OF THE RICH EMBASSY WHICH PRESTER JOHN SENT TO THE NOBLE EMPEROR
FREDERICK
Prester John, [1] most noble Indian lord, sent a rich and honourable
embassy to the noble and powerful Emperor Frederick, he who was in
truth a mirror to the world in matters of speech and manners, who
delighted generally in fair speech and sought ever to return wise
answers. The substance and intention of that embassy lay in two things
alone, to prove at all hazards, if the Emperor were wise both in word
and in act.
So Prester John sent him by his ambassadors three most precious stones,
and said to the ambassadors: question the Emperor and ask him on my
behalf to tell you what is the best thing in the world. And take good
notice of his answers and speech, and study well his court and its
customs, and of what you shall learn bring me word, omitting nothing at
all.
And when they came to the Emperor to whom they had been sent by their
master, they greeted him in a manner suitable to his majesty, and on
behalf of their master, whom we have named, they gave him the precious
stones. The Emperor took them, asking nothing of their worth. He
ordered them to be taken charge of, and praised their exceeding beauty.
The ambassadors asked their questions, and beheld the court and its
customs.
Then after a few days, they asked permission to return. The Emperor
gave them his answer and said: tell your master that the best thing in
this world is moderation.
The ambassadors went away and related to their master what they had
seen and heard, praising mightily the Emperor’s court with its fine
customs and the manners of its knights.
Prester John, hearing the account of his ambassadors, praised the
Emperor and said that he was very wise in speech but not in deed, since
he had not asked the value of the precious stones. He sent back his
ambassadors with the offer that if it should please the Emperor they
should become seneschals [2] of his court. And he made them count his
riches and the number and quality of his subjects and the manners of
his country.
After some time, Prester John, thinking that the gems he had given the
Emperor had lost their value, since the Emperor was ignorant of their
worth, called a favourite lapidary of his and sent him in secret to the
Emperor’s court; saying to him: seek you in every way to bring me back
those stones, whatever it may cost.
The lapidary set out, bearing with him many stones of rare beauty, and
began to show them at the court. The barons and the knights came to
admire his arts. And the man proved himself very clever. When he saw
that one of his visitors had an office at the court, he did not sell,
but gave away, and so many rings did he give away that his fame reached
the Emperor. The latter sent for him, and showed him his own stones.
The lapidary praised them, but temperately. He asked the Emperor if he
possessed still more precious stones. Then the Emperor brought forth
the three fine gems which the lapidary was anxious to see. Then the
lapidary grew exultant, and taking one of the stones, held it in his
hand and said: this gem, Sire, is worth the finest city in your land.
Then he took up another and said: this gem, Sire, is worth the finest
of your provinces. Then he took up the third gem and said: Sire, this
stone is worth more than all your empire. He closed his hand on the
gems, and the virtue in one of them rendered him invisible, [3] so that
none could see him, and down the steps of the palace he went, and
returned to his lord, Prester John, and presented him with the stones
with great joy.