[Sidenote: 1286.]
Now am I come to that part of our book in which I shall tell you of
the great and wonderful magnificence of the Great Kaan now reigning,
by name CUBLAY KAAN,--_Kaan_ being a title which signifieth “the
Great Lord of Lords,” or Emperor. And of a surety he hath good right
to such a title; for all men know for a certain truth that he is
the most potent man, as regards forces and lands and treasure, that
existeth in the world, or ever hath existed, from the time of our
First Father, Adam, until this day.
“That was probably true,” interrupted Col. Ingham.
All this I will make clear to you for truth, in this book of ours, so
that every one shall be fain to acknowledge that he is the greatest
lord that is now in the world, or ever hath been. And now, ye shall
hear how and wherefore.
* * * * *
There was a great Tartar chief, whose name was Nayan, a young man of
thirty, lord over many lands and many provinces; and he was uncle
to the Emperor Cublay Kaan, of whom we are speaking. And when he
found himself in authority, this Nayan waxed proud in the insolence
of his youth and his great power; for indeed he could bring into
the field three hundred thousand horsemen, though all the time he
was liegeman to his nephew, the Great Kaan Cublay, as was right and
reason. Seeing, then, what great power he had, he took it into his
head that he would be the Great Kaan’s vassal no longer: nay, more,
he would fain wrest his empire from him, if he could. So this Nayan
sent envoys to another Tartar prince, called Caidu, also a great and
potent lord, who was a kinsman of his, and who was a nephew of the
Great Kaan, and his lawful liegeman also, though he was in rebellion,
and at bitter enmity with his sovereign lord and uncle. Now, the
message that Nayan sent was this: that he himself was making ready
to march against the Great Kaan with all his forces, which were
great, and he begged Caidu to do likewise from his side, so that by
attacking Cublay on two sides at once with such great forces they
would be able to wrest his dominion from him. And when Caidu heard
the message of Nayan, he was right glad thereat, and thought the time
was come at last to gain his object; so he sent back answer that he
would do as requested, and got ready his host, which mustered a good
hundred thousand horsemen.
Now, let us go back to the Great Kaan, who had news of all this plot.
When the Great Kaan heard what was afoot, he made his preparations
in right good heart, like one who feared not the issue of an attempt
so contrary to justice. Confident in his own conduct and prowess, he
was in no degree disturbed, but vowed that he would never wear crown
again if he brought not those two traitorous and disloyal Tartar
chiefs to an ill end. So swiftly and secretly were his preparations
made that no one knew of them but his privy council, and all were
completed within ten or twelve days. In that time he had assembled
good three hundred and sixty thousand horsemen and one hundred
thousand footmen,--but a small force, indeed, for him, and consisting
only of those that were in the vicinity; for the rest of his vast and
innumerable forces were too far off to answer so hasty a summons,
being engaged under orders from him on distant expeditions to conquer
divers countries and provinces. If he had waited to summon all his
troops, the multitude assembled would have been beyond all belief; a
multitude such as never was heard of, or told of, past all counting!
In fact, those three hundred and sixty thousand horsemen that he got
together consisted merely of the falconers and whippers-in that were
about the court! And when he got ready this handful, as it were, of
his troops, he ordered his astrologers to declare whether he should
gain the battle, and get the better of his enemies. After they had
made their observations they told him to go on boldly, for he would
conquer and gain a glorious victory; whereat he greatly rejoiced.
So he marched with his army; and after advancing for twenty days
they arrived at a great plain, where Nayan lay with all his host,
amounting to some four hundred thousand horse. Now, the Great Kaan’s
forces arrived so fast and so suddenly that the others knew nothing
of the matter; for the Kaan had caused such strict watch to be made
in every direction for scouts that every one that appeared was
instantly captured. Thus Nayan had no warning of his coming, and was
completely taken by surprise, insomuch that, when the Great Kaan’s
army came up, he was asleep; so thus you see why it was that the
emperor equipped his force with such speed and secrecy. Of the battle
which the Great Kaan fought with Nayan, what shall I say about it?
When day had well broken, there was the Kaan, with all his host, upon
a hill overlooking the plain where Nayan lay in his tent, in all
security, without the slightest thought of any one coming thither to
do him hurt. In fact, this confidence of his was such that he kept
no videttes, whether in front or in rear; for he knew nothing of the
coming of the Great Kaan, owing to all the approaches having been
completely occupied, as I told you. Moreover, the place was in a
remote wilderness, more than thirty marches from the court,--though
the Kaan had made the distance in twenty, so eager was he to come to
battle with Nayan. And what shall I tell you next? The Kaan was there
on the hill, mounted on a great wooden bartizan, which was borne by
four well-trained elephants; and over him was hoisted his standard,
so high aloft that it could be seen from all sides. His troops were
ordered in battles of thirty thousand men apiece, and a great part of
the horsemen had each a foot-soldier, armed with a lance, set on the
crupper behind him (for it was thus that the footmen were disposed
of); and the whole plain seemed to be covered with his forces.
So it was thus that the Great Kaan’s army was arrayed for battle.
When Nayan and his people saw what had happened, they were sorely
confounded, and rushed in haste to arms. Nevertheless, they made them
ready in good style, and formed their troops in an orderly manner.
And when all were in battle array on both sides, as I have told you,
and nothing remained but to fall to blows, then might you have heard
a sound arise of many instruments of various music, and of the voices
of the whole of the two hosts loudly singing.
For this is a custom of the Tartars, that before they join battle
they all unite in singing and playing on a certain two-stringed
instrument of theirs, a thing right pleasant to hear, and so they
continue in their array of battle, singing and playing in this
pleasing manner, until the great Naccara of the prince is heard to
sound. As soon as that begins to sound the fight also begins on both
sides; and in no case before the prince’s Naccara sounds dare any
commence fighting.
So, then, as they were thus singing and playing, though ordered
and ready for battle, the great Naccara of the Great Kaan began to
sound, and that of Nayan also began to sound, and thenceforward
the din of battle began to be heard loudly from this side and from
that, and they rushed to work so doughtily with their bows and their
maces, with their lances and swords, and with the arblests of the
footmen, that it was a wondrous sight to see. Now might you behold
such flights of arrows from this side and from that, that the whole
heaven was canopied with them, and they fell like rain. Now might you
see on this side and on that full many a cavalier and man-at-arms
fall slain, insomuch that the whole field seemed covered with them.
From this side and from that such cries arose from the crowds of the
wounded and dying that had God thundered you would not have heard
Him. For fierce and furious was the battle, and quarter there was
none given; but why should I make a long story of it? You must know
that it was the most parlous and fierce and fearful battle that has
ever been fought in our day. Nor have there ever been such forces
in the field in actual fight, especially of horsemen, as were then
engaged; for, taking both sides, there were not fewer than seven
hundred and sixty thousand horsemen,--a mighty force!--and that
without reckoning the footmen, who were also very numerous. The
battle endured with various fortune on this side and on that from
morning till noon; but at last, by God’s pleasure and the right that
was on his side, the Great Kaan had the victory, and Nayan lost
the battle and was utterly routed. For the army of the Great Kaan
performed such feats of arms that Nayan and his host could stand
against them no longer, so they turned and fled; but this availed
nothing for Nayan, for he and all the barons with him were taken
prisoners and had to surrender to the Kaan with all their arms.
Now you must know that Nayan was a baptized Christian, and bore
the Cross on his banner, but this nought availed him, seeing how
grievously he had done amiss in rebelling against his lord. For he
was the Great Kaan’s liegeman, and was bound to hold his lands of him
like all his ancestors before him.
The scale of this fighting satisfied even Bedford, who is notorious for
his passion for a good fight. Uncle Fritz told them that if they would
look further they would see that military rockets were used in this
battle, or something which resembled rockets more than cannon.
While they were talking, Horace and Fred looked further, and when there
was a lull read--
And after the Great Kaan had conquered Nayan, as you have heard, it
came to pass that the different kinds of people who were present,
Saracens and idolaters and Jews, and many others that believed not in
God, did gibe those that were Christians because of the Cross that
Nayan had borne on his standard, and that so grievously that there
was no bearing it. Thus they would say to the Christians: “See now
what precious help this God’s Cross of yours hath rendered Nayan, who
was a Christian and a worshipper thereof.” And such a din arose about
the matter that it reached the Great Kaan’s own ears. When it did so,
he sharply rebuked those who cast these gibes at the Christians, and
he also bade the Christians be of good heart, “for if the Cross had
rendered no help to Nayan, in that It had done right well, nor could
that which was good, as It was, have done otherwise; for Nayan was
a disloyal and traitorous rebel against his lord, and well deserved
that which had befallen him. Wherefore the Cross of your God did well
in that It gave him no help against the right.” And this he said so
loud that everybody heard him. The Christians then replied to the
Great Kaan: “Great King, you say the truth indeed, for our Cross can
render no one help in wrong-doing, and therefore it was that It aided
not Nayan, who was guilty of crime and disloyalty, for It would take
no part in his evil deeds.” And so thenceforward no more was heard of
the floutings of the unbelievers against the Christians; for they
heard very well what the sovereign said to the latter about the Cross
on Nayan’s banner, and Its giving him no help.