Читать книгу The History of Voyages & Travels (All 18 Volumes) - Robert Kerr - Страница 51

When the emperor was seated on his throne, the seven ambassadors were brought forwards, facing the emperor, and at the same time a great number of criminals were presented. There were seven hundred of these, some of whom were fastened by the neck, others having their heads and hands inclosed by a board, six sometimes fastened thus to one board. Each criminal was attended by a keeper, who held his prisoner by the hair: and all thus waited the imperial sentence. Most of these were remanded to prison, and only a few were condemned to die, which power resides solely in the emperor. All the governors of this vast empire, however distant from court, send all malefactors to Khanbalik, to appear in presence of the emperor. Each persons crime is written on one end of the board which he carries about his neck; and the crimes against religion are the most severely punished of all. Great care is taken to examine into all the facts on these occasions, insomuch that the emperor holds council twelve several times before he condemns any one to death. Hence a person who has been condemned in eleven successive councils, is sometimes acquitted in the twelfth, which is always held in presence of the emperor, who never condemns any but those he cannot save. When the criminals were dismissed, the ambassadors were led by an officer within fifteen cubits of the throne; and this officer, on his knees, read out of a paper the purport of their embassy; adding that they had brought rarities as presents to his majesty, and were come to knock their heads against the ground before him. Then the Kadhi Mulana Haji Yusof, a commander of ten thousand, who was a favourite of the emperor and one of his twelve councillors, approached to the ambassadors, with some Moslems who spoke the Persian language, and ordered them to fall on their knees and knock their ground with their foreheads; but they only bowed their heads three times. Then they delivered the letters of Shah Rokh and the other princes, wrapped up in yellow satin, to Kadhi Mulana, who gave them into the hands of a khoja of the palace at the foot of the throne, and he presented them to the emperor. He took them into his own hands, opened them and looked at them, and delivered them back to the khoja, who descended from the throne, and sat down on a seat at the foot of the steps. At the same time were brought out three thousand vestments of fine stufis, and two thousand coarse, such as are the usual clothing of the imperial children and household[35]. The emperor then commanded the ambassadors to draw near, and being on their knees, he inquired after the health of Shah Rokh, and put many other questions to them, all of which they answered. He then ordered them to rise, and go eat, saying that they had come a far journey. From thence the ambassadors were conducted back to the first court, where they were feasted in a similar manner as at other times already mentioned.

[35] The text is here abrupt and inconclusive: These vestments were probably presented to the ambassadors and their suite.--E.

When this entertainment was finished, they were conducted to their lodgings, in which the principal chamber was furnished with a large sofa or raised platform, laid with fine silk cushions, a great basin, and a pan for fire. On the right and left of this, there were other chambers, with beds, silk cushions, and foot carpets or fine mats, for lodging the ambassadors separately. Each person had a kettle, a dish, a spoon, and a table. Every day, for six persons, there were allowed a sheep, a goose, and two fowls; and to each person two measures of flour, a large dish of rice, two great basins full of things preserved with sugar, a pot of honey, some garlic, onions, salt, several sorts of herbs, a bottle of dirapum[36], and a basin of walnuts, filberts, chesnuts, and other dried fruits. They were likewise attended from morning till night by a number of handsome servants.

[36] What this may have been does not appear; it may possibly have been arrack, or the wine made of rice and spices, which is frequently mentioned in the travels of Marco Polo.--E.

SECTION II.

The several Audiences of the Ambassadors, their Entertainments, Presents, and Return.

On the ninth of the month Zu'lhajjeh, the Sekjin, or officer belonging to the court who had charge of the ambassadors, came to their lodgings before day, and raised them from their beds, saying that the emperor meant to feast them that day. He brought them to the palace on horses which were sent for the purpose, and placed them in the outer court, where two hundred thousand persons were in attendance. As soon as the sun was up, they were led to the foot of the throne, where they saluted the emperor, by bowing their heads to the ground five several times. At length the emperor descended from the throne, and the ambassadors were led back to the outer court, where they were separated for a while, that they might perform the deeds of necessity; being told that no person could be allowed to stir out on any pretence during the continuance of the feast. After this, they were led through the first and second courts, and thence into a third, which was entirely open, and paved with fine freestone. In the front of this court there was a great hall sixty cubits long, having chambers over it; and in the hall was a great sofa, higher than a man, which was ascended by three silver stairs, one in front, and the others at the two sides. In this place there stood two khojas of the palace, having a kind of pasteboard covers on their mouths, and fastened to their ears. Upon the great sofa or platform, there was a smaller one in form of a couch, having pillows and cushions for the feet; and on each side there were pans for fire, and perfuming pans. This smaller sofa was of wood, beautifully gilded, and looking quite fresh, though sixty years old, and every thing was finely varnished. The most eminent of the Dakjis stood on each side of the throne, armed, and behind them were the soldiers of the imperial guard, with naked sabres. The ambassadors were placed on the left hand, as the most honourable station. Three tables were placed before each of the Amirs and other most distinguished persons, while others had only two, and the more ordinary persons but one; and there were at least a thousand tables at this entertainment.

Before the throne, near a window of the hall, there was a great kurkeh or drum, on a raised stage, attended by two men, and near it a great band of musicians. Part of the hall was divided off by curtains which came close to the throne, that the ladies belonging to the palace might see the company without being seen. After all the victuals and liquors were brought in and properly distributed, two khojas withdrew, the curtains which covered a door behind the throne, and the emperor came forth, amid the sound of many instruments of music, and took his seat under a canopy of yellow satin, ornamented with four dragons. After the ambassadors had made five prostrations, they sat down to table, and were treated as at other times. During the entertainment, many comic tricks were acted for the amusement of the emperor and the company. The first performers that appeared were painted with white and red, like girls, and dressed in gold brocade, holding nosegays of artificial flowers. After this, a man lay down on his back, as if asleep, holding his feet raised up in the air; then another person held several thick canes in his hands, seven cubits long, placing the other ends between his legs, on which a youth of ten or twelve years of age mounted, with surprising agility, and performed several tricks at the top. At last the canes slipped away from under him, and every person thought he must have fallen to the ground and been dashed to pieces; but the pretended sleeper instantly started up and caught him in the air. There was one musician who played tunes after the twelve different modes of the Kathayans. Two men played the same air together, each having one hand on his own instrument, and the other on that of his companion. During this entertainment, several thousand birds of different kinds flew about the court of the palace, and lighted among the people, to eat up what they could find scattered on the ground, without appearing to be in the least scared at the multitude. During the five months that the ambassadors remained at Khanbalik, they were regaled at several other banquets, where plays were acted, much surpassing that now mentioned.

On the seventeenth of the month Zu'lhajjeh, all the criminals were carried to be punished according to the nature of their offences, and as prescribed by the laws. The twenty-fifth of Moharram, Mulana Kadhi Yusof sent to acquaint the ambassadors that next day, being the first of the new year, according to the reckoning of the Kathayans, the emperor was to go to his new palace, and that no person must wear white, as that was the dress of mourning in this country. On the twenty-eighth, at midnight, the Sekjin came to conduct them to the new palace, which had been nineteen years building, and was only newly finished. Every person had his house or shop illuminated, with torches, lanterns, candles, and lamps, so that it appeared as light as noon-day. At the palace they found an hundred thousand people, who had come from all parts of Kathay, the countries of Tachin and Machin, Kalmak, Kabul, Karakoja, Jurga, and the sea coasts. This day the ambassadors tables were set out of the hall where the throne stood, while those of the Amirs, or great officers and lords of the court were within; and there were near two hundred thousand armed men, carrying umbrellas and bucklers. This feast lasted till the afternoon, and among the music were many songs in praise of the new palace. To give some idea of this superb structure, it may be mentioned that, from the gate of the hall to the first inclosure, measured 1925 paces. On each side are buildings and gardens one within another. The edifices were of freestone, porcelain, or marble, so delicately put together that they seemed inchased. There are many hundred cubits of pavement, the stones of which are so even and well joined, that they looked like the checkered ruling in books. Nothing in other countries can equal the Kathayans in masonry, joiner-work, making relievos or raised figures in plaster, and in painting.

The ambassadors were called early to audience, on the ninth of the month Safar; the emperor having then come out from a retirement of eight days; for it is his custom to retire every year for some days, during which he eats no kind of victuals and abstains from going near his ladies, neither does he, during all that time, see or converse with any one. In this retirement, the emperor has no picture or idol of any of his gods; as during this period, all his devotions are addressed solely to the GOD of Heaven. On this occasion, the imperial elephants were all adorned in a style of magnificence, which is quite inexpressible; many of them having silver seats, like litters, on their backs, adorned with standards of seven different colours, and the seats were filled with armed men; fifty of the elephants carried the imperial musicians. This grand procession of elephants was preceded, or followed, by at least 50,000 persons, who all preserved the most exact order, and the most profound silence. In all this pomp and splendour, the emperor was conducted from, the place of his religious retirement to the female apartments of the palace. The court astrologers had predicted that the palace of the emperor was this year to suffer by fire, on which account, a solemnity, accompanied by splendid fireworks and illuminations, was exhibited during seven days. On this occasion, an artificial mount was erected in the middle of the imperial court, covered all over with branches of cypress, and planted with 100,000 torches; by means of little artificial mice, made of bitumen or wild fire, which ran along a number of ropes, fixed for the purpose, these torches were all lighted up in a moment, forming a wonderful blaze of lights from the bottom of the mountain to the top; and many other lights appeared all over the city. During all the seven days of this festival, no criminals were sought after; the emperor discharged all debtors under arrest for debt, and set free all persons in prison for crimes, except murderers, and he distributed large presents. All this was notified on the thirteenth of the month Safer, by an imperial edict or proclamation, the emperor being seated on his throne, in the grand kiosk, or pavilion of the first court, surrounded by more than 100,000 persons; and in this edict, the emperor notified that he would send no ambassadors to any country during three years. After this edict had been read aloud by three officers of the court, who stood on a bench before the emperor, it was conveyed down from the pavilion into the court below, by means of rings fastened to yellow silk cords; and, being reverently placed on a board with a golden border, it was carried to the city, followed by music, and accompanied by a multitude of the people. After the conclusion of this ceremony, the emperor left the pavilion, and the ambassadors were feasted, as at other times.

On the first of the month Rabiya-al-awal, the ambassadors were again called to court before the emperor, who had several Shankars[1] brought in, which he said he meant to give to those who had presented him with good horses; and at this time, he caused three to be given to each of the ambassadors of the Mirza Ulug-Beg, Mirza Baysangar, and Sultan Shah-Rokh. Next day he sent for them again; when, addressing himself to Arjak, the ambassador of Mirza Siurgatmish, he said, "I have no Shankar to give you; and even if I had, I should not give you any, lest it should be taken from you, as was done from Ardeshir, a former ambassador from your, master." To this Arjak made answer: "If your majesty will do me that honour, I will engage my word that no person shall take it from me." To this the emperor replied: "On that condition I will give you two, which I have ordered to be brought for that purpose." On the eighth day of the month, the ambassadors of Soltan Shah, and Bakshi Malek were sent for, to receive the Shankish, or imperial present. The first received eight balish of silver[2], thirty furred imperial vestments, twenty-four under petticoats[3], two horses, one of which was provided with furniture, 100 bundles of cane arrows, twenty-five great porcelain vases, and 5000 ***[4]. Bakshi Malek had as much, bating one balish of silver; the women belonging to the ambassadors had no silver given them, but they each received half the quantity of stufis that had been given to their lords. On the thirteenth of the same month, the ambassadors were sent for to court, when the emperor said to them: "I am going to hunt; take your shankars, therefore, which fly well, and divert yourselves; but the horses you brought me are good for nothing." About this time, the emperors son returned from the country of Nemray, and the ambassadors went to pay their compliments to him in his particular court, to the east of the imperial palace, where they found him seated in state, amid his attendants, and having his table served in the same manner with that of the emperor.

[1] Shankars, Shonkers, or Shongars, are birds of prey, famous among the Tartars, and may probably have been the most esteemed species of falcon, and which are said to have been white.--Astl.

[2] These silver balishes seem to have come in place of the paper money of the emperors of the race of Zingis, formerly mentioned; but its value is nowhere described.--E.

[3] This surely must be an error for under garments--E.

[4] In Forsters account of these travels, the blank in the text is filled up with Dzjau, or Tzjau; which he supposes to have been tea, and that the numbers refer to certain Chinese weights or packages of that commodity. Forster adds, that small pieces of tin were given to the ambassadors, to some twenty-four, and to others as far as seventy pieces; and he says that Witsen left many of the articles enumerated in the original untranslated, as not understanding the terms.--Forst.

On the first of the month Rabiya-al-akher, the ambassadors received notice to go to meet the emperor, who was then on his return from hunting; and, on getting on horseback before day for that purpose, they found Mulana Kazi Yusof waiting for them at the door of their hotel, in great dejection. Inquiring the cause, he told them privately that the emperor had been thrown in hunting from the horse they had presented him from Shah Rokh, and had given orders that they should be carried in chains to certain cities in the east of Kathay. The ambassadors were much afflicted at this news, and continued their journey for about twenty miles to the emperors camp. At this place, the Kathayans had in one night inclosed a plot of ground 500 paces square, with walls ten feet high. This wall was composed of earth, hard pressed down between two planks, as in a mould, leaving two gates; and the place whence the earth was dug, served for a ditch. There were strong guards posted at both of the gates, and other soldiers posted along the ditch. Within this outer inclosure, there were two others, each twenty-five cubits high, formed of yellow satin, supported upon square posts and all set round with tents of yellow satin. When the ambassadors were arrived within 500 paces of the imperial quarters, Mulana. Cazi Yusof desired them to alight, and wait for the emperor, while he went forwards to the presence. The emperor was on the point of giving orders for having the ambassadors arrested, when Lidaji and Jandaji, officers named Setalid and Jik-fu, in the Kathayan or Chinese language, who stood before the emperor, and Kazi Yusof, fell prostrate before him, entreating him not to proceed to that extremity, as it might have very bad consequences to put them to death, and would give occasion for the world to say that the emperor had violated the law of nations in the persons of these ambassadors. The emperor at length yielded to their reasons and entreaties, and Kazi Yusof went with great joy to let them know that they were pardoned. The emperor even condescended to send them victuals; but, being mixed with pork, they could not eat of it, on account of their religion.

Afterwards, the emperor approached, mounted on a great black horse, with white feet, richly caparisoned with brocade housings, which had been sent to him by Mirza Uleg Beg, and haying two attendants on each side at the saddle-bow. He was dressed in a vest of rich gold brocade on a red ground, and had his beard inclosed in a bag of black satin. The emperor marched slowly forwards, followed by his women, who were carried by men in seven covered litters, after whom came a large covered litter, carried by seventy men. A body of horse marched in squadrons before the emperor, each squadron twenty paces asunder, and the cavalcade reached all the way to the city. The emperor rode in the middle, attended by ten Dajis, or governors of provinces, and by the three lords who had so warmly pled in flavour of the ambassadors. When the emperor drew near, Kazi Jusof, one of these friendly lords, came up and ordered the ambassadors to prostrate themselves; and when they had done so, the emperor ordered them to arise and mount their horses, and to accompany him. Then turning to them, he thus addressed Shadi Khoja, one of the ambassadors: "The presents, rarities, horses, and wild beasts which are sent to me in future must be better chosen, in order to preserve and increase the amity which I have for your princes. At the hunt, I mounted the horse which you presented me; but he is so vicious, and I am so old, that he threw me, by which I was wounded, and have received a contusion on my head, which gave me great anguish; but by laying much gold on the place, the pain is assuaged." Upon this, Shadi Khoja said, that it was the horse on which the great Amir Timid Karkan[5] used to ride; and that Shah Rokh, who kept him as a rarity, had sent him to the emperor, as the most valuable horse in all his dominion. Being satisfied with this apology, the emperor called for a shaker, which he let fly at a crane; but on the bird returning, without seizing his prey, the emperor gave it three strokes on the head. He then alighted from his horse, and sat down in a chair, resting his feet on another, and gave a shaker to Soltan Shah, and another to Soltan Ahmed, but none to Shadi Khoja. After this he mounted his horse, and as he approached towards the city, was received by vast crowds of people with a thousand acclamations.

[5] This is the famous Timur-Beg, or Tamerlane the Great.--Astl.

On the fourth of the before named month, the ambassadors were brought to court to receive their presents from the emperor; who was seated on his throne, and caused tables to be set before him, on which the presents were displayed. These were much of the same nature with those already mentioned, which were given to Soltan Shah, and Bakshi Malek. Sometime afterwards, the most beloved of the emperor's wives died, and her death was made public on the eighth day of the month Jomada-al-awake, the next day being appointed for her interment. The ladies belonging to the imperial family are buried, on a certain mountain, on which all the horses that belonged to them are turned out to graze at liberty for the rest of their lives. At the same time, several maidens and Khojas of the palace, who had belonged to the retinue of the deceased, are placed in attendance on the grave, having provisions allowed them to subsist upon for live years, perhaps more; and when their victuals are expended, they are permitted to die of famine. But on the ensuing night, the new palace took fire, not without suspicion of the astrologers haying a hand in it. By this misfortune, the principal apartment, which was eighty cubits long, and thirty cubits broad, adorned with pillars, painted blue, and richly varnished, so large that three men could hardly grasp them, was entirely consumed. From thence, the flames communicated to a kiosk or gallery of twenty fathoms, and to the apartment of the ladies, which was still more magnificent. By this fire, 250 houses were destroyed, and several men and women lost their lives[6]. The emperor and his Amirs did not consider that this chastisement fell upon them for being infidels. On the contrary, the emperor went to an idol temple[7], where he said on his knees, "The GOD of Heaven is angry with me, and therefore hath burned my palace. Yet have I done no evil; for I have neither offended my father nor my mother, nor can I be charged with the exercise of any tyranny on my people."

[6] In the abstract of these travels, as given by Forster, this fire is said to have been caused by lightning.--E.

[7] It is to be remarked, that the author of these travels was a Mahometan. The circumstances of the idol temple, says the editor of Astleys Collection, seems malicious; as, in his opinion, there are no images in the imperial temples of Pe-king. I suspect the editor is mistaken; for however strongly the philosophical sect of Confucius may be convinced of the absurdity of idolatry, the religion of Fo is as grossly idolatrous as any on the face of the earth; and it is to be noticed, that the dynasty then reigning in China was native.--E.

The emperor was so deeply affected by these untoward circumstances, that he fell sick, and the prince his son assumed the administration of the government, and gave the ambassadors an audience of leave[8]; after which, they received no farther subsistence from the court, till their departure. They left Kham-balik on the fifteenth of the month Jomada-al-awal, accompanied by certain dajis from the court; and they were lodged and treated with all necessaries on their return, in the same manner as they had been on their journey to court. They arrived on the first of Rajeb at the city of Nikian[9], where the magistrates came out to meet them, but did not search their baggage, as is customary there, as they had an express order from the emperor to the contrary. On the day after their arrival at that place, they were magnificently feasted. On the fifth of Shaaban, thirty-five days afterwards, they reached the river Karamuran, Whang-ho, or Hoang-ho; and on the twenty-fifth of that month arrived at Kamju[10], where they had left their servants, and heavy baggage; where every thing that they had committed to the custody of the Kathayan officers, when on their journey to the capital, was faithfully restored. After remaining seventy-five days in this place, they resumed their journey, and came soon afterwards to Nang-tschieu, or Nang-chew[11]. At this place, or rather at Sa-chew, they met with ambassadors from Ispahan and Shiras in Persia, on their way to Khambalik, who told them that they had met with many difficulties on their journey.

[8] The emperor died in the same year; but after the departure of the ambassadors.--Astl.

[9] No such name can be found among the cities of Pe-che-li or Shan-si --Astl.

In the abstract given by Forster, this place is called Sekan or Segaan; named in the maps Sigan-fou, or more properly Si-Ngan-Fou.--E.

[10] Or Kan-chew, in the province of Shen-si; otherwise called Kam-tsiu, or Kan-tcheou, on the river Etchine.--Forst.

[11] This name is probably erroneously substituted for Sou-chew; as that is the regular station for retracing their former journey, which the text distinctly indicates to have been the case hitherto.--E.

As the roads through the country of the Mongals were very unsafe, owing to confusions and civil wars among the hordes, they remained ten months at So-chew, whence they set out at full moon in the month of Moharram, of the year 825 of the Hegira[12], and came in a few days to the Karaul at the pass leading into the desert, where their baggage was searched. Leaving this place on the nineteenth of Moharram, on purpose to avoid the obstacles and dangers they were likely to encounter, on account of intestine war among the tribes of the Mongals, they took the road through the desert[13], where they suffered much distress on account of the scarcity of water. They got out from the desert on the sixteenth of Rabiya-al-awal, and arrived at the city of Khoten[14] on the ninth of Jomada-al-akher. Continuing their journey from thence, they came to the city of Kashgar[15] on the sixth of Rajeb. On the twenty-first of the same month, the ambassadors separated a little way beyond the city of Endkoien[16], some taking the road towards Samarkand, and the rest directing their way for Badakshan. Those of Shah Rokh arrived at the castle of Shadman on the twenty-first of Shaaban; at Balkh on the first of Ramazan; and on the tenth of that month at Herat, the residence of their sovereign.

[12] This month began on Thursday the twenty-fifth December, 1421.--Astl.

According to Forster, they recommenced their journey in the month of January, 1421.--E.

[13] Probably taking their route by the lake of Lop, to the south of Little Bucharia.--Astl.

[14] Called likewise Koton, Khateen, and Hotam, in Little Bucharia, or Eastern Turkistan.--E.

[15] Named likewise Khasiger, Kashar, Cashgar, and Hasiker.--Forst.

[16] Probably the same with Anghein, on the river Sir.--Astl.

In Forsters abstract, this place is called Andigan, and the names of Andischdan and Dedschan are said to be synonymous.--E.