oland, and Bohemia. Daniel, and his brother Wasilico,
feasted us splendidly, and detained us, contrary to our desire, for eight
days. In the meantime, they and their bishops and nobles, having consulted
on those matters, which we had propounded to them, when on our journey
towards the Tartars, made an unanimous declaration, that they would
henceforwards hold the Pope as their special lord and holy father, and
would adhere to the Roman church as their lady and mistress, confirming all
things which they had previously sent on this subject, by their own abbot,
to the Pope before our return; and in ratification of all this, they sent
envoys and letters along with us to the Pope[1].

[1] In Section XIX. of this journey, Wasilico, or Wasiley, is mentioned as
duke of Russia; but who must only have been duke of some subordinate
province. This submission of Russia, or of his particular dukedom,
produced no fruit to the Romish see, as the Russian empire still
remains what are called Greek schismatics.--E

CHAP. IX.

_Travels of William de Rubruquis into Tartary, about the year_
1253_.[1]

INTRODUCTION.

These travels were undertaken by order of Louis IX. of France, usually
called St Louis. In the original, or at least in the printed copies which
have come down to our times, Rubruquis is said to have commenced his
journey in the year 1253; but this date is attended with some difficulties,
as we are certain that king Louis was a prisoner from 1249 to 1254. It is
possible, indeed, that he may have dispatched this mission while a
prisoner; yet it is more probable, that the date may have been vitiated in
transcription. The real name of this early traveller, who was a friar of
the minorite order, is said to have been Van Ruysbroek[2], from a village
of that name near Brussels, Latinized, or Frenchified rather, into De
Rubruquis. By Hakluyt he is named Rubruk. The version here offered to the
public, is a translation from the Latin copy in Hakluyt, as addressed by
the adventurous traveller to his royal master, after his return from
traversing the whole extent of Tartary; the English translation, by that
early and meritorious collector, being far too antiquated for modern
readers.

[1] Hakluyt, I. 80. for the Latin, and I.101. for the English. See likewise
Harris, I. 556.

[2] Pinkerton, Mod. Geogr. II. xvi.

_Dedication by the Author_

To the Most Excellent and Most Christian Lord Louis, b