140

THE  CHINESE  EMPIRE
money  they  can  buy  what  they  like  anywhere  over
the  Empire,  whilst  it  is  also  vastly  lighter  to  carry
about  on  their  journeys.  And  it  is  a  truth  that  the
merchants  will  several  times  in  the  year  bring  wares
to  the  amount  of  400,000  bezants,  and  the  Grand  Sire
pays  for  all  in  that  paper.  So  he  buys  such  a  quantity
of  those  precious  things  every  year  that  his  treasure  is
endless,  whilst  all  the  time  the  money  he  pays  away
costs  him  nothing  at  all.  Moreover  several  times  in
the  year  proclamation  is  made  through  the  city  that
any  one  who  may  have  gold  or  silver  or  gems  or  peails,
by  taking  them  to  the  Mint  shall  get  a  handsome  price
for  them.  And  the  owners  are  glad  to  do  this,  because
they  would  find  no  other  purchaser  give  so  large  a
price.  Thus  the  quantity  they  bring  in  is  marvellous,
though  those  who  do  not  choose  to  do  so  may  let  it
alone.  Still,  in  this  way,  nearly  all  the  valuables  in
the  country  come  into  the  Kaan’s  possession.
“  When  any  of  those  pieces  of  paper  are  spoilt
not  that  they  are  so  very  flimsy  neither—the  owner
carries  them  to  the  Mint,  and  by  paying  3  P er  cent  on
the  value  he  gets  new  pieces  in  exchange.  And  if  any
Baron,  or  any  one  else  soever,  hath  need  of  gold  or
silver  or  gems  or  pearls,  in  order  to  make  plate,  or
girdles  or  the  like,  he  goes  to  the  Mint  and  buys  as
much  as  he  list,  paying  in  this  paper-money.
Now  you  have  heard  the  ways  and  means  whereby ­
  the  Great  Kaan  may  have,  and  in  fact  has,  more
treasure  than  all  the  kings  in  the  World  and  you
know  all  about  it  and  the  reason  why.”  *
Ming  Notes
Bayonets  form  a  poor  seat  for  the  throne  of  a  ruler,  and
a  constant  diet  of  irredeemable  assignats  is  not  nutritious.
1  all  the  warlike  prowess  and  rough  hardihood  of  the
ongo  s,  weakened  though  they  may  have  been  by  a  life  of
T  ,  The  Rook  of  Ser  Marco  Polo,”  translated  by  Col.  Henry  Yule.
London,  1871.  Book  II.  Chap,  xxiv,