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| The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.2 |
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Citation Information
428
MARCO POLO BOOK III.
•
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preached in this region, and after he had converted the
people he went away to the province of Maabar, where
he died ; and there his body lies, as I have told you in a
former place.
The people here are excellent soldiers, and they go
on horseback, for they have horses in plenty. Well they
may ; for they are in daily war with the Soldan of ADEN,
and with the Nubians, and a variety of other nations.'
I will tell you a famous story of what befel in the year of
Christ, 1288.
You must know that this Christian King, who is the
Lord of the Province of Abash, declared his intention to
go on pilgrimage to Jerusalem to adore the Holy
Sepulchre of Our Lord God Jesus Christ the Saviour.
But his Barons said that for him to go in person would
be to run too great a risk ; and they recommended him
to send some bishop or prelate in his stead. So the
King assented to the counsel which his Barons gave, and
despatched a certain Bishop of his, a man of very holy
life. The Bishop then departed and travelled by land
and by sea till he arrived at the Holy Sepulchre, and
there he paid it such honour as Christian man is bound
to do, and presented a great offering on the part of his
King who had sent him in his own stead.
And when he had done all that behoved him, he set
out again and travelled day by day till he got to Aden.
Now that is a Kingdom wherein Christians are held in
great detestation, for the people are all Saracens, and
their enemies unto the death. So when the Soldan of
Aden heard that this man was a Christian and a Bishop,
and an envoy of the Great King of Abash, he had him
seized and demanded of him if he were a Christian ?
To this the Bishop replied that he was a Christian indeed.
The Soldan then told him that unless he would turn to
the Law of Mahommet he should work him great shame
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