Page:Christianity in China, Tartary, and Thibet Volume I.djvu/187

175 KErLY OF THE KHAN TO THE POPE. 175 or Russian. The reply was in the negative ; there were, indeed, Saracens in Europe, but they were at a great distance from the Holy Father, and the Francis- cans begged that the letter might be written in Tartar, and then interpreted to them word for word, so that they might make a faithful version of it in Latin. On the 11th of November the Khan's secretaries came to them to explain literally their master's reply. After they had read the Latin translation, they had it read twice over, and put back word for word into Tartar, in order to assure themselves of its perfect conformity with the original, and they also gave the monks an Arabic version, in case they should find any one who understood that language. This answer of Couyouk's, which had been got up with so much pains, was for a long time lost sight of, but has at length been discovered in a MS. of Colbert, on the Appendix to the recital of Benedict of Poland.* This is the translation : — " Couyouk, by the power of God, Khan and Emperor of all men, to the Great Pope. " You, and all the Christians who inhabit the West, have sent me by an ambassador certain authentic letters, with the design of forming with me a treaty of peace. According to the words of your envoys, and the tenour of your letters, you desire to have peace with us. " If, then, you wish to have peace — you Pope, and you Emperors, Kings, chiefs of towns, and governors of countries, do not delay to come to me and settle this peace. You shall hear our answers and our pleasure. " The tenour of these letters declares that we ought to be baptized and become Christians ; to that we reply briefly that we do not un- vol. iv. p. 594.
 * Recueil des Voyages et Memoires de la Societe de Geographie,