Pilgrimage, Book 4 · Chapter 11
CHAP. XI.
Of the Religion of the Tartars, and Cathayans.
IOannes aIo de Pl.Car.….3. ap.Hak.….1.de Plano Carpini thus writeth of their religion. They beleeue that there is one GOD, the maker of all things visible and inuisible, the Author of good things and punishments, yet doe they not worship him with prayers, praises, or any certaine rites. They hauehave also Idols of Felt, in the fashion of a man, and the same they set on both sides of their Tent-doores, and vnderunder them they put a thing of Felt fashioned like a Dugge. These they account the keepers of their Cattell, Authors of their Milke and yongstore. Others they make of silke, and doe them much honour. Some place them in a faire Chariot couered, before the doore of their flation: and whosoeuer stealeth any thing out of that Chariot is slaine without all pitty. Their Captaines hauehave one alway in the middest of their Tent. To these Idols they offer the first fruits of their Milke: and the first morsels of their meate, and first draught of their drinke, at meales. And when they kill a beast, they offer the heart to their Idoll, leauing it before him till the morning, and then they take and eate it. They make an Idoll also to their chiefe Emperour, and offer thereunto with great solemnitie, as well other creatures as horses, which none after dare ride on till death. They breake not a bone of the beasts which they kill for meate, but burne them with fire. They bend themselues to this Idoll toward the South, as to God. They worship the Sunne, Lights, and Fire: Water also, and the Earth, offering thereunto the first of their meates and drinkes, and in the morning before they eate or drinke. They hauehave no set rites prescribed by Lawe, nor doe they compell any to deny their religion simply: although in some of their customes they are very rigorous. Thus they martyred Michael Duke of Russia, because he refused to doe reuerence to the Image of Cingis Can, which had beene their first Emperour: and compelled they yonger brother of Andrew Duke of Saruogle in Russia, to marry his said brothers wife according to their custome, after that they had slaine her former Husband.
They hauehave certaine traditions, according to which they reckon these things following to be sinnes. Their sinnes.To thrust a knife into the fire or any way to touch the fire with a knife, or with their knife to take flesh out of the Cauldron, or to hew with an hatchet neare to the fire. For they thinke that they should so cut away the head of the fire. They account it sinne also to leane on the whip wherewith they beate their horses (for they ride not with spurres.) Also to touch arrowes with a whip, to take or kill yong Birds, to strike an horse with the raine of their bridle, and to breake one bone against another. Likewise to poure out meate, milke, or any kinde of drinke, vponupon the ground: or to make water within their Tabernacle, which whosoeuer doth willingly, is slaine: but otherwise he must pay a great summe of money to the inchanter to bee purified: who causeth the Tabernacle with all things therein to passe betweene two fires. Besides if any hath a morsell giuen him which hee is not able to swallow, and for that cause casteth it out of his mouth, there is an hole made vnderunder his Tabernacle, by which hee is drawne forth, and slaine without all compasion. Likewise whosoeuer treades vponupon the threshold of any of the Dukes Tabernacles hee is put to death. Thus are these Gnattes strayned, vvhen as hostile inuasions, murther, and such other Camels, are easily amongst them swallowed. They thinke that after death they shall liue in another world, and there multiply there cattell, eate, drinke and doe other actions of life. At a new Moone, or a full Moone, they begin all new enterprises. They call her the great Emperour, and bow their knees and pray thereto. The Sunne they say is the Moones mother, because she hath thence her light.Their Sorceries.
They are giuen to Diuinations, Auguries, Sooth-sayings, Witchcrafts, Inchantments: and when they receiue answere from the Diuell, they attribute the same vntounto God, whom they call Itoga, & the Comanians call him Cham, that is, Emperor, whom they maruellously feare and reuerence, offering to him many Oblations, and the first fruits of their meate and drinke. According to his answeres they dispose all things. They beleeue that all things are purged by fire: therefore when any Embassadours, Princes or other Personages whatsoeuer, come vntounto them, they and their gifts must passe betweene two fires to be purified, least peraduenture they hauehave practised some Witchcraft, or hauehave brought some poison or other mischiefe with them. And if fire fall from heauen vponupon men or beasts, which there often hapneth; or if they thinke themselues any way defiled or vncleane, they thus are purified by their Inchanters. If any be sicke, a speare is set vp in his Tent with blacke Felt welted about it, and from thenceforth, no stranger entreth therein. Their sicknes and Funerals.For none of them which are present at his death, may enter the hord of any Duke or Emperour, till a New Moone. When he is dead, if he be a chiefe man, he is buried in the field where pleaseth him. And he is buried with his Tent, sitting in the middest thereof, with a Table set before him, and a platter full of meate, and a Cup of Mares milke. There is also buried with him *Vin.l.30.c.86a Mare and Colt, a Horse with bridle and saddle: and they eate another Horse, whose bones the women burne for the soule of the dead, stuffing his hide with straw, setting it aloft on two or foure poles, that hee may hauehave in the other world a Tabernacle and other things fitting for his vse. They bury his golde and siluer with him: the Chariot or Cart in which he is carried forth is broken, his Tent is destroyed, neither is it lawfull to name his name, till the third generation. They obserue also other funerall rites, too long to rehearse. They lament their dead thirty daies, more or lesse. Their Parents and those of their Family are thus cleansed. They make two fires, and pitch neere thereunto two Speares, with a line from the top of the one to the other, fastening on the same line some peeces of Buckeram, vnderunder which, and betwixt the fires, passe the men, beasts, and Tents. There stand also two women; one on this side, the other on that, casting water, and repeating certaine charmes: if any thing fall, or be broken, the inchanters hauehave it. And if any be slaine of Thunder, the men in the Tent must thus bee cleansed and all things in the Tent, being otherwise reported vncleane, and not to be touched. Their conditions.No men are more obedient to their Lords then the Tartars. They seldome contend in words, neuer in deedes. They are reasonably courteous one to another: their women are chaste; adulterie is seldome heard off, and theft is rare, both punished by death. Drunkennesse common, but without bralls among themselues, or discredit among others. They are proud, greedy, deceitfull. They eate Dogs, Wolues, Foxes, Horses, and in necessitie, mans flesh, Mice, and other filth, and that in as filthy a manner, without Cloathes, and Napkins, (their bootes and the grasse can serue to wipe their greasie hands:) they hauehave no bread, hearbes, Wine, meate or Beere, nor doe they wash their dishes. It is a great sinne amongst them to suffer any of their foode to bee lost: and therefore they will not bestow a bone on a dogge, till they hauehave eaten the marrow.
Yvo. Narbonensis in an Epistle recited by Mat. Paris bMat.Paris.An. 1243. reporteth the confession of an English man, which was taken with other Tartars by the Christians. He saith that they called by the Name of Gods the ancient founders and fathers of their Tribes, and at set times did solemnise feasts vntounto them, many of them being particular, and but foure onelyonly generall. They thinke that all things are created for themselues alone. They be hardy and strong in the breast, leane and pale-faced, rough and huf-shouldred, hauing flat and short noses, long & sharpe chinnes, their vpper iawes low and declining. their teeth long and thinne, their eie-browes extending from their foreheads down to their noses, their eies inconstant & blacke, their thighs thick, and legges short, yet equall to vsus in stature. They are excellent Archers. Vanquished, they aske no fauour; and vanquishing, they shew no compassion. They all persist as one man in their purpose of subduing the whole world.
Their proud swelling titles appeare in the copies of those Letters of Duke Baiothnoy & Cuin Can, expressed by cVincent Rel. Spec.Hist.l.vlt.c.51.&52.Vincentius. One of them beginneth thus. By the precept of the liuing GOD, Cingischam sonne of the sweet and worshipfull GOD saith, that GOD is high aboue all, the immort all GOD, and vponupon Earth Cingischam onelyonly Lord, &c. These Letters of the Emperour, the Tartars called the Letters of God: and so beginneth Duke Baiothnoy to the Pope, who had sent Frier Ascelline, with Alexander, Albericus, and Simon, thither in Embassage. The word of Baiothnoy, sent by the diuine disposition of Cham, Know this O Pope, &c.
Frier Iohn dJo.de P.C.saith, he stileth himselfe The power of GOD, and Emperour of all men: and hath in his scale ingrauen words of like effect, as is already shewed. Mandeuill eC.37. Sir Io.Mand.hath the same report.
Will. de Rubruquis fW. de Rubr.saith, that they hauehave diuided Scythia amongst them, from Danubius to the sunne-rising, eueryevery Captaine knowing the bounds of his pastures which they feed, in the winter descending Southwards, ascending in the Summer Northwards. Their houses are moueable, remoued on great Carts which containe twenty foote betweene the wheeles; their houses on each side ouerreaching fiue foote, drawne by aboue twenty Oxen. When they take them downe, they turne the doore alwaies to the South. Ouer the Maisters head is an image of felt, called the Maisters brother: and another ouer the head of the good wife or Mistres, called her brother, fastened to the wall: and betwixt both of them is a little leane one, which is the keeper of the whole house. Shee hath also at her beds feete a Kids Skinne, filled with Wooll, and a little image looking towards the Maidens and Women. Next to the doore on the womens side (which is the East, as the mans side is on the West) there is an Image with a Cowes Vdder for the women, whose office it is to milke the Kine: on the other side another with a Mares Vdder for the men. When they make merry, they sprinkle their drinke vponupon these Images in order, beginning at the Maisters. Then goeth a seruant out of the house with a cup full of drinke, sprinkling thrice toward the South, and bowing the knee at eueryevery time: and this is done for the honour of the Fire. Then performeth hee the like superstition toward the East, for the honour of the Aire: next to the West for the honour of the Water: and lastly to the North, in the behalfe of the Dead. When the Maister holdeth a cup in his hand to drinke, before he tasteth thereof hee poureth his part vponupon the ground: if hee drinketh sitting on horse-backe, hee first poureth part thereof on the Mane of the Horse. After the seruant aforesaid hath discharged his cups to the foure quarters of the world, hee returneth to the house: and two other seruants stand ready with two cups, and two basons, to carry drinke vntounto their Maister, and that Wife, which lay with him the last night, sitting together on a bed. Their Sooth-sayers or Inchanters are their Priests.
M. Paulus thus reporteth of their Religion. They say gL.1.c.46.that there is a God on high in heauen, of whom lifting vp their hands, and smiting their teeth three times together, eueryevery day with censer and incense they desire health hl.2.c.26., and vnderstanding. They place a Table aloft, in the wall of their house, in the which is written a name, that representeth this God. They hauehave another which they call Natigay (or Itogay) of Felt or other stuffe in eueryevery house. They make him a Wife and Children, and set his Wife on the left hand, his children before him, which seeme to doe him reuerence. This they call the God of earthly things, which keepeth their Children, beasts, and corne: and vvhen they eate, they annoint his mouth with the fat, and the mouthes of his Wife and Children, and then cast out the broth out of the doore vntounto other Spirits, And when their God hath had his part, they take theirs. Of this Natigay, they with like ceremonies of lifting vp their hands, and smiting of their teeth, desire temperature of the Aire; fruits of the Earth, l.2.c.26.Children and such like. Their wiues are exceeding chaste and obseruant: and though they be many, yet can Rachel and Leah, yea ten or twentie of them, agree with a maruellous vnion, intent vntounto their household, and other businesse, whereby they are gainefull, and not chargeable to their Husbands. When they marry, iW. de Rub. in this sort.the Husband couenanteth with the father of the Maide, who hauing giuen him power to take her wheresoeuer he shall finde her, he seeketh her among some of her friends where shee hath then of purpose hidden her selfe, and by a kinde of force carrieth her away. They marry with any except their owne Mother and Sister. Their Widdowes seldome marry, because of their seruice to their former Husbands in an other world, except the sonne marry his fathers wiues, or the brother, his brothers, because they can there in the next world, bee content to resigne them to their former Husbands againe. The women buy, sell, and prouide all necessaries into the house, the men intending nothing but their armes, hunting and hauking. If one hath buried a Male-childe, and another a Female, the parents contract a marriage betwixt those two, and painting in papers, seruants, horses, clothes, and houshould, and making writings for the confirmation of the Dower, burne these things in the fire, by the smoke whereof they (in their smokie conceits) imagine all these things to bee carried and confirmed to their children in the other world: and the parents of the two dead parties claime kindred each of other: as if they indeede had married their children while they liued.
In Xaindu did Cublai Can build a stately pallace, encompassing sixteene miles of plaine ground with a wall, wherein are sertile Meddowes, pleasant Springs, delightfull streames, and all sorts of beasts of chase and game, and in the middest thereof a sumptuous house of pleasure, which may be remoued from place to place. Here he doth abide in the monethes of Iune, Iuly, and August, on the eight and twentith day where of, he departeth thence to another place to doe sacrifice on this maner. Hee hath a Herd or Droue of Horses and Mares, about ten thousand, as white as snow: Of the Milke whereof none may taste, except he be of the bloud of Cingis Can. Yea the Tartars doe these beastes great reuerence, nor dare any crosse their way, or goe before them. According to the direction of his Astrologers or Magicians, he on the eight and twentith of August aforesaid spendeth and powreth forth with his owne hands the Milke of these Mares in the Aire, and on the Earth, to giuegive drinke to the spirits and Idols which they worship, that they may preserue the men, women beasts, birds, corne, and other things growing on the earth.Their Sects and orders.
These Astrologers, or Necromancers, are in their Art maruellous. When the skie is cloudie and threatneth raiue, they will ascend the roofe of the palace of the Grand Can, and cause the raine and tempests to fall round about, without touching the said Palace, These which thus doe are called Tebeth, and Chesmir, Tebeth and Chesmir.two forts of Idolaters, which delude the people with opinion of their sanctitie, imputing these workes to their dissembled holinesse: and for this cause they goe in filthy and beastly manner, not caring who seeth them, with dirt on their faces, neuer washing nor combing themselues, And if any be condemned to death, they take, dresse, and eate him: which they doe not if any die naturally. Bachsi.They are also called Bachsi, that is of such a Religion or order, as if one should say a Frier. Preacher, or Minor, and are exceedingly expert in their diuelish Art. They cause that the bottles in the Hall of the great Can doe fill the bolles of their owne accord, which also without mans helpe, passe ten paces through the Aire, into the hands of the said Can, and when he hath drunke, in like sort returne to their place. These Bachsi sometimes resort vntounto the officers, and threaten plagues or other misfortune from their Idols, which to preuent they desire so many muttons with blacke heads, and so many pounds of incense, and Lignum Aloes to performe their due sacrifices. Which they accordingly receiue and offer on their Feast day, sprinkling Broth before their Idols. There boe of these, great Monasteries, which seeme like a small Citie, in some whereof are two thousand Monkes, which shaue their heads and beards, and weare a religious habite, and hallow their Idols feasts with great solemnitie of hymnes and lights. Some of these may bee married. Otherthere are, called Sensim, Sensim.an order which obserueth great abstinence and strictnesse of life, in all their life eating nothing but Branne, which they put in hot water, and let it stand till all the white of the meale be taken away, and then eate it beeing thus washed. These worship the Fire, and are condemned of the other for Heretikes, because they worship not their idoles, and will not marry in any case. They are shauen, and weare hempen-garments of blacke or bright yellow, and although they were silke, yet would they not alter the colour. They sleepe on great mattes, and liue the austerest life in the world.
Of their Astrologers in Cambalu were not fewer then fiue thousand; Christians, Catayans, and Saracens, maintained with foode and rayment at the great Cans charge. These, by their Astrolabe foretell of the change of weather, mortality, warres, diseases, &c. And if any enterprise any great worke, he resorteth vntounto them, and telling the houre of his natiuitie, by their Art is informed of the successe. They hold the soule to be immortall, and according to eueryevery mans merits in his life, to passe into a more noble creature, till it be deified, or ignoble, as to a pesant, and then to a dogge, and so by degrees to the vilest. They shew much reuerence to their parents, to whome if any be vngratefull in their necessity, there is an office and officers appointed to trie and punish the offence. In the Emperours hall none dare spit, but for that purpose carieth a little vessell to spit in: nor dare any there make any noyse or lowd talking. The Tartars were at first very vncharitable to the poore, and would curse them, saying, That if God had loued them, he would hauehave prouided for them: but after the Idolatrous Bachsi had commended Almes for a good worke, there was great prouision made for them, and eueryevery day at least twenty thousand dishes of Rice, Mill, & Panike, by certaine Officers distributed amongst them. And for this liberality they adore him as a God.
Cingis amongst his first Lawes enacted (as saith Vincentius) the punishment of Vincent. Bel. Spec.histor.lib. 30.ca. 70.death to be inflicted vponupon offenders in those three vices, which before time had been most rife amongst them, namely, lying, adultery, and theft: of which yet towards other men that were not Tartars they made no conscience.
They are great Vsurers, taking tenne in the hundred for a monethmonth, besides vse vponupon Ca.75.vse; insomuch, that a souldier in Georgia, which had borrowed fiue hundred peeces of coine called Yperpera, retaining the same fiue yeares, was constrained to repay seuen thousand. And a Tartarian Ladie for seuen yeares vse of fiftie sheep, demaunded seuen thousand Yperpera. They are so couetous, that though they abound in cattell, they will scarce allow any to their owne expence, while it is found and good, but if it die, or be sicke. They are addicted to sodomie or buggerie. Ca. 76.They eate sometimes for necessity mans flesh, sometimes to delight themselues, and sometimes to terrifie others, reckoning it a great glory to hauehave slaine many, and that by varietie of cruelty. Ca. 77.Their heads they shaue from eare to eare, in manner of a horse-shooe: wearing long lockes at their eares and neckes. There be some of the Tartars, which when they see their fathers grow old and diseased, they giuegive them fatte meates which may choake them. And when they are thus dead, they burne their bodies, reseruing the ashes as a precious iewell, sprinckling their meates with that powlder. Ca. 86.But if any thinke not this enough (which I am afraid the most will deeme too much) let him resort to the large reports of Vincentius in his three last Bookes; an Author, I confesse, otherwise fabulous, and monkish, but heerein to be beleeued, as receiuing his Reports from the eiewitnesses.
Likewise Nicephorus Niceph. Greg. hist. Rom.lib.2.Greg. vnderunder the name of Scythians hath written of them, their Expeditions, and Customes: their contempt of golde, and ignorance of the vse of it before these Conquests: and of the miseries which heere by the Turkes sustained, hauing the Tartars on one side, the Christians on the other, and in their bowells a more implacable enemy, famine against them. Setling themselues (saith he) in the parts of Mesopotamia, Chaldea, Aslyria, they left their owne, and learned the rites and religion of these Mahumetans.