406 CHRISTIANITY IN CHINA, ETC. exaltation of the Christian faith. It may be productive of immense benefit to these countries. " At various epochs three or four messengers have come hither from you to the emperor our Lord, and they have been received graciously, and have had ho- nours and presents showered upon them ; but since then the emperor has never had any answer from you or the Apostolic See. For this reason your Holiness should send a sure and faithful messenger. The honour of your Holiness is at stake, for it is a great disgrace to the Christians of these countries, when they are found guilty of lies. Written at Khanbalik, in the year of the Eat (1336), the third day of the sixth moon." * The sovereign pontiff received this Tartar embassy very graciously ; the envoys were magnificently en- tertained at Avignon ; and in a short time they set out on their return to Pekin. Pope Benedict XII. entrusted them with an answer to the emperor, dated June 13. 1338, in which he declares with what great satisfaction he has learned, both from the tenor of the emperor's letter and the verbal communications of his envoys, his great devotion to the holy Koman Church, and to himself who so unworthily holds the place of God upon earth. He begs the emperor to continue his friendly conduct towards the five Alain princes, whom he names, as well as to the other Christians ; to allow Catholic priests and monks, and Christians in general, to build and possess churches, basilicas, and oratories, for the celebration of divine service, and to preach freely in his empire the word of God. Finally, he declares his inten- tion of sending his nuncios to China, and begs that
- Wadding, v. 7. p. 209.
