And Then They Make Fresh Men
Ready, To Prick Forth With The Letters Toward The Emperor, While
That The Last Bringer Rest Him, And Bait His Dromedary Or His
Horse.
And so, from inn to inn, till it come to the emperor.
And
thus anon hath he hasty tidings of anything that beareth charge, by
his couriers, that run so hastily throughout all the country. And
also when the Emperor sendeth his couriers hastily throughout his
land, every one of them hath a large throng full of small bells,
and when they neigh near to the inns of other couriers that be also
ordained by the journeys, they ring their bells, and anon the other
couriers make them ready, and run their way unto another inn. And
thus runneth one to other, full speedily and swiftly, till the
emperor's intent be served, in all haste. And these couriers be
clept CHYDYDO, after their language, that is to say, a messenger,
Also when the emperor goeth from one country to another, as I have
told you here before, and he pass through cities and towns, every
man maketh a fire before his door, and putteth therein powder of
good gums that be sweet smelling, for to make good savour to the
emperor. And all the people kneel down against him, and do him
great reverence. And there, where religious Christian men dwell,
as they do in many cities in the land, they go before him with
procession with cross and holy water, and they sing, VENI CREATOR
SPIRITUS! with an high voice, and go towards him. And when he
heareth them, he commandeth to his lords to ride beside him, that
the religious men may come to him. And when they be nigh him with
the cross, then he doth adown his galiot that sits on his head in
manner of a chaplet, that is made of gold and precious stones and
great pearls, and it is so rich, that men prize it to the value of
a realm in that country. And then he kneeleth to the cross. And
then the prelate of the religious men saith before him certain
orisons, and giveth him a blessing with the cross; and he inclineth
to the blessing full devoutly. And then the prelate giveth him
some manner fruit, to the number of nine, in a platter of silver,
with pears or apples, or other manner fruit. And he taketh one.
And then men give to the other lords that be about him. For the
custom is such, that no stranger shall come before him, but if he
give him some manner thing, after the old law that saith, NEMO
ACCEDAT IN CONSPECTU MEO VACUUS. And then the emperor saith to the
religious men, that they withdraw them again, that they be neither
hurt nor harmed of the great multitude of horses that come behind
him. And also, in the same manner, do the religious men that dwell
there, to the empresses that pass by them, and to his eldest son.
And to every of them they present fruit.
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