“The consonance of the names of Wang-Khan and Wang-Ku (Ung-Khan and Ongu) led to the confusion regarding the tribes and persons, which at Marco Polo’s time seems to have been general among the Europeans in China; Marco Polo and Johannes de Monte Corvino transfer the title of Prester John from Wang-Khan, already perished at that time, to the distinguished family of Wang-Ku.  Their Georgius is undoubtedly Ko-li-ki-sze, Alahush’s great-grandson.  That his name is a Christian one is confirmed by other testimonies; thus in the Asu (Azes) regiment of the Khan’s guards was Ko-li-ki-sze, alias Kow-r-ki (d. 1311), and his son Ti-mi-ti-r.  There is no doubt that one of them was Georgius, and the other Demetrius.  Further, in the description of Chin-Kiang in the time of the Yuen, mention is made of Ko-li-ki-sze Ye-li-ko-wen, i.e.  Ko-li-ki-sze, the Christian, and of his son Lu-ho (Luke).

“Ko-li-ki-sze of Wang-ku is much praised in history for his valour and his love for Confucian doctrine; he had in consequence of a special favour of the Khan two Mongol princesses for wives at the same time (which is rather difficult to conciliate with his being a Christian).  The time of his death is correctly indicated in a letter of Joannes de M. Corvino of the year 1305:  ante sex annos migravit ad Dominum.  He left a young son Chu-an, who probably is the Joannes of the letter of Ioannes (Giovani) de M. Corvino, so called propter nomen meum, says the missionary.  In another Wang-ku branch, Si-li-ki-sze reminds one also of the Christian name Sergius.”—­H.  C.]

NOTE 3.—­“The Lapis Armenus, or Azure,... is produced in the district of Tayton-fu (i.e. Tathung), belonging to Shansi.” (Du Halde in Astley, IV. 309; see also Martini, p. 36.)

NOTE 4.—­This is a highly interesting passage, but difficult, from being corrupt in the G. Text, and over-curt in Pauthier’s MSS.  In the former it runs as follows:  “Hil hi a une jenerasion de jens que sunt appelles Argon, qe vaut a dire en francois Guasmul, ce est a dire qu’il sunt ne del deus generasions de la lengnee des celz Argon Tenduc et des celz reduc et des celz que aorent Maomet. Il sunt biaus homes plus que le autre dou pais et plus sajes et plus mercaant.”  Pauthier’s text runs thus:  “Il ont une generation de gens, ces Crestiens qui ont la Seigneurie, qui s’appellent Argon, qui vaut a dire Gasmul; et sont plus beaux hommes que les autres mescreans et plus sages.  Et pour ce ont il la seigneurie et sont bons marchans.” And Ramusio:  “Vi e anche una sorte di gente che si chiamano Argon, per che sono nati di due generazioni, cioe da quella di Tenduc che adorano gl’ idoli, e da quella che osservano la legge di Macometto. E questi sono i piu belli uomini che si trovino in quel paese e piu savi, e piu accorti nella mercanzia.”