I, Ambrosio Contarini, the son of Messer Benedetto, having been chosen ambassador to the Illustrious Lord Ussuncassan, King of Persia, by our Illustrious Signory in the Council of Pregadi,—notwithstanding that such a mission appeared to me arduous on account of the long and perilous journey,—I resolved, in deference to the earnest wishes of our Illustrious Signory, and for the universal good of Christianity, and the honour that would accrue to the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and His Glorious Mother, to put aside all fear of peril and go cheerfully and willingly for the service of our Signory and Christianity; and deeming that an account of a journey of such importance and length might be interesting and useful to our descendants, I intend, with as much brevity as possible, to relate what occurred to me from my departure from Venice, on the 23rd of February, 1473 (the first day of Lent), until my return, on the 10th of April, 1477, and describe the towns, and provinces through which I passed, as well as the manners and customs of their inhabitants. CHAPTER I. The Serene Ambassador leaves Venice, and, passing through Germany, Poland, Lower Russia, and the great desert of Tartary in Europe, arrives at the city of Cafà. I left Venice on the 23rd of February, 1473, accompanied by the venerable priest Stephano Testa, as my chaplain and secretary; Dimitri da Setinis, as my interpreter: and Mapheo da Bergamo and Zuanne Ungaretto, as my servants. We were, all five, dressed in thick clothes, in the German fashion. The money with which I was provided was sewn up partly in the skirts of the priest Stephano, and partly in my own, and did not fail to cause us some trouble. With these four I embarked for San Michiel da Murano, where, after hearing Mass, the Prior, at my request, signed us all with the wood of the Cross, immediately after which we left, with his blessing, for Mestre. Here five horses were provided for us, on which, by God’s help, we reached Treviso, as, notwithstanding all my endeavours, I had been unable to procure a guide for any amount of money. On the 24th I set out for Conegliano, where, considering it my duty, on so long and perilous a journey to confess and take the sacrament, I did so, with great devotion, together with my retinue.