In This Journey We Always
Slept In Tents In The Fields, And The Camp Was Well Supplied With
Provisions, As Many Merchants Had Received Orders To Provide Grain,
Victuals Of All Kinds, And All Sorts Of Necessaries.
On the 14th of
November we arrived at Kom, where we remained two days under tents,
exposed to extremely cold weather, and experienced much difficulty to
procure a small house in which to shelter ourselves.
We continued at this
place till the 21st of March 1474, during which interval we went
frequently to court, to pay our respects to the king, on which occasions
we were generally invited to dinner. The Persian court is very magnificent,
being attended by many high officers of state, and every day 400 persons
dine along with the king. These are all seated on the ground, and are
served in copper basons with boiled rice, or some other mess made of flesh
and grain boiled together; but the king is served in great magnificence at
a separate table, with a great variety of dishes of different kinds of
meat. During his meals, the king is often served with wine, and then the
musicians sing and play upon flutes such songs and tunes as the king
pleases to order. The king is of a good size, with a thin visage and
agreeable countenance, having somewhat of the Tartar appearance, and
seemed to be about seventy years old. His manners were very affable, and
he conversed familiarly with every one around him; but I noticed that his
hands trembled when he raised the cup to his lips. It is not needful that
I should enumerate all the audiences which I had on the subject of my
mission, of which I shall make occasional mention hereafter.
On the 21st of March the king and all the court left Kom, on their
journey towards Tauris, the baggage being carried by camels and mules.
Each day we hardly exceeded ten or twelve, or at the most twenty Italian
miles, and always stopt at each encampment till the forage in the
neighbourhood was consumed. The Persian mode of travelling is thus: The
women always arrive first at the new camp, where they set up the tents
and cook provisions for their husbands. They are well clothed and ride
upon good horses, which they manage with much dexterity. The Persian
nation is very magnificent, and exceedingly fond of pomp, and shew, and
it is very agreeable to see their march at some distance. They are very
careful of their camels, of which they have great numbers, even the
poorest seldom travelling with less than seven of these animals; by this
means, the prodigious train which attends the court appears to consist of
many more persons than it actually contains. When the king entered
Ecbatana, his suite consisted of about 2000 persons, but many left the
camp on the march, as it suited their fancy or convenience, and the king
never had above 500 horse along with him. The royal tents were
exceedingly beautiful and magnificent, and his bed was ornamented with
scarlet hangings. The merchants who attended the camp sold every thing at
a high price. All of our party were accommodated with tents, as we
belonged to the suite of the king, who often honoured us with an
invitation to supper, and at other times frequently sent us refreshments.
We were always treated with much civility, and never received any
injuries or affronts.
On the 31st of May the king encamped about fifteen miles from Tauris,
when a certain monk of the Boulonnois named Louis, who called himself
patriarch of Antioch, and envoy from the Duke of Burgundy, arrived at the
camp, attended by five horsemen. The king asked if we knew him, and we
accordingly told what we knew without dissimulation. Next day the king
gave him an audience, at which we were present by command. This patriarch
presented to the king three robes of gold tissue, three others of scarlet
silk, and some of fine cloth, and opened his commission, making many
great offers of service from his prince, and many fine promises in very
magnificent terms, which do not appear proper for me to repeat, and which
the king did not seem to care much about. We were all invited to dinner,
during which the king started many questions, to which he gave very
pertinent answers himself. After dinner we returned to our tents.
On the 2d of June we arrived at Tauris, in which place lodgings were
appointed for us. Six days afterwards, Uzun-Hassan sent for the patriarch
and us to court; and although he had three or four times informed me
already that I must prepare to return into Italy, leaving my colleague
Barbaro at his court, I could not reconcile myself to the journey, and
had done every thing in my power to put off my departure. When we went to
court, the king addressed himself first to the patriarch, whom he ordered
to return to his prince, and to say from him, that he, the king, would
very shortly declare war against the Turks, having already taken the
field with that view, and that he never failed in performing his promises.
He then turned to me, saying, "Return to your country, and tell your
masters that I shall very soon make war upon the Ottomans, and desire
them to do their duty as I shall do mine. I know no one better fitted to
carry this message than you, who have accompanied me from Ispahan, and
have seen my preparations; so that you are able to inform the Christian
princes of all that you have seen, and of my good intentions." I offered
several reasons for excusing myself from obeying these commands, which
gave me much vexation; but the king looked at me with a severe expression
of countenance, saying, "It is my pleasure for you to go, and I command
you. I shall give you letters for your masters, which will inform them of
my sentiments and the reasons of your return." In this state of
embarrassment, I was advised by the patriarch and M. Josaphat to comply
with a good grace; on which I replied to the king as follows:
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