136

Friedrich Zauncke,

0 f gold, l'yn, grete and hye, fülle of precious stones: and every of the Gros-ses' ben sett in a chariot, fülle richely airayed. 28. And for to kepen everycros ben ordeyned 10000 men of armes, and mo Iban 100000 men on l'ole,in maner as men wolde kepe a stondard in oure contrees, vvhan that weeben in lond of werre. 29. And (bis nombre of folk is with outen the pryn-cipalle hoost, and will) outen weuges ordeynd for the bataylle. 30. And whanhe hathe no werre, but ridelhe with a pryvy meynee, Ihanne he halbe hörebefore bim but o cross of tree, with outen peynture, and with outen gold orsilver or precious stones; in remembrance, that Jesu Christ suffred delhe upona cros of tree. 31. And he halbe born before bim also a plaler of gold fülleof erthe, in lokene that bis noblessc and bis myghlc and bis llesscho schalleturnen to erthe. 32. And he halbe born before bim also a vessellc of silver,lulle of noble jewelles of gold fülle riebe, and of precious stones, in lokeneof bis lordschipe and of bis noblessc and of bis myghl. 33. Ile duellelhecomounly in the cylee of Suse; and Ihere is bis principalle palnys, that isso riebe and so noble, that no man wil trowe it by eslymacioun, but be badsecn it. 34. And aboven the chief lour of the palays, ben 2 roundc pomelesof gold; and in everyche of hem ben 2 carboncles grete and large, that schy-nen fülle brighte upon the nygbl. 35. And tbe principalle ^ates of bis palaysben of precious ston, that men clepen sardoyne: and the bordure and tbebarres ben of ivorye: and tbe wyndowes of the halles and chambres ben ofcrislalle: 36. and the tables, where on men eien, söme ben of emeraudes,

sinne of amatyst and söme of gold, fülle of precious stones; and tbe pileres,that bereu up tbe tables, ben of the saine precious stones. 37. And tbe de-grees to gon up to bis throne, where he sittethe at the mete, on is of oniche,anolher is of crislalle, and anolber of jaspre grene, another of amatyst, an-olher of sardyne, anolher of corneline, and the sevene that ho seltelhe onbis feet, is of crisolyle. 38. And alle theise degrees ben bordured with fyngold, with the tolber precious stones, seit with grete perles oryent. And thesydos of the sege of his throne ben of emeraudes, and bordured with gold. lulle nobely, and dubbed with other precious stones and grete perlos. 39. Andalle the pileres in his chambre, ben of fyne gold will) precious stones, andwith many carboncles, that 7,even grel lyght upon the nyght to alle peple.40. And alle be it that the charboncle ^eve lyght right y now, natheles atalle tymes brennetlie a vesselle of crislalle fülle of bawme, for to ^even godesmelle and odour to the emperour, and to voyden awey alle w-ykkede eyresand corrupciouns. 41. And the forme of his bedd is of fyne saphires bendedwith gold, for to make bim slepen wel, and to refreynen bim from lecherye.42. For he wille not ly^e with his wyfes, but 4 sithes in the ^eer, aftre the4 cesouns: and that is only for to engendro children. 43. Ile hathe also afülle fayr palays and a noble, at tbe cytee of Nyse, wljere that he dwellethe,whan him best lykethe: but tbe ayr is not so altempree, as it is at the cyteeof Suse. 44. And ^ee schullc undirstonde, that in alle bis contree, nein tbecontrees there alle aboule, men eien noghte but ones in tbe day, as men donin the court of the grete chane. 45. And so thei eten every day in his court,mo than 30000 persones, with outen goeres and comeres. Hut the 30000 per-