yssue but by certayne â—laces and strayt entrees that ben as yates of the londe· In hongerye was thenne a kynge a moche valyaunt man named Colemanâ— And was a very good cristen man He knewe that Gaultier cam by londe with grete peple and had therof moche grete Ioye and helde wel with the pylgremage that he had enâ—erprised be receyued them debonayrly in his londe and commanded thurgh his royame that they shold haue alle maner vytaylle good sheep â–ª and alle that they neded The pylgryms passed alle hongrye in good peas tyl they cam to the ende where they fouÌ„de a wace whiche was named Marce This was the bouÌ„de of hongerye toward thâ—â—yent· they passed this water in good peas and entred in to â—ongrye And witthoute knowyng of this Gaulteer some of his peple abode ouâ—â— the water And cam to a castel named Malleuylle for to by vitaylles of the whiche they had nede The hongres by cause that alle the hoost was passed sauf they which were but a fewe runne vpon them And bette them And dyde to them ouermoche shame· They passed the water and cam to gaultier and shewde to hym playnly how they had ben demened without forfaâ—â—ce They had moche grete despite and moche sorowe herof And had passed the water agayn· yf they had had not so grete peryl and so grete distourblyng And thought they wold goo theyr waye and leue for tauenge this thynge So long they wente tyl they cam to belle graue· whiche is the first Cyte of bongrye on this syde· Gaultier sente to the duc of the town and requyred hym that he wolde late them ther by vytaylles he wold not suffre ony to be sold to them Thoost had grete disease for lak of vytaylle and myght not lenger kepe them but that a grete parte of them wente a fowragyng for to gete vytaylles for them and for theyr beestys They founde grete plente of beestes in the contre whiche they toke and brougkt to theyr lodgyngee whan they of the contre herd this they armed them assembled grete peple of the couÌ„tree ran vpon them where they droef their proyes fought with them toke the beestes fro them many of them they slewe huÌ„ted the other away the noÌ„bre wel of Cxl of onre men shytte them in a monasterye for to kepe them there sauf but the boÌ„gres cam there aboute sette fyer on the chirche and brente alle Gaultier sawe that he ledde with hym many folyssh peple whiche he coude not rule ne sette alle in ordenauÌ„ce And withdrewe hym fro them toke them that wold be ruled and obeye hym and wente in to forestes of bongrye which ben large and long and began to passe the moost wysely and styll that he myght tyl he cam to a cyte named stralyce and is a contre named danemarche the moyen There fonde he a good man that was duke of the londe whan this duke knewe what they were whyther they wente he receyued them moche debonayrly and made them to haue vytaylles and other thynges good cheep And dyde to them bountes and seruyses ynowgh for the oultrage that was doon to them at belgraue And dyde redresse and yelde agayne to them as moche as he myght recouere and aboue alle this he delyuerd to them good conduyte and sewâ— tyl they cam to constantynoble whan they were come to constantinoble themperour sente for gaulteer he cam vnto hym sayde to hym thoccasion of his viage that he wolde abyde there peter theremyte by the commandemt of whom he had brought thyse pylgryms whan themperour herde this he receyued hym mochewel and swetly and assygned to hym a fayr place without the town where as he lodged hym with his felawship and commanded that they shold haue vytaylle and alle other necessaryes good chepe and ther soiourned they a whyle How Pieter the heremyte was chyef of a grete hoost in this viage toward the holy londe· capitulo xixo. it was not longe aftir that peter theremite cam fro his contre with grete plente of peple vnto the nombre of xl M he cam in to lorayne and passed francone bauyere· osterych and drewe hym toward hungrye Peter sente his messagers to the kyng of hongrye to th ende that he myght passe his Royamme he sente hym worde that he shold haue good leue yf they wold goo in peas without medlynges and oultrages They answerd that they were pylgryms of our lord had no talente for to trouble the pees Thus entred they the royamme of hongrye and passed by the lande without ony debate vytaylles and other thynges had they ynough good cheâ—pe At th ende they cam to the castel of whiche I spak to fore named maleuylle There herd they saye what was doon to them of the retenne of Gaultier and the grete oultrage doon to them without cause sawe yet the armes and despoyllis of theyr felaws that had be robbed there hange yet on the walles Oure pylgryms that sawe this were alle as they had ben out of theyr wytte ran to armes began euery man to do wel they toke the toun by force· smote of the heedes of alle them that were within sauf a fewe which ran in to the water were drowned· ther were fouÌ„de of them that were deed wel a four M of â—eters meyne were slayn an C whan this was don the hoost foÌ„de there grete plente of vytaylles abode wel v dayes in that place The duc of bongrie which was named Iucita vnderstode how thise pilgryms had venged their felaws ayenst them of maleuylle doubted for as moche as he had defended the vytaylles to our peple that he had slayn many of them And hym semed that bellegaâ—â—ne was not strong ynough therfor he lefte the town and wente in to a strenger castel Thus alle they of the cyte yssued with their goodes and drewe them to the depe forestes Peter whyles he laye yet at maleuylle herd saye that the kyng of hongrye had herd of the deth of his peple wherof he was moche angry and that he somoned and assembled alle his power for tauenge his men that had be slayn And doubted therof And was no merueylle wherfore he made tassemble alle the shippes that myght be founden atte ryue of the see to hym and made his peple to departe moche hastely his cartes and charyottes the beestes they had merueyllous grete praye lad awey grete rychesses fro the castel of maleyulle that they had there taken whan they were passed ouer in to hongrye· they cam to fore bellegraue and fonde the cyte alle voyde ffor they were alle fled Aftir they wente eght grete iourneyes by many grete forestes tyl they cam to fore a cyte named Nyze This town fonde they moche stronge and wel wallyd with grete towres and stronge And within was grete garnyson and the beste men of warre of alle the londe and grete plente of
they fonde this grete occisâ—on and slaughter at the gate Thenne began a sorow and a moche grete crye in the toun Alle men put the blame and culpe on Bawdwyn and hys knygtes ffor they wold auenge the deth of theyr bretheren whom the sarasyns had so shamely and vylaynously slayn By cause that the knyghtes of bawdwyn and also he hym self wold not suffre them to come in to the toun· And in dede the men of foote sayd this was don by grete oultrage grete falshede· And yf they had not lyghtly withdrawen them in to the toures they had smyten them alle to deth The knyghtes helde them alle stylle tyl that the footemen were cooled and after sente messagers whiche spak to them and requyre them to forbere so long tyl that Bawdwyn had spoken to them they were content to here Bawdwyn speke Bawdwyn excused hym to fore aâ—e and swar and affermed that for none other thynge thentre was deffended them but for that he had sworn to them of the toun that by hym shold none entre tyl the grete hooste cam By thyse wordes and by cause other entermeted to make the peas and spoken debonayrly to the mene peple was bawdwyn acorded to the foote man and his knyghtes also In this toun they soiourned and abode a certayn whyle vntyl a mornyng they sawe in the see nygh them a shippe aboute in myle fro them They yssued oute of the toun and descended to the see they that were in the ship approched to them in such wyse that they spak to gydre they of the ship sayde that they were cristen men they demaunded of what contre and they answerd of fflaundres of holande and of ffryselande And trouth it was they had be escumours of the see and robbers the space of viij yere· Now they repented them And by penaunce cam in pylgremage to Iherusalem they desyred them to come a londe And they cam and made to gydre grete ioye they had a maister ouer them named guynemer And was born of boloyne vpon the see in the londe of Erle Eustace fader of the said duc Godeffroy whan â—e herde that Bawdwyn the sone of his lord was there· â—e lefte his ship And said he wold goo with hym to Iherusalem be was moche ryche of this euyl gayne And had many men with hym that be ladde in his ship thenne Bawdwyn lefte v· C men of armes for to kepe the toun wel in poynt And after he toke his waye for to seke somme auentures as he dyde to fore â—e helde the right way al he cam to the cyte of anamyster· whiche tancre had goten by force of armes vpon the turkes as I haue sayd you to fore Bawdwyn thought wel that he wold not lete hym entre in to the cyte â–ª And therfor he lodged hym in thâ— gardyns about Tancre knowe that bawdwyn whiche loued hym not was so nygh hym And â—e had not forgoten the wronge and the oultrage that bawdwyn had don to hym Thenne he dyde do arme his men· and sayde that thenne was tyme for to venge hym ffor he was nygh â—is retrayt· bawdwyn was for fro his They sente Archiers to fore in grete nombre for to hurte and slee theyr horses whiche they had sente in to the pastures Tancre had with hym fyue honderd men of armes in good poynt and wel horsed And smote in sodanly in to the peple of bawdwyn whiche were not aduysed of them they slewe many and moo they hurted the men of bawdwyn ran hastely to arme them cam fought with them that ran by the tentes therâ— began a bataylle bytwene them moche grete and fiers but it â—ndured not â—â—nge ffor tancre had not so grete plente of peple that myght endure ayenst the mâ—n of bawdwyn· therfor they wold withdrawe them in to theyr toun but theyr enemyes enchassed them strongly so moche that they muste flee there was a brygge ouer a water bytwene the hooste and the cyte the peple of tancre entred so thyck that many were lost and slayn vpon the brygge and drowned in the water whan they were put in to the toune agayn they were moche angry in theyr herte and wold take more peple and returne agayn but the nyght cam that destroubbed it In this scarmuche was taken Rychard le pryncipat cosyn germayn of tancre and robert danse both two were noble men· by their counseyl and atysement tancre had ronne vpon Bawdwyn· Of that other syde was taken a moche noble man named Gylbert de Mountcler· they were moche angry on that one syde and on that other for them that they had loste ffor they doubted that they had ben slayn or drowned whan it cam on the morn and theyr hertes a lytil aswaged they sente messagers eche to other And knewe certaynly that thyse men that were taken lyued of whom they dredde that had ben deed· and good men wente byt wene And medled for to speke of pees in suche wyse that they cam agayn to entier concordaunce and parfyght loue by the grace of the holy ghoost that adressyd theyr hertes They amended theyr trespaas eche to other And kyssed to gydre as frendes in good fayth How the sayd Bawdwyn retorned to the grete hooste And how Tancre mayntenyd hym moche wel in conqueryng contrees Capitulo lxxvjo. bAwdwyn had counseyl whan he was come to Maraze as I haue recompted that he shold goo no ferther forth But retorned in to thoosâ— of the barons By cause he herd saye how the duc his brother had be hurte peryllously And wold see and knowe of his estate and how he ferde theyr counseyl was that tancre shold goo forth Bawdwyn lefte with hym guy neuers And them that were in his companye comen fro the shippe They passed alle sylyâ—e and bete doun alle the forestes of the hethen men that they myght fynde they brente the townes and slewe theyr enemyes· And after cam vnto a Cyte called Alexandrye the lasse that they toke by force and conquerd al the câ—ntre about· The hermyns and turkes that dwellyd in the montaynes of this contre herde tydynges that Tancre and his men were so valyaunt and so myghty that nothyng myght holde ayensâ— them And sore dredde that lyke as he conquerd the playne· he wold come vpon them in the montaynes And destroye the londe entierly and the peple· ffor tappease his courage they sente ta hym good and certeyn messagers· whiche brought to hym grete yeftes as gold syluer precious stones clothes of sylk horses and mubettâ—s they sente hym moche largely ffor whiche cause Tancre lefte them in peas· Thus dyde he wel his honoure and his pronffyt in alle places that he went by in suche wyse that it semed wel to euery man that oure lord god adressyd his way and mayntened his wâ—rkes vertuosly How bawdwyn conquerd a grete contre vpon the turkes by the counseyl of a knyght bermyn named pancâ—ace cao. lxxvij o nOw ye haue herd how Tancre nayntened hym
for tappese yf ony noyse arroos Atte laste they cam to malleuylle wherof ye haue herd to fore whiche stondeth on the ryuer of the dunoc There they 〈◊〉 tyl alle the hoost were passed by shippes wherof were but fewe But to fore he had don sette ouer a thousand men wel armed for to kepe the arryuyng on that other syde whan the hoosâ— of the comyn peple were passed the kyng cam to the duc to the barons and brought the hostages that were delyuerd to hym he made to them moche ioye and honour at departyng· and gaf to euerych grete yiftes ryche Aftir he toke leue and retorned home ageyn The duc and the barons passed ouer with their peple and cam to bellegraue a cyte of hongrye of whiche we haue spoken to fore And there they lodged them After they passed thurgh the wodes til they cam to the cyte of nyz and after to stralyce How the duc godeffroye sente his messagers to themperour of constantinoble to th ende that he shold delyuer huon le mayne and other that he helde in prison cap o xxxiij o hEre may be knowen the euyl disposicion and deceyte of the grekes ffor syth themperours latyns faylled in constantynople and th empyre cam vnto the grekes of whom the fyrst was nycofores Anon the barbaryns that were aboute them· the blacz and the comans they of hongrye whiche ben toward the eest supprised and toke thyse londes that were so good plentyuous and delytable And conquerd alle fro the dunoe vnto constantinople· And on that other parte vnto the see Adryane There is a cyte in lombardye nygh to the londe of the marquys named Adre is right a litil cyte But by cause it is nygh the see of venyse and of Ancone hath this see the name of the see Adryane in wrytyng This see goth right nygh constantinoble vnto a xxx myle This euyl peple of th empyre of constantinoble had wel wonue vpon the grekes xxx iourneyes of lengthe· And x of brede ffor aboue this see that I haue spoken of is a countre named Epyre. The chyef cyte is named duras of whiche pycrus was somtyme kynge· Another is named Mayene that is in the myddle of the londe where ben also noble Cytees Nyz and stralyce In this londe was Archade Thessale and machedone Of thyse thre landes euerych was called Trace And alle thise were conquerd vpon the grekes But afterward ther was an Emperour named Basilie recouerd thise londes· And brought the blacz and the bongres longe afore this tyme in suche wyse that the two danemarches were comen agayn to his po wer but yet wold not the grekes suffre to repayre agayn the townes ne laboure the loÌ„des which shold be right good to th ende that none shold enhabyte there· By cause they holde it for a strengthe And that nothyng shold be fonde therin Also in espyre whiche extendeth fro duras· vnto a mount named bagulaâ—s And endureth foure iourneyes by that passed the other barons But the Duc and his companye passed by danemarche la Maâ—en whiche is named other wyse Mese They cam by a destrayte whiche is named the Cloysâ—â—e of seynt Basyle And syth they descended in to a playne Where they fonde grete plente of vytaylle and of pastures And cam vnto Aâ—ine poâ— whiche is a moche fayr cyte and good There herd they saye and trouthe it was that themperour of constantynoble had enprisonned huon le mayne broder of the kynge of ffraunce· and many other barons that cam with hym ffor thise noble men were hasty and cam by lombardye in to puylle ffro thens they passed to duras And soiourned for tabyde the other barons whiche ought to come in to tho partyes ne they supposed to haue doubted ony thyng in the londe of the grekes that were cristen as they were But the baylly of duras toke alle the moost grete barons and sente them in yrons to themperour of Constantynoble to doo his wylle with them he helde them in prison and abode the comyng of the other barons by cause yf they cam with grete power he wolde delyuer them for theyr loue and yf they cam not with grete myght he thought not lyghtly to lete them passe whan the duc godefroye and the other barons herd tydynges of this prisonment he toke good messagers and sente them with theyr lettres to themperour And they prayde and warned hym that he shold sende to them without delaye this hye and noble man huon le mayne and alle his companye ffor they helde hym for lordes bretheren and felaws of this pylgremage And herin he had don more his wylle and his force than right whan he had reteyned one so gentil and hye prynce· How the duc godefroye constreyned themperour by force to rendre and delyuere his prisonners capitulo xxxiiijo. iN this tyme was Emperour a greke moche fals and ful of tricherye and was named alexes and to his surname Conius he was moche acqueynted and pryue with that other Emperour Nychofores bothomat in suche wyse that he made hym his steward And was the grettest man of the londe sauf themperour He by his malyce purchaced euyl and harme ayenst his lorde by thassent of grete peple that he helde aboute hym and toke hym and helde hym in his prison vj yere tofore that our pilgryms cam theder The messagers of the Duc and the other barons demanded of this Emperoure Huon le Mayne lyke as they were commaunded and the other prysonners in lyke wyse Themperour answerde shortly that he wold not delyuere them They retourned in to the hoost and said to them thansuer of themperour whan the duc the other barons herd this they were moche wroth And concluded emong them by theyr counseyl that they wold playnly make warre ayenst hym that dyde so grete oultrage to holde so hye a prynce in prison ne wolde not answere by mesure ne reason They habandonned to the hooste to take in that contre where they were in Alle that they coude fynde· And brente alle the townes Thus abode they in thise partyes and destroyed alle the contre And dyde moche grete dommage and harme and· grete plente of proyes and other gaynes cam in to the hoost of the barons Themperour sence vnto the duc and vnto the other barons that they shold doo holde theyr peple in pees And that he wold delyuere huon te mayne and the other prisonners· They agreed and acordid gladly· And cam with alle theyr bataylles renged and in ordenaunce to fore constantynoble· as for tassiege the toun Anon yssued oute huon the mayne· doene dancelle Guylla ne charpentier Clarembault de venduel And entred in to the â—auyllon of the Duc And thanked hym moche and alle the other of theyr delyueraunce And the duc and the hooste receyued them with moche grete ioye ffor they had moche grete angâ—e and greâ—â— despite of that was don to them The grete despyte that themperour toke that duc
put awaye thesperaunce of theyr flyght· commaunded to shette the yates after them· they cam pryckyng ayenst oure men wold haue made theyres to retorne whiche were discomfyted but the affraye and the drede was so grete in them that they neuer made semblaunt therto they them self that frely cam on whan they sawe the prowesse of our men and the grete strokes that they gaf torned theyr backes with the other ne neuer made grete resistence there was the fyghtyng grete and merueyllous betyng doun of the turkes that men myght not but with grete payne passe ther was so grete noyse so grete crye· so terryble neyhyng of horses oueral that a mā shold not haue herd thondre they that had made the yates to be slette after them were ofte this day in peryl to lese theyr lyues· the wyues of the turkes the maydens and feble peple of the toun were vpon the walles and tourettes where they sawe theyr peple torne to meschyef and to destruction ye may wel thynke that they had grete sorowe wepynge and moche grete crye and noyse wel cursed they that tyme that they so longe had lyued that they shold see suche meschyef happen to them Ancean sawe that he loste alle his men and had none hope for to recoure them commaunded that that yate shold be opened for to receyue in to the toun them that were lefte whan the turkes sawe the yate opene they had so grete wylle to entre in to the toun that vpon the brydge they pressyd so euyl for haste that they fylle in to the water of them gret◠plente· The Duc Godeffroye that al that day had so wel don And whan it cam for to departe to fore the brrdge he gaf a strook moche valyaunt and suche one that it shal perpetuelly and euermore be spoken of in wele and in honour ffor I trowe ther happed neuer none suche to fore ne neuer shal happen here after There were this daye many heedes smeton of Armes and sholders at one stroke he wel apperceyued one of his enemyes whiche helde hym nygh to Godeffroy· And auaunced hym ofte and peyned to greue hym The valyaunt Duc smote hym with his swerde by suche myght and vertue that he smote hym in two pyeces in the myddle in suche wyse that the ouerste part of hym fyl to the ground And that other parte abode styll syttyng on the hors whiche entred in to the Cyte with the other And knowe ye certaynly that this sayd Turke was armed with a good hauberk and moche stronge Alle they that sawe this merueylle were gretely abasshed And the Turkes them self had grete fere and deed◠O mercyful God what myght and strengthe gyuest thou to thy seruauntes that haue their fayth and truste in the Suche a stroke hath not be herd of to fore this tyme That same daye they of Anthyoche loste moo than two thousand men· And yf the nyght had not comen so sone on· they shold haue ben so enfebled of men that with payne shold they haue conne holden and kept the toun ayenst oure men· It semed wel that at the brydge were many Turkes slayn ffor it was thycke there of deede bodyes· The ryuer that descended to the see was alle blody vnto the See Somme Cristen men of the londe yssued oute of the toun· And cam to our peple that told them that· xij grete admyrals had the Turkes loste in the bataylle For whom they were ouermoche sorouful For they were so endommaged that neuer in theyr lyf shold they be therof restored How the Cristen men thanked oure lord of this vyctorye And made a Castel in theyr mahommerye where there they fonde grete gayne· Capitulo Cvjo. tHe next day whan the daye was wel cleer· the barons assembled alle for humbly to thancke our lord of the victorye that he had gyuen to them· And after spak of the comyn besynes· Comynly was deuysed and acorded of alle that there shold be made a tour as they had entreprysed at th ende of the brydge for to take away the yssue fro them of the toun And for to kepe and warante oure peple whan they ranne to fore it There had the Turkes buryed by nyghte the dede men that had ben slayn in the bataylle to fore whan the peple afoote knewe this they ranne And there vnburyed them And toke them out of theyr sepultures and graues And toke and bare away Gold Syluer And theyr robes the whiche they had buryed with them in their sepultures after theyr customme They of the toun had moche sorowe by cause they sawe to fore theyr eyen the corses taken vp of theyr frendes whiche they had buryed with grete costes and dispenses· And it displesyd them moche that the nombre of theyr deed men shold be knowen whom they had supposed to haue kepte secrete ffor without them that fylle in the flood or Ryuer And withoute them that were buryed in the toune And them that were hurt vnto the deth and buryed in the toun were taken vp oute of theyr graues in the mahomerye a thousand and fyue honderd They smote of thre honderd heedes and sente them to Themperour for to late hym haue certayn tydynges of the bataylle that they had ayenst the turkes The messagers of the Calyphe of Egypte were not yet departed fro thens And whan they sawe this· they were ioyous of the deth of theyr enemyes But they were alway after a feerd and dred oure peple There were many of oure owne men that had fledde in to the woodes and montaygnes whiche after retourned in to thooste There cam many in to thooste that men supposed had ben deed the barons commanded that the fortresse shold be made adressyd moch hye strōge hastely It was made of such stones as they drewe out of the tōbes sepultures of the turkes after the barons began to aduyse to whom the kepyng of this tour shold be delyud which was fayr strong to fore was made a dyche moche depe· ther were Barons ynowe whiche excused them by many reasons why they myght not kepe it But the valyant Erle of Tholouse prouffred hym self And prayde that it myght be delyuerd to hym ffor to gouerne ffor by the grace of God he shold kepe it wel Alle the Barons coude hym moche good thancke And by this recouerd he the grace and loue of the comyn peple whiche he had alle loste ffor fro the somer to fore by thoccasion of a sekenes and maladye that he had he had don none auauncement of ony werkes and nedes of the hoost· Eueryche of the other barons had don his power But he dyde right nought therfore th empyre coude hym thank ffor it was supposed that he was the rychest· but for tentreprise of this thyng· they sayd wel alle that he was not a ferd ne euyll And on that othersyde yet he dyde more· ffor he leyd out· v C marck weyght of syluer in the hand of the Bisshop
with clothes of sylke with spyces Ieweles of golde of dyuerse facions And with ryche precious stones whiche he sente to his frende Charlemayn And largely he gaf and rewarded the messagers And emonge al other thinges He sente into ffraunce an Olyphant This debonayrte pourchased the good Charlemayn for the Crysten men that were in captiuyte vnder the said Aaron And in lyke wyse the said Aaron for the loue that he bare to Carlemayn pourchassed for other Cristen men that were in al hethenes vnder dyuerse lordes as in egypte And in Aufrigue That is to seye in Allexandrye And in Cartage ffor â—e sente grete yeftes and moche good to sustene the power of Cristen men sente grete presentes vnto theyr lordes maistres myscreauntes amyable letters In suche wise that he pourchassed their loue acqueyntaunce by whiche they conteyned them more debonairly vn to cristiens that were in theyr subiection thus dyde the hye prynce charlemayn vnto the hethen lordes that were fer fro hym ffor it is to be bileuid that yf he had ben nyghe to them that he wold haue essayed for to haue delyuerd in another maner the peple of our lord lyke as he dyde ryght gloriously in many places Of the noyse that sourded emonge the hethen men discordyng in theyr lawe and how they of egypte yssued out of theyr londe and of the euyllis that they dyde capitulo vo. iN this season it happed that a grete debate sourded bytwene the mescreaunts of Egypte and the mescreaunts of Perse ffor eueryche partye of this peple wold haue the seignourye vpon the other The Rote of this grete hate and enuye sourded ande aroos of that whyche discorded and yet dyscorde of certayn poyntes of theyr lawe in suche wise that they haue dyuerse names ffor they that holde the lawe of perse haue the name in theyr langage soun And they of the lawe of Egypte be named siha And they be not so ferre fro the very crysten lawe as ben the other It happed that they of Egypte yssued out of theyr londe and conquered alle the londes vnto Antyoche And emonge the other cytees that were taken The holy cyte of Iherusalem cam vnder theyr power and seignourye The peple that were there in captinyte were resonably wel entreated tyl it happed by the suffrauÌ„ce of god that his peple shold be chastised and that was by a desloyal and cruel lord and calyphe of Egypte whiche was named hecam he passed in malyce and cruelte alle his predecessours in suche wyse that the peple of his lawe helde them as wode men of pryde of rage and of falsched Emonge the other tyrannyes he commanded to caste doun to the ground the chyrche of the sepulcre of our lorde Ihesu Cryste whiche had ben made first of Constantyne themperour by a noble Patryarke of Iherusalem named Maxyme and after râ—edefyed by modest that other patriarke In the tyme of heracles of whom we haue spoken to fore he sente to them a fals caliphe one his bayly whiche was lord of Rames and named hyart This dyde the commandement of his lord and caste it doun to grounde In this tyme was patriarke of this chyrche a right valyaunt man named Oreste and was vncle vnto this vntrew kynge of Egypte broder of his moder And this was the reson why he was so cruel ayenste Crystiente ffor the heethen men sayde that he shold neuer be ferme in theyr lawe by cause he had a crysten moder And for to take away this suspecion he destroyed this holy chirche of the holy sepulcre whiche was the fontayne and begynnyng of our very creaunce How thaffliccyon iniuries and tormentes of crysten men grewe in the tyme of Calyphe hetam capitulo vjo. fRo thenne forthon began thestate of our peple at Iherusalem to be more greuous and more sorowful than it was wonte to be ffor they toke grete displaysir at theyr berâ—e for the chirche of the resurrexion of our lorde whiche they sawe so destroyed emonge them And on that other syde they were charged ouer sorowfully wyth tributes taskes and tayllages aâ—enâ—t the custome and preuyleges graunted to them of hethen prynces â–ª And also they were deffended to make ony festes on the daâ—es of theyr hye festes but thenne they were compellyd to trauaâ—lle by force and angre or they were commanded not to yssue out of 〈◊〉 howses ne dores but holde them cloos wythin to th ende that tâ—ey shold make no semblaunce of feste wythin them And â—et alâ—o they myght not be therin in pees ne assured but they caste at 〈◊〉 by the wyndows grete stones donge dyrâ—e and foul orâ—â—reâ— And yf it happed somtyme a Crysten man to saye a light worâ—e that dyspleased ony of the hethen men Anon he shold be taken like a murderer and brought to pryson and shold lose therfore his fyste or fote or he was brought to the gybet And alle the good that he had was brought in to the handes of the Calyâ—â—e â— Somtyme they wold take the chyldren of the crysten peple boâ—â—e soâ—es and doughtres in to theyr owne howses and made them mescreaunts ayenst theyr wylle And somtyme by betynge and another wyth lyes and flaterye made many yonge folke to renye our fayth And thus they dyde to our peple moche 〈◊〉 and grief But notwythstondyng good crysten men leâ—te not but admonested and conforted the peple to suffre al this with a good herte and veri penitence for the faith of Ihesu Criste and promysed them for thise shames the Ioye thonour and the glorye of heuen whiche euer shal endure The good Cristen peple spack so to gydre that they enforced them to holde And kepe their cristen fayth the more surely By cause they dyde them so moche harm And repreef It sholde be ouer longe a thinge to recâ—unte to you Alle the meseases the myschiefs that the peple of our lord endured that tyme. But I shal shew yow one exampel to th ende that by the same ye vnderstonde the more of other One of the hethen men ouermoche malicious and vntrewe whiche hated of ouermoche cruel hate the cristen men he aduised and thoughte an a day how he myght brynge them to deth He sawe wel that alle the cyte helde the temple in moche grete honour reuerence whiche was reedefyed the laye peple named it the temple dominus that they whiche had the charge to kepe it dide al their peyne to kepe it cleen nette now ther was a place to fore the temple whiche was named thaitre of the temple Whiche they wolde kepe as clene as cristen men kepe their chirches and aultres And this vntreu man that I haue said yow of to fore Toke by nyght in suche wise that no man sawe it a dede hounde al roten and stynkyng and brought it in to the same aitre to fore the temple On the morn whan they of the toun cam to the temple they fonde this dogge Thenne sourded
and aroos a crye a noyse and a clamour so grete thurgh alle the toun That ther was nothinge spoken of but of this hounde· They assembled and put out of doubte that this was not doon ne caste there but by the Cristyens Alle the hethen men Accorded to this poynt that alle the cristen peple shold be put to deth with the swerd And there were theyr swerdes drawen redy out And they also that sholde smyte of their heedes· Emonge the crysten men was a yonge man of a moche grete herte and of grete pyte And spak to the peple and said to them ffair lordes trouthe it is That I am not culpable in this thinge ne none of yow as I byleue certaynly But it shold be ouermoche grete doÌ„mage yf we alle shold deye thus ffor by this shold alle the CristendoÌ„me be quenchid in this londe Wherfore I haue thought in my self How I shal delyuer yow alle by thayde of our lord Two thynges I desyre of you for the loue of god That one is that ye praye for my sowle in your orisons That other is that ye deporte and honoure my poure lygnage ffor I will take this thinge on me and saye that I all one haue doon this fayt whiche they put on vs alle they that doubted the deth had grete Ioye whan they herd this and promysed to hym their orisons and thonoure of his lygnage In this maner that they of his lygnage eueâ—more on palmsonday shal bere tholyue whiche signyfyeth Ihu Criste whan he cam in to Iherusalem Thus this man cam to fore the Justice And said to them that the other Cristen men were nothyng culpable in this fayt and sayde that he hym self had doon the dede whan they hâ—rde this they delyuerd alle the other And he only had his heed smeten of How at the requeste of Themperour of Constantynoble the cristâ—n men obteyned lycence to bylde agayn the chirche of the holy seâ—ulcre capitulo .vijo. sVche diseases suffred the peple of our lord in this tyme but Ihu cryste that wel can sette remedyes in thinges mâ—ruâ—illous out of ordre recomforte them after ffor tâ—is vntrâ—we prynce of egipte hetam deyde and his sone named dâ—â—â—r regned aâ—ter hym This daher renewed the alyauÌ„ces with themperour of constantynoble whiche was a Romayn and named Elioâ—â—litans he prayde the said daher whom he moche louâ—d that he wold suffre that the Cristen men myght reedefye the chirche of the holy 〈◊〉 whiche his fader had do beten dounÌ„ he graunted it for the loue of themperour It was not longe after that this emperour deyde and after hym regned Constantyn whiche had to surname Monomaâ—ques whiche is to saye in grece as a man fyghtyng allone Tâ—e poure cristen that were in Iherusalem had lycence for to make agayn their chirches but they had not the power for their pouerâ—â— And herupon they had a counseyl that they wold sende to themperour and requyre hym for goddes sake that he wold helpe and socour of his Almesse for the reedefyeng of this holy werke Ther was in the tounÌ„ of Iherusalem a good man named Iohan Cariaintes born in Constantynople had ben a grete gentilman of the contre as of his lignage But yet was he more gentil of herte good manere This man was comen on pylgremage to the holy sepulcre and had lefte alle the bobauÌ„ce and thonour of the world had taken thabyte of relygion ffor to folowe our lord Ihesu Criste in ponerte in the place where he suffred pouerte messease for vs This said Iohn was prayd of alle the cristen peple there that he wolde entrepryse this message for to go to themperour for the loue of god and of them he dyde it with a good wylle and departed and cam in to Constantynoble and spak to themperour and dide alle that he was requyred ffor themperour graunted that he wolde make alle the dispences that shold be nedeful to the byldyng of this holy chirche and wolde reedefye it at hiâ— owen coste This Iohn was moche Ioyous whan he had so wel accomplissyd his message and toke leue of themperour and cam agayn in to Iherusalem whan he had said to the peple the good tydinges that he brought they made grete Ioye And many weâ—te grete terees for pyte by cause they thoughte that our lord wolde not alway forgete them whan he had doo to them suche câ—mforte In this tyme was patriarke in Iherusalem an holy man named nycesores Themperour held ryght wel his promesse ffor he sente without taryeng grete partyr of his tresour and dide do make the chyrche of the holy sepulcre moche hye in thestate and manere that it is yet And was ful made the yere of thincarnacion of our lord a M xlviij And had ben xxxvij yere destroyed This was ryght the yere to fore that our peple recouerd the cyte Whan the Cristen men there had made agayn the chirche they were moche Ioyous and were also therin well comforted of all theyr mescases and repreues that they suffred wherof they had grete plente not only in Iherusalem But also in alle the cytâ—es aboute as in bethleem And in the cyte where Amos the prophete was born named Tecua As ofte as the Caliphe sente in to the lande a newe bayly so ofte were sette on them new tributes taillages whiche they myght not well paye yf they payed not anon they menaced them for to caste doun their chirches to the ground saide they had of their lord coÌ„mandement so to doo thus in this sorow were the cristen peple one while vnder them of egipte another tyme vnder them of Perse but this was not but yet a begynning to them as whan they cam vnder the power of the turques ffor the turques conquerd the Royame of perse and also of Egypte Thus the holy cyte fylle in to their demayne whiche demened it so cruelly tormented it so cruely that it semed to the peple of our lord that they had be in fraunchise and in grete reste vnder them of Egypte and of perse Thus helde the turkes them there viij yere Of the turkes fro wens they cam and how they grewe in to grete puisaunce and dide chese them a kynge for to mayntene their warres capitulo vijjo. for as moche as we haue spoken of the turkes shal ofer speke of them in this book me semeth good that I saye to yow fro whens this peple cam first wherby they had so grete power The turke turkemans cam out of a lynage Roce of a contre toward the Eest whiche is in surye And were a peple moche rude without ordynauÌ„ce ne had no contreye ne no certayn dwellyng place But went all aboute fro londe to londe sought pastures for their beestis ne neuer duellid in castel ne tounÌ„ And whan they wolde meue from one place to another tâ—enne wente euery lynage by hym self And they made in euery kynred or lygnage a
the defaulte of the pylgryms ffor yf ye haue doon it by Iustyce or in deffendyng you and youre londes or other wyse that they wold enforce and take ony thyng away yf it were so The duc and his felaws wold take it more lightly But yf it be doo without their trespaas or for hate that ye had to them thus murdred them they that sente vs hether lete you wete by vs. that they haue lefte theyr owne couÌ„treyes for tauenge the wronges the oultrages that haue ben don to the peple of oure lord And yf they finde that ye haue so doo they be not in wylle to passe ferther tyl they haue to theyr power auenged the deth of the pylgryms of our lord And herwith godefroy that acounted this to the kyng made an ende of his wordes The kyng was in his palays where he had grete plente of barons of his Royamme and of other peple thenne answerd and sayde Godefroy it plesyth me moche that ye be come in to this contrey for to speke to me It is a moche good thyng for me for two causes that one is that ye be of myn acqueyntauÌ„ce and my frende longe syth And we shal afferme and renewe our loues and our acqueyntaunces in this youre comyng That other cause is that I knowe you to be a man wyse· resonable of good wille and am moche ioyous of this that ye shal here my excusacion trouthe it is that we haue the name of the cristiente it were shold be moche fayr to vs· yf we had the werkes But they that ben passed tofore with peter theremyte and with godechan haue not the werkes of pylgryms ne of cristen men ffor we receyuyd peter theremyte his peple in oure londes and in our townes with grete debonayrte And departed with them oure vytaylles and other thynges we gaf to them But they lyke as the serpent that prycketh or styngeth hym that kepeth hym warme in his bosomme hath guerdonned rewarded vs for our good dedes for in th ende of the royamme of hongrye whan they ought to thanke vs and rendre graces to god to theyr frendes They toke by force one of oure best castellis And put to deth alle that were therin and caryed the beestys with them they toke alle the maydens of the town lyke rowters theues The company of godechan cam after them they abode not to forfaytte til the ende of our Royamme but assone as they were entred and passed the yates of hongrye they began to make alle thoultrages they myghte They brente the townes slewe the men enforced the wymmen and bare away alle thynges they dyde so moche that for theyr trespaces were wel worthy to haue hate of god of the world we that be here in the place in the dygnyte by whiche we ought to kepe the peple as long as it shal please god and our barons that haue sworn the feaulte of the Royalme myght not wel endure thus to destroye our peple and our contrey but haue put to the hand by force in vs defendyng The thyrde companye cam also with folke a foote we doubted the noyse and debate in suche wyse that we wold not suffre them entre in to our londe ne come emonge vs Our lord that Iugeth alle the wordes knoweth alle thyng wote wel that it is thus that I haue lyed to you no worde Now we praye you that ye excuse vs oueraal where ye shal here speke of it whan he had said this be sente the messagers in to theyr Innes where they had moche grete honour and grete feste The kyng toke counseyl of his barons and ordeyned his owne messagers whiche he sente to the duc godefroy and to the prynces that cam He had spoken ynowgh to godefroy dasque and made hym grete câ—ere and gaf to hym and his felawshippe yeftes And aftir toke leue of hym and retorned al to gydre â— with the messagers whan they were comen to fore the duc godefroy one of them sayd the message in this manere· The kyng of hongrye saleweth you my lordes And sendeth yow worde that he knoweth certaynly by renoÌ„me that ye be a man of moche hye lygnage puyssauÌ„t of peple wyse and trewe of herte prudent and valyaunt of body in suche wyse that your prouesse is born in to many londes ffor thyse thynges our lord the kynge whiche neuer sawe yow preyseth and loueth yow moche in his herte And hath moche grete desire to doo you honoure These pylgryme that ben with you And that haue enterprysed so hye a pylgremage be preyseth moche and desyreth moche to see them· and to worshippe and to haue theyr acqueyntaunce ffor he holdeth hym selfe wrous and gracious that our lord hath sette hym in such a poynt that he may doo seruyse and bounte to one so valyaunt a man· Therfore vnto you fayr lord and to the hye men of your companye be prayeth requyreth and demandeth for a synguler yefte that it wold plese you to come see hym at one his castel named Cipeâ—on ffor be desireth moche to speke to you at leyser doo that ye wille demauÌ„de How the said kynge sente for to fetche the duc godefroye And how he wente and of the deuyses that they had to gydrâ— cao. xxxij wHan the duc and his barons had herd the messager thus speke he drewe them a parte and toke counseyl They acorded wel that the duc shold goo he sente for suche companye as hâ— wold haue And wente forth with thre honderd horse withoute mâ—â— on his way hit was not long but he cam to aperon he passed the brygge and fonde the kynge whiche made to hym grete ioye and moche honour· And long they spak to gydre And the kynge excused hym of the deth of the pylgryms vnto the duc lyke as he had doon to the messagers At th ende the kyng cam so to poynt that they were appeased goodly The kyng acorded to hym the passage thurgh his royamme yf he wold sette hym suche hoostages as he shold chese for to kepe the pees Alle this was graunted And he demanded in hostage Bawdwyn brother of the sayd duc his wyf and her maygne they were delyuerd to hym gladly Thus entred they with alle theyr peple in to the lond of hongrye The kynge helde to them wel his couenauntes ffor he dyde doo crye in alle the townes as they shold passe and also thereby that they shold selle to them vytaylles good cheep and that noman shold meue to them no debate The duc commanded also and made to be cryed that none on payne of his lyf were so hardy to take ony thynge fro the lond ne fro no man ne for to doo no wronge but holde them for felawes and bretheren Thus it happed that they passed alle hongrye without ony maner stryf or noyse· The kynge rode alwey nyghe to thooste on the lyfte syde ledyng his hostages with hym redy
thyse shippes Somme shippe had in an honderd and other l. or xxx or xx after theyr gretenes in suche wyse that the waye that they had in the lake Oure men hadde taken from them· whan they of the hooste sawe that this waye of the laken was take from them they had grete Ioye And hoped that the siege shold not endure The turkes of the toun whan they apperceyued that oure men had don so grete a werke and so stronge They fyll in despayre and were abasshed and merueylled of the vygour of our peple that had don this in so short tyme And thenne were they enclosed on alle sydes and had loste the waye for theyr shippes How after the Cyte was assyeged by water and by londe· oure men assaylled it And of a Shotte that Duc Godeffroye dyde Capitulo lxo. wHan the Barons sawe that theyr shippes were in the lake in suche wyse that no man myght greue them Anon they dyde do crye that alle men shold arme them and come to thassault And it was acorded that eche of the barons shold assaylle in that parte where he was lodged they admonested and enforced theyr peple to doo wel Thassault was more than euer it had be There somme threwe out of thengyns grete nombre of stones Euery man dyde his part· toward the south in the partye that was delyuerd to th erle of tholouse there was an hye toure more grete than ony of the other by that tour was the palays In whiche Solymans wyf was Th erle had sette alle his entente for to breke this tour longe tyme ffor he had doo throwen ther at grete stones And had not broken one stone of the tour And by cause he wold not for shame so leue it without takyng of it· And ordeyned gretter stones alle newe which began to breke the creuaches of the same tour with the strokes of the stones moche powdre cam out of the clyftes The peple of the hoost apperceyued it And sawe thatthe tour began to falle they passed the dyche and brought engyns vnto the walles· Ther began they with grete exploit to myne the walle and to perse it· they within caste grete stones vpon the engyns And with shotte of handbowes and arbalesters they hurted many of them that they sawe discouerd And by cause they sawe that the closyng of the toure began to faylle they walled it within forth with stones and chalk· and made a right stronge wall good and thycke Our men that were atte tour had made an hole in the walle that two men myght wel entre attones frely On the walle in the parte where Duc Godeffroye assaylled ther was a turke stronge grete hardy which dyde grete dommage to oure men And hurte many with a strong bowe turquoys that he had And with a lytil of oure langage that he coude cessed not to saye euyl and discourage them that assaylled and called them Cowardes· hit happed that duc godeffroye sawe it â–ª And auysed hym many tymes and was merueyllously displesyd with hym And thought how he myght chenysshe to be at his â—ase he toke in his hand a arbaleste good and myghty and helde it bent til the turk cam agayn and abandouned hym The duc toke his syghâ— and marke and shotte at hym smote hym right thurgh the bely that he fyl doun to the grouÌ„d fro the walle The crye and the showtyng began grete in the hooste and the ioye The duc had grete honour and many good prayers therfore· the other sarasyns that wâ—re on that other parte of this deffence were moche abasshed and ferd that they deffended them the more cowardly The other that were in the other partyes of the toun caste fro the tours stones vpon oure peple that were atte assault and hurte many with castyng shotyng and throwyng vpon oure engyns pytche Oyle and grece alle boyllyng And threwe also brondes and other thynges brennyng moche thycke in suche wyse· that somme they brente· They that assaylled on the partye of th erle of tholouse at the tour that I sayd to you to fore laboured sore for to myne the walle But one thyng destroubled them sore· what someuer they brak on the day they within made it agayn in the nyght in such wise that they were in wylle to leue it And wrought more slowilythan they dyde byforce· wherfor a moche valyaunt knyght of the hooste of the Normans cam right theder and admonested the assaylles for to goo forth he passed the dyche tofore with his helme laced the shelde vpon his heed and brake vygorously the walle where as the turkes had made agayn But ther was none that folowed hym And they of the wallys threwe so grete stones on hym and so thycke· that they slewe hym in the presence of the other that were by And after with hookes and crochettes they drewe the bodye vp to them on the walle And there disarmed hym and threwe the bodye to our peple· Thenne our men that were there toke the body· and buryed it worshipfully he was moche bewaylled in thoost of cristen men How after many assaultes oure men beyng in Counseyl Aâ—â—mbard cam to them whiche offred to make an engyne that shold destroye the toun capitulo lxj o tHenne sawe the Barons that they loste moche peple with thassault And dyde but litil harme with theyr engyns vnto the toun and theyr enemyes Assembled for to make counseyl how they myght doo There cam a man to them a lombard which had seen the grete hurte losse of our peple sayd to the barons that he was a good maister to make engyns yf he myght haue stuff maters therto propice necessary which with goddes helpe shold in short tyme ouerthrowe the tour where to they had don so moche payne and wold make large waye for to entre in to the toun who so wolde They that herde hym promysed hym that he shold haue alle that shold be nedeful And yet a good reward and ryche for his laboure This maister toke werkmen and made them to werke as he commaunded that in short tyme he had made his engyn whiche was merueillously strong and grete And ioyned it to the walle alle ful of men of armes footemen they that were on the walles vpon the tour threwe with grete myght grete stones and fyre brennyng moche thycke but thengyne was so stronge and rude that the strokes dyde it no harme ne the fyer myght not fastne on it whan they of the toun apperceyued that they coude not noye this engyn· they were sore a ferde and discouraged merueyllously and alle in despayre· Our men traueylled to theyr power to take oute the grete stones atte fote of the walle of the toure And vndersetted it with strong stanchons and grete whan they had so moche myned that them semed that it was ynowgh· They toke theyr habyllemens and sette them ferre fro the walle and thenne put fyer on alle sydes vnder the
garnysshed it with his men they of the toun adressyd theyr gonnes and engyns at this castel and smote it with grete stones And they in the toures shotte ther at grete plente of Arowes so many in such wyse that none durst abyde in this castel ne about it On a day it happed that our men withdrewe them fro the brydge and fro ther about And they within opened the yate and yssued out by the rowtes They that were in the castel of tree fledde And the other sette fyer on it And brent it to asshes Our men sawe wel thenne that they warred not wel thus And ordeyned thre gounes for to shote stones at the brygge whyles they shotte none of the turkes yssued oute there But as sone as they cessed they cam oute made theyr assaylles as they dyde to fore· It displesyd moche to oure barons that they myght not sette no remedye ayenst the comynge oute of thyse turkes Atte laste they acorded that they wold take grete stones of the Roche such as were conuenyent for a gate and stoppe the passage They toke an honderd men and more and stopped the gate oueâ— the brydge· ther were so many that it was doon in suche wyse that it coude not be lightly broken agayne They had grete trauaylle and payne to make it But they that were lodged there kepte alle armed them that brought the stones· Thus was the gate stopped in suche wyse that thoost abode alle in peas there ffor the Turkes myght nomore make theyr assaylles there How our peple were in grete meschyef for as moche as they of the toune yssued and entred in and oute with grete rowtes Capitulo lxxxxijo. oNn a day it happed that ther wente out of thoost as wel on foote as on horsbak a thre honderd men and passed ouer the brydge of tree And sprad the contreye as men that wente on foragyng It is the custome of an hooste for to goo out so oftymes retorne without dammage or hurte Therfor they had supposed to haue ben sure They of the toun apprceyued it and yssued out with grete plente of peple And wente ouer the brydge of stone and ranne on them that they sawe goo so folyly And somme they slewe And other fledde to the bâ—dyge of shippis where they supposed to haue passed But thenemyes were there to fore And deffended thein the waye in suche wyse that many of them were drowned in the water that supposed to haue passed ouer other of oure men recouÌ„tred the turkes that had slayn discoÌ„fyted our men bare away with them their proyes despoylles And ran on them The Turkes fledde and our men pâ—urfiewed them sleyng and betyng them vnto within the brydge of stone They of the toun that sawe theyr men so pourfieweâ— â—prang out with grete prees and passed the brydge ran on our men whiche wold haue deffended them but they myght not suffre so grete noÌ„bre of peple and fledde they folowed them doyng to them grete dommage til they cam to the brydge of shippis there they assaylled them so harde that many men armed fyll in the water whiche were there drowned and loste· Oure mâ—n lost there many men on foote and on horsbak In this manere were they of thooste in grete mesease ffor they were better besieged than they of the toun There were many of theyr enemyes in the woodes and montaygnes whiche ofte ranne vpon our peple whan they sawe them goo without ordenaunce· and they of the toun yssued out whan it plesed them in suche wyse that our men durst not goo fer fro thooste for to fourage ne for none other thyng And also in theyr lodgys were they not assured ffor the tydynge was· that the turkes assembled moche grete plente of peple for to smyte in thooste on that one syde they of the toun on that other side shold yssue on them Of the famyne and mortalyte of thoost after that they had be at the sayd siege the space of two monethes· capo. lxxxxiijo. fOr to recounte alle thauentures that were in so grete a siege shold be ouer greuous and a moche long thyng Therfor I shal saye to you this that longeth to the comyn thooste had holden siege vnto the thyrde moneth· vytayll began to faylle And 〈◊〉 grete suffrete and scarsenes in thoost they had in the begynnyng largely and grete habundaunce both for men and horses but they made grete waast more than neded so by their oultâ—age folye they lacked in short tyme which myght haue long susteyned them yf they had kepte it wel gouerned by mesure· they suffred grete penurye in thoost of vitayl for meÌ„ beestes in such wise that the pour peple were in grete peryl euery day assebled ij or iij C meÌ„ of armes to gydre for to serche the contrey and fetcâ—e vytaylles they swore to gydre that alle the gayne that they myght fynde conquere they shold departe egally emonge them They wente forth fer fro thoost and fonde the townes moche wel garnysshed by cause they were fer fro thoost they thought that noman shold robbe ne take nothyng fro them And thus brought vytayll to thoste But whan the Turkes of the toun and also other in the countrey had apperceyued this they made embusshementes and ranne vpon our men whan they retorned· or other whyle whan they weÌ„t forth· slewe them somme tyme alle that none retorned for to brynge tydynges to thoost And therfor durst they goo nomore afouragyng The derthe was moche grete in thoost euery day grewe the famyine in suche wyse that a maÌ„ ete wel at a mebe in brede four d a cowe was worth four marc weyght of syluer which a man myght haue at begynnyng for echt or ten shyllyngis A lambe or a kyd was at sex shyllyngis whiche to fore was worth but thre or four pens the mete for an horse for a nyght cost· xvj pens ther deyde many for honger in suche wyse that at the begynuynge of the siege the horses were nombred at .lxx M And at that tyme were scarse ij·M· And they were so poure feble and lene that vnneth they myght helpe ony man the tentes and pauyllons roted ffor it rayned continuelly a rayne so thycke and grete that no cloth myght susteyne it· wherfore moche peple in the hooste deyde for colde and mesease· Theyr clothes roted on theyr backes by cause they myght fynde no place to drye them· ther was one so grete mortalite in thoost that vnnethe myght be fonden men for to burye them that deyde Many that sawe this grete daunger and peryll in thooste wente and departed pryuely to Rages where bawdwyn was in to Scilice where other cytees were also Thus were many slayn And grete plente deed of famyne and of other maladyes And the hoost was so mynuysshid that ther were not half so moche peple as they were at begynnyng How our peple ordeyned grete rowtes for to goo for vytayll
entierly for to susteyne the pour gentilmen· in suche wyse that he had nothynge hym self There were many knyghtes that rychely were come in to the hoost atte begynnyng that were brought to so grete pouerte that this day they rode on asses and on pour mares And many hye men as knyghtes valyaunt and hardy myght not cheuysshe for to ryde but wente afoot emong the foote men where they helde moche wel theyr place ffor they mayntened and taught the mene peple how they myght doo to theyr enemyes grettest dommage The power of perse was moche affebled this day· For ther were so many slayn and deed that alle therthe ther aboute was couerd The nombre of them that were slayn was neuer verytably â–ª knowen Moche was chaunged the state of our men ffor he that in the mornyng yssued oute alle poure in suche wyse that he had not for to ete At euen he entred in to the cyte ryche of good and of vâ—taylles in suche wyse as he myght haue holden a grete court and companye This good aduenture whiche honoured alle cristiente and specially the Royamme of ffraunce happed the yere of thyncaâ—nacion of oure lord ·M lxxxxviij the .xxj day of the moneth of Iuyn Of the fayre ordenaunces that oure peple made in the chirches of Anthyoche And in other townes by after this vyctorye Capitulo Cxliiijo. sYth that the barons were retornâ—d fro the bataylle and the thynges of the Cyte were wel ordeyned By the counseyl of the valyaunt bisshop of puy and by the prelates that were in the hoost was acorded by them alle· that the chirches of the toun were entierly made clene And ordeyned to doo the seruyse of oure lord God And specially the chyef cathedralle chirche whiche is founded in thonour of seynt Peter They establysshed therin clerkes and curates that shold serue in the chirche And other to gouerne and kepe the holy places clene ffor the false and vntrew sarasyus had defowled them They had sette in the chirches somme theyr kyen Oxen and sheep· And other theyr horses and asses The comyn wymmen and euylle knaues had made theyr ordure and fylthe in them that it was pyte to see And also they defowled thymages of Iâ—esu· Crist of our lady and of other sayntes with fylth myre and ordure And lyke as they had ben a lyue they had drawe them and cut of theyr noses and pycked out theyr eyen The barons and alle the pylgryms acorded that there shold be ordeyned and establyssyd rentes to the clerkes that shold serue in the chirches· there was offerd gold syluer ynowgh· for to make crosses chalyces· And also clothes of sylk for to make agayn vestemeÌ„tes for men of the chirche and aâ—urnementes for aulters The patriarke of the toun whiche was a greek named Iohan they ordeyned and sette hym agayn in his place with moche more grete honour and solempnyte The turkes had caste and put hym onte with grete shame and had don to hym many euyllis for the fayth of our sauyour Ihesu Criste that he helde in the Cytees beyng aboute Anthyoche Oure men sette bisshoppes in the cytees where as none were at that tyme But in Anthyoche where as· they fonde one they sette none other til afterward that the good man apperceyued that he lytil prouffyted there· by cause the latyns vnderstode no grekysshe langage· And lefte his dygnyte and wente in to constantynoble with his good wyll without ony forse or constraynt Thenne assembled the men of the chirche· And they chose and elected for to be patriarke the bisshop of Tarse· whiche was named bernard born at valence He was comen with the good bisshop of puy And he had made hym his chappellayn· he was made patriarke The Seygnorye of the Cyte graunted alle the barons to buymont lyke as they had promysed and couenaunted sauf the Erle of tholouse whiche helde the yate of the brydge I wote not how many dayes he had garnysshed it And in no wyse wold gyue it ouer But sayde that it was his parte· And by cause that Buymont to fore was called prynce of the peple of his contre· Therfor that name abode to hym to alle the lordes after hym of the Cyte and ben alwaye called Prynces of Anthyoche How our peple sente ambassadours to themperour of Constantinople for to somone hym to come and socoure them as he had promysed Capitulo C xlvo. tHe tydynges were thus ordeyned in the cyte as I haue deuysed to you Thenne was the counseyl taken emong the baroÌ„s that they shold seÌ„de to themperour of coÌ„staÌ„tinoble for to somone hym by his fayth that acordyng to the couenauÌ„tes that he had made to them that he shold not tarye but come in his propre persone for to helpe them· specially at the siege of Iherusalem to whiche they entended for to goo yf he wold not thenne knewe they that he wold not forthon holde his couenauntes that were made with hym ne kepe them And for to doo this message they chaas huon be mayne broder to kyng phelip of ffraunce and bawdwyn th erle of henawd Thyse two departed fro thoost for to goo vnto Constantinoble But in the waye certayn turkes assaylled them in whiche medle was lost th erle bawdwyn in suche wyse that neuer after were tydynges heâ—d of hym Somme sayde that he was slayn there And other sayde that he was taken and ladde in to ferre countrees But the trouthe of hym was neuer knowen huon le mayne escaped alle hool with out hurt and cam vnto constantinoble to themperour· but there â—e empeyred moche his renommee ffor he that was of so hye lygnage And alway had ben in thoost large wyse· noble and a moche â—alyaunt knyght had thenne no regarde to them that sent hym ne wolde not retourne to them agayn but departed fro themperour and went strayte in to fraunce hit was a gretter blame in â—ym than in a lasse man whyles the pylgryms soiourned in Anthyoche a mortalyte and deth sourded and roos emong them so greâ—e that ther was no day but there were xxx oâ— xl bâ—ers in the chirches It was so grete that euery man awayted presently the detâ— there was none that supposed to haue escaped Thenne happed a grete dommage in thooste ffor the valyaunt man of grete trouthâ— and of hye counseyl deyde that tyme Aymart the bisshop of puy ffor his deth was grete sorowe thenne thurgh the toun he was entered and honorably buryed in the chirche of seynt peter where as the spere that opened the syde of oure lord was founden be was moche bewaylled as the fader of thoost After deyde a right valyaunt knyght a trew wyseman and of grete courage henry dâ—soâ—e in the castel of torbesel where he soiourned and there he deyde and was buryed In the same place reynard de mollac a good knyght and of hye lygnage deyde in Anthyoche· he was buryed in the porche â–ª of seynt peter Alle the wymmen
Guylliam Ebryac â— he made them to hastâ— moche the werke and to amende it Thus was alle thoost occupyed in this werke four monethes aâ— hool They had so moche exployted that eueryche of the barons had doo made right that whiche he had begonne and entreprysed· Therfor they counseylled emonge them ordeyned at a day sett· to goo to thassault But for as moch as th erle of tholouse and tancre had be grete Rancour and wrath and somme of the other Barons and knyghtes that loued not wel to gydre for dyuerse reasons The barons by the admonestacion of the bisshops wolde that of alle debate shold be good peas and that eche shold pardone other all euyll wyll and talente by cause that our lord shold helpe them the better in doynge and accomplysshyng his werke· And yf it happed them to dye the surer myght they attende the deth Of the fayr processions that oure pylgryms made to th ende that god shold gyue them vyctorye and how they pardonned eche other theyr mal talentes and euyll wylles cao. ·Clxxviij tHe daye was ordeyned and taken by comyn acorde of alle that procession shold be made the relyâ—uyes shold be borne suche as were had in thoost· They shold alle goo vnto the mount of Olyuet· And they shold mayntene them this day in fastyâ—g In repentaunce of theyr synnes and in orysons and prayer vnto our lord to th ende that he wold haue pyte of his peple and receyue in greâ— theyr seruyse in suche wyse that by them his herytages myght be recouerd fro the haÌ„des of his enemyes which helde it in their possession Peter theremyte on that one part and arnold the chappellayn of the Duc of Normandye whiche was a grete clerk and wyse of that other parte made the sermon to the peple They exhorted them by swete wordes to enterpryse vygorously the werke of oure lord wherin it were better to deye than to lyue· The mount of Olyuete is ayenst Iherusalem in the eestâ— partye about a myle fer fro the toun ffor the vaal of Iosaphat is bytwene bothe thâ—re assembled our lord his discyples and sâ—yed and ascended vp to fore them alle in to heuen the day of thassension and wente vp in a clowde which toke hym whan alle the peple had ben there in grete wepynges and prayers and alle the debates â—â—peased that were emong them they descended fro the hylle in to the chirche of mount syon whiche is by the Cyte as I haue sayd in the side toward the southe on the toppe of a tertre The sarasyns of the toun that were in the toures and vpon the walles of the toun merueylled moche what this myght be that oure men made there and where they myght see the presse nygh to them within shotte· They cessed not to shote arowes and quarellys in suche wyse that they hurted somme· Thenne adressyd they crosses vpon the walles and in despyte of our sauyour and in reproche of oure fayth spytte on them· and made other shames and fowle thynges whiche be not for to be sayd The peole of our lord· which were in holy wylle for to serue hym sawe wel thise thynges that the turkes made theyr desyre grewe and encreaced moche in theyr â—ertes for tauenge the shame of our lord Ihesu Criste whan they had made theyr orysons and prayers in the chirche of mount Syon The daye was to them ordeyned and named for to make thassault by comyn acorde Thenne they retourned to theyr lodgys yf ther was ony thyng to be made on theyr engyns anon it was accomplysshyd ffor euery man toke good hede aboute hym that no thyng faylled that shold be necessarye to make thassault ayenst theyr enemyes How oure men sodenly transported in the nyght theyr engyns vnto that other part of the toun for tassaylle on that side Capitulo Clxxixo. wHan the day approched that they had named for tassaylle the Cyte the nyght to fore the valyaunt duc godeffroy theâ—erle of fflaundres and the duc of normandye sawe that this partye of the Cyte that they had assieged was moche wel garnysshed of alle maner of engyns and the moost defensable men of the Cyte they had sette there Therfore they doubted more this part· than ony other The noble men had herupon counseyll They knewe wel that they myght not endommage the toun there And enterprysed a thynge of a right grete affayre and of moche grete trauaylle ffro alle thengynes that they had by them And the castel to fore the sydes were Ioyned to gydre· they barâ— them alle· On that other syde whiche is bytwene the gate of seynâ— stephen the tour of thaÌ„glâ— that is toward the northeest ffor them sâ—med it was trouth that by cause that the cyte had not be asâ—ieged on that syde that ther shold be the lasse defence wherof it hâ—pped that they woke al the nyght as wel the barons as theyr pâ—plâ— in suche wysâ— that theyr engyns were alle ioyned and reysed vp by fore day or or the sonne aroos in the places where they ought to be The castel was so approuched the walle and was moche hyer in so moche that they that were therin were almoost as hye as one of the toures and knowe ye for certayn that this was noo lytil trauaylle ffor fro this place where they were fyrsâ— lodged vnto the place where they sette theyr engyns was nygh half a myle And the thynges were so wel and so hooly ordeyned that to fore the sonne rysyng all thyng was redy at them on the mornyng the turkes byhelde on the walles and towres And merueylled what this myght be that our men had so trauaylled all the nyght they sawe that the lodgys of the Duc and of the other barons aboute hym were remeuyd They sought them about that other side of the toun And founde them there· where as they had sette no garde· whan they sawe thengyns and the castel dressyd they merueylled ouer moche how they myght doo this werke in so lytil tyme. ffor this cause they doubted moche the more them that had thus enterprysed and accomplysshed so sodenly in the nyght about that syde of the toun the barons that were lodged as ye haue herd to foâ—e were not ydle· but reysed theyr engyns eueryche in his parte And th erle of tholouse had made tapproche the walles a castel that he had made with moche grete trauaylle bytwene the chirche of mount Syon and the Cyte the other that were nyghâ— the corner whiche is called the tour of tancre redressyd a castel of tree moche hye Thyse thre castellys that were about the toun were nyâ—e alle of one facion ffor they were alle square the sydes that were toward the toun were double in suche wyse that one of the panâ—s that was without myght be aualed vpon the walles and thenne it shold be lyke a brydge· But for alle that the side was not vnclosed ne discouerd But it was hool for to deffende
them that were in the castel How the day folowyng our peple made a merueyllous assault And how the turkes defended them subtylly and wel Capitulo Clxxxo. He daye begonne strongly to wexâ— clâ—re Thenne as it waâ— enterprysed and deuysed our men were alle· armed foâ—â—â—pproche the walles· They alle were and had one purpoos That iâ— to wâ—te or they wolde take the toun vpon thenemyâ—s of our lord And delyuer the ordures of the mescâ—â—auntes fro the holy places or ellys in the seruyse they wold rendre theyr sowles to hym that made them Ther were none that had wylle to drawe abacâ— fro this werke the old men forgate theyr age the seke men theyr maladyes the wyues and childeren enterprysed in theyr â—erteâ— to doo grete thynges· Alle generally payned them to drawe forth the castelles to ioyne them to the walles in suche wyse that they myght approche them that defended it they of the toun â—essyd not to drawe and shote Incessantly grete plente of arowes and quarellys And with theyr engyns caste grete stones the moyen peple with theyr handes threwe fro the walles and towres their entente was therwith to make oure men to withdrawen fro the walles The good cristen men that doubted nothyng to deye couerd them with targes sheldes thise other habyllemeÌ„s they sette to fore them for to kepe them fro the stones shotte they that were within the castellis of tree lefte not to shote caste stones vpoÌ„ the turkes Incessantly· And other had grete leuers and plente of ropes and Cordes with whiche they laboured and payned them to drawe forth the castellys they that were put for to throwe the stones and to occupye thengyns were not ydle· but had theyr thynges wel adressyd and threwe to them that defended the toun grete stones moche asprely and trauaylled moche for to do thynge that myght greue their enemyes But they that wold haue put forth the castellys myght not doo that they wold ffor ther was a dycâ— moche depe to fore the barbycane ffor whiche they myght not make theyr engyns ioyne to the walles the strokes of the stones of that were throwen on the walles dyde not moche harme to the walles of the cyte· ffor the turkes had sackes ful of heye· of coton· And grete peces of tymbre bounden with cables of shippes whiche henge a longe by the walles and towres in suche wyse that whan the stones of thengyns smote thyse softe thynges the strokes were lost and made no hurte to the walles On that other syde the turkes within the toun had moo engyns adressyd than we had without more quantite of other artyllerye of Arbalestres wtthoute comparyson that we hadde by whiche they slewe many of our pilgrims· it myght not be but that our peple were fore aferd· Thus was thassault moche grete peryllous fro the mornyng vnto euensong tyme and duryng thassault it cessed neuer of Arowes and stones fleynge more thycke than was in a M· yere to fore There were so many that ofte the stones mette hytte eche other in thayer in suche wyse that they brak and flewe in pyeces Thassault was in thre places· And the barons payned them sore to greue the turkes men myght not wel knowe whiche partye had the better Oure pylgryms were put to grete payne to bere erthe for to fyll the dyche· to th ende that the castellys myght ioyne to the walles They within threwe fyre moche thycke in to the castellys men myght see many arowes brennyng brondes wâ—tes ful of sulphre of oylle and other thynges nourysshyng to fyre The stones to brak that the pyeces flewe thurgh out the sydes And it myght not be but that many were hurte that were aboue for tassaylle hit semed many tymes that alle shold falle to the ground but our men quenchyd the fyre with water and vyneger and had redy pynnes for to stoppe the holes and also for to holde to gydre theyr castellys moche Iustely in suche wyse that theyr contenaunces were in alle thynges good and hardy The nyght departed the sayd assault Our peple withdrewe them and how they watched wel theyr engyns and the turkes the toun Capitulo Clxxxjo. tHis grete assault perylloê° that so long endured the derk nyght departed· Our men retorned to theyr lodgys for to ete and reste they lefte grete watche aboute theyr engyns by cause the turkes shold not brenne them and they of the toun made grete watche to kepe theyr walles· ffor they doubâ—ed moche that oure peple whom they had seen so vygorously assaylle and defende them myght by nyght come vp on the walles by laddâ—es and entre in to the toun· Therfor they peyned them to make good watche alle this nyght and to goo round about the walles and ferche the towres The stretes also made watche within the toun with grete nombre of people by cause of fere of trayson They sette beâ—oâ— grete entente ffor it was for the sauacion of theyr lyues theyr wyues theyr childeren alle theyr goodes hoolly Our peple that were in the tentes and in the lodgys had not theyr hertes in reste but they remembryd of thassault that had be Euery man remembryd hym what hâ— had doâ— And hym 〈…〉 â—eft many thynges vndon· that he ought to haue do â–ª And moâ—he desired they alle to come to the poynt for to doo prowesse· the dayâ— taryed longer it cam as they thought â—â—em semed that they had no greef ne ennoye of the trauaylle that they had suffred that day They had grete hope in theyr hertes that assone as they shold come agayn to gydre for tassaylle· that they by the helpe of our lord they shold haue the better And they were in grete anguyssâ—e by cause them semed to be in more mesease in theyr lodgys than in thassault How our peple retorned agayn on the morn to thassault And of the sorceryes that they wold haue charmed one of our engyâ—s Capitulo Clxxxij o He sprynge of the daye appiered· the peple Incontinent were awaked Eche wente to the place where he had ben the daye to fore Thenne shold ye haue seen somme renne to thengynes and other goo vpon the castellys for to shote with bowes and arabalestres· And many abode vnder for to drawe the sayd castellys forth Nowe were they of the toun anon redy for to defende vygorously ayenst the assayllers There deyed ynowgh on bothe sydes as wel of stones as of quarellys but not for that· the other lefte not but gretely they dyde theyr deuoyr ne neuer was fouÌ„den lasse cowardyse in so peryllous affayre werke One thynge happed that ought not to be forgoten that is that our men had an Instrument called Caable so strong and so wel made· that it threwe thre grete stones attones And dyde moche hurte in the toun where it atteyned the turkes sawe wel that they coude not breke it ffor it threwe fro so ferre that their engins myght not come ther to therfor
helpe hym Of somme pylgryms goyng fro Anthyoche toward godeffroy were discoÌ„fyted by the turkes rescowed by the duc· cao. C xlviij a Grete â—uantite of turkes were embusshed besyde the waye where by they shold passe for to awayte them· whan our peple approuched as they that toke none hede the turkes sprang on them sodanly whiche were many moo than our men were· SoÌ„me they slewe and many moo toke prysonners· and bonde them and retorned to theyr retrayte The tydynges cam to the duc and to the hoost which were out of their wytte for sorow that they had theÌ„ne retorned they hastely for to siewe the malefactours· the people of the couÌ„tre told them which way they were goon addressyd them toward thyse turkes whan they had ouertaken and approuched them they ran on them with grete herte and slewe them som of them And somme they toke prysonners· fewe or none escaped delyuerd them that were taken prysoners the Cristen men whom they had taken Rodahan was moche endommaged ffor they were wel ·x·M turkes of the best and chosen men whan oure men had don this they toke agayn the waye toward hasart whan they approuched the lord of the toun yssued out with thre honderd men on horsbak· And there as he fonnde the duc he descended to therthe and kneled to fore hym· and thanked hym moche And after alle the other that were there with hym for the socours that they had don to hym in this nede Thenne swar he to fore them alle that to thyse barons and to the other Cristen men he shold be euermore trewe and good frende In suche wyse that he wold to his power pourchace to them the best that he coude· and warne them of theyr harme· he lodged them moch wel and honorably and made to thâ—m grete presentes On the morn th erle bawdwyn retorned vnto Râ—â—ges And that other hoost helde theyr waye vnto Anthyoche How the Duc alway enforced hym to augmente Caâ—â—â—ente And of somme fortresses by hym â—eten and destroyed ca o Cxlâ—xo. tHe Duc Godeffroy knewe well that the pestylence and mortalyte endured yet in Anthyoche and his broder had moche prayd hym that he wold come and soiourne in â—is londe vnto August that the tyme shold be better atâ—â—mpered· â—e toâ—ke with hym a lytil companye of them that were moost suffrable and cam to torbosel and to two other castellys â— That one named hatap And that other Rauendel Of thyse lande dyde be entâ—eâ—ly his wylle· his brother visyted and sawe hym ofte whyles be abode there The peple of the countre and specially men of Relygyâ—n complayned moche of two hermyens that were breâ—â—eren that one was named Pancâ—ace· and that other conasylles· They had a fortresse in that contre· were grete noble men there But they had no trouthe in them· they receyued the Robbours and theuys that pylled and defowlled the holy places the chirches· And dyde moch harme to alle maner of peple· they were enhauÌ„ced in so moch pryde· that they toke the presente of the pauyllon that bawdwyn had sente to his brother to the siege of Anthyoche· And dyde it to be presented to Buymont in theyr name whan the Duc herde thyse complayntes he sente· L of his men of Armes and the people of his countre And dyde doo take the fortresses of thyse two hermyens And bete and destroyed them to therthe whyles that the valyaunt duc soiourned in thyse partyes Many of the peple of the hoost wente to th erle bawdwyn to Rages· ffor he dyde them moche good and refresshyd them wel and largely departed of his good to them· The way was thenne alle sure and good Syth that the castel of hasart was alyed entierly with our peple as ye haue herd How the knyghtes of Rages wolde haue betrayed Bawdwyn theyr lord And how he was therof aduertysed cao. C.L sO moche peple of Cristen men cam to Rages that it displesyd moche to the Cytezeyns of the toun And thermyens and latyns discorded in many thynges ffor withoute faylle oure men wold haue the seygnorye They dyde many ennoyes and vylonyes to theyr hostes within theyr howses The Erle hym self by cause he had so grete plente of men of hys owne countre· he called the fewer and lasse to counseyll of the noble men of the Cyte By whos helpe he was comen to his hyenesse and noble lordship They had therof moch grete desdayne within their hertes· And repented theinof that they had chosen hym sette hym to be their lord ouer them ffor they doubted that th erle whiche was so lyberall as he that gaf to euery man shold on a day take all that they had· Therfor they seÌ„te to the admyrals of the turkes that were theyr neyghbours that they wold pourchasse gladly by theyr helpe how th erle Bawdwyn shold be slayn or atte leste put oute and chassed awaye fro the Cyte in suche wyse that he shold neuer retorne The turkmans acorded wel to this werk This mater was so ferforth that they of Rages toke alle theyr goodes pryuely And sette it in the howses of theyr acqueynted neyghbours in Cytees and castellys ther about whyles they spak and aduysed of this treyson A frende of th erle Bawdwyn cam to hym and recounted this fayt al a longe he merueylled moch therof And dyde enquyre of this thyng And founde that it was soo He knewe wel them that had ordeyned this trayson· And by whom it shold be doo· And secretely he sende· his men and toke the Capytayns of this falsenes he put out theyr eyen of theyr heedes Other that had not so moche trespaced he chassed them out of the toun· And toke alle that they had· Somme there were that he lete dwelle stylle in the Cyte but he toke their good as moche as he myght gete he had wel by thoccasion of this murdre that thyse traytres deuysed ·xx M besauÌ„tes But he departed alle to the pylgryms that had holpen hym to take the castellys and fortresses and somme Cytees about Rages He was moche dradde and doubted moche of his neyghbours in suche wyse that none of them durste enterprise ony debate ayenst hym The grete and hye men of the contre wold gladly haue pourchaced the moyens and maners for to be delyuerd of hym yf they had myght How th erle Bawdwyn was in daunger of deth by tâ—e treson of a turk named Balac Capitulo C. Lâ—o. iN this Countre was a grete and an hye man a turk wâ—s named Balac he was acqueynted and moche pryue 〈◊〉 th erle bawdwyn he was somtyme lord of the Cyte of Soâ—arge â–ª 〈◊〉 fore that our peple cam in to that couÌ„tre· This turke appeâ—ceâ—ued that th erle bawdwyn sayde not to hym alle his counseyll and 〈◊〉 as he was wonte ne shewde hym so good chere On a day◠〈◊〉 cam to hym And shewde hym by fayr langage â— that he shold 〈◊〉 me to a fortresse of his whiche he wold gyue to
hym and delyuâ—â— by cause he had no more and also he wold haue nomoo a 〈…〉 ffor his loue shold suffyse hym· And be wold sende his wyâ— â—is childeren in to rages for to dwell there vnder hym· by cause 〈…〉 sayde that the turkes his neyghbours specially they of his lygnage hated hym moche· pourchassed alle the harme theâ— mygâ—t for the grete acqueyntaunce that he had with the Cristen men The Erle thought nothyng but alle wel And sayd that he wold goâ— at his requeste to this fortresse at the day appointed bytwene theâ— bothe Th erle cam theder with an honderd horsmen Balac 〈◊〉 to fore and as a fals traytre had hyd an honderd of his men well armed within the fortresse whan they were arryued to fore the fortresse· Balac prayd th erle that he wold come vp on hye and see the place how stronge it was And that he shold brynge but fewe men with hym· ffor he sayd he had certayn â—hynges of which he myght take harme yf they alle entred â— The good Erle wold haue doon soo but he had in his company a valyaunt knyght wel aduysed and a wise man whiche aduertysed his felaws other knyghtes how it was grete perylle and daunger so to lete hym goo And they wold not suffre hym but reteyned hym by force ffor they doubted moche the malyce of this man in suche wyse that in theyr hertes they had suspection of treson The Erle abode by their counseyl sente vp .xij. of his men wel armed in to the toure for to see yf ther were ony thyng to doubte he helde hym emoÌ„g his men they that wente vp anon apperceyued wel the trayson ffor the Turkes sprange oute of theyr places where they were hyd And toke thise .xij. men by force· and desarmed them and reteyned them bounden handes and feet· whan the erle knewe this· he was moche sorouful for his men that he had thus lost Thenne he drewe hym forth and spak to balac And moche prayd hym and coniured hym by the feaulte and oth that he had made to hym that he wold yelde his men to hym or atte leste sette them at rawnson and he wold gyue for them as moche as he wold haue Balac answerd to hym· that he trauaylled for nought ffor he shold neuer haue none of them But yf he wold gyue to hym the Cyte of Sororge whiche had ben his to fore Th erle sawe that this fortresse was not lyghtly to be goten ffor it was ouer stronge and stode in a stronge place and rychely garnysshyd And retorned to rages moche anguysshous of the paryll that he had be in· whan he wold by thatycemeÌ„t of this feloÌ„ turk haue goon vp in to the tour And sorouful he was for them that were taken· he had delyuerd the Cyte of Sororge to kepe vnto a moche wise valyauÌ„t and good knyght named Foubert de chartres this man kept hit with an C men of Armes valyauÌ„t men whan he herd saye that his lord had ben thus almost be bytrayed and how he had lost .xij. men he was sory· and thought how he myght helpe them ayenst this fals turk that had don this feet It was not longe after that in a nyght he sette a busshement nygh vnto this fortresse a part of his men· and in the mornynge he with a fewe of his companye cam to fore this toure and toke the proye of beestes They that were on hye on the batayllemeÌ„t sawe that they were but a fewe And told it to balak and to the other men that were in the fortresse They toke their hoâ—ses hastely· and folowed them for to rescowe that whiche they droof awaye In suche wyse they exployted that they cam vpon thembusshement They sprange sodanly oute and closed them in Foubert retorned vpon them· And slewe I wote not how many but· vj he toke a lyue ffor whom he had incontinent vj of our men of them that he helde in his fortresse It was not longe aftir that four of the other escaped out of the fortresse and brake theyr prison whyles theyr kepars slepte whan balak sawe that ther were nomoo but two he dype do smyâ—e of theyr heddes ffro than forth on th erle bawdwyn that had acqueyntance to dyuerse admycalâ— aboute hym wold neuer after acqueynte hym more ne truste ony turk But eschewed theyr companyes and theyr Amytee· And that he shewde wel sone after ffor ther was an hye and grete man a turk in that contre named Balduc of whom I haue spoken to fore whiche sold this Auncyen Cyte named Samoloc vnto bawdwyn And this turk had encouenaunted and promysed that he shold brynge his wyf and childeren within Rages but he sought fals occasions for to delaye this thynge On a day he cam to bawdwyn as he was acustomed to doo And Bawdwyn demaunded hym why he dyde not that he had couenaunted and promysed â—e â—egan to excuse hym by thynges that were not trewe The Erle toke hym and Incontinent dyde do smyte of his heed How th erle of tholouse toke the cyte of Albane· And tâ—ere constitued a bisshop capitulo CLiio. tHe Duc Godeffroy soiourned thus as I haue sayd in the lond of torbesel Th erle of tholouse assembled his· peple and toke grete plente of pour pilgryms that were there ydle and dyde nought he wente to a Cyte wel garnysshyd named albane 〈◊〉 iourneyes fro Anthyoche he assyeged it And so constreyned theâ— within that they yelded the toun te hym· and he entred therin and helde it And by the moyen therof he had alle the countre about â—e thanked oure lord humbly of thonour that he had gyuen to hâ—m Thenne chasse he a bisshop in the toun a good wyseman that was named Peter and born in nerbonne· And he gaf to hym entierly half this Cyte· After this he cam in to Anthioche· and was there sacred by the patriarke bernard And gaf to hym his enâ—ememet and made hym Archibisshop· In the company of th erle of tholoâ—se was a noble knyght and valyauÌ„t named guyllaÌ„me This man whan Anthyoche was taken toke by aduenture the wyf of A ncean lord of the toun and two of his neuewes sones of his broder named sansadol· and helde them yet prysoners But this sansadol gaf to hym for them grete good and rychesse· wherfor be delyuerd them bothe the lady and childeren In this sayson cam grete plente of peple out of ducheland And arryued atâ—e port seynt Syme on And soiournd within Anthyoche â— but the mortalyte endured yet in suche wyse that they deyde almost alle· ther escaped but few but that they were alle deed in short tyme. ffor this pestylence continued thre monethes hool vnto thentree of wynter There were deed of knyghtes only .v. C. of the mene peple noman knewe the nombre How our peple retorned in to Anthyoche· and toke counseyl for to goo to Iherusalem and of this that foloweth cao. Cliijo. tHe fyrst day of Nouembre the