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
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
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
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 '
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
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