Page:Hakluytus Posthumus or Purchas His Pilgrimes Volume 12.djvu/40

 there came unto us certaine Tartars on horsebacke, being well armed, and servants unto the said Prince called Timor Sultan, Governour of the said Countrey of Manguslave, where wee meant to have arrived and discharged our Barke, if the great storme aforesaid had not disappointed. These aforesaid Tartars stayed our Caravan in the name of their Prince, and opened our Wares, and tooke such things as they thought best for their said Prince without money, but for such things as they tooke from mee, which was a ninth (after much dissention) I rode unto the same Prince, and presented my selfe before him, requesting his favour, and Pasport to travell thorow his Countrey, and not to be robbed or spoyled of his people: which request he granted me, and entertayned me very gently, commanding me to be well feasted with flesh and Mares milke: for Bread they use none, nor other drinke except water: but money he had none to give me for such things as he tooke of me, which might be of value in Russe money, fifteene Rubbles, but hee gave mee his Letter, and a Horse worth seven Rubbles. And so I departed from him being glad that I was gone: for he was reported to bee a very tyrant, and if I had not gone unto him, I understood his commandement was, that I should have beene robbed and destroyed.

This Sultan lived in the fields without Castle or Towne, and sate, at my being with him, in a little round house made of reeds covered without with Felt, and within with Carpets. There was with him the great Metropolitan of that wilde Countrey, esteemed of the people, as the Bishop of Rome is in most parts of Europe, with divers other of his chiefe men. The Sultan with this Metropolitan demanded of mee many questions, as well touching our Kingdomes, Lawes, and Religion, as also the cause of my comming into those parts, with my further pretence. To whom I answered concerning all things, as unto me seemed best, which they tooke in good part. So having leave I departed, and overtooke our Caravan, and proceeding on our journey, and travelled twentie dayes