After go men yet to another old city toward the east. And it is in
the province of Cathay. And beside that city the men of Tartary
have let make another city that is dept Caydon. And it hath twelve
gates, and between the two gates there is always a great mile; so
that the two cities, that is to say, the old and the new, have in
circuit more than twenty mile.
In this city is the siege of the great Chan in a full great palace
and the most passing fair in all the world, of the which the walls
be in circuit more than two mile. And within the walls it is all
full of other palaces. And in the garden of the great palace there
is a great hill, upon the which there is another palace; and it is
the most fair and the most rich that any man may devise. And all
about the palace and the hill be many trees bearing many diverse
fruits. And all about that hill be ditches great and deep, and
beside them be great vivaries on that one part and on that other.
And there is a full fair bridge to pass over the ditches. And in
these vivaries be so many wild geese and ganders and wild ducks and
swans and herons that it is without number. And all about these
ditches and vivaries is the great garden full of wild beasts. So
that when the great Chan will have any disport on that, to take any
of the wild beasts or of the fowls, he will let chase them and take
them at the windows without going out of his chamber.
This palace, where his siege is, is both great and passing fair.
And within the palace, in the hall, there be twenty-four pillars of
fine gold. And all the walls be covered within of red skins of
beasts that men clepe panthers, that be fair beasts and well
smelling; so that for the sweet odour of those skins no evil air
may enter into the palace. Those skins be as red as blood, and
they shine so bright against the sun, that unnethe no man may
behold them. And many folk worship those beasts, when they meet
them first at morning, for their great virtue and for the good
smell that they have. And those skins they prize more than though
they were plate of fine gold.
And in the midst of this palace is the mountour for the great Chan,
that is all wrought of gold and of precious stones and great
pearls. And at four corners of the mountour be four serpents of
gold. And all about there is y-made large nets of silk and gold
and great pearls hanging all about the mountour.
