knowe not of what
nacioun, ne of what lawe thei schulle ben offe, that schulle overcomen hem.
And therfore thei suffren, that folk of alle lawes may peysibely duellen
amonges hem.
Also whan thei wille make hire ydoles, or an ymage of ony of hire frendes,
for to have remembrance of hym, thei maken alle weys the ymage alle naked,
with outen any maner of clothinge. For thei seyn, that in gode love scholde
be no coverynge, that man scholde not love for the faire clothinge, ne for
the riche aray, but only for the body, suche as God hathe made it, and for
the gode vertues that the body is endowed with of nature; but only for fair
clothinge, that is not of kyndely nature.
And zee schulle undirstonde, that it is gret drede for to pursue the
Tartarines, zif thei fleen in bataylle. For in fleynge, thei schooten
behynden hem, and sleen bothe men and hors. And whan thei wil fighte, thei
wille schokken hem to gidre in a plomp; that zif there be 20000 men, men
schalle not wenen, that there be scant 10000. And thei cone wel wynnen lond
of straungeres, but thei cone not kepen it. For thei han grettre lust to
lye in tentes with outen, than for to lye in castelle or in townes. And
thei preysen no thing the wytt of other naciouns. And amonges hem, oyle of
olyve is fulle dere: for thei holden it for fulle noble medicyne. And alle
the Tartarienes han smale eyen and litille of berd, and not thikke hered,
but schiere. And thei ben false and traytoures: and thei lasten noghte that
thei behoten. Thei ben fulle harde folk, and moche peyne and wo mow suffren
and disese, more than ony other folk: for thei ben taughte therto in hire
owne contree, of Zouthe: and therfore thei spenden, as who seythe, right
nought.
And whan ony man schalle dye, men setter a spere besyde him: and whan he
drawethe towardes the dethe, every man fleethe out of the hous, tille he be
ded; and aftre that, thei buryen him in the feldes.
CAPVT. 39.
De sepultura Imperatoris Grand Can, et creatione successoris.
Imperator Grand Can postquam eius cognita fuerit defunctio defertur mox a
paucis viris in parco palatij, ad praeuisum locum vbi debeat sepeliri. Et
nudato prius toto illo loco a graminibus cum cespite figitur ibi tentorium,
in quo velut in solio regali de ligno corpus defuncti residens collocatur,
paraturque mensa plena coram eo cibarijs praeciosis, et potu de lacte
iumentorum. Instabulatur ibi et equa cum suo pullo, sed et ipse albus,
nobiliter phaleratus,
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