And He
Hath Many Other Precious Stones And Many Other Rubies And
Carbuncles; But Those Be The Greatest And The Most Precious.
This emperor dwelleth in summer in a city that is toward the north
that is clept Saduz; and there is cold enough.
And in winter he
dwelleth in a city that is clept Camaaleche, and that is an hot
country. But the country, where he dwelleth in most commonly, is
in Gaydo or in Jong, that is a good country and a temperate, after
that the country is there; but to men of this country it were too
passing hot.
And when this emperor will ride from one country to another he
ordaineth four hosts of his folk, of the which the first host goeth
before him a day's journey. For that host shall be lodged the
night where the emperor shall lie upon the morrow. And there shall
every man have all manner of victual and necessaries that be
needful, of the emperor's costage. And in this first host is the
number of people fifty cumants, what of horse what of foot, of the
which every cumant amounteth 10,000 as I have told you before. And
another host goeth in the right side of the emperor, nigh half a
journey from him. And another goeth on the left side of him, in
the same wise. And in every host is as much multitude of people as
in the first host. And then after cometh the fourth host, that is
much more than any of the others, and that goeth behind him, the
mountance of a bow draught. And every host hath his journeys
ordained in certain places, where they shall be lodged at night,
and there they shall have all that them needeth. And if it befall
that any of the host die, anon they put another in his place, so
that the number shall evermore be whole.
And ye shall understand, that the emperor, in his proper person,
rideth not as other great lords do beyond, but if he list to go
privily with few men, for to be unknown. And else, he rides in a
chariot with four wheels, upon the which is made a fair chamber,
and it is made of a certain wood, that cometh out of Paradise
terrestrial, that men clepe lignum aloes, that the floods of
Paradise bring out at divers seasons, as I have told you here
before. And this chamber is full well smelling because of the wood
that it is made of. And all this chamber is covered within of
plate of fine gold dubbed with precious stones and great pearls.
And four elephants and four great destriers, all white and covered
with rich covertures, leading the chariot. And four, or five, or
six, of the greatest lords ride about this chariot, full richly
arrayed and full nobly, so that no man shall neigh the chariot, but
only those lords, but if that the emperor call any man to him that
him list to speak withal. And above the chamber of this chariot
that the emperor sitteth in be set upon a perch four or five or six
gerfalcons, to that intent, that when the emperor seeth any wild
fowl, that he may take it at his own list, and have the disport and
the play of the flight, first with one, and after with another; and
so he taketh his disport passing by the country. And no man rideth
before him of his company, but all after him. And no man dare not
come nigh the chariot, by a bow draught, but those lords only that
be about him. And all the host cometh fairly after him in great
multitude.
And also such another chariot with such hosts ordained and arrayed
go with the empress upon another side, everych by himself, with
four hosts, right as the emperor did; but not with so great
multitude of people. And his eldest son goeth by another way in
another chariot, in the same manner. So that there is between them
so great multitude of folk that it is marvel to tell it. And no
man should trow the number, but he had seen it. And some-time it
happeth that when he will not go far, and that it like him to have
the empress and his children with him, then they go altogether, and
their folk be all mingled in fere, and divided in four parties
only.
And ye shall understand, that the empire of this great Chan is
divided in twelve provinces; and every province hath more than two
thousand cities, and of towns without number. This country is full
great, for it hath twelve principal kings in twelve provinces, and
every of those Kings have many kings under them, and all they be
obeissant to the great Chan. And his land and his lordship dureth
so far, that a man may not go from one head to another, neither by
sea ne land, the space of seven year. And through the deserts of
his lordship, there as men may find no towns, there be inns
ordained by every journey, to receive both man and horse, in the
which they shall find plenty of victual, and of all things that
they need for to go by the country.
And there is a marvellous custom in that country (but it is
profitable), that if any contrarious thing that should be prejudice
or grievance to the emperor in any kind, anon the emperor hath
tidings thereof and full knowledge in a day, though it be three or
four journeys from him or more. For his ambassadors take their
dromedaries or their horses, and they prick in all that ever they
may toward one of the inns. And when they come there, anon they
blow an horn. And anon they of the inn know well enough that there
be tidings to warn the emperor of some rebellion against him.
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