Every man there beareth two
bows or three, and of arrows great plenty, and a great axe. And
the gentles have short spears and large and full trenchant on that
one side. And they have plates and helms made of quyrboylle, and
their horses covertures of the same. And whoso fleeth from the
battle they slay him. And when they hold any siege about castle or
town that is walled and defensible, they behote to them that be
within to do all the profit and good, that it is marvel to hear;
and they grant also to them that be within all that they will ask
them. And after that they be yielden, anon they slay them all; and
cut off their ears and souse them in vinegar, and thereof they make
great service for lords. All their lust and all their imagination
is for to put all lands under their subjection. And they say that
they know well by their prophecies, that they shall be overcome by
archers and by strength of them; but they know not of what nation
ne of what law they shall be of, that shall overcome them. And
therefore they suffer that folk of all laws may peaceably dwell
amongst them.
Also when they will make their idols or an image of any of their
friends for to have remembrance of him, they make always the image
all naked without any manner of clothing. For they say that in
good love should be no covering, that man should not love for the
fair clothing ne for the rich array, but only for the body, such as
God hath made it, and for the good virtues that the body is endowed
with of Nature, not only for fair clothing that is not of kindly
Nature.
And ye shall understand that it is great dread for to pursue the
Tartars if they flee in battle. For in fleeing they shoot behind
them and slay both men and horses. And when they will fight they
will shock them together in a plump; that if there be 20,000 men,
men shall not ween that there be scant 10,000. And they can well
win land of strangers, but they cannot keep it; for they have
greater lust to lie in tents without than for to lie in castle or
in towns. And they prize nothing the wit of other nations.
And amongst them oil of olive is full dear, for they hold it for
full noble medicine. And all the Tartars have small eyen and
little of beard, and not thick haired but shear. And they be false
and traitors; and they last nought that they behote. They be full
hardy folk, and much pain and woe may suffer and disease, more than
any other folk, for they be taught thereto in their own country of
youth. And therefore they spend as who saith, right nought.
And when any man shall die, men set a spear beside him. And when
he draweth towards the death, every man fleeth out of the house
till he be dead. And after that they bury him in the fields.
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.
