_Of a Grand Feast given by Mangu-khan and of the Ceremonies of the
Nestorians_.
Epiphany was now at hand, and the Armenian monk, Sergins, told me, that he
was to baptize Mangu-khan on that day. I entreated him to use his utmost
endeavours that I might be present on the occasion, which he faithfully
promised. When the day came, the monk did not call me, but I was sent for
to court at six o'clock, and I met the monk returning with his cross, and
the Nestorian priests with their censers, and the gospel of the day. It is
the custom of Mangu to make a feast on such days as are pointed out by his
soothsayers, or the Nestorian priests; and on these days the Christians
came first to court and pray for him, and bless his cup, after which the
Saracen priests do the same, and after them the idolatrous priests. The
monk pretended that he only believed the Christians, yet would have all to
pray for him; but in this Sergius lied, for he believes none, but all
follow his court as flies do honey. He gives to all, and all think they are
his familiars, and all prophecy prosperity to him. Then we sat down before
the court, and they brought us flesh to eat, which I refused, saying, that
if they would provide for us, it ought to be at our house. They then
desired us to go home, as we were only sent for that we might eat. On my
return I called on the monk, who was ashamed of the lie he had told me, and
would not, therefore, say any more of the matter; yet some of the
Nestorians affirmed, that the khan had been baptized, but I said that I
would neither believe it, nor report it to others, as I had not been
present.
We came to our old empty house, where they provided us in bedding and
coverlids, and gave us some fuel They gave us the carcase of a small lean
sheep, as food for us three in six days, and lent us a pot and trivet to
boil our flesh, and gave us a platter of millet every day. We boiled our
meat first in water, and afterwards boiled our millet in the broth; and
that was our whole allowance, which would have sufficed if we had been
suffered to eat in peace, but there were many starved fellows about the
court that thrust themselves in among us, and insisted to partake. The cold
became very severe, and Mangu-khan sent us three fur coats, with the hair
outwards, which we thankfully received; but we represented that we had not
a house in which we could pray for the khan, our cottage being so small
that we could scarcely stand up in it, neither could we open our books on
account of smoke, after the fire was lighted. On this the khan sent to ask
the monk if he would be pleased with our company, who gladly received us;
and after this we had a better house before the court, where none lodged
but we and the soothsayers, they in front of the first lady, and we at the
farthest end, towards the east, before the palace of the last lady. We made
this alteration on the 13th of January.
Next morning all the Nestorian priests collected at the chapel, and smote
on a board, instead of ringing a bell. They then sang matins very
reverently, put on all their ornaments, and prepared the censer and
incense. After waiting some time, Cotata Caten[1], the principal wife of
the khan, came into the chapel, attended by many ladies, and having with
her Baltu, her eldest son, and several other children. All these prostrated
themselves, ducking after the manner of the Nestorians; they then touched
all the images and kissed their hands, and afterwards gave the right hand
of fellowship to all who stood beside them, which is the custom among the
Nestorians. The priest sang many hymns, and gave the lady some incense in
her hand, which she threw into the fire, and then the priests perfumed her.
After this she began to put off the ornaments of her head, called Bacca,
and I saw her bareheaded; but as we were now commanded to leave the chapel,
I know not what followed. As I was going out I saw a silver basin brought,
but I am ignorant if she was then baptized, but rather think not; because
at Easter I saw a fount consecrated with great solemnity, and some persons
baptized, but no such ceremony was seen on the present occasion, and I know
they do not celebrate the mass in a tent, but only in a standing church.
During our absence, Mangu-khan himself came to the chapel, into which a
golden bed was brought, on which he sat with his queen, opposite the altar.
We were then sent for, and a door-keeper searched us for concealed weapons.
On going in with a bible, and breviary in my bosom, I first bowed down
before the altar, and then made an obeisance to Mangu-khan, who caused our
books to be brought to him, and enquired the signification of the images or
pictures with which they were ornamented, to which the Nestorians answered
as they thought proper, because we had not our interpreter. Being desired
to sing a psalm after our manner, we chanted _Veni sancte Spiritus_. Then
the khan departed, but the lady remained, and distributed gifts to all the
Christians present. She gave the monk Sergius a jascot, and another to the
archdeacon of the Nestorians, and she caused a _nassic_ or large cloth like
a coverlet, and a buckram, to be spread out before us; and as I declined
the offer, she sent them to our interpreter, who sold the nassic at Cyprus,
for eighteen gold sultanies, though it was much the worse for the carriage.
Then red wine, like that of Rochelle, and caracina and cosmos were brought,
and the lady holding a cupful in her hand, desired a blessing on her knees,
and she drank it up, we and all the priests singing with a loud voice.
Another time, when they were mostly all drunk, the carcass of a sheep was
brought in and presently devoured, and then some large fishes, resembling
our carp, which they eat without bread or salt. And when the lady was
drunk, she took her chariot and went away, the priests singing all the
while. Next Sunday, the son of the khan, by a Christian mother, came to the
chapel and acted in a similar manner, but not with so much solemnity, and
only gave the priests to drink, and some parched millet to eat. Before the
first Sunday in Lent, the Nestorians fast three days, which they call the
fast of Jonas; and the Armenians fast five days in honour of St Lorkis,
their tutelary saint. The Nestorians begin their fast on Tuesday and end it
on Thursday, and on Friday they bless the flesh, as if it were the Paschal
Lamb. The monk sent to Mangu to fast that week, which he did; and on the
Armenian Easter, he went in procession to the house of Mangu, accompanied
by us and the Nestorian priests. While we went in, some servants met us
carrying out some shoulder-blades of sheep, burnt as black as coals; and on
enquiring, I learnt that the khan performs a divination, before undertaking
any important matter, in this manner. He causes three of these bones to be
brought to him unburnt, which are sought for all over the _Leskar_ or
Tartar camp for this purpose; and these bones are burnt in a particular
fire, and then brought to him again. If the bones are cracked across, or
round pieces fly out of them in burning, it is considered an evil omen; but
if they crack lengthways, even one of the three, he then proceeds in his
design.
When we went in before Mangu, the Nestorian priests gave him incense, which
he put upon the censer, with which they perfumed him. Then they sung and
blessed his cup, which was done next by the monk, and lastly by us. After
he had drunk, the attendants gave drink to the priests, but we went out;
and my companion staying last, turned round near the door to make his
obeisance to the khan, and hastily turning again to follow us, stumbled on
the threshold, for which he was seized and carried before the _Bulgai_,
who is the chancellor or chief secretary of the court, and judges those who
are arraigned on matters of life and death. But I knew not of all this, as
missing him on looking back, I thought he had been detained to receive
thinner apparel, for he was very weak, and could hardly walk under his load
of garments. He was sent home in the evening, and the monk sharply rebuked
him for having touched the threshold. Next day, the Bulgai came to me, and
demanded to know if any one had warned us against touching the threshold;
to which I answered, that as we had not our interpreter along with us, we
should not have understood them if the caution had been given. On this my
companion was pardoned, but was never allowed, afterwards to come into any
of the houses of Mangu-khan.
From the house of the khan, we went to that of his eldest son, who had two
wives, and lodged next on the right from his father. As soon as he saw us
approach, he leapt from his bed and prostrated himself before the cross,
striking the ground with his forehead, then rising and kissing the cross,
he caused it to be placed on a new cloth, in a high place, very reverently.
He has a tutor, named David, to instruct him, who is a Nestorian priest and
a great drunkard. The prince gave drink to the priests, and he drank
himself, after the priests had blessed his cup. From him we went to the
court of Cota, the khans second lady, who is an idolater, and whom we found
very sick; yet the Armenian monk made her rise from bed and adore the cross
on her knees, with many ceremonies. We then went to the third court, in
which a Christian lady formerly resided; but on her death, she was
succeeded by a young woman, who, with the khans daughter, joyfully received
us, and worshipped the cross with great reverence. We went then into the
house of the young lady Cerina, behind the third court, which had formerly
belonged to her mother, who likewise worshipped the cross with great
devotion. We next went into the court of the fourth and last lady, whose
house was very old, but the khan gave her a new house and new chariots
after Easter. This lady was an idolater, yet she worshipped the cross,
according to the directions of the monk and priests. From that place we
returned to our oratory, the monks accompanying us with great howlings and
outcries in their drunkenness, as they had been plentifully supplied with
drink at every visit; but this is not considered as blameable or unseemly,
either in man or woman in these parts.
[1] Caten signifies _lady_ and Cotata was her particular name.--Harris.