d the degrees to gon up to
his throne, where he sittethe at the mete, on is of oniche, another is of
cristalle, and another of jaspre grene, another of amatyst, another of
sardyne, another of corneline, and the sevene that he settethe on his feet,
is of crisolyte. And alle theise degrees ben bordured with fyn gold, with
the tother precious stones, sett with grete perles oryent. And the sydes of
the sege of his throne ben of emeraudes, and bordured with gold fulle
nobely, and dubbed with other precious stones and grete perles. And alle
the pileres in his chambre, ben of fyne gold with precious stones, and with
many carboncles, that zeven gret lyght upon the nyght to alle peple. And
alle be it that the charboncle zeve lyght right y now, natheles at alle
tymes brennethe a vesselle of cristalle fulle of bawme, for to zeven gode
smelle, and odour to the emperour, and to voyden awey alle wykkede eyres
and corrupciouns. And the forme of his bedd is of fyne saphires bended with
gold, for to make him slepen wel, and to refreynen him from lecherye. For
he wille not lyze with his wyfes, but 4 sithes in the zeer, aftre the four
cesouns: and that is only for to engendre children. He hathe also a fulle
fayr palays and a noble, at the cytee of Nyse, where that he dwellethe,
whan him best lykethe; but the ayr is not so attempree, as it is at the
cytee of Suse. And zee schulle undirstonde, that in alle his contree, ne in
the contrees there alle aboute, men eten noghte but ones in the day, as men
don in the court of the grete Chane. And so thei eten every day in his
court, mo than 30000 persones, with outen goeres and comeres. But the 30000
persones of his contree, ne of the contree of the grete Chane, ne spenden
noghte so moche gode, as don 12000 of oure contree. This Emperour Prestre
John hathe evere more 7 kynges with him, to serve him: and thei departen
hire service be certeyn monethes. And with theise kynges serven alle weys
72 dukes and 360 erles. And alle the dayes of the zeer, there eten in his
houshold and in his court, 12 erchebysshoppes and 20 bisshoppes. And the
patriark of Seynt Thomas is there, as is the Pope here. And the
erchebisshoppes and the bisshoppes and the abboties in that contree, ben
alle kynges. And everyche of theise grete lordes knowen wel y now the
attendance of hire servyse. This on is mayster of his houshold, another is
his chamberleyn, another servethe him of a dissche, another of the cuppe,
another is stywar