1 The city of Lon is divided into parts. 4 Certain men get them new names. 7 An heavy tax is imposed upon the traders. 11 A dearth of paper arises in the land. 13 Concerning Northcliffe. 16 And concerning Welz. 22 Strange chariots are seen throughout the land. 25 The ways of the charioteers.
All Gaul is divided into three parts; but at the time when there was war, the city of Lon, it was divided into more parts than three. And unto each part there was a number given.
2 And it was ordained that whosoever should write him an epistle unto any man of Lon, he should write also the number of the part upon the outside of it.
3 And all the people obeyed the commandment. But the rulers, and the servants of the rulers, they obeyed it not, being exercised with the business of the war so that they forgot all else.
4 ¶ Now there were certain men and their names, they were framed after the manner of those of Hu. And it was a cause of continual trouble unto them that their names, they were what they were.
5 And they gathered themselves together and they did commune, the one with the other, concerning their infirmity. And they cursed the days of their births, and did pour loud murmurings of anger upon the heads of their ancestors.
6 And, afterwards, they gat them new names. Yea, whatsoever name seemed good unto them, that name did they take for themselves, so that no man ever again did hold up his hands in horror at the mention of them.
7 ¶ Now the rulers laid a tax upon the profits of all the traders that did make benefit during the time when there was war. And it was an heavy tax, so that little was left over.
8 Wherefore all the traders set them out for to make that kind of money that is not amongst the profits. And they were hard put to for to do it.
9 And they became full of generosity towards their servants, and they did exercise great care in the preservation of their buildings, nor grudged a little money for to make them beautiful.