purse of ledderfull of writinges dedes of the lande of Egypt And all the remnant he gaue frely marueyll it was that so lytell a body myght haue so great vertu for among a M. men coud nat be so skleÌ„der a man nor so euyl mad nor a fouler maÌ„ he surmouÌ„ted all other in prowesse vertue And for bycause that Casan is of our tyme we must speke of hym leÌ„ger than of the other for this sowdan that was ouercome by Casan is yet lyuenge And moreouer all them that tary the passage of the holy lande may take there many good examples ¶ How they of Damas yelded them selfe to Casan AFter the CasaÌ„ had rested certain dayes ordred his besinesses he rode to the cyte of Damas whaÌ„ they of Damas vnderstode the coÌ„mynge of Casan they wer afrayed for if Casan sholde take theÌ„ by force he shuld take all without any mercy And thaÌ„ they sende theyr messangers to Casan with great giftes and sende to hyÌ„ the keys of the towne of Damas. Than it happened that Casan receyued the gyftes coÌ„mauÌ„ded to the messangers that they shuld retorn to Damas. And that thei shuld make vitayle redy for his hoost that they shuld nat fere his commyng for he wolde do no hurt to the cite of Damas but wold kepe it as his chaÌ„bre The messangers deê‘ted full gladde for the good answere that Casan gaue theÌ„ And thaÌ„ Casan rod after lodged nere the riuer of Damas coÌ„maunded that no man shuld hurt nor oppres the cyte They of Damas send to Casan great gyftes habondaunce of vitayle for him his hoost and so Casan soiorned many dayes in Damas with his hoost besydde the xl M. tartas that wer with Molay the which wer at Acasere tarieng for CasaÌ„s comyng As Casan and his people taryed reposed them at Damas there came a messaÌ„ger that brought tidyngê that Baydo was entred into the realme of Persy that he had donÌ„ moch harme in the lande they thought he sholde do more hurt thaÌ„ he had done wherfore Casan coÌ„mauÌ„ded to Catholasa that he sholde tary for to kepe the realme of Syri and coÌ„mauÌ„ded to Molay and to the other tartas that wer with hym in Casere that thei shold obey to Catholasa that which CasaÌ„ had laft in his plac And than after he ordayned baylies gouerners in euery cyte and made Cachap baylie of Damasse Casan vnderstode nat the Cachap was a traytour After all that Casan called the kynge of Armeny shewed hym how he wold retornÌ„ to Persy Casan sayd we haue delyuerd you the lande of Syrie to kepe for the christeÌ„men if they come we leue our coÌ„mauÌ„dement to Catholasa that he shall delyuer the holy lande to the christeÌ„men that he shuld gyue couÌ„sell helpe to make the laÌ„des agayn whan CasaÌ„ had done that he went toward Mesopotamy whan he was at the flode of Eufrates He coÌ„maunded to Catholasa that he shold leue Molay with .xx. M. men to kepe the land that he shold come in all the hast to hym with the remnaÌ„t of the hoost of the kyng Anyne of Mesopotamy And so Catholasa departed dyde as Casan coÌ„mauÌ„ded hym Molay taried for to kepe the lande of Syri by the couÌ„sell of the traitor Capchap Molay weÌ„t into the ê‘ties of HierusaleÌ„ into a place that is called Gant wher was gode pastur for their horses whan the soÌ„mer was com Capchap send his messangers to the sowdan ê“mysed to delyuer hym Damas all the other landê that the tartas kept of the realme of Syri And the sowdan promised to Capchap that he shold gyue hym the lordship of Damas a great part of his tresure and his syster to be his wyfe than Capchap rose and made to rysse all the countres for he knewe well that the tartas coud nat come vpon them bycause of the great hete of the soÌ„mer Whanne Molay se that Damas the other couÌ„treis wer vp he durste nat abyde in the realme of Syrie with so fewe men but went towarde Mesopotamy and there he found Casan and rehersed to hym what Capchap the traytour had done Whan Casan vnderstod those tydinges he was greatly displeased but he coud no remedy for the great here that was there Whan the soÌ„mer was paste and the wynter began Casan gathared a great hoost vpon the flode syde of Eufrates and sende firste for Catholasa with .xxx. thousaÌ„de tartas And coÌ„maunded that they shold go toward the cyte of Antioche and that he shold sende for the kynge of Armeny and for the christeÌ„men that wer at that tyme in realme of Cipres and so they came by the see to the cyte of Corcose there was the lorde Sut brother to the kyng of Cipres which conducted the lordes and knyghtes and ther was the maisters of the temple and of the hospitall And as they wer apparelled to do our lorde god seruice tydingê came that a sore sykenesse had taken Casan Wherfore Catholasa was fayn to retorne to Casan with his men the kyng retourned to his couÌ„trei And the christeÌ„men that wer com to the yle of Carcon went to Ciprez for this cause the warr of the holy lande was last This mater was in the yere of our lorde a thousaÌ„de thre honderde and one ¶ Whan the kynge of Armeny Catholasa toke the cyte of Hames IN the yere of our lorde god M.CCC .iii. Casan gathared his hoost agayn vpon the flodde of Eufrates to th entent that he myght enter into the realme of Siri and to distroy the sowdan of Egipt And to recouer the holy laÌ„de and delyuer it to the christeÌ„men agayne Whan the sarasyns vnderstode the coÌ„mynge of Casan and that they were nat able to fyght agaynst his power they wasted brende all the lande and countrey by they which thei sholde passe with theyr beestes and catell all that they coude fynde the brought to a stronge place and all they remnaÌ„t they sette on fyre for cause that theyr horess sholde fynde name at whaÌ„ Casan vnderstode this that the sarasyns had done thinkynge that the horses shold fynde no mete to lyue on He toke counsell to tary the same wiÌ„ter at the flode of Eufrates And whan the grasse shold begyn to springe they wolde take theyr waye but they had more thought for their horses mete thaÌ„ they dyd for themselfe as men but of smale fedynge Casan was vpon the flod syde with his hoost and sende for the kyng of Armeni CasaÌ„s hoost was so grete that it lasted .iii. dayes iourney of length From the castell that is called Racale to another that is called la Bire these two castels wer longing to the sarasyns but they yelded them to CasaÌ„ and as Casan was tarieng at the flod of Eufrates for the seson wether forto delyuer the holy land out of the sarasyns power he herd tidyÌ„ges that Baydo was come agayn into his lande and how he
cytie of Rohays was kyng Agers to whoÌ„ our lord sende the veâ—nicle that is no wat Roâ—e nygh to this cytye is the lande of Baram in that which dwelled Abraham his kynred in the old tyme Whan our lorde coÌ„maunded hym that he sholde leue this lande and passe the flode of Eufrates come to the lande of promyssson that is the Holy land as is coÌ„tayned in the bible This is called Grioise the land of Mesop for cause that it is betwene the two great flodes Tygris and Eufrates The brede of the realme begynneth at a mountayn which is called Sanson in Armenie extendeth by mydday to the desert of Arabe the leste in this lande of Mesopota be great playnes aboundant and delectable And great mountayns with great plenty of fruytes of goodê One of the mountaynes is called Symar the other Lysson In the sayd realme is nat moche ronnynge water but the peple of this couÌ„trey drynketh well water out of cesterns In this realm of Mesopotamy inhabet christen men some be Siryens some Armyns and the other sarasyns The syriens and the sarasyns of the sayd countrey medyll with no dede of armes but they be shepardes and labourers of the grounde for the moste part except some that dwelled in a couÌ„trey that is called Meredyn the which be good archers And they ben called Cordyns ¶ The realme of Turky THe realme of Turkey is moche riche ther be mynes of syluer brasse other good ynough And also there is plenty of where wynes and fruytes also there is moche catell good horses his laÌ„de endeth by the gret Armeny towarde the orient and with the realme of Georgy toward the occydent and extendeth to the cyte of Satalie which is vpon the see of grece towarde SeptentrioÌ„ and hath no endes with any other lande And extendeth of length in length vpon the see syde and towarde Midday endeth part with the seconde Armeny and with Sylice and part extendeth to the see of grece and to the syght of the yle of Cipres And the sayd realme of Cipres is called grece of all the peple of the Orient for cause that in the olde tyme themê‘our of grece kept that lande as his owne and ruled all the lande by officers that he sende thyder euery yere And after that the Turkes toke the sayd lordship of Turky They ordayned a lorde amonge them that which they called theyr sowdan from that tyme the Turkes inhabyted in the sayd lande and than it was named Turky And there be many good cities The fyrst ê“uince is called Helcone that is the noblest cyte of Elconye The .ii. is named Capadoce that is the cyte of the great Cesar of grece The thryde prouince is called Saury there is the cyte of Salern The .iiii. is called Briquie and there is the cyte of Lichoe of grece The .v. is called Quisiton and there is the cyte of Effeson The .vi. is called Depictrony there is the cyte of Niquie The .vii. is called Pascagonie there is the cite of Germana polis The .viii. is called Genesti there is the cyte of Trapesonde and this onely prouynce is made a realme within fewe yeres For whan the turkes toke the lordship of turky they coulde nat take the cite of Trapesond nor no place loÌ„gyng therto bycause there wer so many strong castels And so it remayned to themê‘our of Constantinoble the sayd emê‘our had a custome to send a bayly that was called duke to gouerne the sayd land And it fortuned so that one of the dukes rebelled agaynst themperour toke the lordship of Trapesonde for hym selfe and made hym selfe to be called emê‘our all they that dwell in the sayd land be grekê we put Tarpesonde in the nombre of the prouiÌ„ces nat in the nombre of the realmes After as we fynde in the histores of the OrieÌ„t In the realme of turky inhabet .iiii. maner of people that is to say grekes Armyns Iabobins turkes which ben sarasyns And they haue takeÌ„ the lorship of the sayd lande of the grekê thei that be dwellers in the cites ocupied marchaÌ„dise labouryng the grouÌ„d the other sheperdes that dwelled in the feldes in tentes wintur and somer fed their beestes and also they be good men of armes a fote and a horsbacke ¶ The realme of Syrie THe realme of Syrye towarde the Est begynneth at the flode of Eufrates and exteÌ„deth by occident to the cyte of Gaser which is toward the see of grece to the heed of the desert of Egypt the brede of the realme of Syrie towarde SepteÌ„trion begynneth at the cyte of Baruth extendeth to the cricke of mouÌ„t royall toward the Eest it endeth at the realme of Mesopotamy towarde Septentrion with the seconde Armenye and part with the realme of Turky toward Mydday endeth at the see of grece at the desert of Araby the realme of Siry is depared i. iiii prouinces that in the old tyme were realmes in eueri one of theÌ„ was a king The first ê“uince is called Sein the .ii. Palestin in that is the cyte of Heirusalem the .iii. is called Antioquie there be .ii gret cytes Halap Antioch the .iiii. is called Silyce there is the cytie of Tarsot in the which was borne the apostle saynt Paule the sayd Silyce is now called Armeny for syth that the enemies of the cristeÌ„ fayth had taken this land from the grekê handes the Armins traueyled so moche that thei recouerd the realme of Silyce now the kyng of Armeny holdeth it by the grace of god In the realm of Siri inhabet diuers peple grekes armins Iacobyns Nestorins sarasins two other nations that is syrisins Maroins the cristen men holdeth the maner of Greioyse for in the olde tyme they were obedieÌ„t to the church of Rome they speke language Arabyke the seruyce the office of the church is made in letters greioises the Maronyus hold the maner of Iacobyus and haue a langage and letters Arabyke this peple inhabyted about the mount Lyban towardes the partes of Iherusalem they be good men of armes of the siriens be men I now but of the Maroyns be but fewe And amonge them there be valyant men the realme of Siry is .xx. dayes iourney of length fyue in bredthe in some places lesse after as the desert of Arabyk and the see cometh more or lesse ¶ Sythe that we haue spoken of the .xiiii. pryncipall realmes that be in Asye we shall speke after of the emperours of Asye the which hath holden the lordship of Asye after the byrthe of our lord Ihesu Chryst after the rehersynge of the hystores of the Oryent ¶ How the kynge of Persy was fyrst emperour of Asye AS saynt Luke sayth in his gospell the emperour of Rome Cesar Augustus helde the lordshippes of all the worlde in that tyme that oure lorde Ihesu Chryst was borne after that came a kynge of
coÌ„ming he durst nat abyde but fledde away hastely Albaga sende his men forward before that the sowdan myght come and retorne into the realme of Egipt The tartas ouer toke the last parte of the Sarasyns hoost in a place is called Lepas Blaur and entred into the sarasins hoste and toke .ii. M. horsmen gate great tichesse more ouer they toke .v. M. houses of Cordyns that were in the sayd parties And than Albaga had couÌ„sell that he shuld nat entre into the land of Egypt for the great hete that was ther for theyr horses that had so moch laboured And than Albaga retorned to turkey toke the landes the cites dyd so moche that he toke Parnana And sone after as the maner of the tartas was Pernana was put to dethe than Albaga coÌ„maunded that in all maner of his mete that he shuld ete shuld haue some of the flessh of Parnana and so Albaga dyd ete of the flesshe gaue some to his men And that was the vengeauÌ„ce that Albaga toke of the traitour Parnana ¶ How Albaga ê“fered the realme of Turky to the king of Armeny WHan Albaga had taken all the landes had ordred the realme of Turky to his plesure He dyde call before hym the kynge of Armeny profred hym to haue hold the realme of Turky at his pleasur by cause that the kyng of Armeni his kynred had euer ben true to the tartas The kynge of Armeny as a wiseman thaÌ„ked moch Albaga of so great a gift excused hym sayeng that he was nat sufficient to gouern two realmes For the sowdaÌ„ of Egypt toke moch labour for to do hurt to the realm of Armeni than the kyng of Armeny couÌ„selled to Albaga that he shuld nat gyue the lordship of the realm of Turkey to a sarasyn This couÌ„sell plesed moch to Albaga so he wolde that no sarasyn shuld haue no lande nor holde in Turkey ¶ After that the kyng of Armeni praied to Albaga that he wold go or sende his brother to delyuer the holy lande out of the sarasyns handê and to gyue it to the christeÌ„men agayn Albaga promised hym that he shuld do it with a good wyll coÌ„maunded to the kyng of Armeny that he shulde sende to the pope to the other kynges lordes of the christeÌ„men of the occydent that they shuld come or send their men to the helpe of the holy lande for to kepe the landes the cytes that thei shuld coÌ„quer Than the king of Armeny deê‘ted retorned into his landes sende his messaÌ„gers to the pope and to the kynges of the occident whaÌ„ he had ordayned that that was nedefull to the realme of Turkey He came to the realme of Corasten ther as he had left his housholde BeÌ„donedar was poysoned as he retorned to Egypt and coude nat retorne on lyue to the cyte of Damas Of Bendonaders deth wer the christeÌ„men glad and the sarasyns moche sory for he was a valy ant man of armes After BeÌ„dona der was one made sowdan that was called Melecset but he taried nat longe for he was put from the lordshippe And one that was called Esly was made sowdan ¶ Of the batayle betwene Mangadamor and the sowdan WHan the tyme and the season came that Albaga myght ryd for to entre into the lande of Egypt Firste he sende Mangadamor with .xxx. M. tartas and badde that they shuld occupy the kyng Anyne of Syri and he wolde ryde after And yf the sowdan shulde come agaynst theÌ„ that they shulde valyaÌ„tly fyght with hym And if the sowdan durst nat come in the batayle he coÌ„mauÌ„ded that they shuld occupy the landes and the cyties and that they shuld deliuer them into the christeÌ„mens handê to kepe MaÌ„gadamor rod with .xxx. thousand tartas that Albaga his brother had gyuen hym And the king of Armeny put him in his company with a grete nombre of horsmen whan Mangadamor and the kyng of Armeny entred into the realme of Syri they went wastyng the sarasyns landê to the cyte of Hames that is called la Chalemelle Which is in the myddes of the realme of Syrie Before this cyte is a fayre playne and ther was the sowdan with all his power The sarasyns on one parte the tartas and the christen men of an other parte Began to fyght The kyng of Armeny that coÌ„ducted the right part of the hoost sette them in aray and sette vpon the lyft part of the sarasyns hoost and discomfyt theÌ„ and droue theÌ„ be end the cytie of Hames thre leges and more And the constable of the tartas that was called Halmach Bech set vpon the right part of the sarasyns hoost and ouercame theÌ„ And than euery of them went to a cytie that is called Thara Mangadamor that taryed in the felde se come a company of Bednyns and putte hym in great fere as a man that had neuer sene batayle and without reason departed froÌ„ the felde with the victori And left the kyng of Armeny and the constable that were gone after theyr ennemys Whan the sowdan se that the tartas wer departed from the felde He went vpon an hyll with iiii thousand horsmen whan the kyng of Armeny retorned fro the disconfiture and found nat MaÌ„gadamor He was moche a basshed whiche way he was gone he rode after Ameleth the constable taryed .ii. dayes for his lord MaÌ„gadamor and also he was moche abasshed of the way that he went and whan he knewe that he was gone He rode after with his men tyll he came to the ryuer of Eufrates and coude nat ouertake MaÌ„gadamor And so by the faute of the sayd Magadamor they left the felde and the batayle whan they had the victory The tartas went agayne into theyr countreis but the kyng of Armeny suffred gret trauayle and moche losse of his people through faute of vitayle the meÌ„ and beestes were so wery that they coude nat go And than they departed a sonder and went by dyuers wayes there as the sarasins were and dwelled in the sayd couÌ„treis which toke and slewe many of the christeÌ„ men And so the moost part of the king of Armenis hoste was lost and almoost all the gentylmen were slayn This mysfortune happened In the yere of our lorde god M.CC.lxxxii ¶ How Albaga and his brother was poysoned by theyr famulyer seruauntes WHan Albaga vnderstode this tidynges he sende and coÌ„mauÌ„ded that his barownes shulde coÌ„e in all the hast vnto hym And so Albaga gathered a great hoost to thyn â—Lent to entre into the realme of Egypt but it happened that a sarasyn came into the realm of Persy the which dyde so moch and gaue gyftes to Albagas famyliar seruauntes that they gaue to Albaga and to his brother poyson and so they lyued but .viii. dayes after And so Albaga Can dyed In the yere of our lorde god a thousande two honderde foureskore two ¶ After the dethe of
For cause that they coude nat fynde pasture for theyr horses tyll many dayes iourneys ende for this couÌ„trey is dry and barr And so or thei coud coÌ„e to they good landes theyr horses shulde dye for lacke of meate And with a small company of eÌ„nemys they that shulde passe myght lese theyr lyues by the other way at the ende Totays meÌ„ myght entre iÌ„to CarbaÌ„das landê .vi. monethes in the yer in the wynter tyme. but Albaga dyde make a dayes iourney of length lysses dykes and thynges iÌ„ a place that is called Cyba now there be men of warr forto kepe the passages Totays men haue many tymes proued forto passe priuily but they coude nat For they must passe by a playne that is called Mongan In this playne be euer in wynter a maner of wylde-foule that they call Seyserach these byrdes be as great as fesaÌ„tes and with feyre feders And whan any men coÌ„e into this playn these byrdes fle away and passe the Lyces toward the playn of Mongan by the token of these byrdes commyng The kepars of the sayd Lices knowe the coÌ„myng of theyr ennemys and than they puruey for them for the kepynge of the sayde passage By the other way toward the maior see they durst nat entre for they shuld be fayn to entre and passe by the realme of Dabcas Which is garnysshed with men stronge landes so they can nat passe And by this maner CarbaÌ„da his auncetours haue defeÌ„ded theyr laÌ„des from the great myght of theyr ennemys neyghbours ¶ The maner and gyse that the tartar vse amonge them yEt shall we say some thyÌ„ge of the tartas maner custome The tartas be moche dyuers of maner and custome It is nat possible to reherse the dyuersite of them the Tartas beleue in god and name god onely they saye that god is immortall And none other reuereÌ„ce thei do to god nother by praier fasting aflictions nor none other good dedê The tartas thyÌ„ke no synne to haue kylde a man if the byt was in the horse mouth they thinke to haue syÌ„ned deedly The tartas thinke that the deed of lechery is no synne they haue dyuerse wyues by theyr guyse custome after the dethe of theyr father the sonÌ„ must take for his wyfe his mother in lawe And the brother the wyfe that was his brothers wyfe and make theyr beddes togyder The tartas be good meÌ„ of armes to theyr lordes they be obedyent more thaÌ„ any other nation Ther lorde gyueth them no wages but he may take from theÌ„ what it please hym Nor for cost or ridynge theyr lorde is nat bounde to gyue them any thing but they be fayne to lyue on their pray hauÌ„tyng that thei take vpon their eÌ„nemies whaÌ„ the tartas ryd passe by a passage ther as they thinke to fynd no vitayles they bringe with theÌ„ great plenty of beestes kyne mares lyue of the mylke of the flesshe of these beestes ete it say that it is good flesshe The tartas be moch light in dede of armes a horsbake but a fote they be nat moche worth for they can nat go a fote whaÌ„ thei be ordayned forto fyght they vnderstande shortly theyr captayns wyll and knowe what they haue to do Wherfore the captayns rule theyr men lightly without any labour the Tartas be subtyll forto take townes and castels The tartas seke euer ther aduaÌ„tage vpoÌ„ theyr ennemys in batayle wyll do none other thynge to theyr profet The tartas haue more vauntage than other men for if they be in a felde togyder forto fyght agaynst theyr ennemys if it please theÌ„ thei shall fight if the batayle pleased nat theÌ„ theyr eÌ„nemis can nat fyght agaynst theÌ„ nor come nygh theÌ„ The tartas batayle is moche mortall for in one lytell batayle of the tartas ther shuld be more meÌ„ slayne wounded than in a great batayle of other men and that is for the bowes arowes that they ocupyed whan the tartas be ouer com they ronÌ„ all togyther as nigh as it can be possible is a peryllous thinge to folowe them for in goyng they kyll with their bowes horses meÌ„ shote backward as thei do forward if thei se that their ennemys folowed folysshely they torne vpon them And somtyme it happened that they that ran after them by kylled slayne The tartas hoste is nat of grete mustre bycause that they go nygh one with an other so nygh that .x. housaÌ„de tartas shewe nat .v. hunderd the tartas be of fayre speking to their hoostes and courtesly they spende theyr meate And lykewise that they shulde ben done with them or els they wolde take some parforce the tartas can well conquer the straÌ„ge thinges but they can nat kepe it For they loued better to be in tentes and in the feldes thanne in the townes the tartas be moche couytouse and occupied moche to take other mennes goodes and they caÌ„ nat kepe theyr owne and nought thei wyll spend whan the tartas be in coÌ„pany ther as they may be maisters they be of great corage and proude And whaÌ„ they se that thei caÌ„ nat haue the mastry thei be courtes honest the tartas wyll euer take thingê to theyr ê“fet shortly they be vp and in .ii. thinges they dar nat make a lye nor say that they had done any good dede of armes yf they had nat done nor deny theyr euyll dedes if they had done any The other before the lorde or the Iuge in iugmeÌ„t he dare nat deny the trouth though he shuld be coÌ„deÌ„pned or lese his lyfe as moche as is sufficyent that tartas speketh ¶ The maner howe a kynge or a prince shlud order theÌ„ to warr REason requireth that who so euer wyll moue warr agaynst his ennemys ought to coÌ„sidre .iiii. thinges First he ought to haue Iust resonable cause or good lytell to moue the warr these conde thyng that he ought to se to his power if he be sufficient for all the cost furnyssh other thyngê belongyng to the warr to begynne maynteyn and finysshe the thyrd is that he ought wisely enquer of the coÌ„dicyon and maner of his ennemis the fourth is that he ought to begyn warr in a coÌ„uenyent sea son and tyme. And frere Hayton that by the coÌ„maundement of our lorde the apostle ought to speke of this matter I may say truely that the christeÌ„men haue Iust and resonable cause to moue warr agaynst the sarasyns to the valyaunt kynred of Mahomet For they haue occupyed theyr owne herytage that is the holy lande the whiche almyghti god promysed to the cristenmen And ther they fynde the sepulture of our lorde Ihesu that is the begynnynge of the christen fayth And for the great dishonesty and great losse of blode that the cristeÌ„men haue had by the sarasyns and euyll lyuers in tyme passed for other dyuers reasons that shulde
more easely bycause that they shulde fynde ther great plente of waters and pastour for their horses And from the realme of turkey that is nygh they shuld bringe vitayle horses such thinges that they shuld haue nede of in the lande of Armeny Also they myght tary all the wynter in Armeny whan the pastur shuld be coÌ„ming the pylgriÌ„s hoste might go to Antioch that is from the lande of Armeny a dayes iourney And froÌ„ thens the shippê mygth go by the see to the port of Antioch and so the see hoost the lande hoost shuld be neyghbours After that the pylgrims shuld haue occupied the cytie of Antioche the which they shuld shortly take with the helpe of god The pylgrimes myght refresshe them in this lande certayn dayes myght ronÌ„ and rauysshe their ennemys landes that be ther aboue And there with they might knowe the condicyon state wyll of their ennemis that be ther about And in this ê‘ties of Antioch there be christeÌ„meÌ„ dwellyng that be good sergeantê and shuld come with a good wyll to the christeÌ„mens hoost myght do them good seruyce After that the pylgrims shuld depart out of Antioch they myght go by the see syde to the cite of Lyche this way shuld be shorter better for the see doth flowe to the hoost of the land Verily nygh to the Margat by the see fyd is a passage that troubleth moche the people that passe by And yf it shuld happen that the ennemys had garnysshed this passage iÌ„ suche maner that the pylgrems might nat passe Our men might retorn without any daunger into Antyoche myght go by the way of Ephemye toward Cesar by the syd of the flud of Reuell vpward by that way the hoste shuld find gode pasture good waters the ennemies landes garnisshed with vytayle other goodes of the which the hoost myght haue great ease And by this way our men myght go by the cyte of Haman which is a riche cytie the which the cristen men might occupy shortly And if it shuld happeÌ„ that the enemis wold defend Haman for bycause it is a riche cyte that thei shuld nat coÌ„e to the batayle agaynst the christeÌ„men they shuld haue a great vauÌ„tage to fight in that place shuld lighty ouercome their ennemies and yf the christeÌ„men might ones ouercome the sowdans hoost After that they shuld fynde nothyng agaynst them and so they myght go streight to the cytie of Damas the which they shuld take or they shuld yelde theÌ„selfe by some treatie For syth the sowdan shulde be ouercome they of Damas shulde nat hold but they wolde yelde theÌ„ with a good wyll They lyue safe as they dyd to Halcon to Casan after that they had ouercome that so dan. And thaÌ„ yf the cristeÌ„men had taken Damas they shuld lightly conquere the remynaunt And yf the ennemies shuld lose the batayle the cristeÌ„men might come to Tryple in .iiii. dayes froÌ„ Damas and might make agayne the cite of Triple and with this the cristeÌ„men that be of the mouÌ„t Lyban shuld gyue great helpe to the pylgrimes so yf the christeÌ„men myght kepe the cite of Triple they might coÌ„quer the cite of IerusaleÌ„ with helpe of god OF the coÌ„pany of the christenmen of the tartas I thyÌ„ke that a certayne nombre about .xx. thousand tartas myght do great ease proffet to the christeÌ„men goynge by the couÌ„tres for fere of the tartas the Bednyns nor tuckemens durst nat come nygh to the christeÌ„mens hoost the other ease shuld be that the tartas shuld puruay for vitayle to the christeÌ„mens hoost shuld coÌ„e out of ferre couÌ„treis forto gette money or some other thinge yet by the tartas they might enquere knowe the communycation of the ennemyes for the tartas be lyght for to ronÌ„ in out and can well entre come out night day of their frewyll to batayle to bete cyties The tartas myght be thrifty for they be moch subtyll in suche thinges And yf it shulde happen that Carbanda or an other in his rome with men shuld come for to entre in the lande of Egipt than it shuld be well done to shyft go ferre from their coÌ„pany For the tartas wolde nat do after the christeÌ„mens wyll the christeÌ„men myght nat folowe the tartas wyll that be a horsbacke go hastly And the christeÌ„men myght nat folowe them for the fotemen YEt whan the tartas know that they be stronge haue power they be moche proude and without reason And coude nat be wtout doynge harme to the christeÌ„men the which thing the christenmen might nat suffre Wherof myght come great sklauÌ„dre and euyll wyll amonge them but vpoÌ„ this thei might put good remedy It is to knowe that the tartas shulde go by Damas way as they be vsed to do euer And the cristeÌ„men shuld go in the parties of Iherusalem in this maner goyng ferre one froÌ„ an other it shuld be good peace betwene the tartas and the christeÌ„men loue kept the myght of the ennemies shulde be confounded rather by two than by one yet an other thinge I wyll remembre to your holynesse it is this the christeÌ„mens couÌ„sell shuld be kept wysely for in tyme passed they wold nat kepe their counsell Wherfore they haue hadde many great sorowes the ennemys haue skaped many great dauÌ„gers haue taken from the christeÌ„men the maner to accoÌ„plyssh their desyres And yf it be so that the passage gefiall name might nat be kept close for thei shuld go by the vniuersall world Neuerthelesse that coude nat torne to no dauÌ„ger nor losse to ennemies for they coude nat haue no helpe of no port and in dyuers maners the christeÌ„mens counsell myght be kept doynge maner to do a thinge and do an other and the cause that the tartas coud nat kepe their counsell Which thinge hath done them often tymes grete harme the tartas hath such a maner that at first mone of Ianuarii they take counsell of all such thynges that they haue to do in the yere Wherfore yf it fortune that they wyll moue warr agaynst the sowdaÌ„ of Egypt soone after their couÌ„sell is knoweÌ„ of all so the sarasyns sende worde to the sowdan vpon that the sowdan maketh hym redy agaynst theÌ„ the sacasyns can kepe well their couÌ„sel which thyÌ„g hath done theÌ„ many tymes good And so it is sufficiently spoken sayde for this present tyme vpon the dede of the passage generall of the holy lande by ende the see AFter all this I pray huÌ„bly that blessyd holynes wyll receyue this that my deuocyon writeth vpon the passage of the holy land And yf I haue sayd more or lasse that it shuld be I put it to your correctyon For I had nat ben so hardy to giue couÌ„sell vpoÌ„ so great a mater as the passage of the holilande yf it were nat by the coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t