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 foote[1] 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. [Footnote 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.] [Footnote 2: The greatest.] CAP. LXXIII. _Of the ordynaunce of the lordes of the Emperour when he rideth from one countrey to another to warre._ AND when this great Caane shall ryde from one countrey to another they ordeyne foure hostes of people, of which the fyrst goeth before a daies journey; for that hoste lyeth at even where the Emperour shall lye on the morow, and there is plenty of vitailes. And another host commeth at the right side of hym and an other at the left side, and in eche hoste is muche folke. And then commeth the fourth hoste behind hym a bowe draught, and there is more men in that than in any of the other. And ye shall understande that the Emperour rideth on no horse, but when hee will go to any seacrete place with a privy meyny[1] where he will not be knowne, but he rideth in a chariot with four wheles & there uppon is a chamber made of a tree that men call _Lignum aloes_ that commeth out of Paradise terrestre, & that chamber is covered with plates of fyne gold, and precious stones and perles, and foure Olyfants & foure Oxen all white go therein, and five or sixe great lordes ride about him, so that none other men shal come nigh him, except the Emperour call any, and in the same manner with a chariot & such hostes rideth the Empres by another side, and the Emperours eldest sonne in that same aray, and they haue so much people that it is a great marvaile for to see. [Footnote 1: Private retinue.] CAP. LXXIIII. _How the empyre of the great Caane is departed[1] into xii provinces & how that they do cast ensence in the fyre where the great Caane passeth through the cities & townes in worship of the Emperour._