By All These Means, There Is No Sovereign In The World Who
Equals The Great Khan In Extent Of Treasure; As He Expends None In The
Mint, Or In Any Other Way Whatever.
The great khan has a council of war, composed of twelve barons, as formerly
mentioned, who direct all martial affairs, and have the power of promoting
or disgracing officers and soldiers as they think proper.
Their office is
called Thai, or the high court or tribunal, as no person in the empire is
superior to them except the great khan. Other twelve barons are appointed
as counsellors for the thirty-four provinces, into which the vast empire of
the khan is divided; these have a splendid palace in Cambalu as their
office, in which there is a judge for each province, and many notaries.
This tribunal chooses proper persons to be appointed governors of the
provinces, and presents their names to the khan for confirmation. They
likewise have the charge of the collection and expenditure of the public
treasure. The name of their office is Singh, or the second court, which
is subordinate only to the khan, yet is considered as less noble than the
Thai or military tribunal.
Many public roads lead from Cambalu to all the neighbouring provinces; and
on every one of these there are inns or lodgings, called lambs, built at
the distance of every twenty-five or thirty miles, which serve as post-
houses, having large fair courts, and many chambers, furnished with beds
and provisions, every way fit to lodge and entertain great men, and even
kings.
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