Page:Christianity in China, Tartary, and Thibet Volume I.djvu/199

187 MANIFESTO OF THE GRAND KUAN. 187 transmit thee this order, by virtue of which, if thou wishest to keep thy land, thy water, and thy patrimony, thou must come, thou Pope, in person to us, and afterwards go and present thyself to him, who is the master of the whole earth. If thou dost not obey this im- mutable command of God, and of him who rules the earth, we know not what will happen. God alone knows it. Thou art to send us messengers to inform us whether thou wilt come or not, and if thou wilt be our friend or our enemy. " See that thy answer be sent promptly, in order that we may for- ward it by Aybeg and Sargis. " Given in the district of Sitians, the 20th of July." Some days before the despatch of this insolent missive, Baidjou had received from the Grand Khan a general order to regulate his conduct towards foreign nations. This document has been preserved, and its tone of arrogance and contempt may be considered as a proof of its authenticity. The Kha-kan speaks like the master of the world, and treats all sovereigns who do not obey his orders as rebels worthy of death. These ideas are still the basis of public law in China. No other monarch is recognised in the universe than the Son of Heaven ; every assertion of independence is stigmatised as revolt, and all nations as robbers who dare to wage war with the empire. The document in question exhibits, indeed, many peculiarities of style, evidently borrowed from the Chinese, and they are recognisable even through the alterations that the translators have been obliged to make. Baidjou was charged to transmit to the pope a copy of the imperial manifesto, which runs thus : — " By the command of the living God, Tchinguiz-Khan, the gracious and venerable Son of Heaven, proclaims that God is elevated above all things. God is immortal, and Tchinguiz-Khan is the sole governor of the earth.