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| The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.1 |
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Citation Information
CHAP. XV. MARK SENT ON AN EMBASSY
2
7
NOTE I.— c c, f 0el i ll e BachelCr.' ~
NOTE 2. Sire, il est mon fil:, et vostre homme." The last word in the sense
which gives us the word homage. Thus in the miracle play of Theophilus (13th century), the Devil says to Theophilus :—
" Or joing
Tes mains, et si devien mes hom. l'lieo ph. Vez ci que je vous faz hommage."
•
So iizfi a (Bk. I. ch. xlvii.) Aung Khan is made to say of Chinghiz : "Il est mon homes et mon serf." (See also Bk. II. ch. iv. note.) St. Lewis said of the peace he had made with Henry III. : " Il m'est mont grant honneur en la paix que je foiz au Roy d'Angleterre pour ce qu'il est mon home, ce que n'estoit pas devant." And Joinville says with regard to the king, " Je ne voz faire point de serement, car je n'estoie pas son home" (being a vassal of Champagne). A famous Saturday Reviewer quotes the term applied to a lady : " Fddeva puella homo Stz;aizdi Archiepiscopi.'.' ( Thécrtre Français au Moyen A,,e, p. 145 ; Joinville, pp. 2r, J7 ; S. R., 6th September, 1873, p. 305.)
CHAPTER XV.
How THE EMPEROR SENT MARK ON AN EMBASSY OF' HIS.
Now it carne to pass that Marco, the son of Messer
Nicolo, sped wondrously in learning the customs of the
Tartars, as well as their language, their manner of
writing, and their practice of war ; in fact he came in
brief space to know several languages, and four sundry
written characters. And he was discreet and prudent
in every way, insomuch that the Emperor held him in
great esteem.' And so when he discerned Mark to
have so much sense, and to conduct himself so well
and beseerningly, he sent him on an ambassage of his, to
a country which was a good six months' journey distant.2
The young gallant executed his commission well and
with discretion. Now he had taken note on several
occasions that when the Prince's ambassadors returned
from different parts of the world, they were able to tell
him about nothing except the business on which they
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