APPENDIX.
the Grand Khan, as the legate could furnish.
387
O n the second journey,
Nicholas Polo took with him his son Marco, who afterwards wrote an account of these travels. T h e y were again received with great favor by the legate Tebaldo, who, anxious for the success of their mission, furnished them with letters to the Grand Khan, in which the doctrines of the Christian faith were fully expounded.
W i t h these, and with a supply of the holy oil from the
sepulchre, they once more set out in September, 1271, for the remote parts of Tartary.
T h e y had not long departed, when missives arrived from
Rome, informing the legate of his own election to the holy chair.
He
took the name of Gregory X , and decreed that in future, on the death of a pope, the cardinals should be shut up in conclave until they elected a suc足 cessor ; a wise regulation, which has since continued, enforcing a prompt decision, and preventing intrigue. Immediately on receiving intelligence of his election, he dispatched a courier to the king of Armenia, requesting that the two Venetians might be sent back to him, if they had not departed.
T h e y joyfully returned,
and were furnished with new letters to the Khan.
T w o eloquent friars,
also, Nicholas Vincenti and Gilbert de Tripoli, were sent with them, with powers to ordain priests and bishops and to grant absolution.
T h e y had
presents of crystal vases, and other costly articles to deliver to the Grand Khan ; and thus well provided, they once more set forth on their journey.* Arriving in Armenia, they ran great risk of their lives from the war which was raging, the soldan of Babylon having invaded the country. T h e y took refuge for some time with the superior of a monastery.
Here
the two reverend fathers, losing all courage to prosecute so perilous an enterprise, determined to remain, and the Venetians continued their journey. They were a long time on the way, and exposed to great hardships and sufferings from floods and snow storms, it being the winter season. length they reached a town in the dominions of the Khan.
At
That potentate
sent officers to meet them at forty days' distance from the court, and to pro足 vide quarters for them during their journey.f
H e received them with
* Ramusio, torn. iii. t Bergeron, by blunder in the translation from the original Latin, has stated that the Khan sent 40,000 men to escort them.
This has drawn, the ire of
the critics upon Marco Polo, who have cited it as one of his monstrous ex足 aggerations.
B B
2