And when he felt well that he should die, he said to his
twelve sons, that everych of them should bring him one of his
arrows. And so they did anon. And then he commanded that men
should bind them together in three places. And then he took them
to his eldest son, and bade him break them all together. And he
enforced him with all his might to break them, but he ne might not.
And then the Chan bade his second son to break them; and so,
shortly, to all, each after other; but none of them might break
them. And then he bade the youngest son dissever every one from
other, and break everych by himself. And so he did. And then said
the Chan to his eldest son and to all the others, Wherefore might
ye not break them? And they answered that they might not, because
that they were bound together. And wherefore, quoth he, hath your
little youngest brother broken them? Because, quoth they, that
they were parted each from other. And then said the Chan, My sons,
quoth he, truly thus will it fare by you. For as long as ye be
bound together in three places, that is to say, in love, in truth
and in good accord, no man shall be of power to grieve you. But
and ye be dissevered from these three places, that your one help
not your other, ye shall be destroyed and brought to nought. And
if each of you love other and help other, ye shall be lords and
sovereigns of all others. And when he had made his ordinances, he
died.
And then after him reigned Ecchecha Cane, his eldest son. And his
other brethren went to win them many countries and kingdoms, unto
the land of Prussia and of Russia, and made themselves to be clept
Chane; but they were all obeissant to their elder brother, and
therefore was he clept the great Chan.
After Ecchecha reigned Guyo Chan.
And after him Mango Chan that was a good Christian man and
baptized, and gave letters of perpetual peace to all Christian men,
and sent his brother Halaon with great multitude of folk for to win
the Holy Land and for to put it into Christian men's hands, and for
to destroy Mahomet's law, and for to take the Caliph of Bagdad that
was emperor and lord of all the Saracens. And when this caliph was
taken, men found him of so high worship, that in all the remnant of
the world, ne might a man find a more reverend man, ne higher in
worship. And then Halaon made him come before him, and said to
him, Why, quoth he, haddest thou not taken with thee more soldiers
and men enough, for a little quantity of treasure, for to defend
thee and thy country, that art so abundant of treasure and so high
in all worship? And the caliph answered him, For he well trowed
that he had enough of his own proper men. And then said Halaon,
Thou wert as a god of the Saracens. And it is convenient to a god
to eat no meat that is mortal. And therefore, thou shall not eat
but precious stones, rich pearls and treasure, that thou lovest so
much. And then he commanded him to prison, and all his treasure
about him. And so he died for hunger and thirst. And then after
this, Halaon won all the Land of Promission, and put it into
Christian men's hands. But the great Chan, his brother, died; and
that was great sorrow and loss to all Christian men.
After Mango Chan reigned Cobyla Chan that was also a Christian man.
And he reigned forty-two year. He founded the great city Izonge in
Cathay, that is a great deal more than Rome.
The tother great Chan that came after him became a Paynim, and all
the others after him.
The kingdom of Cathay is the greatest realm of the world. And also
the great Chan is the most mighty emperor of the world and the
greatest lord under the firmament. And so he clepeth him in his
letters, right thus: CHAN! FILIUS DEI EXCELSI, OMNIUM UNIVERSAM
TERRAM COLENTIUM SUMMUS IMPERATOR, & DOMINUS OMNIUM DOMINANTIUM!
And the letter of his great seal, written about, is this; DEUS IN
COELO, CHAN SUPER TERRAM, EJUS FORTITUDO. OMNIUM HOMINUM
IMPERATORIS SIGILLUM. And the superscription about his little seal
is this; DEI FORTITUDO, OMNIUM HOMINUM IMPERATORIS SIGILLUM.
And albeit that they be not christened, yet nevertheless the
emperor and all the Tartars believe in God Immortal. And when they
will menace any man, then they say, God knoweth well that I shall
do thee such a thing, and telleth his menace.
And thus have ye heard, why he is clept the great Chan.
CHAPTER XXV
OF THE GOVERNANCE OF THE GREAT CHAN'S COURT, AND WHEN HE MAKETH
SOLEMN FEASTS. OF HIS PHILOSOPHERS. AND OF HIS ARRAY, WHEN HE
RIDETH BY THE COUNTRY
NOW shall I tell you the governance of the court of the great Chan,
when he maketh solemn feasts; and that is principally four times in
the year.
The first feast is of his birth, that other is of his presentation
in their temple that they clepe their Moseache, where they make a
manner of circumcision, and the tother two feasts be of his idols.
The first feast of the idol is when he is first put into their
temple and throned; the tother feast is when the idol beginneth
first to speak, or to work miracles. More be there not of solemn
feasts, but if he marry any of his children.
Now understand, that at every of these feasts he hath great
multitude of people, well ordained and well arrayed, by thousands,
by hundreds, and by tens.
