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| IIIF Color HighRes |
| The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.1 |
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Citation Information
BOOK I.
CHAPTER I.
HERE THE BOOK BEGINS ; AND FIRST IT SPEAKS OF THE LESSER
HERMENIA.
t
THERE are two Hermenias, the Greater and the Less,
The Lesser Hermenia is governed by a certain King,
who maintains a just rule in his dominions; but is
himself subject to the Tartar.' The country contains
numerous towns and villages, and has everything in
plenty ; moreover, it is a great country for sport in
the chase of all manner of beasts and birds. I t is,
however, by no means a healthy region, but griev-
ously the reverse.' In days of old the nobles there
were valiant men, and did doughty deeds of arms ; but
nowadays they are poor creatures, and good at
nought, unless it be at boozing ; they are great at that.
Howbeit, they have a city upon the sea, which is called
MAYAS, at which there is a great trade. For you must
know that all the spicery, and the cloths of silk and gold,
and the other valuable wares that come from the interior;
are brought to that city. And the merchants of Venice
and Genoa, and other countries, come thither to sell their
goods, and to buy what they lack. And whatsoever per-
sons would travel to the interior (of the East), merchants
or others, they take their way by this city of Layas.4
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