There Is An Appropriate Office Or Tribunal For This
Imperial Bounty, To Which Those Who Have Received The Warrants Or Orders Of
The Khan Apply For Relief.
The khan receives the tenths of all wool, silk,
and hemp, which he causes to be manufactured into stuffs
Of all kinds, in
houses set apart for this purpose; and as all artificers of every
description are bound to work for him one day in every week, he has immense
quantities of every kind of useful commodity in his storehouses. By these
means, likewise, there are similar imperial manufactures in every city of
the empire, in which clothing is made from his tithe wool for his
innumerable soldiers. According to their ancient customs, the Tartars gave
no alms, and were in use to upbraid those who were in poverty, as hated of
God. But the priests of the idolaters, especially those who have been
formerly mentioned under the name of Bachsi, have convinced the khan that
charity is a good work, and an acceptable service to God; so that in his
court food and raiment are never denied to those who ask, and there is no
day in which there is less than the value of 20,000 crowns distributed in
acts of charily, particularly in rice, millet, and panik; by which
extensive benevolence the khan is esteemed as a god among his subjects.
There are in Cambalu about five thousand astrologers and diviners,
Christians, Mahometans, and Kathayans, all of whom are provided yearly by
the khan in food and raiment.
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