JOHN DE PLANO CARPINI 



A.D. 



1246. 



Thebe^nnings 



of Cuyne his 

 empire. 



The golden 

 Orda. 



The 15. oj 



August. 



How he was exalted to his Empire. Chap. 27. 



ANd to our remembrance, we remained there, about 

 the space of foure weekes. The election was to our 

 thinking there celebrated, but it was not published and 

 proclaimed there. And it was greatly suspected so to be, 

 because alwayes when Cuyne came forth out of the tent, 

 he had a noyse of musicke, and was bowed unto, or 

 honoured with faire wands, having purple wooll upon the 

 tops of them, and that, so long as he remained abroad : 

 which service was performed to none of the other Dukes. 

 The foresaid tent or court is called by them Syra Orda. ^yra Orda. 

 Departing thence, wee all with one accord rode 3. or 4. 

 leagues unto another place, where, in a goodly plaine, by a 

 rivers side, betweene certaine mountaines, there was another 

 tent erected, which was called the golden Orda. For 

 there was Cuyne to be placed in the throne Emperiall, 

 upon the day of the Assumption of our Ladie. But, for 

 the abundance of haile which fell at the same time, as is 

 above said, the matter was deferred. There was also a 

 tent erected upon pillars, which were covered with plates 

 of golde, and were joyned unto other timber with golden 

 nailes. It was covered above with Baldakin cloth, but Wollen cloth. 

 there was other cloth spread over that, next unto the ayre. 

 Wee abode there unto the feast of Saint Bartholomew, 

 what time there was assembled an huge multitude stand- 

 ing with their faces towards the South. And a certaine 

 number of them beeing a stones cast distant from the 

 residue, making continuall prayers, and kneeling upon 

 their knees, proceeded farther and farther towards the 

 South. Howbeit wee, not knowing whether they used 

 inchantments, or whether they bowed their knees to God 

 or to some other, woulde not kneele upon the grounde with 

 them. And having done so a long time, they returned to 

 the tent, and placed Cuyne in his throne imperiall, and 

 his Dukes bowed their knees before him. Afterwarde 

 the whole multitude kneeled downe in like maner, except 

 our selves, for wee were none of his subjects. 



171 



