The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.1 / Page 708 (Color Image)

0708	The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.1

394 MARCO POLO Boot( II.

CHAPTER XVI.

CONCERNING THE TWELVE THOUSAND BARONS WHO RECEIVE ROBES OF CLOTH OF GOLD FROM THE EMPEROR ON THE GREAT FESTIVALS, THIRTEEN CHANGES A-PIECE.

Now you must know that the Great Kaan bath set

apart 12,000 of his men who are distinguished by the

name of Iieshican, as I have told you before ; and on

each of these 12,000 Barons he bestows thirteen changes

of raiment, which are all different from one another : I

mean that in one set the i 2,000 are all of one colour ;

the next 12,000 of another colour, and so on ; so that

they are of thirteen different colours. These robes are

garnished with gems and pearls and other precious

things in a very rich and costly manner.' And along

with each of these changes of raiment, i.e. 13 times in

the year, hè bestows on each of those 12,000 Barons a

fine golden girdle of great richness and value, and like-

wise a pair of boots of Camul, that is to say of Borgal,

curiously wrought with silver thread ; insomuch that

when they are clothed in these dresses every man of

them looks like a king ! `' And there is an established

order as to which dress is to be worn at each of those

thirteen feasts. The Emperor himself also has his

thirteen suits corresponding to those of his Barons ; in

colour, I mean (though his are grander, richer, and

costlier), so that he is always arrayed in the same colour

as his Barons, who are, as it were, his comrades. And

you may see that all this costs an amount which it is

scarcely possible to calculate.

Now I have told you of the thirteen changes of

raiment received from the Prince by those 12,000 Barons,

amounting in all to 156,000 suits of so great cost and

value, to say nothing of the girdles and the boots which

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