not hold the whole of them, big as it is.]

As regards the size of this (new) city you must know that it has a compass
of 24 miles, for each side of it hath a length of 6 miles, and it is
four-square. And it is all walled round with walls of earth which have a
thickness of full ten paces at bottom, and a height of more than 10
paces;[NOTE 3] but they are not so thick at top, for they diminish in
thickness as they rise, so that at top they are only about 3 paces thick.
And they are provided throughout with loop-holed battlements, which are
all whitewashed.

There are 12 gates, and over each gate there is a great and handsome
palace, so that there are on each side of the square three gates and five
palaces; for (I ought to mention) there is at each angle also a great and
handsome palace. In those palaces are vast halls in which are kept the
arms of the city garrison.[NOTE 4]

The streets are so straight and wide that you can see right along them
from end to end and from one gate to the other. And up and down the city
there are beautiful palaces, and many great and fine hostelries, and fine
houses in great numbers. [All the plots of ground on which the houses of
the city are built are four-square, and laid out with straight lines; all
the plots being occupied by great and spacious palaces, with courts and
gardens of proportionate size. All these plots were assigned to different
heads of families. Each square plot is encompassed by handsome streets for
traffic; and thus the whole city is arranged in squares just like a
chess-board, and disposed in a manner so perfect and masterly that it is
impossible to give a description that should do it justice.][NOTE 5]

Moreover, in the middle of the city there is a great clock--that is to
say, a bell--which is struck at night. And after it has struck three times
no one must go out in the city, unless it be for the needs of a woman in
labour, or of the sick.[NOTE 6] And those who go about on such errands are
bound to carry lanterns with them. Moreover, the established guard at each
gate of the city is 1000 armed men; not that you are to imagine this guard
is kept up for fear of any attack, but only as a guard of honour for the
Sovereign, who resides there, and to prevent thieves from doing mischief
in the town.[NOTE 7]

NOTE 1.-- + The history of the city on the site of Peking goes back to
very old times, for it had been [under the name of _Ki_] the capital of
the kingdom of Yen