Before God, were such property, that
has been struck by the divine wrath, to enter into his Treasury.[NOTE 1]]
NOTE 1. - The Chinese author already quoted as to Kublai's character (Note
2, ch. xxiii. supra) says: "This Prince, at the sight of some evil
prognostic, or when there was dearth, would remit taxation, and cause
grain to be distributed to those who were in destitution. He would often
complain that there never lacked informers if balances were due, or if
corvees had been ordered, but when the necessities of the people
required to be reported, not a word was said."
Wassaf tells a long story in illustration of Kublai's justice and
consideration for the peasantry. One of his sons, with a handful of
followers, had got separated from the army, and halted at a village in the
territory of Bishbaligh, where the people gave them sheep and wine. Next
year two of the party came the same way and demanded a sheep and a stoup
of wine. The people gave it, but went to the Kaan and told the story,
saying they feared it might grow into a perpetual exaction. Kublai sharply
rebuked the Prince, and gave the people compensation and an order in their
favour. (De Mailla, ix.
