IIIF Color HighRes
National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
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| IIIF Color HighRes |
| Marco Polo : vol.1 |
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Citation Information
I 74. THE GREAT RICHES OF SENDERBANDI DEVAR ,MARCO POLO
cord there are one hundred and four' between very large and fair pearls and very good VB rubies which are of very great value, just as our ladies wear paternosters. I will tell you z the reason why there are one hundred and four stones and pearls upon that' cord. You may know truly that he wears those one hundred and four stones because it is right for him every day morning and evening to say one hundred and four
prayers to the honour of his idols or god, and thus their faith commands and their
V z custom, and thus do all the other kings his ancestors observe the same manner and leave to this one that he must do it. [79a] And this is the reason why the king z R wears those one hundred and four stones on the neck. The prayer indeed • which they z R Z say every day . is this, panca, panca, pacauca,3 • & they say it one hundred and four times, • and other thing they do not say . And again I tell you that the king wears also in three places on the arm bracelets of gold all full of costliest stones and pearls very large and of great value. And again you may know that this king wears on the legs likewise z in three places bracelets of gold all covered with very dear pearls and precious
stones. And on all the fingers and toes both of the hands and of the feet I tell you' again that this king wears beautiful pearls and other stones so that it is a marvel to see. And what shall I tell you about it ? You may know quite truly that this king wears
every day so many stones and so many pearls that they are well worth more than a good city; and there is none who could say nor tell the great sum which those which the king wears are worth. And it is no wonder if he has so many of them as
I have told you, because I tell you that those dear stones and pearls are all found in his kingdom. Moreover I tell you another thing that no man can take out of his kingdom any large stone and dear nor any pearl which weighs from half a saggio FA upward, unless one finds them and takes them out secretly . And he does this because he wishes FB to have them all for himself. And indeed it is true that the king sends and has his ban z cried several times yearly through all his kingdom commanding that all those who have beautiful pearls and good stones must bring them to the court; and that he will have twice as much as they cost them given to them. And it is the custom of the
kingdom to give the double [79b] of that which all the good stones cost[or]of
that which they could have from others. And so the merchants and all the other people, z V when they have any of those good stones and pearls, take them very gladly to the court because they are well paid. Now this is the reason why this king has so
1 G, VA: 114 LT: "about 400"
2 tel But probably read cd Z: illa
3 R: Pacauca, Pacauca, Pacauca See PN.
4 Et apres uoç di for Et a pies uoç di B. keeps ares and adds es dois des pie copied from aux doit des pie& which FG has in a different sentence.
384
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