CHAPTER III.
_Marco Polo_ A VENETIAN TRAVELLER OF THE THIRTEENTH CENTURY Et por ce, veul ie que un et autre sachent a tos iors mais les euvres des Veneciens, et qui il furent, et dont il vindrent, et qui il sont, et comment il firent la noble Cite que l'en apele Venise, qui est orendroit la plus bele dou siecle....

La place de Monseignor Saint Marc est orendroit la plus bele place qui soit en tot li monde; que de vers li soleil levant est la plus bele yglise qui soit el monde, c'est l'Yglise de Monseignor Saint Marc.

Et de les cele Yglise est li paleis de Monseignor li Dus, grant e biaus a mervoilles.
-- MARTINO DA CANALE And Kinsai [Hangchow] is the greatest city in the whole world, so great indeed that I should scarcely venture to tell of it, but that I have met at Venice people in plenty who have been there....

And if anyone should desire to tell of all the vastness and great marvels of this city, a good quire of paper would not hold the matter, I trow.

For 'tis the greatest and noblest city, and the finest for merchandise, that the whole world containeth.
-- ODORIC OF PORDENONE Let us go back in mind--as would that we could go back in body--to the year 1268.