Another tradition says he had seventy kings for his vassals, and was seen by his subjects only three times a year.
Marco Polo says that Prester John was the Khan Ung, who was slain in battle by Jenghiz Khan, in 1202. He was converted by the Nestorians, and his baptismal name was John. Gregory Bar-Hebræus says that God forsook him because he had taken to himself a wife of the Zinish nation, called Quarakhata.
Otto, of Freisingen, is the first author who makes mention of Prester John. His chronicle is brought down to the year 1156, and in it we are assured that this most mysterious personage was of the family of the Magi, and ruled over the country of these Wise Men. “He used” (according to Otto) “a sceptre made of emeralds.”
Bishop Jordānus, in his description of the world, sets down Abyssinia as the kingdom of Prester John. At one time Abyssinia went by the name of Middle India.
Maimonidês mentions Prester John, and calls him Preste-Cuan. The date of Maimonidês is 1135-1204.
⁂ Before 1241 a letter was addressed by Prester John to Manuel Comne´nus, emperor of Constantinople. It is to be found in the Chronicle of Albericus Trium Fontium, who gives the date as 1165.
In Ariosto’s Orlando Furioso, xvii., Prester John is called Sena´pus, king of Ethiopia. He was blind. Though the richest monarch of the world, he pined “in plenty with endless famine,” because harpies carried off his food whenever the table was spread; but this plague was to cease “when a stranger came to his kingdom on a flying horse.” Astolpho came on a flying griffin, and with his magic horn chased the harpies into Cocy´tus.
John (Prince), son of Henry II., introduced by Sir W. Scott in The Betrothed (1825).
John (Prince), brother of Richard I., introduced by Sir W. Scott in The Talisman (1825).
John and the abbot of Canterbury. King John, being jealous of the state kept by the abbot of Canterbury, declared he should be put to death unless he answered these three questions: (1) “How much am I worth? (2) How long would it take me to ride round the world? (3) What are my thoughts?” The king gave the abbot three weeks for his answers. A shepherd undertook to disguise himself as the abbot, and to answer the questions. To the first he said, “The king’s worth is twenty-nine pence, for the Saviour Himself was sold for thirty pence, and his majesty is mayhap a penny worse than He.” To the second question he answered, “If you rise with the sun and ride with the sun, you will get round the world in twenty-four hours.” To the third question he replied, “Your majesty thinks me to be the abbot, but I am only his servant.”—Percy, Reliques, II. iii. 6.