THE DESCRIPTION OF THE WORLD SOGATU INVADES CIAMBA • 16 2 •
very great age and also, having no fear of war nor expecting that so great an army should vB come into his land, had not so great force of armed men as were those of the great Kaan, was unable to defend himself in open battle but, withdrawing with his people, z manfully defended himself in the islands and in the cities and in castles which were FB very strong so that they had fear of none there. But all the dwellings about the plains z and the hamlets and trees were ravaged and destroyed by them outside. And when this P FB king sees that this man was going ravaging and destroying all his kingdom for him like FB this he has great grief at it . He takes his messengers immediately and sends them to the great Kaan with such a courteous and civil message as you shall hear. The messengers vs hasten until they were come to the great Kaan and said to him on behalf of the king FB of Ciamba thus, Sir, our master the king of Ciamba salutes you as his liege lord and FB sends you word that he [74c] is a man of great age and has little time to live and VB would wish leave to end his days in peace, and that he has kept his kingdom a long time in great peace & quietness, and that the destruction of his kingdom was grievous to him, and he FB Z sends you word by us that he is willing to be your man and is willing to give you FB elephants and much lign aloes in honourable fashion each year for tribute, as many as z FB shall please you, and he prays you gently and cries to you for mercy that you make your baron and your other people who destroy his kingdom destroy it no more, and FB FB depart from his land, which shall be immediately at your command as yours, and he will FB hold it of you. Then the messenger is silent that he says no more. And when the great Kaan had heard what this old king sends to him he has very great pity on him. FB And he sends word immediately to his baron, the aforesaid Sogatu, and to his people FB z that they should leave that kingdom and that they should go elsewhere to conquer land. And they do the commandment of their lord, for they departed immediately and go elsewhere. And thenceforward this king gives twenty' elephants the most z beautiful and the largest that he can find in all his land and lign aloes in great quantity FB Z to the great Kaan for tribute each year. And in such way as you have heard did this z king become a vassal of the great Kaan and paid and still pays him tribute of elephants FB FB according as you have heard. Now we will leave telling you this and will tell you FB of the affairs of the king of Ciamba and of his land. Now you may know that this FB VB country has this custom and order that in this kingdom no beautiful girl can be married unless he has seen her first. And if she pleases him then he takes her to wife with VB the others, and if she does not please him he gives her leave to be married and money vs according to her need so that she may be taken by a husband honourably according to her VB Z
probably right in thinking that this name is merely a misreading of roi a cianban e. cf. PN. 1 V: diexe
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