The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.2 / Page 395 (Color Image)

0395	The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.2

CHAP. XVII. THE PROVINCE OF MAABAR

339

found in his kingdom. Moreover nobody is permitted

to take out of the kingdom a pearl weighing more than

half a saggio, unless he manages to do it secretly.' This

order has been given because the King desires to

reserve all such to himself ; and so in fact the quantity

he has is something almost incredible. Moreover

several times every year he sends his proclamation

through the realm that if any one who possesses a pearl

or stone of great value will bring it to him, he will pay

for it twice as much as it Lost. Everybody is glad to do

this, and thus the King gets all into his own hands,

giving every man his price. •

Furthermore, this King hath some five hundred

wives, for whenever he hears of a beautiful damsel he

takes her to wife. Indeed he did a very sorry deed as I

shall tell you. For seeing that his brother had a

handsome wife, he took her by force and kept her for

himself. His brother, being a discreet man, took the

thing quietly and made no noise about it. The King

bath many children.

And there are about the King a number of Barons

in attendance upon him. These ride with him, and

keep always near him, and have great authority in

the kingdom ; they are called the King's Trusty Lieges.

And you must know that when the King dies, and they

put him on the fire to burn him, these Lieges cast them-

selves into the fire round about his body, and suffer

themselves to be burnt along with him. For they say

they have been his comrades in this world, and that

they ought also to keep him company in the other

world.5

When the King dies none of his children dares

to touch his treasure. For they say, " as our father did

gather together all this treasure, so we ought to

accumulate as much in our turn." And in this way it

VOL. II, Y 2

•

National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
Digital Archive of Toyo Bunko Rare Books