enth century,
Pope Clement V. erected at Peking an archbishopric, in favour of Jean de
Montcorvin, a Franciscan missionary who preached the Gospel to the
Tartars for forty-two years; he translated into the Mongol language the
New Testament and the Psalms of David, and left at his death a very
flourishing Christendom. We find on this subject some curious details in
"Le Livre de l'Estat du Grant Caan" {259} (The book of the State of the
Grand Khan), extracted from a manuscript of the National Library, and
published in the "Nouveau Journal Asiatique" (vol. vi.), by M. Jacquet, a
learned orientalist. We conceive that it may be acceptable to quote a
few passages from this production.

OF THE MINORITES WHO DWELL IN THIS COUNTRY OF CATHAY (CHINA).

"In the said city of Cambalech was an archbishop, who was called Brother
John of Mount Curvin, of the order of Minorites, and he was legate there
for Pope Clement V. This archbishop erected in that city aforesaid,
three houses of Minorites, and they are two leagues distant from one
another. He likewise instituted two others in the city of Racon, which
is a long distance from Cambalech, being a journey of three months, and
it is on the sea coast; and in these two places were put two Minorites as
bishops. The one was named Brother Andrew of Paris, and the other,
Brother Peter of Florence. These brothers, and John the Archbishop,
converted many persons to the faith of Jesus Christ. He is a man of
irreproachable life, agreeable to God and the world, and very much in the
Emperor's favour. The Emperor provided him and all his people with all
things necessary, and he was much beloved by both Christians and Pagans;
and he certainly would have converted all that country to the Christian
and Catholic faith, if the false and misbelieving Nestorian Christians
had not prevented it. The archbishop had great trouble in restoring
these Nestorians to the obedience of our Holy Mother the Roman Church;
without which obedience, he said, they could not be saved; and on this
account these Nestorian schismatics disliked him greatly. This
archbishop has just departed, as it pleased God, from this life. A great
multitude of Christians and Pagans attended his funeral; and the Pagans
tore their funeral robes, as is their custom. And these Christians and
infidels took, with great reverence, the robes of the archbishop, and
held them in great respect, and as relics. He was buried there
honou