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0755 The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.1
マルコ=ポーロ卿の記録 : vol.1
The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.1 / 755 ページ(カラー画像)

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doi: 10.20676/00000269
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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.

~

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.']

~

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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