He Interrogated Them Much Concerning Many Things
Relative To The Countries Of The West; Particularly Respecting The Roman
Emperor[7]
, And the other kings and princes of Europe; the forms of their
different governments, the nature, number and discipline of
Their military
force; how peace, justice and concord were established and maintained among
them; of the manners and customs of the different European nations; and
concerning the pope, the discipline of the church, and the tenets of the
Christian faith. To all this Nicolo and Maffei made proper and suitable
replies, as prudent and wise men, declaring the truth, and speaking orderly
in the Tartarian language; with which the emperor was well satisfied, as he
acquired a knowledge of the affairs of the Europeans; insomuch that he
often commanded them to be brought into his presence.
After some time, Kublai-khan having consulted with his great lords,
informed them, that he was desirous to send them as his ambassadors to the
pope of the Romans, accompanied by one of his lords named Chogatal[8],
requesting that he would send an hundred men, learned in the Christian
religion, to his courts, that they might instruct his wise men, that the
faith of the Christians was preferable to all other sects, being the only
way of salvation; that the gods of the Tartars were devils, and that they
and other people of the east were deceived in the worship of these gods. He
likewise commanded them, on their return from Jerusalem, to bring him some
of the oil from the lamp which burns before the sepulchre of our Lord Jesus
Christ, to whom the emperor had great devotion, believing him to be the
true God.
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