525),
and allusions to them in the mediaeval romances are endless. Thus, in one
of the "Gestes d'Alexandre," a chapter is headed "Comment Aristotle
aprent a Alixandre les Sept Arts." In the tale of the Seven Wise Masters,
Diocletian selects that number of tutors for his son, each to instruct him
in one of the Seven Arts. In the romance of Erec and Eneide we have a
dress on which the fairies had portrayed the Seven Arts (Franc. Michel,
Recherches, etc. II. 82); in the Roman de Mahommet the young impostor
is master of all the seven. There is one mediaeval poem called the
Marriage of the Seven Arts, and another called the Battle of the Seven
Arts. (See also Dante, Convito, Trat. II. c. 14; Not. et Ex. V., 491
seqq.)
NOTE 3. - The Chinghizide Princes were eminently liberal - or indifferent -
in religion; and even after they became Mahomedan, which, however, the
Eastern branch never did, they were rarely and only by brief fits
persecutors. Hence there was scarcely one of the non-Mahomedan Khans of
whose conversion to Christianity there were not stories spread. The first
rumours of Chinghiz in the West were as of a Christian conqueror; tales
may be found of the Christianity of Chagatai, Hulaku, Abaka, Arghun,
Baidu, Ghazan, Sartak, Kuyuk, Mangu, Kublai, and one or two of the
latter's successors in China, all probably false, with one or two doubtful
exceptions.
[1] See plates with ch. xvii. of Bk. IV. See also the Uighur character in
the second Paiza, Bk. II. ch. vii.
[Illustration: The Great Kaan delivering a Golden Tablet to the Brothers.
From a miniature of the 14th century.]
CHAPTER VIII.
HOW THE GREAT KAAN GAVE THEM A TABLET OF GOLD, BEARING HIS ORDERS IN THEIR
BEHALF.
When the Prince had charged them with all his commission, he caused to be
given them a Tablet of Gold, on which was inscribed that the three
Ambassadors should be supplied with everything needful in all the
countries through which they should pass - with horses, with escorts, and,
in short, with whatever they should require. And when they had made all
needful preparations, the three Ambassadors took their leave of the
Emperor and set out.
When they had travelled I know not how many days, the Tartar Baron fell
sick, so that he could not ride, and being very ill, and unable to proceed
further, he halted at a certain city. So the Two Brothers judged it best
that they should leave him behind and proceed to carry out their
commission; and, as he was well content that they should do so, they
continued their journey. And I can assure you, that whithersoever they
went they were honourably provided with whatever they stood in need of, or
chose to command. And this was owing to that Tablet of Authority from the
Lord which they carried with them.[NOTE 1]
So they travelled on and on until they arrived at Layas in Hermenia, a
journey which occupied them, I assure you, for three years.[NOTE 2] It
took them so long because they could not always proceed, being stopped
sometimes by snow, or by heavy rains falling, or by great torrents which
they found in an impassable state.
