JOHN DE PLANO CARPINI a.d. ; 



1 246. 



very curiously wrought out of ivorie, wherein also there ^ throne of 



was golde and precious stones, and (as we remember) ^^'^^^^- j 



there were certain degrees or staires to ascend unto it. j 



And it was round upon the top. There were benches j 



placed about the saide throne, whereon the ladies sate ': 



towarde the left hand of the Emperour upon stooles, ; 



(but none sate aloft on the right hande) and the Dukes ] 



sate upon benches below, the said throne being in the ■ 



midst. Certaine others sate behinde the Dukes, and ; 

 every day there resorted great companie of Ladies thither. 



The three tents whereof we spake before, were very J 

 large, but the Emperour his wives had other great and 



faire tentes made of white felt. This was the place where j 



the Emperour parted companie with his mother : for she , 



went into one part of the land, and the Emperour into j 



another to execute justice. For there was taken a certaine ^ 

 Concubine of this Emperour, which had poysoned his 



father to death, at the same time when the Tartars armie j 



was in Hungarie, which, for the same cause returned j 



home. Moreover, upon the foresaide Concubine, and T^he death of j 



many other of her confederats sentence of judgement was ^'^'^^^^y ^^- j 



pronounced, and they were put to death. At the same ''^^^^ ' ' 



time Jeroslaus the great Duke of Soldal, which is a part q^ Susdal 



of Russia, deceased. For being (as it were for honours [1/70.] ' : 



sake) invited to eate and drink with the Emperours ; 



mother, and immediatly after the banquet, returning \ 



unto his lodging, he fel sicke, and within seven dayes, j 



died. And after his death, his body was of a strange ) 



blew colour, and it was commonly reported, that the \ 



said Duke was poisoned, to the ende that the Tartars ) 



might freely and totally possesse his Dukedome. • 



\ 



How the Friers comming at length unto the j 



Emperour, gave, and received letters. ', 



Chap. 31 



TO be short, the Tartars brought us unto their Cuyne dissem- 



Emperor, who when he had heard of them, that ^^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^ 



we were come unto him, commanded that we should ^^^^^^' 



175 



