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| The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.1 |
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Citation Information
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MARCO POLO
BOOK II.
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rendered Nayan, who was a Christian and a worshipper
thereof." And such a din arose about the matter that
it reached the Great Kaan's own ears. When it did
so, he sharply rebuked those who cast these gibes at
the Christians ; and he also bade the Christians be of
good heart, " for if the Cross had rendered no help to
Nayan, in that It had done right well ; nor could that
which was good, as It was, have done otherwise ; for
Nayan was a disloyal and traitorous Rebel against his
Lord, and well deserved that which had befallen him.
Wherefore the Cross of your God did well in that It
gave him no help against the right." And this he said
so loud that everybody heard him. The Christians then
replied to the Great Kaan : " Great King, you say the
truth indeed, for our Cross can render no one help in
wrong-doing ; and therefore it was that It aided not
Nayan, who was guilty of crime and disloyalty, for It
would take no part in his evil deeds."
And so thenceforward no more was heard of the
floutings of the unbelievers against the Christians ; for
they heard very well what the Sovereign said to the
latter about the Cross on Nayan's banner, and its
giving him no help.
NOTE t.—Friar Ricold mentions this Tartar maxim : " One Khan will put another to death, to get possession of the throne, but he takes great care that the blood be not spilt. For they say that it is highly improper that the blood of the Great Khan should be spilt upon the ground ; so they cause the victim to be smothered somehow or other." The like feeling prevails at the Court of Burma, where a peculiar mode of execution without bloodshed is reserved for Princes of the Blood. And Kaempfer, relating the conspiracy of Faulcon at the Court of Siam, says that two of the king's brothers, accused of participation, were beaten to death with clubs of sandal-wood, " for the respect entertained for the blood-royal forbids its being shed." See also note 6, ch. vi. Bk. I., on the death of the Khalif Mosta'sim Billah. (Pereg. Qcat. p. 115 ; Mission to Áva, p. 229 ; Kaempfer, I. 19.)
NOTE 2.—CHORCHA is the Manchu country, Niuché of the Chinese. (Supra, note 2, ch. xlvi. Bk. I.) E" Chorcha is Churchin.—Nayan, as vassal of the Mongol khans, had the commission to keep in obedience the people of Manchuria (subdued in 1233), and to care for the security of the country ( Yuen shi) ; there is no doubt that he shared these obligations with his relative Hatan, who stood nearer to the native tribes of Manchuria." (Palladius, 32.)—I-I. C.]
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