aan's ambassador to Hulaku, returned from
Persia in the year that the latter prince died. It may have been his party
that the Venetians joined, for the year almost certainly was the same,
viz. 1265. If so, another of the party was Bayan, afterwards the greatest
of Kublai's captains, and much celebrated in the sequel of this book. (See
_Erdmann's Temudschin_, p. 214.)

Marsden justly notes that Marco habitually speaks of _Latins_, never of
_Franks_. Yet I suspect his own mental expression was _Farangi_.

CHAPTER IV.

HOW THE TWO BROTHERS TOOK THE ENVOYS' COUNSEL, AND WENT TO THE COURT OF
THE GREAT KAAN.

So when the Two Brothers had made their arrangements, they set out on
their travels, in company with the Envoys, and journeyed for a whole year,
going northward and north-eastward, before they reached the Court of that
Prince. And on their journey they saw many marvels of divers and sundry
kinds, but of these we shall say nothing at present, because Messer Mark,
who has likewise seen them all, will give you a full account of them in
the Book which follows.

CHAPTER V.

HOW THE TWO BROTHERS ARRIVED AT THE COURT OF THE GREAT KAAN.

When the Two Brothers got to the Great Kaan, he received them with great
honour and hospitality, and showed much pleasure at their visit, asking
them a great number of questions. First, he asked about the emperors, how
they maintained their dignity, and administered justice in their
dominions; and how they went forth to battle, and so forth. And then he
asked the like questions about the kings and princes and other potentates.

CHAPTER VI.

HOW THE GREAT KAAN ASKED ALL ABOUT THE MANNERS OF THE CHRISTIANS, AND
PARTICULARLY ABOUT THE POPE OF ROME.

And then he inquired about the Pope and the Church, and about all that is
done at Rome, and all the customs of the Latins. And the Two Brothers told
him the truth in all its particulars, with order and good sense, like
sensible men as they were; and this they were able to do as they knew the
Tartar language well.[NOTE 1]

NOTE 1.--The word generally used for Pope in the original is _Apostoille_
(_Apostolicus_), the usual French expression of that age.

It is remarkable that for the most part the text edited by Pauthier has
the correcter Oriental form _Tatar_, instead of the usual _Tartar_.
_Tattar_ is the word used by Yvo of Narbonne, in the curious letter given
by Matthew Paris under 1243.

We are often told th