And He Hath Borne Before Him Also A Platter Of Gold Full
Of Earth, In Token That His Noblesse And His Might And His Flesh
Shall Turn To Earth.
And he hath borne before him also a vessel of
silver, full of noble jewels of gold full rich and of precious
stones, in token of his lordship and of his noblesse and of his
might.
He dwelleth commonly in the city of Susa. And there is his
principal palace, that is so rich and so noble, that no man will
trow it by estimation, but he had seen it. And above the chief
tower of the palace be two round pommels of gold, and in everych of
them be two carbuncles great and large, that shine full bright upon
the night. And the principal gates of his palace be of precious
stone that men clepe sardonyx, and the border and the bars be of
ivory. And the windows of the halls and chambers be of crystal.
And the tables whereon men eat, some be of emeralds, some of
amethyst, and some of gold, full of precious stones; and the
pillars that bear up the tables be of the same precious stones.
And the degrees to go up to his throne, where he sitteth at the
meat, one is of onyx, another is of crystal, and another of jasper
green, another of amethyst, another of sardine, another of
cornelian, and the seventh, that he setteth on his feet, is of
chrysolite. And all these degrees be bordered with fine gold, with
the tother precious stones, set with great pearls orient. And the
sides of the siege of his throne be of emeralds, and bordered with
gold full nobly, and dubbed with other precious stones and great
pearls. And all the pillars in his chamber be of fine gold with
precious stones, and with many carbuncles, that give great light
upon the night to all people. And albeit that the carbuncles give
light right enough, natheles, at all times burneth a vessel of
crystal full of balm, for to give good smell and odour to the
emperor, and to void away all wicked airs and corruptions. And the
form of his bed is of fine sapphires, bended with gold, for to make
him sleep well and to refrain him from lechery; for he will not lie
with his wives, but four sithes in the year, after the four
seasons, and that is only for to engender children.
He hath also a full fair palace and a noble at the city of Nyse,
where that he dwelleth, when him best liketh; but the air is not so
attempre, as it is at the city of Susa.
And ye shall understand, that in all his country nor in the
countries there all about, men eat not but once in the day, as they
do in the court of the great Chan. And so they eat every day in
his court, more than 30,000 persons, without goers and comers.
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