THE HISTORY OF THE HOLY WAR Began Anno 1095. by the Christian Princes of Europe AGAINST The Turks FOR THE Recovery of the Holy Land and Continued to the Year 1294. IN TWO BOOKS To which is added A Particular ACCOUNT of the Present War managed by the Emperour King of Poland and several other Princes against the Turks By THO. MILLS Gent. Illustrated with Copper-Plates LONDON Printed for Tho. Malthus at the Sun in the Poultrey 1685. To the Right Honourable Sir JAMES SMITH Kt. Lord Mayor Of the Honourable City of London My Lord HIstories in general are like so many Registers and Records of time that convey to us the knowledg of what passed in the Ages before us and thereby helps us to look back with Pleasure upon the great Actions and Noble Atcheivments of our Worthy Predecessors which renders the reading of them very Pleasant and Delightful The History of the Holy War has not only been the amusement of the Learned Pens of other Nations but of a * Dr. Fuller Celebrated Author of our own which tho' written in a less critical time than this wherein that War seems to have a new resurrection was received with the general approbation of all lovers of History But this Excellent History being now rare to be found several Persons who were extreamly delighted with its agreeable variety wherein no History in the World does excel it mightily Importuned me to revive it or else to write a more Brief and Compendious account of that Religous War that so it might be rendered the more Capable of an Vniversal Reading the latter of which I was upon their persuasions prevailed upon to undertake But having performed the Task imposed upon me I found my self at a loss for a Suitable Person to whom I might address to own and Patronise the work till at length I happily pitch'd my thoughts upon Your Lordship To Dedicate it is made necessary by Custom and to Dedicate it to Your Lordship as necessary by the nature and design of the Book it self My Lord it is a discourse of War and therefore to have offered it to any other than a Soldier and a Brave Son of Mars had been an unpardonable Folly and a Sacrilegious Robery of the God of War And among all the Brave Commanders of this Honourable City I find none whose Courage and Valiour Prudence and LOYALTY bears a better sound then Your Lordships Not only in the Opinion of Your Fellow Subjects but of the King too for it was the singular Wisdom and LOYALTY which you have Manifested upon all Occasions that Recommended You both to his Majesties Gracious Choice and the Peoples Vniversal desire for the Chief Magestrate of Englands Metropolis Wherefore I Humbly Beg You will be Pleased to Accept of the Dedication and Permit this History to pass into the World under the shelter of your Lordships Name and Approbation and Pardon the Authors Presumption in aspiring to so great an Honour Although for an Atonement of the ambition of this offering I can only urge it is the History of the Holy War wherein those of our Nation gave as large a Testimony of their Courage and Bravery against those Infidels and Enemies of our Faith as any Nation whatsoever Which Consideration may Peradventure prevail upon Your Lordship to allow it as a sufficient Expiation for the pride of this Oblation Especially in a Person who is with the most Profound Zeal and Respect My Lord Your Lordships most humble and most devoted Servant THO. MILLS By the absence of the Author from the Press several faults have escaped which the Reader is desired to mend with his Pen. ERATTA PAge 38 Read Gerard. p. 62. l. 18 r. Baldwine p. 63 l. 13 r. Pilgrims p. 69 l. 4 r. their own p. 75 l. 15 Dele prevented it p. 74 r. Ignatius Book 2 p. 49 l. 22 r. conceit p 52 l r Cyprus p 53 l 6 r Meladine p. 67. ad of Lancaster p. 71. l. 13 r. fight Directions to the Binder Place the Cut of the King of Poland page 84. and the Standard page 86. THE HISTORY OF THE Holy War BOOK I. CHAP. I. The Description of the City of Jerusalem and the Land of Judea Why it was called the Holy Land It is conquered by the Egyptians by the Galdeans and by the Romans JAcob having just before his death called all his Twelve Sons together to bless them and to tell them what should happen both to them and to their Children in succeeding Ages he preferred Judah altho' not the Eldest but the Fourth Son before the rest of his Brethren and advanced him to the Throne saying Judah thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise thy hand shall be in the neck of thy enemies and thy Fathers children shall bow before thee Judah is a Lions whelp from the prey my son thou art gone up The Scepter shall not depart from Judah nor a Law-giver from between his feet until Shiloh come meaning Christ the Saviour of the World to whom the gathering of the people shall be And after the return of the Israelites out of Egypt and the destroying the Canaanites and other Nations who inhabited Palestine a larger and fairer proportion thereof was alotted for the inheritance of this Royal Tribe than any of their Brethren enjoyed in which Patrimony there were several large fenced Cities the chief whereof was Hebron and great numbers of pleasant and fruitful Villages But altho' Judah had received the promise of the Kingly Dignity yet he was not till many years after the return out of Egypt invested with it but the Government was laid on the shoulders sometimes of one man and sometimes of another who were either by the special direction of Heaven or the favour of the People indifferently chosen out of any Tribe And when the Israelites grown weary of the Judges rule requested a King and God commanded Samuel to establish a Monarchical Government among them as tho' Jacob had been mistaken in his measures or the Promise to Judah had been quite forgotten that Tribe is neglected and a King chosen out of the Off-spring of Benjamen the youngest Son of Jacob. But Saal proving disobedient and rebellious against the Command of the Great and Supream Monarch of Heaven and Earth by whom alone King Reign the Royal Dignity was rent both from him and his Tribe and according to the Prediction of the Patriarch given to David the youngest Son of Jesse the Bethlehemite of the Tribe of Judah out of whose Loyns according to the flesh our Saviour came When he was first advanced to the Throne he only reigned over the Tribe of Judah and made choice of Hebron as his Royal Seat But being afterwards by the unanimous consent of all the Tribes chosen to be King of Israel he took the City of Jerusalem which is the Subject of this History from the Jebusites and made it the Royal Seat of the Kings of Isreal whereupon it was preferred by the great Jehovah
Inhabitants of those Countries and many damnable Heresies being every where embraced God hastened to pour forth his threatned Judgments upon those Eastern Churches For the Saracens under the Command of Haumer Prince of Arabia possessed themselves of all Syria and Jerusalem so that those who would not be reduced to order by Christian Councils were subdued by the Pagan Sword But all things under the Sun being subject to Changes and Mutations this new Erected Empire of the Saracens though strong and powerful was of no very long continuance but was forced to make its Exit and give way to the rise of one far more memorable both for strength and continuance viz. That of the Turks whereby the Christians in Palestine changed their Masters though not their condition Those powerful and spreading people which have stretched their Dominion to so vast an extent and proved so formidable to Europe are no less wonderful for the obscurity of their Original then for the increase of their vast Dominion whence they came when first they appeared to the World is so difficult to determine that Authors only agree in disagreeing about it But most probably it was out of Scythia now called Tartaria an hungry and barren Country The first place whereon they setled at their first appearance was Turcomania a Northern part of Armenia from whence they passed into Persia being called thither by Mahomet Sultan of the Saracens to assist him against his Enemies whom they soon vanquished But having observed their owâ— strength the Sâ—racens Cowardize and the pleasant situation of Persia they set up for themselves and under Tangrolipix their first King overthrow Sultan Mahomet made themselves Masters of all that large Dominion But that which is yet much stranger than either their Original or increase is That after they had conquered the Saracens by their valour they should notwithstanding voluntarily subject themselves to their senseless superstition and imbrace the Religion of Mahomet As if his not being able to defend his former Proselytes from the slaughter of their Swords was an argument that they also ought to put themselves under his Protection whereas it was ever the custom of Conquerours to bring their Religion to the places which they subdued and not take it thence The next great step the Turks took was into Babylon the Caliph whereof they easily overcame and added his Dominion to their former Conquest And shortly after under Cutlu-Moses their Second King they wan Mesopotaâ—â—a the greatest part of Syria and the City of Jerusalem which spreading of the Turks over most part of the Eastern world is generally believed to be the letting loose of the four Angels mentioned in the Revelations which are there said to be bound in the River Euphrates and reserved for an Hour and a Day a Month and a Year for to slay the Third part of men their strength and fierceness is there likewise described the former by the number of their Horsemen which are said to be Two hundred thousand The latter by the Breast Plates of Fire and Jacinct and Brimstone wherewith they are saiâ— to be Armed and the terribleness of theiâ— Horses whose Heads are there describe to be like the Heads of Lions and Fire and Smoke and Brimstone are said tâ— issue out of their Mouths but it is tâ— be hoped that God hath now almost donâ— his work with them and will shortly burâ— that Rod wherewith he hath been so lonâ— Scourging the Christian World and makâ— their downfal to be as sudden and remarkable as their first appearance and increase was terrible to the World CHAP. III. Of the Original and cause of the Holy Warâ— Peter the Hermit first Mover of the Holy Warr The Pope who is suspected to be the first Contriver of the business and to have sent the Hermite to Jerusalem as his Emissary to consult the matter with the Patriarch and thereby render himself the more capable of fathering a Plot of his own begetting joyfully embraced the Project and with all imaginable zeal endeavoured to engage all the Princes of Europe in that Holy Cause in order whereunto he immediately called a Council at Clermont iâ— France where to a great Assembly oâ— Princes and Prelates he made a long Oration wherein he greatly bemoaneâ— the miseries of the Christians in Asia and the devastation of those holy places in Jerusalem and the parts adjacent which were once the Joy of the whole Earth but were now become the general grief of all the Professors of Christianity telling that the Chappel of Christs Conception at Nazareth his Birth at Bethlehem his Burial on Mount Calvary and his Ascension on Mount Olivet which were once the Fountains of Piety were now become the sinks of all profaneness and that it was therefore highly necessary for them to take Arms against those Infidels and endeavour to break their Bonds asunder and cast away their Cords far from them for if they would not now lend their helping hand to quench their Neighbours Houses they might speedily expect the burning of their own and that those barbarous Nations would shortly over-run all Europe And the better to whet their Courage he promised a full remission of all their sins and Penance here and the enjoyment of Heaven hereafter to all those who would undertake this Voyage Now thereforesaid he Gird your Swords to your Thighs O ye Princes and Potentates of Europe It is our parts to pray yours to fight ours with Moses to lift up our unwearied hands to Heaven and yours to stretch forth the Sword against those Children of Amalck Amen It is almost incredible to believe with what a wonderful cheerfulness this motion meeting with an active and zealous World was generally entertained The whole Assembly crying out aloud God willeth it God willeth it Then many of them wore a Cross of Red Cloth upon their shoulders as a badge of their Devotion And that the Virgin Mary might lend her favorable assistance to their warlike undertakings her Office was instituted and certain Prayers were appointed therein to be made to her at Canonical hours CHAP. IV. The first beginning of the War unfortunate ALL things being now resolved on and every one striving to contribute some way or other to the carrying on this grand Design the Turks who had noâ— for a long time enjoyed the quiet possession of Palestine and by taking advantage of the great stupidity of the Grecian Emperours who abandoned themselves to case and pleasure had extended their Conquest to the Lesser Asia were forced for a time to suspend the further inlarging of their Dominion and employ themselves wholly in the defence of what they had already obtained some of which was notwithstanding their strenuous opposition forcibly wrested out of their hands by the Christian Warriours The beginning of this War was checked with some bad success for Walter Sensaver a Nobleman who had more valour then skill in â— the feats of War marched with a strange contrived and ill proportioned Army
Christians Victories was someâ— what staid for Boemund Prince of Antiochâ— marching into Mesopotamia was takeâ— Prisoner and the Heroick Godfrey whâ— had till now been ever accustomed to Conquer was forced to depart with disgrace from the Siege of Antipatris CHAP. IX The Original of the Hospitallers The scuffling between the King and Patriarch of Jerusalem about the division of the City The Issue of the quarrel and thâ— Death of Godfrey the first King ABout this time under Serard theiâ— first Master began the Order oâ— Knights Hospitallers There was indeeâ— an Order called by that name more anciently in Jerusalem but they were nâ— Knights but poor Alms-men whose House was founded and themselveâ— maintained by the Merchants of Amuâ— phia a City in Italy But they had now more stately Buildings assigned them and their House dedicated to St. John oâ— Jerusalem the conditions upon which they were to be admitted to the Highest Order of this Knighthood were these they must be Eighteen years old at least of an able body not descended of Jewish or Turkish Parents no Bastards except to a Prince there being honour in that dishonour but born of honest and worshipful Parents they always wore a Red Belt with a White Cross and a Black Cloak whereon was the White Cross of Jerusalem which was a Cross crossed or five Crosses together in memory of our Saviours five Wounds Their Profession was to fight against Infidels and secure Pilgrims in their coming to the Sepulchre they vowed Poverty Chastity and Obedience to which was added by Reimundus de Podio their second Master that they must receive the Sacrament thrice a year hear Mass once a day be no Merchants or Usurers fight no private Duels and always stand neuters and take part with neither side if the Princes of Europe should fall out At their Inauguration they received a Sword to intimate that they must be valiant which Sword had a Cross Hilt to remember them that they must therewith defend Religion 2ly With this Sword they were struck three times over the shoulders to teach them patiently to suffer for Christ Thirdly They must wipe the Sword to intimate that their lives must be clean and undefiled Fourthly They had gilt Spurs put upon them to intimate that they must scorn Wealth and spurn it at their heels Fifthly They were to take a Taper in their hands to intimate that they were to enlighten others by their exemplary lives About the same time also were ordained the Knights of the Sepulchre who were for their Original and Profession much like the former and their Order continueth to this day they being made by the Padre Guardian of Jerusalem of such as have seen the Sepulchre and should be all Gentlemen but the Padre frequently dispenses with the severity of that Law and admits of those who bring fat enough though no blood Now also there arose a great Controversie between the King and the Patriarch the latter claiming the Cities of Jerusalem and Joppa with all their dependances as belonging of right to him and the other denying to deliver them The Patriarch affirmed they had always belonged to his Predecessors and that it did not become Princes who ought to be Nursing Fathers to the Church sacrilegiously to suck from and devour it On the other side the King alledged that the Christian Princes had now purchased Jerusalem with their Blood and bestowed it on him so that the Patriarchs over-grown Title was lost in that Conquest from which as upon a new Foundation all must now build their claims who challenge a right to any part in that City Besides which it would be unreasonable for the King of Jerusalem to enjoy nothing in Jerusalem but live there more like a Sojourner than a Prince in his Royal Palace and be confined only to an airy Title whilst the Patriarch should enjoy all the Command To this the Patriarch answered That the Christians new Conquest could not cancel his Ancient Right which he said was enjoyed even under the Saracens especially since that Voyage was purposely undertaken for the advancing of the Church and not the bare restoring her to her Liberty only which Argument he pressed so home that Godfrey notwithstanding he was unwilling at first yet afterwards not only granted him on Candlemas day a fourth part of the City but on the Easter following the King lying then on his Death-bed gave him all Jerusalem Joppa and whatsoever else he desired upon condition that he should hold it of the Patriarch till he should Conquer Babylon or some other Royal City to keep his Court in And that iâ— in the mean time he should have died without Issue it should immediately bâ—delivered into the Patriarchs Possession Not long after Godfrey had made this liberal Grant wherein he frankly gave away his whole Kingdom at once he died having Reigned one year wanting five days and was buried in the Temple of the Sepulchre where his Tomb remains inviolated to this day CHAP. X. Baldwin chosen King he keepeth Jerusalem in despite of the Patriarch GOdfrey being dead the Christians with an unanimous consent made choice of Baldâ—in who was â—â—ount of Edessa a City in Arabia and Brother to Godfrey to succeed him a Prince who was tall and of a comely Personage being like Saul higher by the head than any of his Subjects and being thus chosen to the Kingdom without troubling his head about his Brothers Religious scruple of wearing a Crown of Gold where Christ wore one of Thorns he accepted the Ceremony as well as the Title and was Crowned on the Christmas day following But before his Coronation there was a desperate Quarrel between him and the Patriarch who upon the death of Godfrey devoured Jerusalem and the Tower of David in his hope but coming to take possession found that a more difficult task than it was to obtain the grant from the dying King For Garnier Earl of Gretz refused to surrender it telling him that he would according to his duty keep it on the behalf of King Baldwin who was not yet arrived from Edessa This unexpected refusal made the Patriarch storm exceedingly but however Baldwin having the stronger Sword and actual possession of the City kept it perforce which made the Patriarch complain to Boemund Prince of Antioch and stir him up to take Arms against King Baldwin for the recovery of the Churches Right as he was pleased to term it But not succeeding therein the difference was made up for the present by the mediation of friends although it was not long before it brake out again to that degree that the Patriarch was glad to flee to Antioch and from thence to Rome to complain to the Pope from whom hâ— obtained a command to King Baldwin foâ— the re establishing him in the Patriarchaâ— Seat with which as he was returning home he died at Messena in Ciciliaâ— whereupon Bremarus an holy and devouâ— man was against his own will advanceâ— by King Baldwin to the Chair
But being disliked by the Pope because the King chose him he was soon deposed and Gibellinus the Popes Legate chosen in his stead who being thought by Arnulphus who had been chosen Patriarch aâ— the first taking of Jerusalem and was thrust out again to go to slowly to his Grave he was suspected to have hastened his death upon which he was substituted in his room by the especial favour of King Baldwin CHAP. XI A mighty Army of new Adventurers after many hardships and difficulty effect nothing Alexius his Treachery THE spreading Fame of the Christians great Success in Palestine summoned a new supply of Pilgrims out of Christendom Germany and other places which had been sparing at the first Voyage â—ut resolved now to make amends with â—ouble liberality The chief Adventurers â—ere Guelpho Duke of Bavaria Hugh Broâ—er to the French King and Stephen Earl â—f Bloys both which had very much sufâ—ered in their Reputation for having deâ—erted their fellows in the first Expediâ—on and therefore sought to regain their â—ost Honour by this second Adventure The Duke of Aquitain the Earl of Burundy and the Couar of Bogen with maâ—y more grear Men and Prelates leadâ—ng with them an Army of 250000 Men. All Europe was now big with expectaâ—ion to see what so great an Army would atchieve it being common for most men to measure Victories by the â—ultitudes of the Souldiers But in this â—ase it signified little for they did noâ—hing worthy admiration unless it were â—hat they went so far to do just nothing â—heir sufferings being far more famous â—han their doings being so consumed by Plague Famine and Sword that scarce one thousand of them ever reached Paâ—estine and those fitter to be sent to Hosâ—itals than to march into the Field But the chief cause why this Voyage miscarried so miserably was the Treathery of Alexius who perplexing himself with a groundless and ridiculous fear lest between the Latines in the East who were come thither upon pretence of conquering Palestine and those in the West his Graecian Empire lying in the midst should be ground to powder as betweeâ— two Milstones did them all the private mischief he could possibly procure whilst he publickly pretended to havâ— the greatest kindness for them imaginâ—able calling the chief Captains of theiâ— Army his Sons and thereby verifying the Proverb The more courtesie the morcraft But in private he would say to his friends that he took as great a pleaâ— sure to see those European Pilgrims iâ— Battel with the Turk as he would do to see two Mastiff Dogs sighting togetherâ— hoping that which side soever lost hâ— himself should be a gainer Wherefore he so ordered the matter that they haâ—â— no sooner passed Graecia and crossed thâ— Bosphorus but they were for thirty dayâ— together exposed as a mark to the Turkisâ— Arrows and cut off by their cowardly Enemies whilst they were pent up in the straits of unknown passages But in the mean time King Baldwiâ— imployed himself with better success iâ— Palestine For by the assistance of thâ— Genoan Fleet who were for their painâ— to have a third part of the spoil and a Street in every place that was taken he â—on several very considerable Havens â—ong the midland Sea there being beâ—re this but one only part for the Chriâ—ians to land at viz. Joppa He began with Antipatris to redeem the Christian â—onour which was morgaged there when Godfrey was forced to rise from before it But the Turks having gotten â—ogether a good Army gave him Battel â—t Rhamula where he gave them a very â—reat overthrow The Joy of which Victory continued â—ot long for the Turks being recruited â—nd resolving upon revenge set upon him â—gain in the same place and after a reâ—olute fight obtained the Victory it being â—he first great overthrow the Christians â—ad ever received in Palestine whereâ—n besides many others the Earls of Bloys and Burgundy lost their lives and the King himself was reported to be slain This Victory so entoxicated the Turks with Joy that they gave themselves to â—mirth and jollity without the least susâ—icion of a Reincounter which Baldwin â—eing informed of by his Spies returned suddenly upon them with fresh Souldiers â—nd with the back-blow of an unlook'd for Enemy which is commonly the most fatal bravely wrested the Victory out of the Infidels hands Nor were the rest of the Christian Princes idle but endeavoured likewise the inlarging of the Christian Dominions Tancred Prince of Galilee possessing him self of Apamea and Laodicea two Citieâ— in Coelosyria which were both built bâ— Antiochus Nor was it long before Ptolemais fell likewise into the Christian hands a City on the Mediterranean Sea which took its name from Ptolemeus Philometor King of Egypt The Genoan Gallies being ten in number doing the greatest service in the taking of it and therefore as a reward had granted them large profits from the Harbour a Church to themselves and Jurisdiction over the fourth part of the City which came aâ— last to be the very Seat of the Holy Warâ— there being in it a continual fighting against the Turks for an hundred and eighty years together But whilst the Arms of the Christians prospered so well in some places they were unsuccessful in others for Baldwâ—â— Count of Edossa and Earl Joceline besieging Charran in Mesopotamia had broughâ— it into such straits that it was ready to bâ— delivered to them when the Christian Captains falling out among themselves were set upon and defeated by the Pagans and the two Earls with diver others taken Prisoners However to mitigate the sorrow for this misfortune Byblus which was a very good Haven and built by Heveus the Sixth Son of Canaan was taken by King Baldwin and shortly after Tripoli was likewise conquered by his Victorious Arms who created one Bertram a Nobleman that had behaved himself well in the Siege Earl of Tripoli it being accounted a Title of great Honour in regard Tripoli was ever reckoned one of the four Tetrarchies of the Kingdom of Jerusalem And to revenge the many injuries they had received from treacherous Alexius Boemund Prince of Antioch with a great Navy spoiled the Havens of Graecia every one abhorring his unfaithful practice were willing to list themselves as Volunteers for this Service But an Agreement was soon made between them Sidon the most ancient and famous City of Phoenicia was by the help of the Danish and Norway Fleet added likewise to the Kingdom of Jerusalem flushed with which Conquest and the series of success that had for a long â—â—me attended them they next set down before Tyre a City which Sea and Land Nature and Art had combined together to make strong and impregnable it being incompassed by the Sea all but a narrow neâ— of Land that tacks it to the Coâ—nent which was fortified with mâ— Walls and Towers so that it was hâ— to determine whether the strength ofâ— City or the Wealth of its Inhabitaâ— was greatest But not being able
was to pay a Ransom 〈◊〉 an hundred thousand Michaelets for tâ—â— security whereof he left his Daughter 〈◊〉 Hostage But he paid the Turks with tâ—â— Saracens money whom he beat first 〈◊〉 Antioch and then at Damascus whiâ—â— place he unfortunately besieged aâ—â— thereby damped the Joy of his two foâ—mer Victories And the more to quâ— their swelling pride the young Princeâ— Antioch was overthrown in Battel aâ—â— slain Which ill success so afflicted Kiâ—â— Baldwins mind that for some time bâ— fore his death he renounced the worâ—â— and took upon him a Religious Habitâ— thing not very unusual in those days aâ— sometimes though not often practiâ—â— still as by the Late Queen of Sweden Wâ— is yet living CHAP. XIII Of Fulco the Fourth King of Jerusalem The remarkable Ruine of Rodolphus Patriarch of Antioch The Graecian Emperour demands Anti och The Prince thereof pays him Homage for it Theâ—amentable Death of Fulco FVlco Earl of Tours Mam and Anjou came about three years before on Pilgrimage to Jerusalem where he obâ—ained in Marriage Mellesent the Kings Daughter and thereupon had assigned â—he City of Tyre and some other Princeâ—y Accommodations for his present mainâ—enance and the Kingdom after his Father-in-laws decease which he received â—ccordingly He had one Son by a forâ—er Wife which was Jeffry Plantagenet Earl of Anjou to whom he left all his Lands in France and from whom our Kings of England are descended This Fulco was a very valiant man indued with many perfections both of body and mind In his Reign there was â—o Alterations worth remark in the Church of Jerusalem but in that of Antioch there was much stir who should succeed Bernard that peaceable and long liv'd Prelate who sate Thirty six yearâ— in the Chair and survived Eight Patriarchs of Jerusalem For the Clergâ— being long in their choice before theâ— could come to a result the Laity waâ— too nimble for them and clapped oâ— Rodolphus of honourable descent into thâ— Chair who cast off his Obedience to thâ— Pope and refused to acknowledge aâ—â— Superiour but St. Peter He was thâ— Darling of the Gentry but bated of thâ— Clergy because advanced without theâ— suffrage wherefore being conscious 〈◊〉 himself that he needed strong Arms sinâ— he was to swim against the stream 〈◊〉 screwed himself into the favour of tâ—â— Princess of Antioch Widdow to youâ— Boemund so that with her strength 〈◊〉 beat down all his Enemies promising hâ— in requital to make a Marriage betwâ—â— her and Reimund Earl of Poictou who wâ— then coming into those parts But 〈◊〉 deceived her and procured the Earl 〈◊〉 marry with the Lady Constantia hâ— Daughter who was but a Child wiâ—â— whom he had the Principality of Antioâ— The Patriarch that he might maâ—â— sure work and oblige him for ever to 〈◊〉 his friend bound him to it by an Oatâ— But as it is usual in those cases frienâ— unjustly gotten are seldom long injoyed of a sworn Friend he became his sworn Enemy and forced him to go to Rome there to answer many Accusations laid to his charge The chief whereof was that he made odious comparisons between Antioch and Rome and accounted himself equal to his Holiness When he arrived at Rome he found the Popes Doors shut against him but he quickly opened them with a Golden Key and upon his repentance for having refused to acknowledge Obedience to the Church of Rome he was dismissed only it was ordered by his Holiness that the Bishop of Ostia should be sent into Byria to examine matters relating to his other Crimes and proceed accordingly Whereat his Adversaries stormed extreamly expecting that he should have been immediately deposed But having mist their mark they resolved to have a second blow at him wherefore they prevailed with Albericus the Legate to favour their design which was not unknown to Rodolphus who coming to Antioch cited the Patriarch to appear but being called three several times came not which was variously commented upon by those who were present according as they affected or disaffected him Whereupon the Legate directed himself to the Arch-Bishop of Apamea who had formerly been one of the most vehemenâ— Accusers of Rodolphus but had lately beeâ— reconciled to him and demanded why he did not accuse the Patriarch now oâ— those Crimes which he had formerly laid to his charge To which the Arch-Bishop answered That what he theâ— did was done out of heat and prejudice and he thought it was his great sin so unadvisedly to discover the nakedness oâ— his Father like cursed Cham from which God had so far reclaimed him that he would rather die for his safety than accuse him Upon which Speech the Legate such was the Martial-Law in a Prelate in those days immediately deposed him and shortly after thrust out the Patriarch with great violence and shut him up in Prison where he remained a long time in Chains till at last he made his escape and went to Rome with an intent to have traversed his Cause again had not death cut him off About this time Calo Johannes the Graecian Emperour came with a great Army of Horse and Foot and demanded of Reimund Prince of Antioch to resign to him that whole Signiory according to the Composition which the Christian Princes made with Alexius his Father which insolent demand fretted Reimund and all the Latines to the heart in regard they had purchased an Inheritance with their own Blood and yet were required to turn Tenants at will to another They told him it was offered his Father when first taken and he refused it That Alexius kept not his Covenants nor assisted them according to the Agreement He called them his Sons indeed but disinherited them of their hopes and all the Portion that he gave them lay in promises never paid But all these Arguments signified little the Emperours Sword being far stronger than theirs for coming with so great a force he conquered in a few days all Cilicia and then besieged the City of Antioch it self whereupon the King of Jerusalem fearing it would give too great advantage to the Infidels to have the Christians fall together by the Ears among themselves made composition between them wherein Reimund obliged himself to do homage to the Emperour and hold his Principality of him Notwithstanding which about four years after he returned again but did not much harm only pillaged the Country And some few years after that he died being accidentally poisoned by one of his own Arrows which he had prepared for the Wild Bore having always carried it much fairer to the Latines than his Father had done in regard an honourable Foe is much more desirable than a Treacherous Friend Falco having Reigned in Jerusalem about Eleven years with abundance oâ— care and industry being almost continually imbroiled in Civil Discords which hindered him from much inlarging of hiâ— Dominion was slain as he was following his sport in Hunting to the great grieâ— of his Subjects He was buried with his Predecessors
casual and not the effect of Carelesness or Cowardize in the losing party But it was some help to the Christians that a certain concealed Christian within the City by Letters unsubscribed gave them constant and faithful Intelligence of all remarkable passages among the Turks within In the mean while the Plague and Famine raged in the Christian Camp and in the compass of one year had swept away above Fifty Princes and Prelates of note who together with all the rest of the common Souldiers in the opinion of those who wrote the History of that Siege went undoubtedly to Heaven Although it were before Pope Clement the sixth had commanded the Angels who durst not disobey him to convey every Soul into Paradice which should die in their Pilgrimage Among those who survived no Prince shewed more Valour and deserved greater commendation than Leopoldus Arch-Duke of Austria who fought so long in assaulting this City that his Armour was all gore Blood save only that part of it which was covered with his Belt For which reason renouncing the six Golden Larks the Ancient Arms of his Family he had assigned him by the Emperour as a Testimony of his valour a Fess Argentin a Field Gules And King Richard being now at last arrived in the Camp before Ptolemais having taken a Dromand or Saracen Ship which he mett in his way thither wherein were Fifteen Hundred Soldiers and two hundred and fifty Scorpions designed for the poysoning of Christians the Siege was carried on by him and his English Souldiers more fiercely than ever it had been before So that the Turks despairing of relief and their provisions wholly spent offered to yield up the City which the Christians would not accept of unless Saladine would promise to deliver all the Christian Prisoners which were then in his custody and restore them the Cross again which he promising to do the City was delivered and the Turkish Soldiers guarded safely out of it The Houses which were yet left standing in the City together with the Spoil and Prisoners were by the Kings of England and France divided among themselves whereupon divers great Persons who had been sharers in the pains but were hereby excluded from the gains departed in discontent and King Richards Soldiers rudely pulled down the Arch-Duke of Austria's Ensigns which he haâ—â— advanced in a principal Tower in thaâ— City and as some write threw them in to the Jakes whereat the Duke waâ— highly displeased but yet wisely dissenâ—bled his anger and seemed to forget thâ—â— Injury till he might remember it to hisadvantage which he afterwards did made King Richard pay severely for this affronâ— When the City was taken it grieveâ— the Christians that they could not finâ— out their Faithful Intelligencer whâ— had all along by his Letters acquainted them with the State of the City bâ— more that the Cross did no where appear being either carelesly lost or enviouâ—â— concealed by the Turks They demanded 〈◊〉 of Saladine with the delivery of the Christian Prisoners which he refused not but demanded a longer time for the performance in regard the Cross could not be found But King Richard supposing that it was only a pretence to gain time resolved to have all things performed according to their agreement which being not done he in the heat of his Passioâ— commanded Seven Thousand Turkish Prisoners to be immediately cut to pieces for which rash and cruel act he suffereâ— much in his reputation and was lookeâ— upon as the Murtherer of the like number of Christians whom Saladine in revenge put to the Sword whereas on the contrary the moderation of the French King was very much commended for sparing his Prisoners and reserving them to ransom so many Christians But that which most obscured the Glory of this Victory was the Christians being tent asunder with Faction and divided among themselves King Philip the Dukes of Burgundy and Austria most of the Dutch and all the Genoans and Templars fiding with King Conrade and King Richard Henry Count of Champaigne with the Hospitallers the Venetians and Pisans taking part with Guy Conrades side was very much weakned by the sudden departure of the French King who eighteen days after the taking of Ptolemais returned home pretending want of necessaries indisposition of body through the distemper of the Climate but the true cause was his not induring to hear King Richards Fame so much transcend his own together with a desire to seize on the Dominions of the Earl of Flanders who was then lately dead His own Souldiers mightily disswaded him from returning and besought him not to stop in so glorious a work wherein he had prospered so well already telling him that Saladine being already on his Knees he might peradventure be brought on his Face if this Victory were well pursued And since one of his pretences was want of necessaries King Richard generously offered him one half of his Provisions but all this would not prevail with him to stay and therefore with great importunity he obtained leave to depart having first taken an Oath not to molest the King of Englands Dominions during his stay in the Holy Land which Oath was forgot as soon as he got home And at his departure he left his instructions together with his Army to the Duke of Burgundy ordering him to move as slowly as possible in advancing that work wherein the King of England would have all the Honour which rendred this great undertaking less advantagious to the Christians in Syria than otherwise it might have been THE HOLY VVAR BOOK II. CHAP. I. Conrade slain Guy exchanges his Kingdom for the Isle of Cyprus Henry of Champaign chosen King King Richard obtains many Victories but at last makes a dishonourable Peace and in his return home is taken Prisoner in Austria SOon after the French Kings departure Conrade King of Jerusalem was cruelly murthered in the Market-place of Tyre the cause of whose Death is variously reported some falsely charging our King Richard with having procured it and others say he was killed by Humphred Prince of Thoron for marrying Isabella who had been before espoused to him But most affirm that he was stabbed by two Assassines by command of their Master the Old man of the Mountains whose only Quarrel with him was his being a Christian and that the two Murtherers being immediately taken and put to a cruel Death Gloried in the Meritoriousness of their suffering He had Reigned about five years and left on t Daughter Maria Jole on whom the Templers bestowed Princely Education But tho' Conrade was Dead his Faction still survived and those of his party affronted King Guy and strove to have him deposed telling him that the Crown was only tyed on his Head with a Womans Fillet which being now broken by the Death of Queen Sibyl who dyed together with all her Children of the Plague at the Siege of Ptolomais he had no longer any Right to the Kingdom especially being a worthless and
Deposed by the Pope John Bren succeeds him the seat of the War removed to Egypt with various success HAving followed this Holy War into France and observed its several steps among the Albingenses we will now returne with ita gain into Palestine where we find the Floud of Pilgrims run very low in regard the Pope had diverted the stream and as for King Almerick we find him as we left him drowning his cares in Wine without once concerning Church was a Patriarchal Seat for manâ— hundred years after Before this City the Pilgrims Army sat down and closely besieged it But thâ— Turks within making a vigorous Defend under Auxianus their Governour frustrate their expectations of forcing the Towâ— as soon as they appeared before it 〈◊〉 the Siege grew very long and Provision very short in the Christians Camâ— which made Peter the Hermite noâ— withstanding his pretended Delegation tâ— manage this War on the behalf of Chrisâ— run away but being pursued anâ— brought back again was bound by a new Oath to prosecute the War Howevâ—â— at length one within the City of who Name and Religion Authors cannot agrâ— some making him a Turk others Christian some call him by one name and some by another in the dead of thâ— night betrayed the City to Boemunâ— whereupon the Pilgrims entred in aâ— being highly exasperated by the lengâ— of the Seige they so remembred thâ— miseries they had endured that they foâ— got all pity and moderation killing aâ— slaying promiscuously Christians 〈…〉 and all that came to hand 〈…〉 The Town was offered 〈…〉 Emperour but he refused 〈◊〉 out of suspicion that there was some deceit in the tender it being common with ill men to measure other mens minds by the crooked rule of their own whereupon it was given to Boemund But notwithstanding the dearness of the purchase it was not long injoyed in quiet for Corboran the Turkish General came with a vast Army of Persian Souldiers and besieged them in the City so that they were greatly distrest between hunger within and their enemies without which made many of them to steal away out of the City whereat the rest no whit discouraged accounting the loss of Cowards the gain of an Army bravely resolved rather to sell their lives by whole-sale on the point of the Sword than to retail them out by famine who is the worst of Tyrants And to hasten the putting this generous resolution into practice they happened to find in the Church of St. Peter a certain Lance which they were made to believe was the very same Lance wherewith our Saviours side was pierced by the Souldier whereat they greatly rejoyced As though this military relique had by wounding of Christ been indued with a certain vertue of wounding and destroying his Enemies and carried with it Reign of King Almerick to the great annoyance of the Christians but tho' they were unsuccessful in this siege yet King John was more fortunate in taking the Castle of Pilgrims a piece of great strength on the Sea side Whereupon it was resolved on to translate the War into Egypt in hope to discourage the Egyptians by the Invasion and ruine of their Country and therefore Hoisting Sail they came before Damiata a chief Haven of Egypt lying on the East side of the River Nilus In the siege whereof they had four difficulties to encounter with besides the City it self first with a great Chain that lay a cross the Harbor which with indefatigable pains and Industry mingled with Art they break asunder Secondly the River Nilus which now suddenly and unexpectedly overflowed and drowned the whole Country so that the Fish came swimming into the Christians Tents and against which mischief they had no other defence but Prayer and a publick Fast enjoyned by the Legate upon which the water abated and a Publick Thanksgiving thereupon injoyned that so the mercy obtained by Prayer might be kept by Praise Thirdly they were to grapple with the Fort of Pharria A seeming Impregnable Piece between them and Damiata for the taking whereof they built a Tower on Ships which falling down killed and wounded many of the Pilgrims and those who had the good hap to escape the blow were notwithstanding terrified by the fright which the fall occasioned among them but King John comforted his Soldiers and desired them not to be discouraged at a thing which was purely accidental and against which there could be no guard or defence by any rules of Wisdom or Valour but immediately address themselves to the Raising one more substantial by his direction and advice which was when finished the rariest piece in that kind that ever the world saw by means whereof after many bloody affaults they Conquered the Fort. And the fourth and wonst enemy they had to do withal was Meladine King of Egypt who lay near them with a great Army Constantly furnishing the City with Men and Victuals and excercising them with continual Skirmishes in one whereof he did them abundance of harm with his Wild fire whereby King John himself was dangerously Scorched but at last seeing that the Christians hewed their way through all those Rocks of difficulties he propounded a Peace to them by the mediation of his Brother Coradine King of Damalcus wherein he offered that if they would depart out of Egypt he would restore them the Cross the City of Jerusalem and all the Land of Palestine The English French and Italians were willing to imbrace so large an offer but the Legate would no ways consent alledging that the Voyage was undertaken not for the recovery of Palestine only but for the extirpation of the Mahometan Religion it being for his Masters Interest to keep that War always on foot Which refusal so inraged Coradine that he beat down the Walls of Jerusalem and all the Beautifull Buildings therein save only the Tower of David and the Temple of the Sepulcher However the siege of Damiata went on and was at length taken by the Christians without resistance most of those that should have defended it being either slain or dead with the Famine or Plague so that the Christians who inraged with the length of the siege entred with a resolution to kill all had their fury soon melted into pitty by beholding the streets every where strewed with dead Corps so that of threescore and ten Thousand there was now but one thousand remain'd alive who were all pardoned by the Conquerors upon Condition that they would cleanse the City which they were three Months in performing Great was the spoil the Pilgrims found in Damiata being as it were a strong barred Chest wherein the Merchants of Egypt and India had as they imagined safely Locked up all their Treasures which detained them there a full year being most of them Content to make that Inn their home during which time the Pope ordered John de Columna a Cardinal to reside there as his Legate in the place of Pelagius CHAP. V. Discords between the King of Jerusalem '
long for it lasted Two hundred sixty and seven Years till overcome by Selimus the great Turkish Emperour in the Year 1517. by the help of the Janizaries an Order of Men for Birth and Breeding not unlike themselves In that Year likewise it being a Year of great Revolutions died Frederick Emperour of Germany and King of Jerusalem whereupon followed an Interegnum in that Kingdom for fourteen Years together the right indeed lay in Conrade Frederick's Son by Jole King John's Daughter but he was so imployed in defending himself in Sicily against Maufred his Bastard Brother who quickly after dispatched him out of the way that he had no leisure to look after the fragments of the Kingdom of Jerusalem Near about this time a certain Hungarian Peasant said to have been an Apostate to Mahomet and well learned gathered together several Thousand people who took on them the Name and Habit of Pastorelli in imitation of those in the Gospel who were warned by Angels to go to Bethlehem they had the Holy Lamb for their Ensign and pretended to have intelligence from Heaven to march into the Holy Land but mistaking West for the East they shaped their course into France and committing several outrages that no way suited either with their Habit or Banner they were incountred near Burdeaux and threescore Thousand of them slain and the rest dispersed Things being now brought into a sad and deplorable condition in Syria without any hope of amendment behold a strange and unexpected accident revived them again For Haito King of Armenia taking the pains to travel himself to Margo the Great Cham of Tartaria to acquaint him with the danger he was in from the Turks as well as others telling him Tho' he lay something out of their way yet the only favour he must expect from them was to be last devoured whereupon he not only promised to assist the Christians in suppressing them but himself and by his example a great part of the Country imbraced the Christian Faith and thereupon sent Haalon his Brother with a great Army to suppress the Turks and assist the Christians in recovering what they had lost in the performing whereof his Army seemed to ride post conquering Persia in as little time as one can well travel it within six Months The City of Samarchanda was the only place that resisted him and therefore being unwilling to tempt his Fortune with a long siege he left it to one of his Captains who besieged it seven and twenty year and at last did not take it but had it surrendred to him Haalon having Conquered Persia marched to Babylon the Caliph whereof called Musteazem Idolized his wealth so much that he would not provide necessaries for the defence of the City so that it became an easie Conquest to this Tartarian Prince who having famished the Covetous Caliph to death filled his mouth with melted Gold and now Mosques every where went down and Churches went up from thence he went into Mesopotamia where having Conquered the City of Aleppo and Edessa he restored them to the Christians and many other places which he wan from the Turks whereby he so awed Melechem the Mammaluke who Succeeded Tarminus in Egypt that he durst not budg But of this Tartarian help they were altogether unworthy in regard they would not be at leasure to make use of it but busied themselves in private dissentions the Genoans and Ventians two states in Italy who had thrown of the Imperial Command and had erected themselves into commonwealths being not content to quarrel at home would needs go into Syria to fight it out there that so the Turks might look on and laugh at them the pretence of the quarrel was about superiority in the Church of St. Sabbas which was apointed by the Pope for them and the Pisans who likewise ingaged themselves in the quarrel somtimes siding with one side and some times with the other The Venetians being at length compelled by the Genoans to forsake the City were so incensed thereat that they came with thirteen Galleys and having forced asunder the chain which-crossed the Haven burned five twenty of the Genoans Ships that lay there to revenge which loss the state of Genoa sent a great Navy into Syria which meeting with the Duke of Venice at Tyre with the united power of the Venetians and Pisans being in all seventy four Vessels well provided would have set upon them in the Haven had not the Governour forbid it telling them that they should not fight under his nose but if they loved quarreling so well let them out and try their Fortunes in the open Sea which they did accordingly the manner of Sea-fights in those days before the thundering Ordnance was found out being only for one Vessel to run against another so that the the Ships were both Guns and Bullets themselves In which fight the Venetians prevailed destroying near thirty of the Genoans Ships and forcing the rest to save themselves in the Haven of Tyre Whereupon entering Ptolemais they expelled all the Genoans out of the City pulled down their Buildings and plundered all their Shops and Warehouses but after a ten years War they were at last reconciled in Palestine by the Authority of Pope Clement the fourth tho' their War lasted longer in Italy Charles Duke of Anjou and Brother to King Lewis was now made King of Sicily and Jerusalem by the Pope upon condition that he should conquer Maufred who then Reigned in Sicily and Molested His Holiness and root out all the remaining Race of Frederick and as an acknowledgment that he held those Kingdoms from the Pope pay him an annual pension of four some say forty thousand Pounds But having Conquered Maufred and possessed himself of Sicily he so little minded the regaining of Jerusalem that he never looked after it or came there at all which neglect gave an opportunity to Hugh King of Cyprus to furbish up his old Title to that Kingdom as Linealy descended from Almerick the second who coming to Ptolemais was there Crowned King of Jerusalem However the Christians affairs in Syria began now to hasten to their fatal Catastrophe and the Kingdom of Jerusalem was in a little time between two Kings wholly lost for Haalon the Tartarian Prince being sent for home to Succeed his Brother Mango who died without Issue left Abaga his Son with sufficient forces in the City of Damascus which he had likewise wan from the Turks who following his Father soon after substituted Guirboca his Lieutenant in Damascus who having his Nephew rashly slain by the Christians in an unhapy Broil about parting a great Booty taken from the Turks wholly renounced the Christian Religion together with all the Tartarians under his Command so that the Kingdom of Jerusalem having lost its best support soon after tumbled down Bondocdar who Succeeded Melechem in Egypt taking advantage of their being thus deserted by the Tartars took the City of Joppa all the inhabitants whereof he either
of this threatned Voyage to Jerusalem which is thought to be propounded only to amuse Henry till Charles should have performed some projects he had then on foot in the Dukedom of Britain which design being scented by our King he used him accordingly More Cordial was the design of James the Fourth of Scotland Who being touched in conscience for his Fathers death which tho' he did not procure yet he seemed to countenance by his presence to expiate his Crime intended a voyage to the Holy Land In order whereunto he had prepared his Souldiers and imparted his design to Forrein Princes and had certainly gon had not other wars breaking out unexpectedly and his own sudden death prevented him Among those Overtures we find one said to be really performed by William Lantgrave of Hesse who with only Ninety eight Noble-men and Earls in his Company made a Holy Voyage into Palestine which he performed in Seven Months time And upon his return brought away with him Forty six Ensigns of Horse which he had taken from the Turks with the loss of one Man only and he not slain neither but died at Cyprus in their return home A Victory so absolute and bloodless to the Conquerour that were it true it would admit no parallel but the Voyage and Victory were both fictitious being found only in Calvisious who quotes one Fab an Historian no where to be met withal for his Author and the Chronology wherein it is recorded being Printed after the Author's death it is most probable that those to whom the care of Printing it was committed found this story in some Paper he had put in his Chronicle and for the improbability of it marked it to be Fabulous which word in regard he had written it defectively with the three first Letters only they thought to have been some Historian whose Name was Fab and so inserted it in the Chronicle it self Ever since the huffing Embassy of Charles the French King the Holy War hath for any thing I can find to the contrary been wholly laid asleep till revived again by the present Emperour of Germany and John Sobieski King of Poland in the Year 1683. The occasion whereof was briefly thus The Grand Seignior having by the persuasions of Count Teckeley sent an huge Army under the leading of the Grand Vizier to invade the Imperial Territories in Hugaria against which the Duke of Lorain who then commanded the Emperours Forces there being not able to make head they destroyed all before them with Fire and Sword and passing forward sat down before Vienna the Imperial City of Germany not doubting but that they should with their vast Army have quickly devoured that Important Place and notwithstanding its having been ever accounted the Bulwork of Christendom have added it to the rest of the Ottoman Conquest The Emperour of Germany and the King of Poland seeing the sad Estate to which things were now like to be reduced entered into a League offensive and defensive and resolved with their united Forces to chastise the Turk for that proud Attempt The Vizier's Army wherewith he had now begirt Vienna consisted of an Hundred and Fifty Thousand Men which were the very Flower of the Turkish Soldiery wherewith he made several fierce Attacks upon the City which were carried on with all the Courage and Skill imaginable and sprang several Mines whereby he did more mischief than by his Batteries Notwithstanding which the City by the resolution and encouragement of Count Starembergh their undaunted Governor bravely defended it self from the fourteenth of July till the twelfth of the following September when the Turks were Forced to raise the Siege and retire with great disorder into Hungaria whither they were so closely persued by the Victorious Christians that very few of that numerous Army escaped to carry the tidings of their Overthrow to Constantinople Vast quantities of Provision and Amunition above an hundred pieces of Cannon two Horse Tayls which the Turks allways use to hang out as a Denounciation of War when ever they undertake any great expedition all their Tents which were above thirty thousand in number all the Enemies Baggage together with the Viziers own Horse and the Grand Seignors STANDARD which was extraordinary Rich and Sumptuous being curiously Embroidered with charactars of Gold and Silver upon Green and Red Silk were here taken by the Christians as Trophies of their Victory the form and shape of the Standard you have here described in this figure The Infidels receiving likwise at the same time several great overthrows by the Sieur Kiniski General of the Cossacks who having slain about thirty thousand Turks and Taratrs entred the Country of Budziak destroying all before him slaying an hundred thousand of them and taking the Cities of Bialogrod and Ketin The Christians incouraged by these Victories resolved to persue them and drive the Turks quite out of Europe in order whereunto after they had taken the City of Tytchin and several other places which the Turks held in Upper Hungaria the Duke of Lorraein invested Buda it self with the greatest part of the Imperial Army Commanding Count Leslie to Encamp with the rest about Virovitzie on the Drave to cover the Siege This City is the strongest place the Turks injoy in Hungary it being formerly the Metropolis of that Kingdom where the Kings of Hungary kept their Courts but being taken from the Christians in the Year 1591. By Solyman the Magnificent Emperor of the Turks they have ever since made it the seat and constant residence of their Chief Bassa or Vice-Roy of that part of Hungary which is ssposseed by them so that it is very populous and rich And being exceedingly well fortified with a strong built Wall and an Invincible Castle and having between 18 or 19 Thousand Men in Garison they have made a stout resistance and declared a resolution to defend it to the last Man Notwithstanding which it is verily believed that it cannot hold out much longer but the Turks must be forced to surrender that City to the Emperor after having injoyed it near an hundred years And that the Turk might be imployed on all sides the Venetians were invited likewise into this League against them which they accepted of and sent out a brave fleet under the Command of their Generall Morosini to attack them at home to whch Fleet the Pope and the Knights of Malta also joyned several of their Galleys and so did the Duke of Tuscany making in all forty six Galleys six Galliesses thirty three Men of War twenty four Petaches four Fire Ships sixteen Brigantines armed and eighty two Galliots on Board whereof they had an Army of twenty five thousand Men or upwards Sancta Maria a strong Fortress of great consequence to the Turks was the first place that felt the force of their victorious Arms which being quickly compelled to a surrender they took their course towardsd Lepanto And General Moraseni concluding it necessary for the maintaining the Conquest of
before all the Cities of the Earth to be the place of his own habitation dwelling as were in a most immediate manner in the Temple of Jerusalem which was afterward built by King Solomon and commanding all the Tribes of Israel to repair thither to do him homage and adoration And says of it himself That he loved the gates of Sion more than all the dwelling places of Jacob. Whereby it became a lively Type both of the Gospel Church and the state of the Redeemed in the everlasting injoyment of Heaven which is frequently in Sacred Writ called by the name of the New Jerusalem For which reason as well as its being the place of the Nativity and Death of our Saviour it hath acquired the Name of Holy But altho' Jerusalem and the Land of Judea was thus dignified by the Almighty yet the ungrateful Jews were perpetually multiplying Rebellions against him whereby he was provoked to scurge them with the Rod of the Gentels and give them up to the spoil and cruelty of their Enemies So that it was twice plundered by the Egyptians once in the Reign of Rehoboam and a second time upon the death of Josiah once by the Assyrians in the Reign of Manassch three times by Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon first in the Reign of Jehoiakim secondly in the Reign of Jehoiachin and thirdly in the Reign of Zedekiah carrying all those three Kings and all the Inhabitants of the Land Captive into Babylon together with all the Treasure and Riches of the Kingdom and spoiling the City of Jerusalem and the Temple of the Lord so that it lay wast for 70 years At the end whereof according to the Prophecy of the Prophet Jeremiah they were freed from their Captivity by Cyrus King of Persia When returning home they rebuilt the City and the Temple and by degrees became as formidable to their Enemies as ever they had been before till by their increasing wickedness they pulled down upon themselves the Vengeance of Heaven to their utter and final ruin The People of Judea and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem having filled up the â—easure of their sins by putting to death â—he Lord of Life and murthering him who came to save them from everlasting â—isery were presently after swallowed up â—y an universal and irrecoverable â—uine and rooted out from being â—ny longer a Nation by the victorious Arms of the conquering Romans who â—ackt the City of Jerusalem destroyed â—he Temple and carried away the Inhaâ—itants captive according to the unerring â—rediction of our blessed Saviour But aâ—out sixty years after this Destruction by â—itus Adrian the Emperour rebuilt the City â—hanging the situation of it somewhat more Westward and calling it by the name â—f Aelia And to shew his hatred to the â—weet and adorable name of Christ and â—espite against the Professors of Christiâ—nity he erected a Temple over our Saâ—iours Sepulcher wherein he placed the â—mages of Jupiter and Venus And that â—e might inrage the Jews likewise he â—aused Swine to be engraven over the â—ates of the City which they accounting â—o be a great profanation of their Land â—rake out into open Rebellion but were â—asily overcome and subdued by the Emâ—erour who to prevent the like Attempt or the future caused them all to be transported into Spain and left the whoâ—â— Country waste and forlorn which partâ— with its Inhabitants and fruitfulness tâ—gether those delicious streams of Miâ— and Honey wherewith it was wont 〈◊〉 flow being now wholly exhausted driâ— up and the Soil become altogethâ—â— barren and unfruitful The wretchâ— Jews being thus transported into Spaâ— were from thence scattered into all paâ—â— of the World so that there is scarce aâ— Nation under Heaven where some of theâ— are not to be found at this day After this Pagan Worship flourisheâ— in Jury and the Professors of Christianâ— were inhumanely and barbarously uâ— by the Roman Emperours under the fâ— Ten Persecutions until at last God out compassion to their deplorable miseâ— raised up Constantine the Great a Brâ—tain born as most Historians affirâ— whose healing hand quickly stanch that Issue of Blod wherewith the Churâ— of Christ had been so long afflicted aâ— blessed her Borders with Peace aâ— Tranquillity Whereupon the devout Helen wâ— was Mother to Constantine and as muâ— fam'd among the Christians for her Pieâ— as the Ancient Helen was among the Pâ—gans for her Beauty Notwithstanding â—he greatness of her Age being about Eighty years old travelled to Jerusalem â—nd having first purged Mount Calvary â—nd Bethlehem from Idolatry built in â—he places of Christs death and burial â—nd elsewhere in Palestine divers very â—ately and magnificent Churches so that Christianity flourished through all Paâ—stine being well provided of able Biâ—ops and Preachers and they indued with very liberal Maintenance But Constantine being succeeded by â—ulian who shamefully apostatized from â—he Christian Religion and turned again 〈◊〉 the Pagan Idolatry the Sun of the â—ospel was for a while eclipsed For in â—ope to prove Christs Prediction false â—e gave the Jews leave to rebuild their Temple who thereupon flockt together 〈◊〉 great numbers with Spades and Matocks of Silver to clear the Foundation â—nd were so desirous of accomplishing â—e work that the Women carried way the Rubbish in their Aprons and ontributed all their Jewels to advance â—e great design But a sudden and amaâ—ng Tempest which carried away their â—ools and Materials for Building and â—ith Balls of Fire scorched the forâ—ardest and most adventurous of â—he Builders made them desist and give over the Enterprize Yet the Christians afterwards in the place where the Temple stood built a stately Church for the Worship of Christ which remained a long time in the Christians hands and was the Ancient Seat of the Patriarchs of Jerusalem but is now in the possession of the Turks and the very entring into it prohibited to Christians upon pain of forfeiting their Lives or renouncing their Religion CHAP. II. The Holy Land conquered 1. By the Persians 2. By the Saracens And 3. By the Turks THE next remarkable Accident that happened in the Holy Land was under Phocas the Emperour who having murdered Mauritius and usurped the Imperial Dignity abandoned himself wholly to ease and pleasure whereby he betrayed the Empire to Forreigâ—â— Foes and invited Chosrees the Persian to invade his Territories who with a greaâ— Army subdued Syria and Jerusalem and carried away many Thousand Christians many of whom he sold to their Ancient Enemies the Jews And to grace his Conquest the more he carried the Cross away with him But Heraclius who succeeded Phocas having gotten an Army together passed into Persia and gave him an absolute overthrow and in his return took Jerusalem in his way and restored the Cross which was then accounted as a most precious Jewel to the Temple of the Sepulchre and appointed the fourteenth day of September to be the Feast of the exaltation of the Cross But wickedness and impiety abounding in and among the
Brick strengthened with 460 Towers and such an invincible Castle on â—e East part of it that it was rather to be â—dmired than assaulted In this City t was â—â—at the Professors of Christianity were â—â—st called Christians and the Apostle Peter first sate as Bishop whose fair Church was a Patriarchal Seat for manâ— hundred years after Before this City the Pilgrims Army satâ— down and closely besieged it But thâ— Turks within making a vigorous Defenâ— under Auxianus their Governour frustrate their expectations of forcing the Towâ— as soon as they appeared before it 〈◊〉 the Siege grew very long and Provision very short in the Christians Camâ— which made Peter the Hermite noâ— withstanding his pretended Delegation 〈◊〉 manage this War on the behalf of Chrisâ— run away but being pursued anâ— brought back again was bound by a new Oath to prosecute the War Howeveâ— at length one within the City of whoâ— Name and Religion Authors cannot agreâ— some making him a Turk others Christian some call him by one name and some by another in the dead of thâ— night betrayed the City to Boemunâ— whereupon the Pilgrims entred in anâ— being highly exasperated by the lengâ— of the Seige they so remembred thâ— miseries they had endured that they foâ— got all pity and moderation killing anâ— slaying promiscuously Christians and Turâ— and all that came to hand The Town was offered to Aâ—â—â—us thâ— Emperour but he refused it out of suspicion that there was some deceit in the tender it being common with ill men to measure other mens minds by the crooked rule of their own whereupon â—t was given to Boeâ—â—â—nd But notwithstanding the dearness of the purchase it was not long injoyed in quiet for Corboran the Turkish General came with a vast Army of Persian Souldiers and besieged them in the City so that they were greatly distrest between hunger within and their enemies without which made many of them to steal away out of the City whereat the rest no whit discouraged accounting the loss of Cowards the gain of an Army bravely resolved rather to sell their lives by whole-sale on the point of the Sword than to retail them out by famine who is the worst of Tyrants And to hasten the putting this generous resolution into practice they happened to find in the Church of St. Peter a certain Lance which they were made to believe was the very same Lance wherewith our Saviours side was pierced by the Souldier whereat they greatly rejoyced As though this military relique had by wounding of Christ been indued with a certain vertue of wounding and destroying his Enemies and carried with it an infallible pledge of victory And there upon sallying out they fell upon the Besiegers with such fury that they werâ— glad to quit the siege and be gone The Pride of the Turks being abateâ— by the loss of this Battel an Hundreâ— Thousand of them being slain the Christians grew very insolent and for got to give God the Honour of the victory whereupon followed a great mortaâ—ty 50000 dying within a few days Bâ— cold weather having at last cleansed thâ— Chambers of the Air and cleared thâ— Christians camp from that fatal infectioâ— their zeal now moved the swifter beinâ— come nearer to its center the City 〈◊〉 Jerusalem And therefore they sâ— forwards and take the City 〈◊〉 Martha and employ themselves in sâ— curing the Country round about them that so they might clear the way as theâ— went They kept their Easter at Trippâ— ly and their Whitsuntide at Cesarâ— Stratonis taking divers considerable plâ—ces in their passage and at last came to Jâ—rusalem when discovering the City a far oâ— it was a pleasant sight to behold the haâ— mony they made in the differing manneâ— of their expressing their joy to observâ— how they all clothed the same passioâ— with various gestures some cast themâ— selves prostrate on the Earth some kneeled and others wept and all were so transported with the sight that they had much a do to manage so great a gladness Then they advanced with a bundance of joy and immediately began the Siege on the Northside it being scarce assaltable on any other part by reason of steep and broken Rocks which would not permit any near approach The siege being once laid they assaulted the Town with such invincible courage and valour that they had certainly taken it within four days had they not wanted scaling Ladders to mount the walls withal But the siege continuing longer they were oppressed with the want of that which was of far greater consequence for the springs being all stopped or poysoned by the Turks they were forced to fetch Water above five Miles off As for their want of scaling Ladders it was quickly supplied by the Genoans who arriving in Palestine with a Fleet of Ships brought with them several curious and accurate Engineers who in about a Months time framed a Wooden Tower and all other instruments for battering the Wall at a place about seven Miles from the City for â—earer there grew no stick of bigness Which being all finished and the Pilgrims having as the best preparative for Victory begun with a Fast and a solemn Procession toward Mount Olivet they proceeded the next day to give a general assault which was performed with an incredible Pierceness the very Women playing the men and fighting most valiantly in Armour But they within being Forty Thousand strong well victualled and provided of all things necessary made a stout resistance till the injurious Night abruptly put an end to their fighting in the very midst of all their heat and courage But no sooner had the first glimmerings of light brought news of the approaching morning but they fell on a fresh with aâ— resolution to carry the Town before night which they did the rather because they had intercepted a certain letter tied to the legs of a Dove it being a common thing in those Eastern Parts to make use of that creature as a Post wherein the Persian Emperour had promised with all imaginable speed to relieve it The Turks in hopes of rendering the new framed instruments of Battery useless cased the outside of their Wall with bagâ— of chaff and such like pliable matteâ— which conquered the Christians Engineâ— by yielding to them But one of them being so very strong and sturdy that its force would not be tamed by those ordinary Methods they brought two old Witches and placed them on the Wall to inchant it but this Spirit being too fierce and unruly for their Spells to tame they both of them miserably perished on the place and the approaching Night commanded a cessation of Arms for that time But the next day Duke Godfrey having fired a great heap of combustible matter the smoak of it was so driven before the wind that it blinded the Pagans Eyes and gave the Christians an opportunity under its Protection of entring the City The Duke himself being the first man that set footing on the Walls The
certainly conquered it had they not fallen out among themselves about parting of it before it was theirs to dispose of Conrade and King Lewis designed it for Theodorick Earl of Flanders who was lately arrived in those parts whilst other Princes who had been there a long time and born the brunt of the War could not endure to see a raw Upstart to be preferred before them For which reason together with their being corrupted with Turkish money although it proved but Brass gilt may all Traitors be so paid they persuaded the King of France to remove his Camp to a stronger part of the Wall whereby they rendred the design of taking the Town fruitless and forced them to raise the Siege and return home leaving the City of Damascus and even Honour both behind them Many thousand Christians perished in that adventure whose Souls are said by all the Writers of that Age to be carried up to Heaven upon the Wings of that Holy Cause they died for And the King of France in his return home was taken Prisoner by the Graecian Fleet but rescued again by Gregory who was Admiral to Roger King of Sicilia The King and Emperour being returned Noradine the Turk prevailed in Palestine which was very much occasioned by the unhappy difference which arose between Queen Millesent and her Son Baldwin who was egged on by some of the Nobles that were offended with the Queen for having advanced a certain Nobleman whose name was Manasses to be Constable of the Kingdom who being unable to manage his own happiness grew so insolent that spurning his equals and trampling on his Inferiours he drew upon himself the general hatred and envy of all men quarrelled with his Mother imprisoned first and then banished her Favourite and at last to conclude the difference the Kingdom was divided between them the City of Jerusalem and all the In-land part was allotted to her and what bordered upon the Seâ— to him But the widest Throne being too narrow for two to sit on together he was not long content with this division but marched with a great deal of fury to besiege his Mother in Jerusalem and dispossess her of all When he first approach the City the Patriarch went out to him and with abundance of freedom reproved him sharply for his rash and unnatural attempt and upbraided him for his ingratitude in going about to take all from so good a Mother who had not only proved a good Steward in his minority but had also consented to accept of one halâ— of the Kingdom when the whole of right belonged to her But he was so inchanted with ambltion that no Arguments would prevail which when the Queen perceived she did by the advice of her friends consent to yield up all lest the Christian Cause should suffer by their differences Noradine being incouraged by those Civil Discords came up with a great Army and wasted all the Country of Antioch and Prince Reimund going forth to give him Battel had his Army beaten and himself slain And not long after Joceline Count of Edessa was taken Prisoner In the mean while King Baldwin is not idle but having made great preparations for the besieging of Askelon at last sate down before it and having made a large breach in the Wall the Templars to whom the King promised the spoil if they took it entred through the breach into the City and supposing they were able without any more help to master the Place set a Guard to prevent any more of their fellow Christians from entring in to be sharers with them in the Booty which covetousness of theirs cost them their lives for the Turks contemning the smalness of their number put them all to the Sword notwithstanding which the City was shortly after taken though with abundance of difficulty Divers other considerable Victories King Baldwin obtained over the Turks especially one near the River of Jordan where he vanquished Noradine and twice relieved Caesarea Philippi which the Turk had straitly besieged but death at laâ—â— made a Conquest of him being poisoned by a Jewish Physician as it was believed in regard the remainder of the potion afterwards killed a Dog to whom it was given He was very much lamented by his Subjects and not without reason being so brave and worthy a Prince that even Noradine his mortal Enemy honourably refused to invade his Kingdom during his Funeral Solemnities protesting that in his Opinion the Christians had just cause of sorrow having lost such 〈◊〉 King whose equal for Justice and Valour the whole World could not produce He died without Issue when he had Reigned about one and twenty years CHAP. XVI Almerick Brother to Baldwin succeeds in the Kingdom of Jerusalem The Sultan of Iconium and the Master of the Assassines desire to be baptized Commotions in Aegypt The Turks called thither and set up for themselves The King of Jerusalem 's Aid implored to drive them out He afterwards invades Aegypt His Death ALmerick Brother to King Baldwin and Earl of Joppa and Askelon succeeded to the Kingdom of Jerusalem but was before he could be admitted to his Coronation enjoyned by the Popes Legate and the Patriarch of Jerusalem to put away Anes his Wife Daughter to Joceline Count of Edessa because she was his Cousen in the fourth degree with this reservation that the two Children Baldwin and Sybill which he had by her should be accounted legitimate and capable of their Fathers Possessions In this Kings time the Sultan of Jcenium freely imbraced the Christian Religion and was baptized more of his Courtiers designing to follow him therein had not his Ambassador then at Roâ—â— taken great offence at the vicious and debauched lives which he there observeâ— the Christians to lead which thing maâ—â— many of the Pagans step back when the had one foot in the Church abhorring to see Christians who believe so well and live so ill Not long after the great Master of the Assassines offered to receive the Christian Faith which good intention waâ— spoiled by the base and treacherous killing his Ambassador which he sent tâ—â— Jerusalem to treat with the King about it by one of the Templars 〈…〉 The King demanded the Murderer of the Master of the Templars that so Justice might pass upon him But the Master insolently denied to deliver him saying he had already injoyned him Penance and intended to send him to the Pope but would part with him to none else These Assassines were a certain precise Sect of Mahometans who had in them the very spirit and quintessence of that poisonous Superstition they were about forty thousand in number and were possessed of six Cities near Antaradus in Syria having over them a Chief Master whom they called the Old Man of the Mountains at whose command they would refuse no pain or peril but immediately address themselves to assassinate my Prince whom he had appointed out for death and always find hands to accomplish whatsoever he enjoyed There are now none
habitations save only the Lâ—tines knowing full well that if the Christians could not buy their lives cheaâ— they would not fail to sell them dear aâ— fight it out to the last man Saladine flushed with this great succeâ— summon'd Askelon but the Governoâ— refusing to surrender it he concluded would not be convenient to hazard thâ— checking of his fortune in so long a Siegâ— and therefore left it and went to Jerusâ—lem which he looked upon to be a plaâ— of less difficulty and more honour 〈◊〉 conquer and so indeed he found it fâ—â— though they within the City valiantly defended it for about fourteen days yet a last considering that it was but playing out a desperate game which must certainly be lost in the end in regard theâ— Enemies were near and their Friends fâ—â— off and unable to send them any otheâ— relief than vain and helpless pity they resolved to lavish out no more valour bâ— yield up the City upon condition thâ— all their lives might be redeemed 〈◊〉 man for Ten a woman for five and child for one Besent But 14000 wâ—â— were not able to discharge their Ransom were kept as perpetual Slaves Those of the Greek Church were permitted to stay in the City but all the Latines were commanded to depart except two Frenchmen to whom Saladine gave leave to stay and allowed them maintenance to live on in Reverence to their great Age one of them having been a Soldier under Godfrey when he first took the City and the other the first Child that was born in it after it was conquered by the Christians Thus Jerusalem after it had been enjoyed by the Christians for the space of eighty eight years was by the just Judgment of God wrested from them again by the Turks and all their stately Churches turned into Stables except those of the Sepulcher and the Temple The former whereof Saladine spared for a great Sum of Money to the Chiristians which is enjoyed by them to this day by licence from the Grand Signior and innumerable Pilgrimages continually made to it by all sorts of Christians either out of Zeal or Curiosity And the other he Converted to a Mosque for the Worship of Mahomet sprinkling it all over with Rose-water as if he intended thereby to cleanse it from its Profanation by the Christians whilst he really defiled it by his unholy washing It was generally observed that the Sun as sympathizing with the Christians in their approaching Miseries suffered an Eclipse which was afterward looked upon as a sad presage of the loss of thaâ— City But that which was much more deplorable and threatning than the Suns Eclipse was the total Eclipse of Piety Wickedness abounding in every corner and scarce one honest Woman to be found in the whole City of Jerusalem For Heraclius the Patriarch and the whole Clergy being exceedingly debaucht the Laity imitated their bad Example When this doleful News of Jerusalem'â— loss arrived in Europe it filled every Eye with Tears and swelled all Hearts with Sorrow and Anguish CHAP. XIX Conrade Valiantly defending Tyre is chosen King The Voyage of Frederick Emperor of Germany to the Holy Land The Siege of Ptolemais The Voyage of Richard King of England and Philip King of France to the Holy Land IN this sad deplorable State stood the affairs in Palestine when Conrade arrived there whose Worth and Excellence commands my Pen to attend him from his own Country thither He was Son to Boniface Marquess of Montferrat who was taken Prisoner in that Fatal Battle wherein King Guy lost himself and his Kingdom His Youth was for the most part spent in the Service of Isaaccius Angelus the Grecian Emperour who being bred in a Monastery the confining of his Body seemed to have brought him to a pent and narrow Soul and indued him with Accomplishments more becoming a Priest than a Prince For when his Rebellious Subjects affronted him to the face instead of sending an Army against them to reduce them to their obedience he only committed his cause to a company of Bald-pated Friers whom he kept in his Court to pray for his Prosperity Hoping that by their supposed Pious Tears he should be able to quench the Combustions of his Empire But this Conrade told him plainly that if ever he intended to sit upon the Imperial Throne in Peace he must make use of the Weapons of the left Hand as well as those of the right and Fight as well as Pray Which advice being taken by the Emperour he did by the help of this General quickly subdue all his Enemies But our brave Conrade found but a small reward for so great a service being only graced in consideration thereof to wear his Shoes of the Imperial Fashion And it being usual with Princes not to love the sight of those to whom they know themselves obliged and yet care not to reward Isaaccius by the perswasion of some about him who envied his Courage and Bravery spurred on Conrade who was free enough of himself to any Noble Enterprize to go into Palestine and endeavour to support the ruinous affairs of the afflicted Christians And although he was sensible of their Plot yet being weary of the Grecians baseness he suffered himself to be prevailed upon to undertake that Honourable Imployment and therefore set forward with all convenient speed for the Holy Land with a gallant Band of Gentlemen who fitted out themselves at their own charge wherewith he marched to the City of Tyre where we will leave him for the present to return again to Saladine Who having won the City and possessed himself of the greatest part of the Kingdom of Jerusalem laid close Siege to the City of Askelon which had refused to surrender when Ptolemais and the rest yielded to his victorious Arms but was now after a short Siege delivered to him upon condition that King Guy Gerard Masters of the Templars should be sett at Liberty And shortly after the Castle of Antioch was betrayed to him by the Patriarch And Antioch it self which cost the Christians 11 Months Siege was by that means lost in an instant besides several Provinces thereunto belonging Five Twenty strong Towns more which followed the like Fate with Antioch and fell into the Possession of the Turks After which he sat down likewise before Tripoli but that City being after the death of Earl Reimond delivered to the Christians by his Wife they Bravely defended it against all Saladines Force so that having once tasted of their Valour in Tripoli he had no great Stomach to make a second trial but raised his Siege and marched away to Tyre where he hoped to speed better But he found himself greatly mistaken for Conrade being a little before got thither with his Army gave him so hot a Welcome that he was glad to fly and leave all his Tents behind him which were sufficiently lined with Treasure whereby the Christians had the happiness to inrich themselves with their own Spoil Those
it was convenient to send an Army not so much to Conquer it as to receive it Henry Duke of Saxony was chosen General of the Pilgrims who was acompanied by Frederick Duke of Austria Hermand Landgrave of Thuringia Henry Palatine of the Rhine the Arch-bishops of Ments and Wittenburgh the Bishops of Bream and Halberstadt and Regenspurg and divers other Prelates so that it was an Episcopal Army and one might there have truly seen the Church Militant In their passage through Greece they found better usage then some of their Predecessors and being conveyed from thence by Shiping into Syria they presently brake the Truce made with the Turks by the King of England being impowered so to do by a Dispensation from the Pope who looked upon a peace Solemnly made the Usurper and free his Father from his Miserable Captivity The Soldiers were well enough pleased with the exchange of service for they knew well enough that in Palestine there was nothing to be got but Honour and here they hoped to get both Honour and Spoil Wherefore setting saile from Jadera they went directly to Constantinople and after some few hot skirmishes easily took the City whereupon Alexius the Usurper with his Wife Whores and Treasure being fled away blind Isaac and his son Alexius were saluted Joynt Emperors which brittle Honour was quickly broken for the Old Emperor being now brought out of a close pent Dungeon into the open Air died soon after and his Son was thereupon Villainously strangled by Alexius Ducas a man of base Parentage who was in a tumultuous manner chosen Emperor by the People but growing proud upon his being thus advanced to the Imperial Throne he gave some affronts to the Latins who still lay in their Ships before Constantinople whereupon they assaulted the City again the Second time and taking it by main force plundered all the inhabitants Ravishing the Women and using a Thousand Insolencies wherein the very Sanctuaries needed Sanctuaries to defend them from the violence of the inraged Soldiers And the Latines having thus Possessed themselves of Constantinople within twelve Months conquered all the Grecian Empire except Adrinople and divided it among themselves Making Baldwine Earl of Flanders Emperor of Grecia Boniface Marquiss of Montferrat King of Thessaly and Geoffrey a French Noble man Prince of Achaia and Duke of Athens And the Venetians got many rich Islands in the Egean and Ionian Seas And Thomas Maucrocenus was Elected the first Latine Patriarch of Constantinople CHAP. III. The Holy War turned upon the Albigenses THe Pope having lately diverted the Holy War and turned it upon the Grecian liked the Success of it so well that he afterwards made a common Trade of it for having about two years after procured the Levying a great Army for the Holy War he sent them against the Albingenses in France Who being accounted Hereticks by his Holiness he resolved to destroy them without Mercy That pretended Shepherd of the Church knowing no other way to bring home wandring Sheep then by worrying them to Death for the promoting which Pious Work he promised all those who would undertake it the same Pardon and Indulgences as to them that went to Conquer the Holy-Land And the better to perswade People to undertake it he only requests their Aid for forty days hoping to have eaten up those despised Hereticks at a mouthful Tho' therein he found himself mistaken for they found him and his Successor work enough for fifty years together However in regard the Seat of the War was nearer the Service shorter and the Wages the same with the Voyage into Palestine many entred themselves for this imploy neglected the other The chief whereof were the Duke of Burgundy the Earls of Nevers St. Paul Auxierne Geneva Poictiers and Montfort And of Church-Men Milo the Popes Legate the Arch-Bishops of Sens and Roven the Bishop of Clearmort Nevers Charters Baguex and many more every Bishop with the Pilgrims of his own Jurisdiction Their work was to destroy the Albingenses which were in great numbers in Daulphine Province and other parts of France and to Root out all their Friends and Favourers or suspected to be so Pope Innocent the Third having gathered together an Army of an hundred thousand Pilgrims Sackt the Cities of Besiers and Carcassone destroying many Papists among the Albingenses and cutting the Priests themselves in pieces even in their Priestly Ornaments After which Simon Earl of Monfort was made General of the Pilgrims who had been hitherto Commanded by Milo the Popes Legate which made the Earls of Fayl Tholouse and Cammurge with the Prince of Berne who were the Patrons of the Albingenses to shelter themselves under Peter King of Aragon whose Homagers they were One great Inconvenience ever attended that Army of Pilgrims for so soon as ever their forty days were expired in regard it was the full time set them by the Pope to merit Paradise in they would not stay a Night longer least peradventure having purchased Heaven they might by continuing longer in the Service be put into the Possession of it sooner then they were willing which being observed by the King of Aragon and that between the going out of the Old and the coming in of the New store of Pilgrims there was usually a very low ebb and their Army was almost dwindled to nothing he took the Earl of Monfort at the advantage before he was re-inforced with new Pilgrims and gave him Battel when he had not above two thousand two hundred Men left himself having an Army of thirty thousand Foot and seven thousand Horse which made him so over-Confident of Victory that out of Pride and Vanity he exposed his Person so openly at the Head of the Army that he did as it were invite his Enemies Arrows to hit so fair a Mark by which he was so mortally Wounded that he fell from his Horse and with his Body sunk the Hearts of his Soldiers who all presently run away Simon pursuing them to the very Gates of Thoulose and killing many thousands of them Yet in a few years the Face of this War was Changed for young Reimund Earl of Thoulose exceeding his Father both in Valour and Success re-gained in a few Months what Simon and his Pilgrims had been many years in Conquering And at last Simon as he laid Siege to Tholose had his Head shot off from his Body by a stone which a Woman let fly out of an Engine from the City wall In whose Death the raging storm of open War against those Albingenses ended In the prosecution whereof Three Hundred Thousand Craised Pilgrims had within the compass of fifteen years lost their lives so that there was not a City or Village in France but what had in it some Widows or Orphans to curse the Promoters of this Expedition but tho' the great storm was over yet many great drops feil upon them afterwards the Pope being still stiring up one or other to molest them CHAP. IV. King Almerick
wherein were several Thousand Foot and Eight Horsemen only By which means they were soon after their setting out slain and routed by the Bulgarians he himself hardly escaping And Peter the Hermite having obtained the command of an Army went somewhat further to meet his own ruin for having after many difficulties crossed the Bosphorus got into Asia they found several Cities forsaken by their Turkish Inhabitants which they imagined to be the effect of their fear altho it really proceeded from their Policy and thereupon being more greedy of Gain then desirous of Honour neglected to fortifie the places which they had taken and fell to plundring and seeking after spoil whereby they themselves became an easie prey to their watchful and observing Enemies Not had Hugh who was surnamed the Great Brother to the French King any better success being also overthrown by the Bulgarians in his passage towards the Holy Land and himself taken Prisoner one Gotescallâ—s likewise a Scandaloâ—s Priest and Emmicho a certain Tyrannouâ— Prince near the Rhine led forth a rout of base and disorderly People who wore in deed the Badg of the Cross but served the Devil under Christs Livery killing and pillaging the Poor Jews and others as they went through Germany which made Coloman King of Hungary opposâ— their passage through his Country and put most of them to the Sword Some believing those badbeginnings to have anâ— ill omen abandoned their former Reâ— solutions and returned home But otherâ— took little or no notice of them looking upon them as necessary Physick to purge the Christian Army from the dregâ— of base and ruder People CHAP. V. The Pilgrims arrive at Constantinople Besiege and take Nice and Antroachia overcome Solyman and Corboran in Fight and win the City of Jerusalem NOtwithstanding the bad success of the first adventurers many others addressed themselves to try their fortunes in this Religious War for Godfrey Duke of Bovillon having sold that Dukedom to the Bishop of Liege and the Castles of Sartensy and Monsa to the Bishop of Verdune raised a brave and well managed Army wherewith he marched through Hungary to Constantinople and so did Robert Duke of Normandy Second Son to William the Conqueror King of England Reimond Earl of Tholouse and divers more who though they set forward at several times marcht through different Countries yet they all met together at Constantinople which being then the seat of the Grecian Empire was appointed for the place of their General Rendezvous But although Alexias the Emperour pretended to be over-joyed at their arrival yet he was inwardly grieved thereat for being conscious to himself of his own guilt in deposing and cloistering up Nicephorus his Predecessor and then usurping his Imperial Dignity it was no pleasant sight for him to behold the Sea full of Ships and the Shores covered over and crouded with Souldiers fancying to himself that notwithstanding all their fair pretences of a Pilgrimage to Jerusalem to wrest the holy-land out of the Pagans Possession they only came to undermine him and designed to terminate their Pilgrimage in his destruction And that which is somewhat strange he seems to have entailed his groundless jealousies to all his Successors none where of could ever heartily reconcile themselves to this War but suspected thaâ— those Western Christians made a false blow at Jerusalem but intended it at Constantinople However notwithstanding his secret regret yet finding that his Guests were powerful enough to command their own welcome he entertained them with a seeming complacence and granted them passage through his Country upon Condition that whatsoever they wonâ— Jerusalem only excepted that belonged formerly to the Grecian Empire should be restored to him in lieu whereof he covenanted to furnish them with Shipping Armour and all other warlike Provisions which he never performed but contrary to his Solemn Ingagements endeavoured to retard their generous Designs From hence they marched forward and sate down before the City of Nice formerly fam'd for the first General Council called by Constantine the Great against Arius the Heretick with as glorious an Army and as brave Commanders as ever the Sun saw The Pilgrims had a Lumbard for their Engineer and the Neighbouring Woods afford them Materials for the making many warlike Instruments wherewith they fancied they should soon make themselves Masters of the City But in regard it was strongly fortified both by Art Nature and garrisoned with a great number of well experienced and resolute Soldiers they found it more difficult than they expected But at length the Grecian Fleet blocking up the Lake Ascanius and thereby cutting off from the Besieged all hope of Relief they were forc't to surrender upon condition that the Inhabitants Lives and Goods should be indempnified whereat the Souldiers who promised themselves the Plunder of the City and were thereby frustrated of their hope shewed no small discontent Solymans Wife and young Children were made Prisoners and the City according to the former Agreement with the Grecian Emperour was delivered to Tatinus the Admiral on the behalf of Alexius his Master Having made themselves Masters oâ— this place and thereby flushed themselve with Victory they advance forward to the Vale of Dogorgan where Solyman who had now gotten together a greaâ— Army fell upon them suddenly like lightning so that there followed a fierce and Bloody Battle fought with much courage and great variety of success oâ— both sides Clouds of Arrows darkning the Sky were soon dissolved into Showeâ— of Blood The Europian Pilgrims in this Battle grapled with many disadvantages for their Enemies were three to one and Valour it self may sometimes be beateâ— down by multitudes The weather was extream hot and the scorchnig Sun much annoyed those Northern People whilâ— use had made the Pagans bodies prooâ— against the extremity of the heat Theiâ— Horses likewise unaccustomed to the barâ— barous sound of the Turkish Drums werâ— affrighted that they became altogetheâ— useless notwithstanding which theâ— bravely maintained their ground anâ— by the special Valour and Conduct 〈◊〉 â—heir undaunted Leaders gave the Infidels an absolute overthrow whereat Solyman being desperately inraged as he fled away burned all before him and the better to prop up his broken Credit gave out that he had obtained the Victory and thereby pleased himself with the thoughts of being a Conquerour though only in report From thence with invincible industry and patience they forced their passage through Vallies up Mountains and over Rivers taking in as they went the famous Cities Iconium Heraclea Tarsus â—nd conquering all the Country about Cilicia But being too much puft up with â—his great Success Heaven to cure them of the Pleurisie of Pride let them blood with the tedious and costly Siege of Anâ—iochia which City being called Reblath by the Hebrews was built by Seleucus Nicanor and watered by the River â—rontes but inlarged by Antiochus who â—ncompassed it round with a double Wall one of square Stone and the oâ—er of
the Kingdom Philip Earl of Flanders and the chief strength of the Kingdom being then absent in Celosyria wasting the Country about Emissa and Cesarea Baldwin was forced to keep himself close in the City not daring to venture on so strong an Enemy which fear of Baldwins having possessed Saladine with a belief that he needed not so great an Army to lie before the City he sent out several Parties to forrage and spoil the Country which the King observing resolved to take opportunity by the fore-lock and set on him when he least expected it To which end he sallied out with great privacy and silence and with about four hundred Horse a few Footmen suddenly assaulted his secure Enemies with such invincible Courage and Resolution that notwithstanding their number being Twenty six thousand Horse and Foot they were utterly routed and the Christians returned with great Triumph and Joy to Jerusalem But Saladine who was rather inraged than daunted by this overthrow resolved not to be long before he recovered his credit and therefore about two months after he fell with his Mammalukes like a mighty and raging Tempest upon the Christians as they were dividing the spoil of a Party of Turks whom they had vanquished a little before putting most of them to the Sword and the rest to flight and taking Otto Grand Master of the Templars and Hugh Son-in-law to the Count of Tripoli Prisoners the King himself hardly escaping So that both sides having sufficiently smarted consented to refresh themselves with a short Peace under the shelter whereof their troubled States breathed quietly for the space of about two years which Truce was the more willingly embraced by Saladine because a Famine then raged in the Kingdom of Damascus where it had scarcely rained for five years together But this welcom Calm was somewhat troubled with an unexpected Storm raised by Domestick Discords in King Baldwins Court. For the Kings Mother and Uncle two persons of turbulent spirits accused the Count of Tripoli of Treason as if he had when he was Governour of the Kingdom affected the Crown for himself which accusation so stung the King in the head that the Count coming shortly after to Jerusalem was as he was on the way thither commanded to stay which he looked upon as a great disgrace But some of the Nobility fearing the mischiefs which might proceed from this unhappy difference brought them to be reconciled But though the matter was seemingly made up yet the King ever after looked upon the Earl with a jealous Eye And the Earl seeing himself suspected proved afterwards really treacherous and disloyal though he is supposed by most Historians to be innocent of what he was then charged withal The Kingdom of Damascus having now recovered its self from the Famine and Saladine obtained his ends by the Truce would observe it no longer wherefore having gotten together a good Army he marcht out of Egypt through Palestine destroying and spoiling the Country all along as he went to Damascus And having strengthened himself with the addition of what Forces he had in Syria he entred the Holy Land again But the King who had not above seven hundred Men to twenty thousand met him at a small Village called Frobolt and opposing Valour to his multitudes overthrew him in a great and bloody Battel wherein Saladine himself was forced by speedy flight to escape the danger and by long Marches get him again to Damascus Nor had he any better success when shortly after he besieged Berytus being forced by the valour and courage of Baldwin to raise his Siege and depart with disgrace Wherefore Saladine finding such tough resistance in the Holy Land hoped to gain a better purchase by imploying his Arms in Mesopotamia to which end passing the River Euphrates he won Charran and divers other Towns after which returning again into Syria he besieged Aleppo which was the strongest place the Christians had in the whole Country being so fortified both by Nature and Art that it would have been almost impossible for him to have taken it had he not by his Bribes made a far larger Breach in the Governours Loyalty than he was able to do in the Walls of the City But having by this means possessed himself of Aleppo he marched again into the Holy Land being now more formidable than ever he had been before and carrying an Army of Terrour in the very mention of his name so that the poor Christians unanimously fled into their fenced Cities As for King Baldwin the Leprosie had arrested and confined him within the compass of his own Court where his great spirit long strove with his infirmity being loth to part with his Crown and disrobe himself of his Royalty before they were pluckt away by death but was however forced at last to stoop and retire himself to a private life appointing Baldwin his Nephew a Child of five years old to be his Successor and Guy Earl of Joppa and Askelon who was the young Childs Father in-law to be Protector of the Realm in his minority But soon after finding Guy to be a silly soft man he revoked the latter Act and designed Raimund Earl of Tripoli to succeed him Guy who though he was not valiant yet was very sullen stormed extreamly at his disgrace and leaving the Court in discontent returned home and fortified his Cities of Joppa and Askelon which greatly perplexed the Kings thoughts not knowing whom to name for Protector fearing lest Guys cowardliness should lose the Kingdom to the Turks or Raimunds treachery get it for himself so that anguish of mind and weakness of body ended his days when he was about five and twenty years of age happy in dying before the death of his Kingdom CHAP. XVIII The short Reign and woful Death of Baldwin the Fifth Guy succeeds him Tripoli revolts The Christians overthrown Their King taken Prisoner And the City of Jerusalem won by the Turks IT hath ever been accounted one of the greatest happinesses that can befal a Family for the Heirs to be of Age before their Fathers death in regard Minors have not only been the Ruine of Families but the overthrow of Kingdoms too And it being one of Gods threatnings against a wicked and disobedient People to give Children to be their Princes and Babes to Rule over them he scourged the Kingdom of Jerusalem three several times with that Rod within the compass of forty years Baldwin the Third Fourth and Fifth being all under Age and the last but five years old being the Posthumus Son of William Marquets of Montferat by Sybil his Wife Sister to Baldwin the Fourth and Daughter to King Almerick who was after the death of the Marquess married to this Guy Now the Earl of Tripoli demanding to be Protector of this young King according to the designation of his Uncle before his death Sybil who was Mother to this Infant to defeat Raimunds hopes of obtaining the Protectorship first murthered all natural affections
in the City over-joyed at their great deliverance chose Conrade to be King of Jerusalem swearing Fealty to him and promising to be for ever his Subjects whose Valour had preserved them from being Saladines Slaves And the better to strengthen his Title he married Elisa or as others call her Isabella Sister to Baldwin the fourth and Daughter to King Almerick So that King Guy who was about this time delivered out of Prison having when he was released sworn never more to bear Arms against Saladine which Oath the Clergy judged void because forced from him when detained in Prison contrary to promise obtained his Liberty but could not get his Kingdom For coming to Tyre he found the Gates shut against him and his Subjects refusing to acknowledge any other King then Conrade Whereupon Guy packing up a Cloth of Remnants with his broken Army went and besieged Ptolemais the Pisans Venetians and Florentines with their Sea-Forces assisting him therein But it went on notwithstanding so slowly that it could hardly be perceived to have made any advance in a Twelve Months time Things going thus wofully to wrack in Palestine the Christians sighs there alarmed their Brethren in Europe to repair thither to their Succour and among the rest Frederick Barbarossa Emperour of Germany moved by the strength of his Devotion undertook a Voyage thither when he was Seventy Years old having one foot in the Grave and yet adventureing with the other to go on Pilgrimage He had been long chained to the Stake as it were and baited by several successive Popes till at length wearied with their continual worrying of him he gave up himself wholly to their direction and was sent by Pope Clement the third on this Errand into the Holy Land And having made great Preparations for this Adventure he marched through Hungary with a gallant Army of an Hundred and Fifty Thousand Valiant Men being kindly received and Welcomed by King Bela. But changing his Host he changed his Entertainment to being basely used as he passed through the Grecian Empire Insomuch that Frederick contrary to his expectation finding such perfidious dealing from the Greeks drew his Sword and resolving to fight his way through took Philippople Adrianople and divers other Citys not so much to get their Spoil as to secure his passage toward Palestine But when Isaaccius saw that those Pilgrims would either find or force their passage he left off all terms of Enmity and presently accommodated them with all things necessary for their Transportation over the Bosphorus pretending to hasten them away because the Christians Exigencies in Palestine admitted of no delay although it was really the effect of his fear the Greeks ever loving the Latin best when they were furthest off Old Frederick having now left the treacherous Grecian Shore and entred into the Turkish Territories found great resistance from the Sultan of Iconium whom he vanquished and overcame in four several Battles And then besieging the City of Iconium he took it by force and gave the Spoil of it to his Souldiers to revenge the injury done by that Sultan to his Uncle Conrade the Emperour And removing from thence to Philomela he took that likewise razing it to the ground and executing the Inhabitants therein as Rebels against the Law of Nations for killing his Ambassadors after which he passed with much difficulty but more honour into Syria Saladine shook for fear at the rumor of his coming and thought it best to follow the advice of Charatux his chief Counsellor who was at that time accounted one of the wisest men in the world tho his Person was mean and contemptible and dismantled all his Citys in the Holy Land except his Frontire Towns that so they might not be tenable with an Army fearing lest if the Germans won those places it would be no easy matter to drive them out again but being naked from shelter he thought he should soon weary them with set Battles in regard he had Soldiers without number and those near at hand But Frederick soon after he was entered into the Holy Land was suddenly taken away being to the great grief of all Christians unhappily drowned in the River of Saleph the occasion whereof is variously reported by Historians but they all agree that there he lost his Life and some of them pretending to acquaint the World with the reason why the Almighty permitted this Fatal Accident tell us that it was because he had in his Younger Years fought against the Popes and Church of Rome But seeing so great an Emperour drowned in a shallow River it was a great piece of audacious boldness in them to adventure into the fathomless depths of Gods secret Council Let it suffice therefore for us to know that he who disposes of all humane affairs according to his own Arbitrary Pleasure sometimes blasts the fairest hopes and makes the Feet of Monarchs to slip just when they are stepping into their Enemies Throne After his death Frederick Duke of Suâ— via his second Son undertook the conduct of the Army when the Turks supposing that grief for the loss of the Emperor had steeped and moistened those Pilgrims Hearts and taken off the edg of their Valour gave them a sudden charge in hope to have overthrown them before they had recovered themselves But the Valiant Dutch-men though they had scarce wiped their Eyes had however sufficiently scowred their Swords and gave them so warm a welcom that they quickly forced them to retire Then Frederick summoning the City of Antioch had it presently delivered to him where his hungry Souldiers being well refreshed by the Citizens who were yet for the most part Christians he marched forth in Battle Array and meeting with Dodequin General of Saladines forces he gave him a mighty overthrow wherein he slew four thousand upon the place and took a thousand Turks Prisoners with little or no loss to himself After which he went to the City of Tyre in the Cathedral Church whereof he buried the Corps of his worthy and warlike Father near the Tomb of the Learned Origen His Funeral Sermon being preached by the worthy Arch-bishop Gulielmus of Tyre So soon as the Emperors Funeral Rites were solemnly performed they were conveyed by Sea to the Christian Army before Ptolemais where young Frederick died of the Plague and all his huge Army which at their setting out of Germany consisted of an hundred and fifty thousand men were now reduced to eighteen hundred onely And thus by following this numerous Army to their graves we have once again overtaken the tedious and slow-paced siege of Ptolemais before which place lay an Army that was as it were the abridgment of the Christian World there being scarce a petty state or populous City in Europe that had not some representatitives there So that there were many bloody Blowes lent on both sides repayed again with interest in innumerable Sallys fierce Assaults and bloody Encounters The Christians lying between Saladine and the
the contrary commend it as a Wise and Considerate Action and give us those reasons to prove it First his Wife was dead by whose Right he held his Kingdom Secondly he knew the Turks power to Invade it and his own weakness to defend it Thirdly before his resignation he had little left but the bare Title and after it he had nothing less it being so customary for all men to salute him by the name of King of Jerusalem that he was called so to his dying day Fourthly he thereby provided better for his Daughter then otherwise he could in all probability have done And Lastly because he got more after the surrender then he did before for in England he received many great presents from Henry the Third In France besides rich gifts left to himself he had the managing of 60000 Crowns left by Phillip Augustus the French King to the Templars for the carrying on the Holy War In Spain he got a rich Wife Beringaria the Daughter of the King of Castile and in Italy he tasted largely of the Popes liberality lived there in great plenty but at last Perfidiously raising Rebellion against the Emperour of Germany his Son in Law at the Instigation of the Pope he lost the General Esteem of most men and went off the stage without Applause Fredericks Nuptials with the Lady Jole was solemnized at Rome in the presence of the Pope with all the Ceremonies of Majesty imaginable and he ingaged himself by promise that he would within two years prosecute his Title in Palestine but by Discords and Jealousies between the Pope and him he was much longer before he got things in readiness to march and when he was on his way to Palestine the Plague seized on his Army at Brindisi in Italy where he likewise was shortly after Visited with a desperate fit of sickness which stayed his Journey for many Months It went against the grain with the Pope to have the Emperor so near him and therefore he Excommunicated him afresh having done it divers times before pretending his sickness was only the Cramp of Laziness and charging him with the unjust seizing on the goods of Lewis Lantgrave of Thuringia who died a little before in the Camp The Emperour protested his innocency and accused the Pope of injustice offering for the proof of it to put himself on the tryal of all Christian Princes However at last health came and Frederick departed with his Fleet for the Holy Land whereaâ— the Pope who was neither well full nor fasting stormed exceedingly and be libel'd him more then ever because he had forsooth departed without his Fathers Blessing or being Absolved and Reconciled to his Mother the Church But we may observe that Gods Blessing often times goes along with the Popes curses for the Fame of Fredericks Valour and his Virgin Fortune never yet stained with ill Success hastning like an Harbinger before perpared Victory to entertain him at his arrval there This Emperor Swifter then Caesar himself overcame before he came to Palestine so that Coradine being dead and his Children in their Minority the Sultan of Babylon who was then of greatest Authority among the Turks and Governed Syria offered him what he could never have expected viz. To restore him Jerusalem and all Palestine in as full and ample a manner as it was enjoyed by Baldwine the Fourth before it was Conquered by Sâ—ladine and to release all Christian Prisoners upon condition that the Turks might be permitted in small numbers to have access to the Sepulcher they likewise having some Knowledg off and some kind of Veneration for Christ Before Frederick would ratifie any thing by Oath he sent to have the Popes approbation but hearing that he had Imprisoned his Messengers and in a most contemptuous manner torn his Letters he concluded a Truce with the Sultan for Ten years without the Popes consent and entering on Easter-day Triumphantly into Jerusalem he Crowned himself King with his own hands for the Patriarch the Master of the Templars and all the Clergy absented themselves neither was there any Mass Sung in the City so long as the Emperor staid there because he was Excommunicated And thus by the Valour and Policy of Frederick was the Holy Land recovered without blood which had been for many years before attempted without success and the affairs of Palestine brought into a good condition rendered capable of improving had not the Pope ruined all by forcing the Emperor to return sooner then he intended to supress the Rebellion which the Pope had caused John Bren to raise against him at home At his departure he appointed Reinoldus Duke of Bavaria to be his Lieutenant in Syria who wisely discharged his Office and preserved the Peace intire which was concluded with the Sultan of Babylon although the Tempâ—ars endeavoured to bring that Ten years Truce to an untimely end it being an insufferable thing with them to fast from Fighting which was Meat and Drink to their Turbulent Spirits Condemning him for his want of Zeal in the Holy War and giving him many a lift to heave him from his place but still he sate sure nor was he much troubled at the envy of Henry King of Cyprus who challenged the principality of Antioch as next of kin the last deceased Prince for the Duke met him and defeated him in battle and gave that Principality to Frederick base Son to the Emperor But that which kept both Turks and Christians in awe and made them the more carefull to observe the Truce was their mutual fear of the Tartars a fierce People which at this time took their first flight out of their own nest into the Neighbouring Countries they were anciently called Scythians and Inhabited the Northern parts of Asia a country never Conquered by any of the Monarchs being priviledged from their Victorious Arms by its own barrenness which was the reason why after they had made several incursions into Europe and the lesser Asia they found it so sweet that they cared not to return home They were by their multitudes and ferceness become so formidable that the Pope himself began to fear them in Italy to prevent which he sent Askelin a Frier much famed in those days and three others to Convert them to the Christian Religion who instead of instructing them the Rudiments of Christianity acquainted them with the greatness and power of the Pope who was as he told them exalted above all the Princes of Europe but Baiothnoi Chief Captain of the Tartarian Army for they were not admitted to the Great Cham himself crying quits with this Frier outvyed him in discribing his Cham whose greatness and Divinity he affirmed to exceed that of the Popes and sent him back with a blunt Letter which he concluded thus If thou wilt set upon our Land and Inheritance it behoveth that Thou Pope in thy proper Person come unto us and that Thou come to him who containeth the Face of the Whole Earth meaning their Great Cham.
Never did his Holiness so meet with his match before however he loved his Flock in Europe too well to run the hazard of losing them by a long Journey into Tartaria and so the Conversion of the Tartarians was neglected About this time likewise the Grecian Emperour who had been now near sixty years confined to the Citys of Nice and Adrianople only recovered every foot of Land that the Latins had won from the Greeks after it had been enjoyed by five Succesive Latine Emperours except what was enjoyed by the Venetians who kept Candia till lately wrested from them by the Turks presently after the Greek Church wholly cast of their subjection to the Pope and declared the Patriarch of Constantinople to be absolute of himself without having any dependency on Rome the occasion of their disavowing the Popes Authority was this Germanus being upon this new revolution of the Grecian Empire chosen Patriarch of Constantinople a certain Archbishop preferred by him went to Rome there to have his confirmation but finding that Court so unreasonable in their demands of Fees that it would weaken him to be confirmed and shake his Estate to settle him in his Bishoprick he returned again without confirmation but with so great an outcry upon the Extortion of Rome that the Patriarch and the whole Clergy for ever after threw off the Popes heavy Yoke which they were no longer able to bear His Holiness stormed exceedingly at this loss and therefore dispairing to reduce them by fair means proclaimed open War against them and resolved to send an Army of Crossed Soldiers against those Schismatical Grecians as he had formerly done against the Albigenses It being customary with that imperious Prelate to make use of the Secular Power as his Hang-man to execute those whom he shall please to condemn But his Commands were herein but little regarded very few Volunteers entering themselves for this Service and most men entertaining a Religious Horror and Detestation of so odious an Imployment This irrepairable rent and division between the two Churches was very advantagious to the Turks and a greath inderance to the Holy War for the Greeks in Syria who had hitherto lived in some kind of friendly correspondency with the Latins differing indeed in Judgment but complying in Affections and uniting against the Turk the common Enemy of both began now to conceive so great a hatered for the Latins that they wished the Turk from whom they expected fair Quarter the free Exercise of their Religion and a secure dwelling in any City for paying a set Tribute might conquer rather than their fellow Christians from whom they expected nothing but a forcing of their Conscience and the bringing their Souls into subjection to the Popes Supremacy and therefore from thence forward never lent a helping hand to that War CHAP. VI. The Voyage of Theobald Kingof Navarre Of Robert Earl of Cornwall Jerusalem taken by the Corasines THe Ten Years Truce made by Frederick being ended he ordered Reinold his Vice-Roy to conclude another for the same term of years which tho' honourable enough and without any other fault than Frederick's having made it yet the Templars would not indure it pretending that it was a great Indignity to the Christians for the Turks to have access to the Sepulchre And Pope Gregory to despite the Emperour commanded his Trumpeters the Dominican and Franciscan Fryers to sound a fresh Alarum to the Holy War who amplifying with their Rhetorick the Calamity of the Christians the Tyranny of the Turks the Merit of the Cause and the Probability of Success prevailed with many to undertake the Voyage the principal whereof was Theobald King of Navarre Almerick Earl of Montfort Henry Earl of Champaigne Peter Earl of Bretaigne who having no Ships were forced to march with their Armies by Land through Grecia where they were entertained as others had been before them with Treachery Famine and all the Miseries that could attend an unfortunate Army insomuch that none ever after adventured to go that way into the Holy Land But having passed the Bosporus they marched to Antioch being more than half of them destroyed by the Turks in their passage thither and the rest miserably weaken'd and almost dead with sickness and famine However after they had for sometime refreshed themselves there the Templars conducted them to Gaza where they fell to spoiling and foraging the Sultan's Country assaulting no place of strength but only poor Villages who thought themselves sufficiently walled by the Truce But as they were returning home laden with Treasure the Turks in great numbers fell upon them near Gaza where after a bloody fight wherein the Christians behaved themselves with so much bravery that they were rather killed than conquered they were utterly overthrown Earl Henry being slain Almerick taken prisoner and the King of Navarre forced to save himself by the swiftness of his Spanish Gennet In the mean while the other Christians looked on and saw their Brethren slaughtered before their faces without being able to help them in regard their hands were tyed by the Truce and Reinoldus charged them not to infringe the Peace made with the Sultan As for the King of Navarre he stole home with as much fecresie as possible being greatly ashamed that his Voyage from which so much was expected had effected nothing but the ruin of its undertakers Fifteen days after his departure Richard Earl of Cornwall and Brother to King Henry the Third landed at Ptolemais accompanied by Theodoricus Lord Prior of the English Hospitallers divers Barons and an Army of brave and well-appointed Soldiers where he was joyfully received especially by the Clergy who Sang at his arrival Blessed is he who cometh in the Name of the Lord. This Prince was our English Croesus and the Tinn-Mines in Cornwall were his Indies that inriched him so that England never had a poorer King and a richer Subject than those two Brothers When he was got as far as the Mediterranean Sea the the Pope sent his Legate to command him back and forbid his proceeding any farther in his Voyage Whereat our Heroick Pilgrim was somewhat astonished that the Pope should so solemnly summon and then as suddenly discharge his Holy Souldiers as tho' he designed only to delude peoples devotions with false alarums However having vowed the Voyage and his Honour and Treasure being ingaged therein he resolved that his Holiness should not with a breath blast his generous Resolutions but went forward notwithstanding this Command to the contrary The Sultans in Syria hearing of his arrival offered him Peace but whilst he was treating of it he fortified Askelon which was the best Harbour in all Syria and beautified it with Marble and Statues caused the Christians killed at the late Battel of Gaza to be decently buried and gave a Priest an yearly Salary to Pray for their Souls so that the living being much taken with his kindness to the dead he thereby purchased as much love and honour as tho'
he had slain so many Turks And having at last concluded a Peace with the Sultans for Ten Years wherein it was agreed That all Christian Captives should be released several Forts restored and things reduced to the same state they were at the first Peace made with Frederick the Emperour He returned home with abundance of Honour Having says the Historian compelled those Infidels to offer Terms of Peace without offering them any other violence than shewing his Sword in the Scabbard without ever drawing it And indeed such was the general esteem which he obtained by his Success in this Voyage that he afterwards bid fair for the Imperial Crown of Germany Not long after the Earls return died Reinoldus Frederick's Lieutenant in Syria in whose Grave was buried all the Happiness and Glory of the Christians in Palestine For now the lawless Templars would observe no other Rule than their own Will and the inundation of the rude Tartars having maugre all opposition run over all the North of Asia and forced many Nations to forsake their ancient Habitations among whom was a certain People called Corasine who being thus unkennelled had recourse to the Sultan of Babylon desiring him to give them a place to live in The Sultan who was free enough of that which was none of his own frankly gave them all the Land that the Christians held in Syria upon condition that they would conquer it which he told them was easie to do in regard the People were few and weak and the Country rich and fruitful The Corasines being thus animated by the by the Sultan came with their Wives and Children and their whole Housholds into Syria to win Houses and Land for them there And finding the City of Jerusalem unguarded and without the least suspition of an Enemy easily surprized it and entered without resistance Many of the Christians thereupon flying out of the City with their Wives and Families took their course towards Joppa but unfortunately looking back and seeing their own Ensigns advanced on the Walls were so infatuated as to go back to the City again upon a confute that their fellows had beaten the Corasines and by those Banners invited them to return whereby they were every Mother's Child of them slain Things being brought to this pass in Syria a desperate Disease must have a desperate Remedy whereupon the Christians clapt up a hasty Peace with the two Sultans of Damascus and Cracci between whom and the Sultan of Babylon there was at that time some discord And swearing them to be faithful borrowed an Army of their Forces to assist them in taking vengeance on the Corasines Robert Patriarch of Jerusalem was the chief Commander and St. Luke's day the time agreed on for this fatal Battel which was fought on a Plain near Tyberius But the two Armies were no sooner joyned but the Turks who were placed in the front of the Battel ran over to the Enemy or at least fled through cowardize so that the Christians being over-powered in number though they made a great slaughter of their Enemies were at last utterly overthrown and most of them slain there escaping no more but Three of the Teutonick Order Eighteen Templers and Nineteen Hospitallers besides the Patriarch who says of himself That God accounting him unwortby of Martyrdom permitted him to escape among the rest The Corafines improving this Victory won all from the Christians except Tyre Ptolemais and Antioch with a few Forts So that the Christians were beaten by a beaten People who shortly after falling out with the Sultan of Babylon were by him wholly routed out so as none of their Name remained And it is very observable that all Historians both before and after this time are wholly silent concerning them whereby it seems as tho' God had created this People to punish the Christian and as soon as they had done their work annihilated them again CHAP. VII The French King's Voyage into Palestine He carries the War into Egypt again Damiata taken the second time but afterwards exchanged for King Lewis ABout two years after this overthrow Lewis the Ninth of that Name King of France arrived in Palestine to assist the Christians in recovering what they had lost That which moved him to undertake this Voyage was his recovering of a desperate fit of sickness upon the application of a Piece of the Cross He was accompanied therein besides three of his own Brothers and divers of the French Nobility by William Longspath Earl of Shrewsbury with a brave company of valiant English Soldiers When he came to Cyprus he was met by an Embassadour from a great Tartarian Prince who in vited by the fame of his Piety acquainted him with his design to embrace the Christian Religion He received and entertained the Embassadours with much affability dismissed them with liberal Gifts and by them sent as a Present to their Master a curious Tent wherein the History of the Bible was very dexteriously and richly wrought in Needle-work hoping thereby to catch his Soul in his Eyes Pictures being in that Age of Ignorance accounted Lay-mens Books tho' since they have been generally condemned as full of many damnable Errata's and never published by any Authority of the King of Heaven to be either the means or workers of Faith Thither also the Templers who were afraid of being checked by this Pious King for their debauched Lives wrote to him to accept of a Peace which the King of Egypt offered to make with the Christians But he being informed by the King of Syria that it was only a trick of the Templers to prevent his intentions of going into Syria to behold their wickedness commanded the Grand Master that from thence forward upon the price of his Head he should receive no Messages nor hold any correspondence with the Enemy resolving with himself once more to invade Egypt and make that Country the Seat of the War But having once declared his intentions and making no great haste to put it into execution Ateladine had time enough to provide against the storm by fortifying the Sea-Coast which he did for an Hundred and Eighty Miles together so that their landing was now much more difficult than when King John invaded it However Lewis being re-inforced with a new Army by Robert Duke of Burgundy and Alphonse the King's Brother set forward for Egypt and intended to land near Damiata But the Governour with a Band of resolute Mammalakes opposed it between whom and the Christians there was for some hours a fierce and bloody Fight wherein the Turks were at last overthrown and forced to fly into the Town leaving the Christians Landing-place without any other Guard but their Governour and Five Hundred of their best Soldiers whom they left dead on the place Lewis the 9th King of France Damiata was a City so strong and well fortified that the taking of it was accounted a good Task if performed by an Army within the compass of a Year But those within remembring
Damascus destroying all before him with fire and sword and carying away many rich booties till at last he was circumvented and taken prisoner by the Mammalukes who kept him in Captivity twenty six years till at length the Sultan of Egypt a Runegado German who had formerly been Enginneer to this Dukes Father set him at Liberty together with Martin his Servant thinking it but reasonable that he who had been his Partner in Misery should likewise pertake of his Happiness but they were no sooner at Liberty but they were both took again by Pirats as they were sailing into Syria which the Sultan hearing of pittied the misfortune of that distressed Prince and scorning that any should frustrate his designed courtesie set him free once more and then returning home he was welcomed with as much wonder as joy by his Subjects who supposed him to have been dead long before When he came home he found two Counterfeits who both pretended to be the Duke and challenged lodging with his Lady but upon his arrival to confute their false pretences they were both condemned to lose their lives by two contrary deaths the one being Burn'd and the other Drowned Charles King of Sicily and Jerusalem having at length made great preparations for the Holy War and strengthned his claim to the Kingdom of Jerusalem by purchasing the Title of Maria Domicella Princess of Antioch who likewise pretended to a Right he sent Roger Count of Severine as his Vice-Roy to Ptolemais where he was received with a great deal of Honour in despite of King Hugh but when his Navy and all things were said to be ready for his own departure and that he had by the way a design upon Michael Paleologus the Grecian Emperour a sudden and unexpected accident blasted all For on Easter-day as the Bell tolled to Even-Song all the Frenchmen in Sicily had their Throats Cut in a moment by the Natives the contriver of this Massacre was one Jacobus Prochyta a Doctor of Physick who thereby killed more in an hour then he cured in his Whole Life but the secresie of its contrivance vvas litle less then a Miracle that so many should knovv of it and yet none either through accident or design discover it from vvhence came the Proverb the Sicilian Vispers Charles himself was at Rome when this Tragedy was acted to see the Pope make Cardinals and when he received the news it struck him so to the Heart that he never injoyed himself after But living as without Life for about two years he died and left his Son Charles to Succeed him in the Kingdom of Naples and the Title of Jerusalem who had little remarkable in his Life but only that being offended with the Templars in Palestine for taking part with the King of Cyprus against him he siesed all the Lands and Goods they had in Naples or any other part of his dominions CHAP. X. Ptolemais Besieged and taken by the Sultan of Egypt and thereby the Holy War ended MElechsaites or as others call him Melechmessor about this time wan the strong Castle of Mergarh from the Hospitallers who kept it and banished the Carmalites out of Syria because they had changed their Habits at the appointment of Pope Honorious the Turks being generally haters of innovations And Alphir who was his next Successor understanding that the Christian Princes of Europe were at variance among themselves resolved to lay hold of that opportunity as the fitest time finally to expel the Christians out of Palestine and therefore coming out of Egypt with a great Army he besieged and won the Cities of Tripoli Sidon and Berytus and being incouraged with this Success he adventured to Besiege Tyre it self and notwithstanding its invincible strength took it in a very short time and beat it down to the ground as he did the other three Cities So that now there remained nothing of all that the Christians had won in Palestine but Ptolemais which he might easily have taken if he would have sate down before with his Army but he was unwilling to venture for fear least if he should attempt the taking all from them at once he might thereby alarum the Christian Princes to repair thither for their Relief and therefore concluded a Peace with the Venetians for five years thinking that the bitter potion would be the more easily swallowed by them if it were devided into two doses But tho' the City Ptolemais did at this time escape the Turks Victorious Arms ' yet it was notwithstanding in a most Wofull and Dismal condition for there were in it some of all Countrys and every Nation had their several Courts to deside causes in so that the great plenty of Judges occasiond a scarcity of Justice and Malefactors when they were impeached for any Crime would by appealing to a Tryal in the Court of their own Country escape the deserved Punishment it being a sufficient proof of the Criminals innocency in the Venetians or Genoans Court to say that he was a Subject of the State to which the Court belonged wherefore Personal Crimes were made National and particular faults by being espoused rendered publick offences so that outrages were every where practised and no where punished as if they had been resolved to spare Divine Vengance the pains of overtaking them by going forth to meet it Besides which there was at this time a great number of Pretenders eagerly pro secuting their several Titles to that City being no fewer then the Venetians Genoans Pisans Florentins the King of Cyprus and Sicily the Agents of the King of England and France the Princes of Tripoli and Antioch the Patriarch of Jerusalem the Master of the Templars and Hospitallers and the Popes Legate who would if he were now living think himself highly abused in not being first named All which Pretenders did at once with much Heat and Violence urge there Right to the Airy Title of the Kingdom of Jerusalem and the Command of that City like Bees making the greatest noise and Bwzzing when they were just ready to forsake the Hive There was within the City at this time many new Pilgrims who were lately come thither out of Europe five hundred whereof were of the Popes sending altho' he afterwards took no care for their Pay for tho' he loved to see the Golden Tide flow into his Coffers yet he could not indure to see it ebb again But the soldiers being not paid resolved according to their blunt but usual custom to pay themselves and therefore Marching out of the City Pillaged the Enemies Country contrary to the Peace made with Alphir The Turks demand satisfaction which was not only denied by those of Ptolomais but their Embassadors likewise abused Which so inraged Sultan Serapha Alphir being now dead that he gathered together all his Forces and sat down before the City with an Army of six hundred thousand men say some Historians tho' others make them not half the number and concluding that that City was so
great a purchase that if once obtained it could not be too dearly bought he resolved to take it before he stirred from the place Peter Belvise Master of the Templars a Valiant and Couragious General being made Governour of the City by the general consent of those within he incouraged the Christians to be Valiant and play the Men and not like Prodigal Heirs part with the City for nothing which cost their Predecessors so much pains and Blood to get or at leastwise to make one Blaze of Valour before their Lamp expired telling them it would be a shame for them to shew their Friends their Faces if they turned their Backs to their Enemies and thefore exhorted them to fight it out manfully that so if forced at last to surrender it they might rather be pittied for want of Fortune then justly blamed for lack of Valour And the City being now to wrestle its last fall he stripped it of all things that were combersom and unuseful for all the Women and Children and the Men too that were either aged or feeble and had Mouths to eat and no Arms to fight he sent away retaining only twelve thousand which he conceived enough to defend the place notwithstanding the vast number of the besiegers The Sultan Assaulted the City divers times with great Fury but was still beaten back by the Christians Artillery and great numbers of the Turks killed but in one of those conflicts the undaunted Governour was unfortunately slain by a poysoned Arrow a loss above grieving for and the greater because irreparable many indeed were strong in desiring the Honour but all too weak to discharge the Office so that the Christians being devided among themseves neglected to defend the City imagining that if it should be taken yet every Nation would be able to defend its part in regard their buildings were all fortified within themselves which idle and dangerous fancy took off their thoughts from minding the publick good and fixed them only on their own private ends The Turks at length taking the advantage of this Preposterous neglect entred the City at a breach which they had made in the Wall by undermining of it thinking their work had then been done tho' they quickly found to their cost that it was but just begun for to their astonishment and wonder they found Ptolemais not a City but a great heap of Citys as it were thrown together the people of every Nation having so Fortified themselves in their several Forts that they didfrom thence Power forth whole vollies of shot upon the Turks when they entered the Streets which makes it a thing hardly to be paralell'd in History for a City to hold out so long after it was taken for they bravely defended themselves against the Whole Turkish power for fifty days together and after all the rest were subdued the Knights Hospitallers who allways bore an implacable hatred to the Turks maintained their Castle near a month longer but their unhappy devision rendering them unable to subsist long they were at length most of them slain and the City wholy subdued by there numerous enemies However it was a Bloody Victory to the Conquerour most of those who entered the City being burned with Fire killed with Arrows or Smothered by the fall of Towers of the very Ruins being as it were greedy of revenge killed those who destroyed them Ptolemais being now taken the Sultan thought it a good penyworth tho' it cost him so dear and therefore to make sure work and prevent all feuture occasion of Ejecting such sturdy Tennants Levelled it even with the Ground No fewer then an hundred thousand Christians which were all the Latines that were left fled at this time out of Palestine into Cyprus where they were freely entertained by Henry King of that Island and Jerusalem to his great cost but greater commendation Five hundred Matrons and Virgins of Noble Blood are by the Mirracle Monger of that age said to stand on the shore of Ptolemais with all their rich Jewels cry out with a lamentable voice for some body to Transport them from that dangerous place proffering any Marriner that would undertake it all their Wealth for his pains and that he should chose out of them any one whom he best liked for a Wife and that thereupon a certain Marriner came and Transported them all freely Landing them safely in Cyprus But when he was sent for to receive his Hire it could not by the strictest enquiry be ever learnt who this Marriner was or what became of him afterwards The Hospitallers were forced for hast to leave their Treasure behind them which they hid in a Vault making it known from time to time to their Successors About three hundred years after it was fetch'd away by the Galleys of Malta Thus after an hundred thirty four years had this Holy War its final period having been for continuance the longest for Charges the most expensive for Slaughter of Men the most Bloody for Pretence the most Pious and for the True Intent of it the most Politick and Subtil that ever the World saw And at this day the Turks to spare the Christians pains in going so far as Palestine have done them the unwelcome courtesie to come more then half the way to meet them but yet it is to be hoped that if they lose Buda which they cannot in all possibility avoid they will be wholly driven out of Europe by the Victorious Arms of the Christians and that it will not be long before their vast and overgrown Empire be finally ruined and sink under the Ponderous Weight of its own greatness to which let all who love the name of Christ say Amen CHAP. XI The Holy War revived again by the present Emperor of Germany and the King of Poland With the Parallel between that and the former War SInce the Holy War was ended there hath been some offers of Christian Princes to revive it again For Henry the Fourth King of England towards the latter end of his Reign purposed to have made a Voyage into Palestine being told by some pretenders to the gift of Prophesie that he should not die tell he had heard Mass in Jerusalem but Henry was deceived and the Voyage prevented by his dying soon after in a Chamber in his own Palace at Westminster called by that name And Charles the Eighth King of France after his return out of Italy sent a huffing Embassage to our Henry the seventh wherein he gave him to understand that he had resolved to make a second conquest of Naples with a design to make use of it as a bridge to transport his Forces into Grecia resolving neither to spare blood nor treasure altho' it were to the imparing of his Crown and dispeopling of his Kingdom till he had either ruined the Ottaman Empire or taken it in his way to Par adice meaning the City of Jerusalem but the French having had enough of the first adventure for Naples we never hear more