h, he leapt from his bed and prostrated himself before the cross,
striking the ground with his forehead, then rising and kissing the cross,
he caused it to be placed on a new cloth, in a high place, very reverently.
He has a tutor, named David, to instruct him, who is a Nestorian priest and
a great drunkard. The prince gave drink to the priests, and he drank
himself, after the priests had blessed his cup. From him we went to the
court of Cota, the khans second lady, who is an idolater, and whom we found
very sick; yet the Armenian monk made her rise from bed and adore the cross
on her knees, with many ceremonies. We then went to the third court, in
which a Christian lady formerly resided; but on her death, she was
succeeded by a young woman, who, with the khans daughter, joyfully received
us, and worshipped the cross with great reverence. We went then into the
house of the young lady Cerina, behind the third court, which had formerly
belonged to her mother, who likewise worshipped the cross with great
devotion. We next went into the court of the fourth and last lady, whose
house was very old, but the khan gave her a new house and new chariots
after Easter. This lady was an idolater, yet she worshipped the cross,
according to the directions of the monk and priests. From that place we
returned to our oratory, the monks accompanying us with great howlings and
outcries in their drunkenness, as they had been plentifully supplied with
drink at every visit; but this is not considered as blameable or unseemly,
either in man or woman in these parts.

[1] Caten signifies _lady_ and Cotata was her particular name.--Harris.

SECTION XXXV.

_Of a great Cure performed by the Armenian monk Sergius, on one of the
Wives of Mangu-khan_.

Sometime after the lady Cota was sick almost to death, and the divination
by lot of the idolaters did her no good. Mangu-khan then sent for the monk,
who indiscreetly engaged to cure her on the forfeiture of his head. On
this, the monk sent for us, and entreated us, with tears, to watch and pray
all night along with him, which we did. He took of a certain root called
rhubarb, which he beat to powder and put among water, along with a little
crucifix, and he used to give of that water to all sick persons, which
griped them by reason of its bitterness, and which they attributed to a
miracle. I proposed to prepare some holy water, according to the rites of
the church of Rome, which hath great power t