CHAPTER XIV.

HOW MESSER NICOLO AND MESSER MAFFEO POLO AND MARCO

PRESENTED THEMSELVES BEFORE THE GREAT KAAN.

And what shall I tell you? when the Two Brothers and Mark had arrived

at that great city, they went to the Imperial Palace, and there they

found the Sovereign attended by a great company of Barons. So they

bent the knee before him, and paid their respects to him, with all

possible reverence [prostrating themselves on the ground]. Then the

Lord bade them stand up, and treated them with great honour, showing

great pleasure at their coming, and asked many questions as to their

welfare, and how they had sped. They replied that they had in verity

sped well, seeing that they found the Kaan well and safe. Then they

presented the credentials and letters which they had received from

the Pope, which pleased him right well; and after that they produced

the Oil from the Sepulchre, and at that also he was very glad, for he

set great store thereby. And next, spying Mark, who was then a young

gallant,{1} he asked who was that in their company? “Sire,” said his

father, Messer Nicolo, “’tis my son and your liegeman.”{2} “Welcome is

he too,” quoth the Emperor. And why should I make a long story? There

was great rejoicing at the Court because of their arrival; and they met

with attention and honour from everybody.

So there they abode at the Court with the other Barons.

NOTE 1.—“_Joenne Bacheler_.”

NOTE 2.—“_Sire, il est mon filz et vostre_ homme.” The last word

in the sense which gives us the word _homage_. Thus in the miracle

play of Theophilus (13th century), the Devil says to Theophilus:—

“Or joing

Tes mains, et si devien _mes hom_.

_Theoph._ Vez ci que je vous faz _hommage_.”

So _infra_ (Bk. I. ch. xlvii.) Aung Khan is made to say of Chinghiz:

“_Il est_ mon homes _et mon serf_.” (See also Bk. II. ch. iv.

note.) St. Lewis said of the peace he had made with Henry III.: “Il

m’est mout grant honneur en la paix que je foiz au Roy d’Angleterre

pour ce qu’il est _mon home_, ce que n’estoit pas devant.” And

Joinville says with regard to the king, “Je ne voz faire point

de serement, car je n’estoie pas _son home_” (being a vassal of

Champagne). A famous Saturday Reviewer quotes the term applied to

a lady: “_Eddeva puella_ homo _Stigandi Archiepiscopi_.” (_Théâtre

Français au Moyen Age_, p. 145; _Joinville_, pp. 21, 37; _S. R._,

6th September, 1873, p. 305.)