Page:Notes upon Russia (volume 2, 1851).djvu/216

Note this secrete.

Difficult traueylyng in Moscouia.

Commendation of the Spanyardes or Portugales.

The hystorie of Paulus Centurio. Of this, reade more at large in the booke of Paulus Jouius.

Malice may doe more with some then vertue.

The Caspian sea.

Riga.

Liuonia.

The Tartars of Lordo.

Cane, whom some call the great Cham. He also affyrmed, that if shyppes should be made on the coastes of the sayde sea, and sayle on the backe halfe of the coast thereof (which he knew by many relations made to his Prince, to reach infi- nitely towarde the North-east), they should doubtlesse in fo- lowyng the same, easily discouer the countrey. Unto these woordcs he added, that although there were great difficultie in Moscouia, by reason that the way to the sayde sea is full of thicke woods and waters, whiche in the sommer make great maryshes, and impossible to be traueyled, as well for lacke of victuals, whiche cannot there be founde, not for cer- tayne dayes, but for the space of certeyne monethes, the place beyng desolate without inhabitauntes: neuerthelesse he sayde, that if there were with his Prince, onely two Spany- ardes or Portugales, to whom the charge of this viage should be committed, he no wayes doubted but that they would folowe it, and fynde it; forasmuch as with great ingenious- nesse and inestimable patience, these nations haue ouercome much greater difficulties then are these, whiche are but litle in comparison to those that they haue ouerpassed, and doe ouerpasse in all their viages to India. He proceeded, de- claryng that not many yeeres since, there came to the courte of his Prince, an Ambassadour from pope Leo, named maister Paulo Centurione, a Genuese, vnder dyuers pretenses. But the princypall occasion of his commyng, was, bycause hee had conceyued great indignation and hatred agaynst the Por- tugales: And therfore intended to proue if he could open any vyage by land, wherby spyces myght be brought from India by the lande of Tartaria, or by the sea Caspium (otherwyse called Hircanum) to Moscouia, and from thence to be brought in shyppes by the ryuer Riga, which runnyng by the coun- trey of Liuonia, falleth into the sea of Germanie: and that his Prince gaue eare vnto him, and caused the sayde vyage to be attempted by certaine noble men of Lordo, of the Tar- tars confinyng next vnto him. But the warres which were