nied it in disguise, to have a look at the defences of Tripoli. In
drawing out the terms, the Envoys styled Boemond _Count_, not _Prince_, as
in the letter just quoted. He lost patience at their persistence, and made
a movement which alarmed them. Bibars nudged the Envoy Mohiuddin (who
tells the story) with his foot to give up the point, and the treaty was
made. On their way back the Sultan laughed heartily at their narrow
escape, "sending to the devil all the counts and princes on the face of
the earth."

(_Quatremere's Makrizi_, II. 92-101, and 190 seqq.; _J. As._ ser. I. tom.
xi. p. 89; _D'Ohsson_, III. 459-474; _Marino Sanuto_ in Bongars, 224-226,
etc.)

NOTE 4.--The ruling Master of the Temple was Thomas Berard (1256-1273),
but there is little detail about the Order in the East at this time. They
had, however, considerable possessions and great influence in Cilician
Armenia, and how much they were mixed up in its affairs is shown by a
circumstance related by Makrizi. In 1285, when Sultan Mansur, the
successor of Bundukdar, was besieging the Castle of Markab, there arrived
in Camp the Commander of the Temple (_Kamandur-ul Dewet_) of the Country
of Armenia, charged to negotiate on the part of the King of Sis (i.e. of
Lesser Armenia, Leon III. 1268-1289, successor of Hayton I. 1224-1268),
and bringing presents from him and from the Master of the Temple, Berard's
successor, William de Beaujeu (1273-1291). (III. 201.)--H. Y. and H. C.

CHAPTER XIII.

HOW MESSER NICOLO AND MESSER MAFFEO POLO, ACCOMPANIED BY MARK, TRAVELLED
TO THE COURT OF THE GREAT KAAN.

So the Two Brothers, and Mark along with them, proceeded on their way, and
journeying on, summer and winter, came at length to the Great Kaan, who
was then at a certain rich and great city, called KEMENFU.[NOTE 1] As to
what they met with on the road, whether in going or coming, we shall give
no particulars at present, because we are going to tell you all those
details in regular order in the after part of this Book. Their journey
back to the Kaan occupied a good three years and a half, owing to the bad
weather and severe cold that they encountered. And let me tell you in good
sooth that when the Great Kaan heard that Messers Nicolo and Maffeo Polo
were on their way back, he sent people a journey of full 40 days to meet
them; and on this journey, as on their former one, they were honourably
entertained upon the road, and supplied with all that they required.