ir ancient customs, the Tartars gave
no alms, and were in use to upbraid those who were in poverty, as hated of
God. But the priests of the idolaters, especially those who have been
formerly mentioned under the name of Bachsi, have convinced the khan that
charity is a good work, and an acceptable service to God; so that in his
court food and raiment are never denied to those who ask, and there is no
day in which there is less than the value of 20,000 crowns distributed in
acts of charily, particularly in rice, millet, and panik; by which
extensive benevolence the khan is esteemed as a god among his subjects.

There are in Cambalu about five thousand astrologers and diviners,
Christians, Mahometans, and Kathayans, all of whom are provided yearly by
the khan in food and raiment. These have an Astrolabe, on which all the
signs of the planets are marked, together with the hours, and most minute
subdivisions of the whole year. By this instrument, these astrologers, each
religion apart, observe the course of the year, according to every moon,
noting the prognostications of the weather, yet always referring to God, to
do as they predict or otherwise, according to his pleasure. They write down
upon square tablets, called _Tacuini_, all those things which are to fall
out during the year, which they sell to any who will purchase; and those
who are most fortunate in their predictions are held in the highest honour.
If any one intends to commence an important labour, or to undertake a
distant journey, and is anxious to be certified of the event, he has
recourse to the astrologers to read, as they pretend, his destiny in the
heavens, for this purpose, being instructed in the precise date of birth of
the person consulting them, they calculate the present aspect of the
constellation which ruled at his birth, and foretel that good or evil will
flow from his intentions. The Tartars compute time by cycles of twelve
lunar years; calling the first of each series the year of the lion; the
second of the ox; the third of the dragon; the fourth of the dog; and so on
through the whole twelve, and when these are gone through, they begin the
series anew. Thus, if a man is asked when he was born, he answers that it
was on such a division of such an hour, day, and moon, in the year of the
lion, ox, or so forth. All this their fathers set down exactly in a book.

It has been already said that the Tartars are idolaters. Each man of any
consequence has