But from the manner in which his majesty acted toward them, it is evident that he regarded the faith of the Christians as the truest and the best; nothing, as he observed, being enjoined to its professors that was not replete with virtue and holiness.  By no means, however, would he permit them to bear the cross before them in their processions, because upon it so exalted a personage as Christ had been scourged and (ignominiously) put to death.  It may perhaps be asked by some why, if he showed such a preference to the faith of Christ, he did not conform to it and become a Christian?  His reason for not so doing he assigned:  “Wherefore should I become a Christian?  The Christians of these countries are ignorant, inefficient persons, who do not possess the faculty of performing anything (miraculous); whereas the idolaters can do whatever they will.  When I sit at table the cups that were in the middle of the hall come to me filled with wine and other beverage, spontaneously and without being touched by human hand, and I drink from them.  They have the power of controlling bad weather and obliging it to retire to any quarter of the heavens, with many other wonderful gifts of that nature.  Their idols have the faculty of speech, and predict to them whatever is required.  Should I become a convert to the faith of Christ and profess myself a Christian, the nobles of my court and other persons who do not incline to that religion will ask me what sufficient motives have caused me to receive baptism and to embrace Christianity.  ’What extraordinary powers,’ they will say, ’what miracles, have been displayed by its ministers?’ Whereas, the idolaters declare that what they exhibit is performed through their own sanctity and the influence of their idols.

“To this I shall not know what answer to make, and I shall be considered by them as laboring under a grievous error; while the idolaters, who by means of their profound art can effect such wonders, may without difficulty compass my death.  But let the Pontiff send hither a hundred persons well skilled in Christian law, who being confronted with the idolaters shall have power to coerce them, and showing that they themselves are endowed with similar art, but which they refrain from exercising because it is derived from the agency of evil spirits, shall compel them to desist from practices of such a nature in their presence.  When I am witness of this I shall place them and their religion under an interdict, and shall allow myself to be baptized.  Following my example, all my nobility will then in like manner receive baptism, and this will be imitated by my subjects in general.”  From this discourse it must be evident that if the Pope had sent out persons duly qualified to preach the gospel, the Grand Khan would have embraced Christianity, for which, it is certainly known, he had a strong predilection.