a Day, in the Year Lion. This their Fathers exactly fet 
down in a Book, and when the Twelve is compleat, they 
go over the fame again *. 
Of their Religion, we have faid, that they are Idola- 
ters, and for their Gods, have a Table fet aloft in the 
Wall of their Chamber, on which is written a Name re- 
prefenting the High God of Heaven, and there every 
Day with a Cenfer of Incenfe, they adore it in this Man- 
ner *, they lift up their Hands aloft, and ftrike their Teeth 
thrice, praying it to give them a good Underftanding, 
and Health, and defire thereof nothing elfe. Befides, on 
the Ground they have another Statue called Natigai ; the 
God of earthly things* with his Wife and Children, whom 
likewife they worffiip with Incenfe, ftriking or gnafhing 
the Teeth, and lifting up their Hands, and defire thereof 
Temperature of the Air* Fruits of the Earth, Children, 
and the like. They hold the Soul to be immortal, and 
that when a Man dies, it enters into another Body, better 
qr worfe* according to the Merits of the former Life ; as 
or a poor Man to become a Gentleman, and after, a Prince 
or Lord* _ and fo higher, till it be abforbed in God j and if it 
have ill deferved, to be a poorer Man, after a Dog, always 
defcending to the loweft Rank of Bafenefs. They have a 
comely Speech, faklte chearfully, and honeftly, have a 
graceful Carriage, and feed cleanly. They bear great Re- 
verence to their Parents* and if any be undutiful, or re- 
gardlefs of their Neceffity, there is a publick Tribunal af- 
figned for this Particular to punifh ungrateful or difobedi- 
Cnt Children : Prifoners are releafed at three Fears end^ 
and marked in the Cheek, that they may be known for 
Malefactors. 
The Barons and People which go to the Grand Khan , 
obferve thefe Rights, firft, within half a Mile of the 
Place where the Khan is, all is ftiil and quiet, without 
Noife or any loud Speech * that every Baron carries conti- 
nually a little Veffel to fpit in, after which he covers it, 
none daring to fpit in the Hall : They have furr Bulkins 
of white Leather, which they put on when they enter the 
Hall, putting off the former, and giving them to the Ser- 
vants, left they ffiould foul the Carpets. 
18. Ten Miles off Camhalu. is a certain great River 
named Pulifangan , emptying itfelr into the Ocean, by 
which many Ships with much Merchandife afcend i and 
in that Place there is a very fair Bridge, ail of ferpentine 
Stone, curioufly wrought, containing three hundred Paces 
in Length, and eight in Breadth, fo broad that ten Med 
may ride a-breaft •, on each Side, it is fecured with a Wall 
of Marble, and Pillars fet in a Row, and in the Height 
of this Afcent is a great and high Pillar, at the Feet 
wherpof is a great Lion, and on the Top another, and fo 
quite through the Bridge : One Pace and a half Diftance 
are Pillars with Lions on the Top, and a fair Wall 
with wrought marble Work betwixt, to keep Men from 
falling. Having paffed over the. River and Bridge, and 
proceeding thirty Miles weft ward (in which Palaces are 
continually feen, with Vinyards and fertile Fields) you 
come to the City Gouza , both fair and great, having ma- 
ny Monafteries of Idols. Cloth of Gold and Silk are made 
there, and the pureft and fineft Cambricks or Lawns ; and 
many common Inns for Strangers or Travellers are found 
in that City. The Citizens are Artificers and Merchants. 
A Mile without this City the Way parteth, one leading 
Weft, the other South-Eaft * that to the Weft leaded* 
through the Province of Cathay , but the other towards, 
the Country of Mangi , from the City of Gouza to the. 
Kingdom of Tainfu \ 
You ride ten Days through Cathay , always finding ma- 
ny fair Cities, well furniffied with Vineyards, and tilled 
Fields, from whence Wine is carried to Cathay , where 
there is none : There are many Mulberry-trees for Silk- 
worms, the People civil, and Cities very numerous and. 
populous. Tainfu is the Name of the Kingdom, and of 
the chief City, which is great and fair, hath much Trade* 
with Store of Ammunition fit for the Khan’s Armies* 
The Wine about this City ferveth the whole Province. 
Seven Days further weftward, is a pleafant Country, beau- 
tified with many Caftles and Cities, in which alfo there is 
great Trade in different Merchandize carried on. After 
which you come to a City very great, named Pianfu , in 
which there is vaft abundance of Silk and much Trade. 
Weftward from Pianfu , Hands a very pleafant Caftle, named 
Thaigin , anciently built by a King called Dor ; in it is a 
fpacious Palace, wherein is a fine Hall, in which are 
painted all the famous Kings which have reigned there, 
and it is a fair Spectacle. Of this King Dor , they fay, 
he was potent, and was attended only by young Damfek, 
of which he had many in his Court. Thefe alfo, when he 
had a Mind to take his Pleafure, carried him. in a fmali 
light Chariot through the Caftle, which was fo fortified by 
Art and Nature, that the Governor thereof fear’d none, no 
not TJmcan his Lord, againft whom he rebelled.. 
But feven Men profeffing Fidelity and Service to'Dor, 
took him , at a Difadyantage in hunting, and brought him 
s Thfe Tartarian Cycle was a very good Contrivance, and as fuch, has been not only preferv’d amongfl: them, but fprfiad rtfelf zdo into other 
Countries j we {hall hereafter have Occafion to explain it more at large j at prefent it {hall fuffice to obferve, that fomething ox the lame kind was 
anciently ufed in the northern Nations of Europe, and is ftiil pradlifed among the Savages in feme Parts of America. , . . . 
1 It muft be acknowledged, that the Defcription here given by our Author is a little dark- and perplexed, and that, at the fame time, it is no y 
Matter to fettle the places he mentions; but, on the other hand, it muft be confidered,- that this is the firft Account that was received neie m 
rope of the great Country of China , and that this Account was written by a Man little, if- at all acquainted with tne Sciences, and who aimed at no 
thing more than transcribing from his Nqte-book, the Names of Places and Provinces,,, their Di (knees from other, with fae.a other Qrcumitances 
relating to diem as at fo great a Diftance of Time he was able te recoiled. 
Prifoner rt 
