University of Virginia Library

Chapter XIIII.

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2

The description of the Crym-Tartars; their houses
and carts; their Idolatry in their lodgings.

NOW you are to understand, Tartary and Scythia

are all one, but
so large and spacious, few or none could ever perfectly describe
it, nor all the severall kinds of those most barbarous people that inhabit
it. Those we call the Crym-Tartars, border upon Moldavia,
Podolia, Lituania, and Russia, are much more regular than the
interior parts of Scythia. This great Tartarian Prince, that hathso
troubled all his neighbours, they alwayes call Chan, which signifieth
Emperour; but we, the Crym-Tartar. He liveth for most part in the
best champion plaines of many Provinces; and his removing Court
is like a great Citie of houses and tents, drawne on Carts, all so
orderly placed East and West, on the right and left hand of the Prince
his house, which is alwayes in the midst towards the South, before
which none may pitch their houses, every one knowing their order
and quarter, as in an Armie. The Princes houses are very artificially
wrought, both the foundation, sides, and roofe of wickers, ascending
round to the top like a Dove-coat; this they cover with white felt, or
white earth tempered with the powder of bones, that it may shine
the whiter; sometimes with blacke felt, curiously painted with vines,
trees, birds, and beasts; the breadth of the Carts are eighteene or
twenty foot, but the house stretcheth foure or five foot over each side,
and is drawne with ten or twelve, or for more state, twenty Camels
and Oxen. They have also great baskets, made of smaller wickers
like great chests, with a covering of the same, all covered over with
blacke felt, rubbed over with tallow and sheeps milke, to keepe out
the raine; prettily bedecked with painting or feathers; in those they
put their houshold stuffe and treasure, drawne upon other carts for
that purpose. When they take downe their houses, they set the doore
alwayes towards the South, and their carts thirtie or fortie foot distant
on each side, East and West, as if they were two walls: the women
also have most curious carts; every one of his wives hatha great one
for herselfe, and so many other for her attendants, that they seeme
as many Courts, as he hathwives. One great Tartar or Nobleman,
will have for his particular, more than an hundred of those houses
and carts, for his severall offices and uses, but set so farre from each
other, they will seeme like a great village. Having taken their houses
from the carts, they place the Master alwayes towards the North;
over whose head is alwayes an Image like a Puppet, made of felt,
which they call his brother; the women on his left hand, and over the
chiefe Mistris her head, such another brother, and betweene them
a little one, which is the keeper of the house; at the good wives beds-feet
is a kids skinne, stuffed with wooll, and neere it a Puppet looking
towards the Maids; next the doore another, with a dried cowes
udder, for the women that milke the kine, because only the men
milke mares; every morning those ∥ Images in their orders they
besprinkle with that they drinke, bee it Cossmos, or whatsoever,
but all the white mares milke is reserved for the Prince. Then without
the doore, thrice to the South, every one bowing his knee in
honour of the fire; then the like to the East, in honour of the aire;
then to the West, in honour of the water; and lastly to the North, in
behalfe of the dead. After the servant hathdone this duty to the foure
quarters of the world, he returnes into the house, where his fellowes
stand waiting, ready with two cups and two basons to give their
master, and his wife that lay with him that night, to wash and drinke,
who must keepe him company all the day following; and all his other
wives come thither to drinke, where hee keepes his house that day;
and all the gifts presented him till night, are laid up in her chests;
and at the doore a bench full of cups, and drinke for any of them to
make merry.