_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._
THE land of the great Caane is departed in xii provinces, and euery
province hath more than two thousande cities and townes. And when the
Emperour rideth through the countrey, & he passeth through cities
& townes, eche man maketh a fyre before his house, & caste therein
ensence & other things that giue good smell to the Emperour. And if
any man of relygion that are Christen men dwel nere as the Emperour
cometh they mete him with procession, with crosse and holye water, and
they singe, _Veni creator spiritus_ with a loude voyce, and when he
seeth them comming he commaundeth the lordes that they ride nere to
him to make way that the religious men may come to him, and when he
seeth the crosse, he doeth[2] of his hat that is made of precious
stones and greate perles, & that hat is so riche that it is marvaile
to tel, and then he enclineth to the crosse, & the prelate of the
religious men sayth orisons before him and giveth him the benison[3]
with the crosse, and he enclineth to the benison ful devoutly, and
then the prelate giveth him some fruite to the number of ix in a
platter of gold,[4] peares or apples or other fruite, & then the
Emperour taketh one thereof and the other he giveth to his lordes,
for the maner is such there, that no strange man shall come before the
Emperour but he giue him somewhat, after the olde law that sayth, _Non
accedat in conspectu meo manis_[5] That is to say, No man come into
my sight idle. And then y^e Emperour biddeth these religious men that
they shall goe forth, so that the men of his hoste defyle them not,
and those relygious men that dwell where the Empresse or the Emperours
sonne cometh, they do in the same maner.
[Footnote 1: Partitioned.]
[Footnote 2: Taketh off.]
[Footnote 3: Blessing.]
[Footnote 4: Others say silver.]
[Footnote 5: Misprint for _vacuus_, empty-handed.]