The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 06: Madiera, the Canaries, Ancient Asia, Africa, etc.Hakluyt, Richard
History
The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 06: Madiera, the Canaries, Ancient Asia, Africa, etc.
Hakluyt, Richard
Discoveries in geography -- English; Voyages and travels
The Massagetes, a people of Scithia in Asie, beyond the sea called Caspium
mare in appareille and liuyng, muche like to the Scithians, and therefore
of some so called: vse to fighte bothe on horsebacke and on fote, with
suche actiuitie and force, that thei are almoste inuincible in bothe. Their
weapons are bowe and arrowes, Launces and Armynge swordes. Their beltes
aboute their waste, the ornament of their heades, and their pollerone, are
garnished with golde. Their Horses are barbed on the brest, with barbes of
gold. Their reines, bridles, and trappour are all of golde. The heades of
their Launces are of Brasse, and their Quiuers armed with Brasse. As for
Siluer and Iron thei occupie none. Eche manne marieth one wife, and yet are
the wiues of them all, commune one to another, whiche thyng is not vsed
emong any of the other Scythians. When so euer any man lusteth for the
compaignie of his woman, he hangeth vp his quiuer vpon the carte wherein
his wife is caryed by him, and there openly without shame coupleth.
When any one of this people waxeth very aged, his friendes, acquaintance,
and kindesfolke assembled together, make a bealy Sacrifice of hym: sleayng
as many shiepe besides, as will serue for the fulnesse of the nombre. And
when thei haue dressed theim, eate parte and parte like, the one with the
other. And this kinde of departynge is compted emong theim, of all other
moste blessed. If any fortune to pine awaie of sickenesse, hym eate thei
not: but put in a hole, and throwe earthe vpon him. Sory for the losse,
that he came not to the feaste.
Thei neither sowe nor mowe, but liue by flesshe of suche beastes as thei
haue, and suche fisshe as Araxe the floude doeth plenteously minister vnto
them: and with drinckynge of Milke, wherof thei make no spare. Thei knowe
no goddes but the Sonne: In whose honour thei offre vp Horses in Sacrifice,
as beyng in swiftenesse moste like vnto the Sonne.
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