and at that also he was very glad, for he set great store thereby.  And next, spying Mark, who was then a young gallant,[NOTE 1] he asked who was that in their company?  “Sire,” said his father, Messer Nicolo, “’tis my son and your liegeman."[NOTE 2] “Welcome is he too,” quoth the Emperor.  And why should I make a long story?  There was great rejoicing at the Court because of their arrival; and they met with attention and honour from everybody.

So there they abode at the Court with the other Barons.

NOTE 1.—­“Joenne Bacheler.”

NOTE 2.—­“Sire, il est mon filz et vostre homme.”  The last word in the sense which gives us the word homage.  Thus in the miracle play of Theophilus (13th century), the Devil says to Theophilus:—­

“Or joing
Tes mains, et si devien mes hom.
Theoph. Vez ci que je vous faz hommage.”

So infra (Bk.  I. ch. xlvii.) Aung Khan is made to say of Chinghiz:  “Il est mon homes et mon serf.” (See also Bk.  II. ch. iv. note.) St. Lewis said of the peace he had made with Henry III.:  “Il m’est mout grant honneur en la paix que je foiz au Roy d’Angleterre pour ce qu’il est mon home, ce que n’estoit pas devant.”  And Joinville says with regard to the king, “Je ne voz faire point de serement, car je n’estoie pas son home” (being a vassal of Champagne).  A famous Saturday Reviewer quotes the term applied to a lady:  “Eddeva puella homo Stigandi Archiepiscopi.” (Theatre Francais au Moyen Age, p. 145; Joinville, pp. 21, 37; S.  R., 6th September, 1873, p. 305.)

CHAPTER XV.

HOW THE EMPEROR SENT MARK ON AN EMBASSY OF HIS.

Now it came to pass that Marco, the son of Messer Nicolo, sped wondrously in learning the customs of the Tartars, as well as their language, their manner of writing, and their practice of war; in fact he came in brief space to know several languages, and four sundry written characters.  And he was discreet and prudent in every way, insomuch that the Emperor held him in great esteem.[NOTE 1] And so when he discerned Mark to have so much sense, and to conduct himself so well and beseemingly, he sent him on an ambassage of his, to a country which was a good six months’ journey distant.[NOTE 2] The young gallant executed his commission well and with discretion.  Now he had taken note on several occasions that when the Prince’s ambassadors returned from different parts of the world, they were able to tell him about nothing except the business on which they had gone, and that the Prince in consequence held them for no better than fools and dolts, and would say:  “I had far liever hearken about the strange things, and the manners of the different countries you have seen, than merely be told of the business you went upon;”—­for he took great delight in hearing of the affairs of strange countries.  Mark therefore, as he went and returned, took great pains to learn about all kinds of different matters in the countries which he visited, in order to be able to tell about them to the Great Kaan.[NOTE 3]