Of the great ryches of the Emperour and of his dispending.

THIS Emperour is a great lorde, for he may dispend what he will without nombre, bicause he spendeth nother sylver nor golde & maketh no money but of lether or skynnes, and this same money goeth through all his lande, and of the sylver & gold buylded he his palaces. And he hath in his chambre a piller of golde in the which is a Ruby, and carbuncle of a foote¹ long, the which lighteth all his chambre by night & he hath many other precious stones & rubies, but this is the most.² This Emperour dwelleth in the sommer towardes the North in a citie that men call Saydus and there it is colde enoughe, and in the winter he dwelleth in a citie that men call Camalach, and there it is right hot, but for the most part is he at Cadon, that is not farre thence.

1: Others say half a foot. There were always rumours in the East of wonderful rubies, especially one belonging to the King of Ceylon, which Kublai Khan is reported to have coveted, and wished to purchase.

2: The greatest.