IIIF Color HighRes
National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
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| IIIF Color HighRes |
| Cathay and the Way Thither : vol.1 |
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Citation Information
OF MISSIONARY FRIARS. 245
city of Cassay' there be yet more, for its people is greater in number, seeing that it is a city of very great trade. And to this city all the traders of the country come to trade ; and greatly it aboundeth in all manner of merchandize. And the Saracens2 aforesaid do very diligently guard the said cities by night and by day.
5. Concerning the money which is current in the said realm.
The Grand Caan there maketh money of paper. And this hath a red token right in. the middle, and round about there be letters in black. And this money is of greater or of less value according to the token that is thereon ; one is worth a groat3 and another is worth a denier ; and so some are worth more and some less. And they fix the value of their money of gold and silver with reference to their paper money.4
You find in this country a greater variety of merchandize than in the territories of Rome or of Paris. They have great store of gold and silver and of precious stones. For when any merchants from foreign parts come thither to trade, they leave there their gold and silver and precious stones, and they carry away the products of the country ; spices, silk, cloths of silk and cloths of gold, of which they find great quantities for sale here.
The emperor above mentioned hath very great treasuries ; indeed it is a marvel to see them ; and these are for this paper money. And when the said paper money is too old
1 The Cansay of Odoric, etc., q. v. Pegolotti also calls it Cassay.
2 There are no Saracens mentioned before. But the word translated soldiers is "servans," which perhaps was "Sarazins." Or vice verso,, the Sarazins in the second passage should be servans.
3 Maille."
' The phrase is avalicent leur monnoie dor et dargent d, leur monnoie
de pappier, which Jacquet explains as in the text. The explanation does not seem very satisfactory, and the statement certainly is not true.
4.7
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