Then
Putting On Our Most Precious Ornaments, I Took A Rich Cushion In My Arms,
Together With The Bible I Had From Your Majesty, And The Beautiful Psalter,
Ornamented With Fine Paintings, Which The Queen Bestowed Upon Me.
My
companion carried the missal and a crucifix; and the clerk, clothed in his
surplice, carried a censer in his hand.
In this order we presented
ourselves, and the felt hanging before the lords door being withdrawn, we
appeared, in his presence. Then the clerk and interpreter were ordered to
make three genuflexions, from which humiliation we were exempted; and they
admonished us to be exceedingly careful, in going in and out of the lords
dwelling, not to touch the threshold of his door, and we were desired to
sing a benediction or prayer for their lord; and we accordingly entered in
singing the salve regina.
Immediately within the door there stood a bench planted with cosmos and
drinking cups. All Sartachs wives were assembled in the house; and the
Moals, or rich Tartars, pressing in along with us, incommoded us
exceedingly. Then Coiat carried the censer with incense to Sartach, who
took it in his hand, examining it narrowly. He next carried him the
psalter, which he and the wife who sat next him minutely inspected. After
which the bible was carried to him, on which he asked if it contained our
Gospel? To which I answered, that it contained that, and all our other Holy
Scriptures. I next delivered to him your majestys letter, with its
translation into the Arabian and Syriac languages, which I had procured to
be done at Acon[1]; and there happened to be present certain Armenian
priests, who were skilful in the Turkish and Arabian languages, and
likewise the before mentioned templar had knowledge of both these and the
Syriac.
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