Asia -- Description and travel -- Early works to 1800; Mongols -- History; Polo, Marco, 1254-1323?; Voyages and travels
He took the name of Gregory X., and before his departure from
Acre, preached a moving sermon on the text, “_If I forget thee, O
Jerusalem_,” etc. Prince Edward fitted him out for his voyage.
Gregory reigned barely four years, dying at Arezzo 10th January,
1276. His character stood high to the last, and some of the
Northern Martyrologies enrolled him among the saints, but there
has never been canonisation by Rome. The people of Arezzo used
to celebrate his anniversary with torch-light gatherings at his
tomb, and plenty of miracles were alleged to have occurred there.
The tomb still stands in the Duomo at Arezzo, a handsome work
by Margaritone, an artist in all branches, who was the Pope’s
contemporary. There is an engraving of it in _Gonnelli, Mon.
Sepolc. di Toscana_.
(_Fra Pipino_ in _Muratori_, IX. 700; _Rainaldi Annal._ III. 252
_seqq._; _Wadding_, sub. an. 1217: _Bollandists_, 10th January;
_Palatii, Gesta Pontif. Roman._ vol. iii., and _Fasti Cardinalium_,
I. 463, etc.)
CHAPTER XII.
HOW THE TWO BROTHERS PRESENTED THEMSELVES BEFORE
THE NEW POPE.
And when they had been thus honourably conducted to Acre they proceeded
to the presence of the Pope, and paid their respects to him with humble
reverence. He received them with great honour and satisfaction, and
gave them his blessing. He then appointed two Friars of the Order of
Preachers to accompany them to the Great Kaan, and to do whatever might
be required of them. These were unquestionably as learned Churchmen as
were to be found in the Province at that day—one being called Friar
Nicolas of Vicenza, and the other Friar William of Tripoli.{1} He
delivered to them also proper credentials, and letters in reply to the
Great Kaan’s messages [and gave them authority to ordain priests and
bishops, and to bestow every kind of absolution, as if given by himself
in proper person; sending by them also many fine vessels of crystal
as presents to the Great Kaan].{2} So when they had got all that was
needful, they took leave of the Pope, receiving his benediction; and
the four set out together from Acre, and went to Layas, accompanied
always by Messer Nicolas’s son Marco.
Now, about the time that they reached Layas, Bendocquedar, the Soldan
of Babylon, invaded Hermenia with a great host of Saracens, and ravaged
the country, so that our Envoys ran a great peril of being taken or
slain.{3} And when the Preaching Friars saw this they were greatly
frightened, and said that go they never would. So they made over to
Messer Nicolas and Messer Maffeo all their credentials and documents,
and took their leave, departing in company with the Master of the
Temple.{4}
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account