preyen and ordeynen, that zee ben oure lord and oure emperour. And thanne
he answerethe, zif yee wile, that I regne over zou, as lord, do eyeryche of
zou, that I schalle commanden him, outher to abyde or to go; and whom
soever that I commaunde to ben slayn, that anon he be slayn. And thei
answeren alle with o voys, what so evere zee commanden, it schalle be don.
Thanne seythe the emperour, now undirstondethe wel, that my woord from hens
forthe, is scharp and bytynge as a swerd. After men setten him upon a blak
stede, and so men bryngen him to a cheyere fulle richely arrayed, and there
thei crownen hym. And thanne alle the cytees and gode townes senden hym
ryche presentes; so that at that iourneye, he schalle have more than 60
chariottes charged with gold and sylver, with outen jewelles of gold and
precyouse stones, that lordes zeven hym, that ben withouten estymacioun:
and with outen hors and clothes of gold and of Camakaas and Tartarynes,
that ben with outen nombre.


Of the Roialme of Thurse and the Londes and Kyngdomes towardes the
Septentrionale parties, in comynge down from the Lond of Cathay.

This lond of Cathay is in Asye the depe. And aftre, on this half, is
Asyetthe more. The kyngdom of Cathay marchethe toward the west, unto the
kyngdom of Tharse; the whiche was on of the kinges, that cam to presente
our Lord in Betheleem. And thei that ben of the lynage of that kyng, arn
somme Cristene. In Tharse, thei eten no flessche, ne thei drynken no wyn.
And on this half, towardes the west, is the kyngdom of Turquesten, that
strecchethe him toward the west, to the kyngdom of Persie; and toward the
Septrentionalle, to the kyngdom of Chorasme. In the contre of Turquesten,
ben but fewe gode cytees: but the beste cytee of that lond highte Octorar.
There ben grete pastures; but fewe Coornes; and therfore, for the most
partie, thei ben alle herdemen: and thei lyzn in tentes, and thei drynken a