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| The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.1 |
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Citation Information
444
MARCO POLO 1300K II.
the corn is at one bezant the measure, he lets them have
it at a bezant for four measures, or at whatever price will
produce general cheapness ; and every one can have food
in this way. And by this providence of the Emperor's,
his people can never suffer from dearth. He does the
same over his whole Empire ; causing these supplies to
be stored everywhere, according to calculation of the
wants and necessities of the people.
NOTE I.—" Le fait si bien estuier que il dure bien trois ans ou quatre" (Pauthier) : "si bien estudier " (G. T. ). The word may be estiver (It. stivare), to stow, but I half suspect it should be estuver in the sense of " kiln-dry," though both the Geog. Latin and the Crusca render it gubernare. * Lecomte says : " Rice is always stored in the public granaries for three or four years in advance. It keeps long if care be taken to air it and stir it about ; and although not so good to the taste or look as new rice, it is said to be more wholesome."
The Archbishop of Soltania (A.D. 1330) speaks of these stores. "The said Emperor is very pitiful and compassionate. . . . and so when there is a dearth in the land he openeth his garners, and giveth forth of his wheat and his rice for half what others are selling it at." Kúblái Kaan's measures of this kind are recorded in the annals of the Dynasty, as quoted by Pauthier. The same practice is ascribed to the sovereigns of the T'ang Dynasty by the old Arab Relations. In later days a missionary gives in the Lettres Edantes an unfavourable account of the action of these public granaries, and of the rascality that occurred in connection with them. (Lecomte, H. tot ; Cathay, 240 ; Relat. I. 39 ; Let. Ed. xxiv. 76. )
[The Yuen-shi in ch. 96 contains sections on dispensaries (Hui min yao kü), granary regulations (Shi ti), and regulations for a time of dearth (Chen Sü). (Bretsclineider, Med. Res. I. p. 187.)—H. C.]
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CHAPTER XXXII.
OF THE CHARITY OF THE EMPEROR TO THE POOR.
I HAVE told you how the Great Kaan provides for the
distribution of necessaries to his people in time of
dearth, by making store in time of cheapness. . Now I
will tell you of his alms and great charity to the poor
of his city of Cambaluc.
~f l Idol
* Marsden observes incidentally (Hint. of Sumatra, Ist edition, p. 71) that he was told in Bengal they used to dry-kiln the rice for exportation, " owing to which, or to some other process, it will continue good for several years."
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