great store of all
birds, and wilde beasts. And therefore when the great Can will solace
himselfe with hunting or hauking, he needs not so much as once to step
forth of his palace. Moreouer, the principall palace, wherein he maketh his
abode, is very large, hauing within it 14 pillers of golde, and all the
walles thereof are hanged with red skinnes, which are sayd to be the most
costly skinnes in all the world. In the midst of the palace standes a
cisterne of two yards high, which consisteth of a precious stone called
Merdochas, and is wreathed about with golde, and at ech corner thereof is
the golden image of a serpent, as it were, furiously shaking and casting
forth his head. This cisterne also hath a kind of networke of pearle
wrought about it. Likewise by the sayd cisterne there is drinke conueyed
thorow certeine pipes and conducts, such as vseth to be drunke in the
emperors court, vpon the which also there hang many vessels of golde,
wherein, whosoeuer will may drinke of the sayd licour. In the foresayd
palace there are many peacocks of golde: and when any Tartar maketh a
banquet vnto his lord, if the guests chance to clap their hands for ioy and
mirth, the sayd golden peacocks also will spread abroad their wings, and
lift vp their traines, seeming as if they danced: and this I suppose to be
done by arte magike or by some secret engine vnder the ground.

Of the glory and magnificence of the great Can.

Moreouer, when the great emperor Can sitteth in his imperiall throne of
estate, on his left hand sitteth his queene or empresse, and vpon another
inferior seate there sit two other women, which are to accompany the
emperor, when his spouse is absent, but in the lowest place of all, there
sit all the ladies of his kindred. All the maried women weare vpon their
heads a kind of ornament in shape like vnto a mans foote, of a cubite and a
halfe in length, and the lower part of the sayd foote is adorned with
cranes feathers, and is all ouer thicke set with great and orient pearles.
Vpon the right hand of the great Can sitteth his first begotten sonne and
heire apparent vnto his empire, and vnder him sit all the nobles of the
blood royall. There bee also foure Secretaries, which put all things in
writing that the emperor speaketh. In whose presence likewise stand his
Barons and diuers others of his nobilitie, with great traines of folowers
after them, of whom none dare speake so much as one word, vnlease they haue
obtain