7 - On the Customs of the Tatars, Lithuanians, and Muscovites

Summary

Epitome of the second fragment

The Muscovites and Tatars are greatly inferior in strength to the Lithuanians, but superior in industry, frugality, temperance, courage, and other virtues, with which they firmly establish their realms. These virtues bring the Tatars these rewards—that they rejoice in the abundance of our stolen goods; and as the state of the times requires, they are placated with annual gifts by Your Sacred Majesty, as friends and allies, since previously they were always allies with the Lithuanians. The same people are diligent in horsemanship, and wage war without chariots. They abound with exotic horses where they lack cities which are guarded by them. The Muscovites, indeed, received many thousands of horses—extremely suitable for war—from the Noghay Tatar Horde, by swapping clothes and other inconsequential things. The Turks sent us Thracian horses at great price; they were runts, old, exhausted by labours, and liable to hidden diseases—strengthening themselves, therefore, by selling their own arms to Christians, a religion that to them is wicked.

But our ancestors were content with their nags born at home; they were always ready for war, with lances, shields, breastplates, and leather sacks filled with corn. Lithuanian heroines who are about to arrive at a temple or a feast are conveyed in carriages with six or eight horses of the same colour—that is, in suspended wagons; and drawing along as many men bound with Scythian leather straps, it passes them without harm. But even though the Tatars are very rich in horses, they do not suffer horses to be yoked to a vehicle, even that of their prince. The Turks and other Saracens4 who are about to enter a mosque to pray five times a day take off their shoes and wash themselves with cold water, even their private parts. And the same Tatars, Muscovites, Livonians, and Prussians, preferring thriftiness, always wear the same kind of dress, while we have various different and precious clothes.

Tartari tunicas habent absque plicis et rugis longas, equitanti dimicantique commodas, leves et pileos albos acutos non ad fastum paratos, quorum eminentia atque nitore in agminibus, licet minime galeati esse soleant, apparent illustriores, et hostibus formidandi. quas technas Mosci quoque imitantur. hi vero ex ovili lana fiunt, et saepe abluti diu durant, uno emti grosso.