The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.1 / Page 328 (Color Image)

0328	The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.1

a 2 MARCO POLO PRoL.

They applied to him several times for leave to go,

presenting their request with great respect, but he had

such a partiality for them, and liked so much to have

them about him, that nothing on earth would persuade

him to let them go.

Now it came to pass in those days that the Queen

BOLGANA, wife of ARGON, Lord of the Levant, departed

this life. And in her Will she had desired that no Lady

should take her place, or succeed her as Argon's wife,

except one of her own family [which existed in Cathay].

Argon therefore despatched three of his Barons, by

name respectively OULATAY, APUSCA, and CojA, as

ambassadors to the Great Kaan, attended by a very

gallant company, in order to bring back as his bride a

lady of the family of Oueen Bolgana, his late wife.'

When these three Barons had reached the Court of

the Great Kaali, they delivered their message, explaining

wherefore they were come. The Kaan received them

with all honour and hospitality, and then sent for a lady

whose name was COCACHIN, who was of the family of

the deceased Queen Bolgana. She was a maiden of

17, a very beautiful and charming person, and on her

arrival at Court she was presented to the three Barons

as the Lady chosen in compliance with their demand.

They declared that the Lady pleased them well.3

Meanwhile Messer Marco chanced to return from

India, whither he had gone as the Lord's ambassador,

and made his report of all the differeni things that he

had seen in his travels, and of the sundry seas over

which he had voyaged. And the three Barons, having

seen that Messer Nicolo, Messer Maffeo, and Messer

Marco were not only Latins, but men of marvellous

good sense withal, took thought among themselves to

get the three to travel with them, their intention being

to return to their country by sea, on account of the

National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
Digital Archive of Toyo Bunko Rare Books