Talk shall be heard.
And every one of the chiefs and nobles carries always with him a handsome
little vessel to spit in whilst he remain in the Hall of Audience - for no
one dares spit on the floor of the hall, - and when he hath spitten he
covers it up and puts it aside.[NOTE 6] So also they all have certain
handsome buskins of white leather, which they carry with them, and, when
summoned by the sovereign, on arriving at the entrance to the hall, they
put on these white buskins, and give their others in charge to the
servants, in order that they may not foul the fine carpets of silk and
gold and divers colours.]
NOTE 1. - Ramusio's heading has Tartars, but it is manifestly of the
Cathayans or Chinese that the author speaks throughout this chapter.
NOTE 2. - "Sbattendo i denti." This is almost certainly, as Marsden has
noticed, due to some error of transcription. Probably Battono i fronti,
or something similar, was the true reading. [See following note,
p. 461. - H. C.]
NOTE 3. - The latter part of this passage has, I doubt not, been more or
less interpolated, seeing that it introduces again as a Chinese divinity
the rude object of primitive Tartar worship, of which we have already
heard in Bk.
