The livre tournois at this period was equivalent to a little over 18
francs of modern French silver. But in bringing the value to our modern
gold standard we must add one-third, as the ratio of silver to gold was
then 1:12 instead of 1:16. Hence the equivalent in gold of the livre
tournois is very little less than 1l. sterling, and the price of the
horse would be about 193l.[1]
Mr. Wright quotes an ordinance of Philip III. of France (1270-1285) fixing
the maximum price that might be given for a palfrey at 60 livres
tournois, and for a squire's roncin at 20 livres. Joinville, however,
speaks of a couple of horses presented to St. Lewis in 1254 by the Abbot
of Cluny, which he says would at the time of his writing (1309) have been
worth 500 livres (the pair, it would seem). Hence it may be concluded in a
general way that the ordinary price of imported horses in India
approached that of the highest class of horses in Europe. (Hist. of Dom.
Manners, p. 317; Joinville, p. 205.)
About 1850 a very fair Arab could be purchased in Bombay for 60l., or
even less; but prices are much higher now.
With regard to the donkeys, according to Tavernier, the fine ones used by
merchants in Persia were imported from Arabia. The mark of silver was
equivalent to about 44s. of our silver money, and allowing as before for
the lower relative value of gold, 30 marks would be equivalent to 88l.
sterling.
Kisi or Kish we have already heard of. Curmosa is Hormuz, of which we
shall hear more. With a Pisan, as Rusticiano was, the sound of c is
purely and strongly aspirate. Giovanni d'Empoli, in the beginning of the
16th century, another Tuscan, also calls it Cormus. (See Archiv. Stor.
Ital. Append. III. 81.)
NOTE 3. - The character of the nomad and semi-nomad tribes of Persia in
those days - Kurds, Lurs, Shuls, Karaunahs, etc. - probably deserved all
that Polo says, and it is not changed now. Take as an example Rawlinson's
account of the Bakhtyaris of Luristan: "I believe them to be individually
brave, but of a cruel and savage character; they pursue their blood feuds
with the most inveterate and exterminating spirit.... It is proverbial in
Persia that the Bakhtiyaris have been compelled to forego altogether the
reading of the Fatihah or prayer for the dead, for otherwise they would
have no other occupation. They are also most dextrous and notorious
thieves." (J. R. G. S. IX. 105.)
NOTE 4. - The Persians have always been lax in regard to the abstinence
from wine.
According to Athenaeus, Aristotle, in his Treatise on Drinking (a work
lost, I imagine, to posterity), says, "If the wine be moderately boiled it
is less apt to intoxicate." In the preparation of some of the sweet wines
of the Levant, such as that of Cyprus, the must is boiled, but I believe
this is not the case generally in the East.
