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| The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.1 |
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Citation Information
CHAP. XXVII. HOW THE KAAN HELPS ITIS PEOPLE
439
CHAPTER XXVII.
How THE EMPEROR BESTOWS HELP ON IlIS PEOPLE, WHEN THEY ARE AFFLICTED WITH DEARTH OR MURRAIN.
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Now you must know that the Emperor sends his
Messengers over all his Lands and Kingdoms and
Provinces, to ascertain from his officers if the people are
afflicted by any dearth through unfavourable seasons, or
storms or locusts, or other like calamity ; and from those
who have suffered in this way no taxes are exacted for
that year ; nay more, he causes them to be supplied
with corn of his own for food and seed. Now this is
undoubtedly a great bounty on his part. And when
winter comes, he causes inquiry to be made as to those
who have lost their cattle, whether by murrain or other
mishap, and such persons not only go scot free, but get
presents of cattle. And thus, as I tell you, the Lord
every year helps and fosters the people subject to him.
[There is another trait of the Great Kaan I should
tell you ; and that is, that if a chance shot from his bow
strike any herd or flock, whether belonging to one person
or to many, and however big the flock may be, he takes
no tithe thereof for three years. In like manner, if the
arrow strike a boat full of goods, that boat-load pays no
duty ; for it is thought unlucky that an arrow strike any
one's property ; and the Great Kaan says it would be an
abomination before God, were such property, that has
been struck by the divine wrath, to enter into his
Treasury.']
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NOTE I.—The Chinese author already quoted as to Kúblái's character (Note 2, eh. xxiii. supra) says : " This Prince, at the sight of some evil prognostic, or when there was dearth, would remit taxation, and cause grain to be distributed to those who were in destitution. He would often complain that there never lacked informers if balances were due, or if corvées had been ordered, but when the necessities of the people required to be reported, not a word was said."
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