And when the emperor dieth, men set him in a chair in midst the
place of his tent. And men set a table before him clean, covered
with a cloth, and thereupon flesh and diverse viands and a cup full
of mare's milk. And men put a mare beside him with her foal, and
an horse saddled and bridled. And they lay upon the horse gold and
silver, great quantity. And they put about him great plenty of
straw. And then men make a great pit and a large, and with the
tent and all these other things they put him in earth. And they
say that when he shall come into another world, he shall not be
without an house, ne without horse, ne without gold and silver; and
the mare shall give him milk, and bring him forth more horses till
he be well stored in the tother world. For they trow that after
their death they shall be eating and drinking in that other world,
and solacing them with their wives, as they did here.
And after time that the emperor is thus interred no man shall be so
hardy to speak of him before his friends. And yet natheles,
sometime falleth of many that they make him to be interred privily
by night in wild places, and put again the grass over the pit for
to grow; or else men cover the pit with gravel and sand, that no
man shall perceive where, ne know where, the pit is, to that intent
that never after none of his friends shall have mind ne remembrance
of him. And then they say that he is ravished into another world,
where he is a greater lord than he was here.
And then, after the death of the emperor, the seven lineages
assemble them together, and choose his eldest son, or the next
after him of his blood. And thus they say to him; we will and we
pray and ordain that ye be our lord and our emperor.
And then he answereth, If ye will that I reign over you as lord, do
everych of you that I shall command him, either to abide or to go;
and whomsoever that I command to be slain, that anon he be slain.
And they answer all with one voice, Whatsoever ye command, it shall
be done.
Then saith the emperor, Now understand well, that my word from
henceforth is sharp and biting as a sword.
After, men set him upon a black steed and so men bring him to a
chair full richly arrayed, and there they crown him. And then all
the cities and good towns send him rich presents. So that at that
journey he shall have more than sixty chariots charged with gold
silver, without jewels of gold and precious stones, that lords gave
him, that be without estimation, and without horses, and cloths of
gold, and of camakas, and tartarins that be without number.
