n his hand, examining it narrowly. He next carried him the
psalter, which he and the wife who sat next him minutely inspected. After
which the bible was carried to him, on which he asked if it contained our
Gospel? To which I answered, that it contained that, and all our other Holy
Scriptures. I next delivered to him your majestys letter, with its
translation into the Arabian and Syriac languages, which I had procured to
be done at Acon[1]; and there happened to be present certain Armenian
priests, who were skilful in the Turkish and Arabian languages, and
likewise the before mentioned templar had knowledge of both these and the
Syriac. We then went out of the house and put off our vestments, and we
were followed by Coiat, accompanied by certain scribes, by whom our letters
were interpreted; and when Sartach had heard these read, he graciously
accepted our bread, wine, and fruits, and permitted us to carry our books
and vestments to our own lodgings. All this happened on the festival of St
Peter ad Vincula.

[1] Now called St Jean d'Acre.--E.

SECTION XVIII.

_They are ordered to proceed to Baatu, the Father of Sartach_.

Next morning early a certain priest, who was the brother of Coiat, came to
our lodging, and desired to have our box of chrism to carry, as he said, to
Sartach. About evening Coat sent for us, and said that the king our master
had written acceptably to his lord and master Sartach; but there were
certain difficult matters, respecting which he did not dare to determine
without the orders and advice of his father, and that it was, therefore,
necessary that we should go to his father, leaving the two carts behind us
in which we brought the books and vestments, because his lord was desirous
to examine these things more carefully. Suspecting the evil that might
arise from this man's covetousness, I immediately said that we would not
only leave these carts, but the other two also under his custody. You shall
not, said he, leave these two carts behind, but as for the other two, we
will satisfy your desire. But I insisted upon leaving them all. He then
desired to know whether we intended to remain in the country? To which I
answered, that if he had thoroughly understood the letters of my lord and
master, he would have seen that we were so inclined. And he then exhorted
us to demean ourselves with patience, and humility; after which we parted
for that evening.

Next day Coiat sent a Nestorian priest for