Christian folk who hold the creed of the Greeks

There are among them a great many Christian folk who hold the creed of the Greeks, and there are, besides, the Christians of whom we have already spoken, and others. These Christians the Tartars send against the Saracens when they wish to make war on the Saracens; and contrariwise they use the Saracer in any war against the Christians. All manner of childless women go with them to war, and they give pay to such women as they would do to men, according

to their strength and vigor. And the king’s envoys told us that the men and women soldiers ate together in the quarters of the chiefs under whom they served; and that the men dared not touch the women in any sort, because of the law that their first king had given them.

The women

The flesh of all manner of beasts dying in the camp is eaten. The women who have children see after them, and take care of them; and also prepare the food of the people who go to battle. They put the raw meat between their saddles and the lappets of their clothing, and when the blood is well pressed out, they eat it quite raw. What they cannot eat, there and then, they throw into a leather bag; and when they are hungry they open the bag and always eat the oldest bits first. Thus I saw a Khorasmin, one of the Emperor of Persia’s people, who guarded us in our imprison mint, and when he opened his bag we held our noses, for we could not bear it, because of the stink that came out of his bag.

But now let us go back to the matter in hand, and tell how the great King of the Tartars, after he had received the king’s envoys and presents, sent to gather together, under safe conduct, several kings who had not as yet submitted to him; and when they were come he caused the king’s chapel to be pitched, and spoke to them after this manner: “ Lords, the King of France has sued for mercy, and submitted him self to us, and behold here is the tribute he has sent us; and if you do not submit yourselves to us we will send and fetch him tor your destruction.” Many there were who, through fear of the French king, placed themselves in subjection to that Tartar king.