I Inquired From Some Of The
Attendants At Court Concerning The Numbers In The Imperial Establishment,
Who Assured Me That, Of Stage-Players, Musicians, And Such Like, There Were
At Least Eighteen Tomans, And That The Keepers Of Dogs, Beasts, And Fowls,
Were Fifteen Tomans[3].
There are four hundred physicians of the body to
the emperor, eight of whom are Christians, and one Saracen.
The whole of
these attendants are supplied with all manner of apparel, victuals, and
necessaries, from the palace.
When the khan makes a progress from one country to another, there are four
troops of horsemen appointed, having orders to keep each at the distance of
a days journey from the presence; one in advance, one in the rear, and one
on either hand, like a cross, the emperor being in the middle; and each
troop has its regular days journey appointed for it, that all may keep in
due order, and be regularly supplied with provisions. The great khan is
carried in a chariot, having two wheels, on which a splendid throne is
built of aloes wood, magnificently adorned with gold, precious stones, and
pearls; and this moving throne is drawn by four elephants, richly
caparisoned; before which, four war horses, in magnificent housings, are
led for his particular use. Close to the chariot, and keeping hold of it,
eight barons attend on either side, to prevent all persons from approaching
too near, or from incommoding the emperor. Two milk-white ger-falcons are
carried in the chariot along with the emperor, that he may fly them at any
game that comes in the way. No one dare come within a stones throw of the
chariot in which the emperor rides, except those who are expressly
appointed. The number of his own followers, and of those who attend the
empress, and on his eldest son, would appear quite incredible to any person
who had not seen the same, and is therefore omitted. The whole empire is
divided into twelve great provinces, one only of which has 2000 great
cities within its bounds; and the whole is so extensive, that one may
travel continually for six months in any one direction, besides the islands
under his dominion, which are at least 5000 in number.
[1] In the plates of La Monarchie Francaise, by Pere Montfaucon, the French
ladies of the fourteenth century are represented as wearing conical
caps on their heads, at least one third of their own height. - E.
[2] One hundred and forty millions of florins, as the value of the dresses
of the nobles of the imperial court! It seems that most writers
concerning China are apt entirely to forget the power of numbers, in
the fervour of their admiration. - E.
[3] Odericus, or his Bolandist biographer, seems to have forgot that
thirty-three tomans make 330,000 useless ministers of luxury and
folly. I strongly suspect the Minorites, for the honour of Oderic,
have ignorantly borrowed and exaggerated from Marco Polo, to decorate
the legend of the favourite Saint of Udina. - E.
SECTION XV.
Of the Inns established over the whole Empire, for the use of Travellers.
That travellers may have all things necessary throughout the whole empire,
the emperor has caused certain inns to be provided in sundry places upon
the highways, where all kinds of provisions are in continual readiness.
When any intelligence is to be communicated to him, his messengers ride
post on horses or dromedaries; and when themselves and their beasts are
weary, they blow their horns, and the people at the next inn provide a man
and horse in readiness to carry forward the dispatch. By this means,
intelligence, which would take thirty days in the ordinary way of
travelling, is transmitted in one day, and he is consequently immediately
informed of any important matter which may occur in the most distant parts
of his dominions.
About twenty days journey from Cambalu, there is a forest of six days
journey in circuit, containing an incredible number of different kinds of
beasts and birds, to which the khan usually goes for hunting, once in three
or four years, attended by his whole train. The attendants environ the
whole forest, and, with the assistance of dogs, drive all the lions, stags,
and other beasts before them, into a beautiful open plain in the midst of
the forest. Then the khan, mounted on a throne, carried by three elephants,
rides forwards to the throng of animals, and shoots five arrows among the
herd; and after him, all his barons in succession, and the rest of his
courtiers and family attendants, discharge their arrows in like manner.
Then all the surviving beasts are allowed to go away into the forest, and
all the people go among those beasts which are slain, and each person knows
by the particular marks on their own arrows, which of the beasts he has
right to.
SECTION XVI.
Of the four Solemn Feasts held yearly by the Great Khan.
The great khan celebrates four great feasts every year; on the
anniversaries of his birth, his circumcision, his coronation, and his
marriage. Sitting upon his throne of state, all his kindred, barons, and
stage-players, attend in great ceremony and in rich attire; the highest
order being dressed in green, the second in red, and the third in yellow,
all girt with golden girdles, half a foot broad, and every one holding a
small ivory tablet in his hand, they all stand in regular order, keeping
the most profound silence. On the outside, all the stage-players, and the
musicians, with their musical instruments, are arranged. In one of the
corners of a certain great gallery, all the philosophers or magicians
attend, waiting for certain hours and moments, and when the fortunate
moment is arrived, a crier calleth out in a loud voice, "Prostrate
yourselves before the emperor," and then all fall upon their faces. After a
certain interval, the crier again orders the whole assembly to rise up, and
they do so.
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