ABSTRACT
Every year that emperor keepeth four great feasts, to wit, the day of his birth, that of his circumcision 1 , and so forth 2 . To these festivals he summons all his barons and all his players, and all his kinsfolk ; and all these have their established places at the festival. But it is especially at the days of his birth and circumcision that he expects all to attend. And when summoned to such a festival all the barons come with their coronets on, whilst the emperor is seated on his throne as has been described above, and all the barons are ranged in order in their appointed places. Now these barons are arrayed in divers colours ; for some, who are the first in order, wear green silk ; the second are clothed in crimson : the third in yellow. And all these have coronets on their heads, and each holds in his hand a white ivory tablet 3 and wears a golden girdle of half a span in 238breadth; and so they remain standing and silent. And round about them stand the players with their banners and ensigns. And in one corner of a certain great palace abide the philosophers, who keep watch for certain hours and conjunctions 1 ; and when the hour and conjunction waited for by the philosophers arrives, one of them calls out with a loud voice, saying: “ Prostrate yourselves before the emperor 2 our mighty lord !” And immediately all the barons touch the ground three times with their heads. Then he will call out again : “ Rise all of you ! ” and immediately they get up again. And then they wait for another auspicious moment, and when it comes he will shout out again: “Put your fingers in your ears ! ” and so they do. And then: “ Take them out”: and they obey. And then they will abide awhile, and then he will say: “ Bolt meal 3 !” and so they go on with a number of other such words of command, which they allege to have a deep import. And there be also many officers to look diligently that none of the barons or of the players are absent. For any one of them who should absent himself 239would incur heavy penalties. And when the proper hour and moment for the players comes, then the philosophers say: “ Make an entertainment for the lord!” and incontinently they all begin to play on their instruments of every kind, with such a clamour of music and song that ’tis enough to stun you. Then a voice is heard saying: “ Silence all !” and they all cease. And after this all those of the famous princely families parade with white horses. And a voice is heard calling: “ Such an one of such a family to present so many hundreds of white horses to the lord” ; and then some of them come forward saying that they bring two hundred horses (say) to offer to the lord, which are ready before the palace. And ’tis something incredible the number of white horses which are presented to the lord on such an occasion 1 . And then come barons to offer presents of different kinds on behalf of the other barons of the empire ; and all the superiors of the monasteries likewise come with presents to the Khan, and are in duty bound to give him their benison. And this also do we Minor Friars. And when all this ceremony has been gone through, then come certain singing men before him, and also certain singing women who sing so sweetly that it is quite delightful to listen to them [and this pleased me most of all 2 ]. Then come mummers leading lions whom they cause to salute the lord with a reverence 3 . And jugglers cause cups of gold full of good wine to fly through the air and offer themselves to the lips of all who list to drink of it 4 . Such things and many more are done in that lord’s presence. And any account that one can give of the magnificence of that lord, and of the things that are done in his court must seem incredible to those who have not witnessed it.
