to enter his service. And he answered by telling them that
they were right welcome, and that he was glad to have their service, never
imagining that they had any ill intent. And so these mischievous squires
took service with the Golden King; and served him so well that he grew to
love them dearly.

And when they had abode with that King nearly two years, conducting
themselves like persons who thought of anything but treason, they one day
accompanied the King on a pleasure party when he had very few else along
with him: for in those gallants the King had perfect trust, and thus kept
them immediately about his person. So after they had crossed a certain
river that is about a mile from the castle, and saw that they were alone
with the King, they said one to another that now was the time to achieve
that they had come for. Then they all incontinently drew, and told the King
that he must go with them and make no resistance, or they would slay him.
The King at this was in alarm and great astonishment, and said: "How then,
good my sons, what thing is this ye say? and whither would ye have me go?"
They answered, and said: "You shall come with us, will ye: nill ye, to
Prester John our Lord."

[Illustration: The "Roi d'Or." (From a MS. in the Royal Asiatic Society's
Collection.)

"Et en ceste chastians ha un mout bians paleis en quel a une grandisme sale
la ou il sunt portrait a mont belles pointures tout les rois de celes
provences que furent ansienemant, et ce est mout belle viste a voir."]

NOTE 1.--The name of the castle is very doubtful. But of that and the
geography, which in this part is tangled, we shall speak further on.

Whilst the original French texts were unknown, the king here spoken of
figured in the old Latin versions as King _Darius_, and in Ramusio as _Re
Dor_. It was a most happy suggestion of Marsden's, in absence of all
knowledge of the fact that the original narrative was _French_, that this
Dor represented the Emperor of the _Kin_ or Golden Dynasty, called by the
Mongols _Altun Khan_, of which _Roi D'Or_ is a literal translation.

Of the legend itself I can find no trace. Rashiduddin relates a story of
the grandfather of Aung Khan (Polo's Prester John), Merghuz Boiruk Khan,
being treacherously made over to the King of the Churche (the Kin
sovereign), and put to death by being nailed to a wooden ass. But the same
author tells us that Aung Khan got his title of Aung (Ch. _Wang_) or king
from the Kin Emp