in the English Army He offered therefore to Consent that a Truce should be concluded on for three some say five years upon condition that the Christians would demolish all places which they had fortified since the taking of Ptolemais which was in Effect to be at the Charge of undoing all that they had hitherto done But however such was the urgency of King Richards occasion that he was glad to accept of those hard Conditions tho' he hated them at his Heart And thus this great undertaking of those two mighty and Warlike Kings began with great Confidence managed with much Courage and attended with good Success ended notwithstanding with some Honour indeed to the undertakers but no manner of Profit either to themselves or the Christian cause King Richard in this Voyage eternized his Memory and to the Glory of the English Nation render'd his Name so terrible to the Turks that they were used to say to their Horses when they started for fear what dost thou think King Richard is here But Profit neither he nor the French King got any both of them loosing the Hair of their Head in an acute disease which saith one Historian was more then either of them got by the Voyage And as for the poor Christians in Syria they left them in a far worse Case than they found them But to refresh the Readers Spirits a little amidst so many Miseries and sad Stories I must not omit one thing that King Richard did in Palestine which was no doubt an abundant Compensation for all the cost and pains of his Journey Which was his redeeming from the Turks for a great sum of Money a large Chest as much as four Men could lift full of Holy Relicks which precious Treasure they had gotten from the Christians at the taking of Jerusalem Richard the 2d. king of Englad. and Jerusalem King Richard having now signed the Peace with Saladine and thereby ended his Pilgrimage took Shipping in Syria to return to his Kingdom but meeting with a Storm on the Coast of Germany he suffered Shipwrack and therefore resolved to travel through that Country by Land as being his nearest way home without considering that the nearness of the way ought to have been measured not so much by the shortness of it as the safeness of it But however to prevent all danger he disguised himself and pretended to be one Hugo a Merchant whose only Commodity was himself whereof he made but a bad Bargain for being discovered in Austria by his large Expences which so far exceeded the degree of a Merchant that his Hostess detected him and the common People flocking about him used much Rudeness and Insolence towards him And being seized on by the Duke who resolved now to be revenged on him for the affront done him in Palestine he sold him to Henry the Emperor who kept him in Bonds Charging him with a Thousand faults committed in Sicily Cyprus and Palestine the Prooss whereof were as slender as the Crime were small so that Richard having an eloquent Tongue an innocent Heart and a bold Spirit easily acquited himself of all those furious Charges in the Judgment of all that heard him However before he could obtain his Liberty he was forced to pay a Ransom of an Hundred and Twenty Thousand Marks Collen weight which was in that age before the Indies had filled those Northern parts of the World with Gold and Silver so greata sum that to raise it in England they were forced to sell all their Church Plate and in lieu thereof for some Hundred years after to Celebrate the Sacrament in Challices of Latten or Tin After this Money Peter of Bloys who had drank as deep of this Helicon as any of that age sent this Prayer making an Apostrophe to the Emperor or to the Duke of Austria or to both together And now thou basest Avarice Drink till thy Belly burst Whil'st England powers large silver showers To Satiate thy thirst And this we pray thy Money may And thou be like accurst Part of this Ransome being paid and Hostages left for the securing the rest he returned into England having indured Eighteen Months Imprisonment But the Duke was after this sorely aflicted in his Dominions by Fire and Famine And in his Body by a Gangren which seised on him with that Violence that he was forced to cut his leg off with his own hand and died thereof but before his death he fortified Vienna with a strong Wall which he caused to be built with this Money and being in the time of his sickness troubled in conscience for having been so Cruel to our King he willed some Thousand Crowns to be returned to him again CHAP. II. The Death of Saladine Discords among the Turks the Death of Henry King of Jerusalem Almerick the Second Succeeds him The Pilgrims divert their Arms from Palestine to Constantinople and Conquer the Grecian Empire NOT long after King Richards return out of Palestine Saladine who had for sixteen years together been the Terror of the East ended his life He was a Prince fierce in fighting and yet mild in Conquering and when he had his Enemies in his hands delighted himself more in having the power then he did in the Act of revenge finding his life draw to a period he Commanded those about him to use no other Solemnities at his Funeral then a Black Cloth which he ordered them to carry before him and Proclaim that Saladine Conqueror of the East had now nothing left of all his Conquest but only this Black Shirt to attend him to his Grave He Left Nine some say Twelve Sons behind him who were all except one Murthered by Saphradin their Uncle whom Saladine made the overseer of his Will and he was not preserved by his Uncles pity but by the favour of some of his fathers Friends his name being likewise Saphradin Sultan of Aleppo Whereupon there arose much Intestine difference among the Turks during which time the Christians injoyed their Truce with much quiet and security only their peace was somewhat imbittered by the unfortunate death of King Henry who fell as he was walking in his Palace to solace himself out of a Window and brake his Neck After whose death Almerick Lusignan Brother to King Guy Marrying Isabella his Relict was in her right Crowned King of Jerusalem The Christians in Syria promising themselves much aid from his Isle of Cyprus of which he was also King but he abandoning himself to ease and pleasure proved a worthless and an unfortunate Prince In his time Henry Emperor of Germany to make amends for his Cruelty against King Richard and regain his Credit which was very much impaired thereby set on foot an other Voyage to the Holy Land Pope Celestine the third sending his Legat about to promote it by shewing how God himself had sounded the Alarm in the dissention of the Turks and persuading them that Jerusalem might now be recovered with the blows of her adversaries only
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
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
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
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
to caâ— it he raised his Siege and departâ— when meeting with the Persian Geneâ— who had an Army far superiour to 〈◊〉 he rashly gave him Battel and after desperate Fight lost all his Baggage a hardly escaped himself After a long Tempest of War caâ— a calm of Peace wherein Baldwin enjâ—ed a five years quiet in his old age â—ring which time he made several Vâ—ages for his pleasure and to take a viâ— of the Country and satisfie himself of 〈◊〉 situation and strength of the several pâ—ces One of his Journeys was to 〈◊〉 Red Sea not so called from the redâ—â— of the Water or Sand as some foolisâ— conceit but from the neighbouring Emites whom the Graecians call Erythrea or Red Men. And another he made to Egypt supposing himself obliged give one visit to that Country that so might in part repay the many Incursiâ— the Egyptians had made into his Kingdoâ— Where having first taken the City Pharamia anciently called Rameses and given the Spoil of it to his Souldiers he spent a considerable time in viewing that riddle of Nature the River of Nilus whose flowing Stream is a Confluence of Wonders first in regard of its undiscoverable Original but chiefly its increasing from the first of June to the midst of September in which time it overflows all Egypt and rises too high for the most penetrating Judgment ever to dive to its bottom or render the true reason of its Flux Great delight he took in viewing this River wherein he eat many Fish and his death in eating them for a Surfeit which he then got brought upon him the grief of an old wound which he received at the Siege of Ptolomais and ended in his death He died at Laris in his return from Egypt and was brought to Jerusalem and buried on Palm-Sunday in the Temple of the Sepulchre having Reigned almost Eighteen years The same day that Baldwin was buried Baldwin de Burgo his Kinsman and Count of Edessa accidentally came into the City intending there to keep his Easter At which time the Christian Princes were met together for the Electing a new King the most whereof were for bestowing the Crown upon Prince Estace Brother to the two former King but then absent in France in regard was unsafe to break the chain of Succesion there being nothing more commâ— in those cases than for the inverting 〈◊〉 order to bring confusion alledging likâ— wise that it would be high ingratitude the memories of Godfrey and Baldwin â— exclude their Brother since he was in a points fit to be a King Others opposed it objecting the dager of an Inter-regnum especially undâ— their circumstances who living in tâ— mouth of their Enemies to stay for Kingdom was the way to lose the Kinâ—dom And at length after much deba on both sides they proceeded to a pâ—sent Election and made choice of Baâ—win who on the Easter-day following wâ— Crowned by Arnulphus the Patriarch 〈◊〉 the name of Baldwin the Second In tâ— mean time some were secretly dispatchâ— to acquaint Prince Eustace with whâ— had passed and invite him to come aâ— challenge the Crown but he hearâ— that Baldwin was in possession of it pâ—ferred quietness before honour and 〈◊〉 though he was part of the way on 〈◊〉 Journey thither yet he very quietly wâ— back again About this time happened the death â—f that Arch Hypocrite Alexius the Graeâ—an Emperour who was succeeded by Calo Johannes of whom we shall have occasion to speak often in the succeeding part of this History Arnulphus who enjoyed the Patriarchal Dignity when Baldwin the Second came to the Crown was so infamous â—hat the report of his baseness at length came to the Popes Ear who sent away a Legate to depose him but Arnulphus hasted to Rome and with a great sum of Money bought himself innocent and obâ—ained yet the enjoyment of his place duâ—ing life Guarimund succeeded him being a veâ—y Religious man and one by whom the Christians obtained many Victories he called a Council at Neapolis wherein maâ—y wholsom things were concluded on for the reformation of manners After his death Stephen Abbot of St. John de â—alia was advanced who awakened the Patriarchs Title to Jerusalem after it had â—lept during the lives of his three Predecessors demanding it very imperiously of the King being a man of a high spiâ—it but he died in the midst of his Age â—nd in the beginning of his Projects his place being filled by William Prior of the Sepulchre who was a Flemin born anâ— better beloved than learned CHAP. XII The Knights Templars and Teutonicks instâ—tuted Tyre taken by the Christians Tâ— Death of Baldwin the Second ABout the beginning of this Kinâ— Reign the two great Orders 〈◊〉 Templars and Teutonicks first appearâ— in the world the former under Hugh 〈◊〉 Pagaris and Ganfred of St. Omer the first Founders they were much like tâ— Hospitallers in all things and like theâ— were poor at first but being afterwarâ— confirmed by the Pope at the intreatyâ— Stephen Patriarch of Jerusalem who eâ—joyned them to wear a White garmeâ— to which was afterwards added by â—â—genius the Third a Red Cross on the Breast they grew wonderful rich 〈◊〉 the Bounty of several Princely Patroâ— The latter were all Dutchmen well 〈◊〉 scended living at Jerusalem in a hoâ—â— which one of that Nation bequeathed his Countrymen that came thither 〈◊〉 Pilgrimage in the year 1190. their Orâ— was honoured with a Grand Mastâ— â—hereof the first was Henry A-walpot â—heir Habit being Black Crosses on White Robes It will certainly be very pleasant for â—he Reader to observe as he goes along â—ow this Kings Reign is strangely cheâ—uered with great variety of Fortune â—or first Roger Guardian to young Boeâ—und Prince of Antioch going forth to â—ght the Turks was conquered and kilâ—d But Baldwin on the 14th of August â—llowing compelled them to make a Reâ—tution of their Victory and with a â—hall Army gives them a great overâ—row And to moderate the Christians â—y for this Victory Joceline unadvisedâ—â— fights with Balack a petty King of â—â—e Turks and is beaten and taken Priâ—ner and the King attempting to rescue â—â—m was also taken himself However the Christians hands were â—t bound by the captivity of their King â—r Eustace Grenier who was chosen â—ice-Roy whilst the King was a Prisoâ—r stoutly defended the Country and â—oceline having made his escape out of â—ison fought Balack again at Hircapolis â—uted his Army killed him upon the â—lace with his own hands to crownall â—uarimund the Patriarch by the assistance 〈◊〉 the Venetian Fleet which were commanded by the Duke of Venice cook thâ— impregnable City of Tyre the Venetiaâ— were for this service to have a third pâ—â— of the City to themselves The Ciâ— was besides its own natural strength we stored with Men and Ammunition bâ—â— Famine increasing they consented 〈◊〉 yield upon honourable terms Not long after this the King returne home after having been eighteen month a Prisoner and
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
of them left they being rooted out and destroyed by Selemus the Turkish Emperour when he conquered Syria and Aegypt or as others say by the Tartarians Anno 1257. unless we may suppose them to be revived again in the Jesuits gracious Loyola having fetched his Platform of blind obedience from them Whilst the Turks Lorded it over Syria and the lesser Asia the Saracen Caliph commanded in Aegypt which was the Stage whereon most of the remarkable passages of King Almericks life were acted For Dargan and Sanar two great Saracen Lords belonging to the Caliph of Aegypt falling out about the Sultany or Viceroyship of the Land made way for the calling of him thither Sanar finding that he was too weak to contend with his Rival craved Aid of Noradine King of the Turks that then Reigned at Damascus who sent him an Army of Turks under the Command of Syracon an experienced Captain Notwithstanding which Dargan obtained the Victory but enjoyed it not long being shortly after slain by Treachery whereby Sanar got the Sultans place It the mean while the voluptuous Calipâ— carelesly pursued his private pleasures without concerning himself about their difference or regarding their introducing forreign Force to decide their Quarrel as though the tottering of his Kingdom had rocked him into a Lethargy out of which nothing would awake him Sanar having now obtained his desire by the death of Dargan liberally rewarded the Turks and desired them to return home but Syracon refused to be gone and having seized on the City of Belbis fortified it and there waited for the coming of more Turks for the Conquest of Aegypt which made Sanar implore the help of Almerick King of Jerusalem to drive them out of Aegypt which he effectually performed But whilst he was Victorious in Aegypt an unfortunate Battel was fought between Boemund the Third Prince of Antioch Reimund Prince of Tripoli Calamarâ— Governour of Cilicia and Joceline Counâ— of Edessa on one side and Noradine the Turkish King on the other wherein the Turk obtained the Victory and took those four Christian Princes Prisoners As for Syracon the Turk though he was forced to retire for the present out of Egypt by the Victorious Arms of Almerick yet he resolved not to part with it so wherefore he presently went to the Caliph of Babylon who was opposite to him of Egypt and accounted him an Usurper each of them claiming as sole Heir to Mahomet their false Prophet the Soveraignty over all the Saracens in the World and offered him that if he would furnish him with a good number of Souldiers he would extirpate this Schismatical Caliph and reduce all Egypt to the Obedience of the Babylonian which motion being joyfully embraced by the greedy and aspiring Fop Syracon once again invadeth Egypt with a great and powerful Army Whereupon Sanar who was greatly affrighted thereat made new and larger offers to King Almericus to come and stop this deluge of his Enemies promising him a Pension of Forty thousand Ducats yearly if he would lend him his Assistance But Almerick perceiving that the Sultan notwithstanding he took so much upon him was subject to a high Lord refused to make any Bargain with him but with the Caliph himself in order whereunto he sent Hugh Earl of â—sarea and a Knight Templar as his Eâ—bassadours to Caliph Elhadach who thâ— kept his Court at Cairo Who being aâ—rived at his Palace were conducted 〈◊〉 the Sultan through several dark passagâ— well guarded with armed Ethiopians aâ— then into divers spacious open Courts such beauty and riches that the Embasadours were amazed and even astonisâ—ed at the rarities they beheld And sâ—â— the farther they went the greater tâ— state appeared till at last they weâ— brought to the Caliphs own Lodingâ— where as soon as they entred the Prâ—sence-Chamber the Sultan prostraâ— himself three several times to tâ— ground before the Curtain behind whiâ— the magnificent Caliph was sitting aâ— thereupon the Traverse which was 〈◊〉 rich Silk wrought all over with Peaâ— of inestimable value was immediate drawn and the Caliph himself discoverâ— sitting with great Majesty on a Throâ— of massy Gold having only some fewâ— his most confiding Eunuchs about him The Caliph having discovered himselâ— and the Sultan humbly kissed his feet â— briefly related the cause of their cominâ— the eminent danger which then threaâ—ned them and the offers which he hâ— made to King Almerick which he intreated him now to ratifie and in demonstration thereof to give his hand to â—he Kings Embassadour The Calip'â— having heard what he had to say demurâ—ed a while upon the Ceremony of giâ—ing them his hand accounting such a geâ—ure beneath the greatness of his state â—nd would by no means consent to give â—em his bare hand but offered it them with his Glove on to which the resoâ—te Earl of Caesarea replied Sir truth â—eks no holes to hide it self in and Prinâ—es who intend to keep Covenant ought â— deal openly and nakedly give us thereâ—re your hand or we will make no barâ—in with your Glove He was loth to â—o it but necessity which was at that â—me a more imperious Caliph than himâ—lf commanding it he at last consented â—nd dismissed the Christian Embassadours â—ith such liberal Gifts as testified his â—reatness Almerick according to this Agreeâ—ent faithfully used his utmost endeaâ—our to expel Syracon with his Turks out â—f Egypt and in order thereunto he met â—hem in the Field and gave them Battel â—herein he got the day but lost all his â—aggage so that the Conquest was as it â—ere divided the Turks gaining the Wealth and the Christians the Honoâ— of the Victory But Almerick followiâ— his success pursued them to Alexandrâ— and pent them up and straitly besiegâ— them in that City and thereby forâ—â— them to accept of conditions of Peaâ— wherein they were obliged to depart 〈◊〉 of Egypt without performing what thâ— had promised and the Caliph of Baby expected and then returned himself wâ—â— honour to Askelon But when a Crown is the Prize playâ— for it is vain to expect fair play in 〈◊〉 Gamesters For King Almerick havâ— once beheld the Beauty and Richesâ— Egypt was so enamoured therewith tâ— he longed to obtain that Kingdom 〈◊〉 himself And the next year contrâ— to his Solemn League with the Calâ— invaded it with a great Army pretendâ— though falsly that the Caliph woâ— make a private Peace with Noraâ— King of the Turks Guilbert Master the Hospitallers was the chief Instrumâ— in stirring up the King to this treacâ—rous and unjust War hoping that 〈◊〉 Country of Perlusium if conquered shoâ— be given to their order But the Teâ—plars very much opposed the design 〈◊〉 of their Order being Embassador at 〈◊〉 ratifying the Agreement between 〈◊〉 King and Caliph and with much Zeal â—otested against it as undertaken against â—ath and Fidelity However the King would not be diâ—erted from his design but having made â—reat preparations for this War descendâ—d into Egypt where he was for a
while â—ccessful and won the City of Belbis or â—erlusium Notwithstanding which Auâ—ors from that time date the ill Success â—f the Holy War and shew us a whole â—loud of Miseries which immediately folâ—wed thereupon and no wonder for God â—ldom lets Perjury go long unpunished First Whilst Almerick was absent in Egypt Noradine won divers considerable â—laces about Antioch Secondly Meller Prince of Armenia â—ho was a Christian entred into a â—eague with Noradine and kept it inâ—iolable to the great disadvantage of the King of Jerusalem which act of Mellers must be condemned and yet the Justice of God ought to be admired in punishâ—ng the Christians thereby for their â—reach of Covenant with the Saracens â—n Egypt Thirdly The Saracens finding themselves faithlesly dealt with laid at on all sides began to learn War and grew good Souldiers on a sudden and although they formerly fought with Bows only yet noâ— they learned of the Christians to use aâ— offensive and defensive Weapons it beinâ— usual with rude Nations to better themâ— selves by fighting with a skilful Enemâ— And Fourthly Almericks hope of coâ—quering Egypt was wholly frustrated bâ—ing after some few Victories driveâ— out and the whole Kingdom conquere by Saladine Nephew to Syracon whâ— beat out the Caliphs brains when he prâ—tended to do him reverence and thereâ— changed the Government of Egypt froâ— the Saracen Caliph to a Turkifh King Aâ— shortly after upon the death of Noradiâ— the Kingdom of the Turks in Syria anâ— the lesser Asia was likewise bestoweâ— upon him whereby he became the moâ—potent Monarch in the World Whilst Jerusalem was left as a poâ— Weather-beaten Kingdom bleak anâ— open to the Storms of its Enemies oâ— every side lying as it were between thâ— Lions Teeth Damascus on the Northâ— and Egypt on the South two poteâ— Turkish Kingdoms united under a valianâ— and successful Prince which made Aâ—merick fend for Succours into Europâ— there being now but few Voluntieâ— flocking to this service and Souldieâ— were forced to be pressed with importâ—nity before they would consent to underâ—ake the Voyage But it being just with God that those who had betrayed the â—aracens whom they undertook to sucâ—our should want succour themselves â—hen they stood most in need of it his Embassadours were forced to return â—ithout any other supplies than pity and â—ommiseration And Lastly The King himself weaâ—ied with so many successive miseries â—nded his life of a Bloody Flux when he â—ad reigned about Eleven years leaving â—esides his two Children by his first Wife one Daughter named Isabel by Mary his second Wife Daughter to John Proto-Sebastus a Grecian Prince who was afterward married to Humphred the third Prince of Thorone CHAP. XVII Baldwin the Fourth succeedeth The Viciousness of the Patriarch of Jerusalem His Embassy to Henry the Second King of England The Original and Power of the Mammalukes Saladine conquered by Baldwin yet afterwards conquers Mesopotamia Baldwins death Baldwin his Son the fourth of that name succeeded his Father having had the benefit of an excellent Education under William Arch-Bishop of Tyre a very Pious Learned Man skilled in all the Oriental Tongues besides the Dutch and French his Native Languages Heraclius who was now Patriarch of Jerusalem being preferred to that Dignity for his handsomness by Queen Mary second Wife to King Almerick and Mother to Baldwin was a man of a debauched and vicious life keeping company with a Vintners Wife whom he maintained in great state like an Empress so that she was generally saluted by the name of Patriarches His ill Example infected the inferiour Clergy whose corrupt manners was a sad presage of the approaching Ruine of that Kingdom This Man was sent by King Baldwin as his Embassadour to Henry the Second King of England to crave his personal assistance in the Holy War and as an inducement thereunto to deliver him the Royal Standard of that Kingdom the Keys of our Saviours Sepulchre the Tower of David and the City of Jerusalem Henry was chosen out before any other Prince because the world justly esteemed him valiant wise rich and fortunate and which was the main that so he might thereby expiate his Murther and gather up again the innocent Blood that he had spilt in the death of Thomas Becket And that he might the more easily be drawn to undertake the Voyage the Patriarch intitled him to the Kingdom of Jerusalem because Geoffrey â—â—â—ntagenet his Father was Son to Fulco the Fourth King of Jerusalem But he was too wise a Prince to be so easily wheedled However he pretended he would go and got together a Mass of Money towards the defraying the Charge of his Voyage making every one as well the Clergy as the Laity pay that year the Tenth of all their Revenues both movables and immovables and when he bad filled his Purse all men expected he should perform his promise but he changed the Voyage into Palestine for a Journey into France The Patriarch while he stayed in England consecrated the Temple Church near St. Dunstans in the West and the House adjoyning belonging then to Knights Templars but since employed to a better use viz. the entertaining those Gentlemen who study and practise the English Laws In the minority of King Baldwin who was but thirteen years old Milo de Planci a Nobleman was Protector of the Kingdom whose Pride and Insolence could not be endured by the great men and therefore they got him to be stabb'd at Ptolemais and chose Raimund Count of Tripoli to suceeed him And Saladine having now seriously resolved upon the Ruine of the Kingdom of Jerusalem endeavoured to furnish himself with such Souldiers as might be most fit for that service in order whereunto he bought a great number of Slaves of the Circassians a People by the Lake of Meotis near Taurica Chersonesus who were brought up to be extream hardy and inured to War by their continual skirmishing with the neighbouring Tartars Those Slaves he trained up in Military Discipline after the Turkish manner They had most of them been Christians and were baptized in their Infancy but being taken from their Parents whilst young they were untaught Christ and instructed in the Mahometan Superstition whereby they became the more implacable Enemies to Christianity for having been once its friends They received from Saladine the name of Mammalukes and were so couragious and expert in War that his and his Successors greatness was not to be so much attributed to their own Conduct as to those Mammalukes Valour till at last perceiving their own strength they wrested the Soveraignty from the Turkish Kings and advanced one of their own number to the Regal Dignity Saladine having thus furnished himself with a new sort of Souldiers resolved to try their Valour upon the Christian and therefore invaded the Holy Land slaying and burning all before him till he came to Askelon where King Baldwin then was before which he sate down and closely besieged it And Count Raimund Protector 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
City were besieged themselves whilst they besieged Ptolemais It was at last proposed by Saladine that both sides should try their fortune in the field which was easily assented to by the Christians in hopes that they should thereby both obtain the victory and win the City which they concluded would not hold out long if Saladine were beaten But when they were going to ingage an imaginary fear suddenly seizing them they all turned their backs and fled So wavering are the Scales of Victory that sometimes the least mote will turn them In which confusion many would have thought themselves happy if they could have exchanged a strong Hand for a swift Foot But Geoffrey Lusignan Brother to King Guy who was left to guard the Camp seeing the Christians shamefully to run away marched out with his men to meet them and having convinced them of the causelessness of their fear and prevailed with them to return again they set upon the Turks with so much fierceness and rage that they quickly won the day though it cost them the loss of two thousand men and Gerard Master of the Templars After this victory it was vainly expected by the Christians that the City would presently be surrendred to them but the Turks still continued to defend it with much resolution though most of their houses were already burnt or beaten down and the whole City reduced to a perfect Sceleton of Walls and Towers They fought with their wits as well as with their weapons both sides employed themselves in devising strange hitherto unknown offensive defensive Engines So that Mars himself had he resided either in that Camp or City might have learnt to fight and have informed himself in feats of war from their practice But in the mean time famine raged exceedingly in the Christian Camp in regard they had no provision but what they were forced to send for as far as Italy At this time under the Walls of Ptolemais the Teutonick order of Dutch Knights who had hitherto lived as private pilgrims were honoured with a Grand Master their were dispensed with by the Bishop of Rome Most of his Forces he sent about by Spain but went himself and some few of his friends through France having his Pilgrims scrip and staff delivered him at Tours by the Arch-bishop and at Lyons he met with the other Royal pilgrim Philip the Second sirnamed Augustus King of France but parting again by consent they went several ways toward Syria King Richard in his passage through Italy went within fifteen Miles of Rome and yet never vouchsaf'd his Holiness a Visit but told Octavian Bishop of Ostia the Popes Confessor that having better objects before him he would not stir one step out of his way to see the Pope because he had lately extorted without all reason a great Sum of Money from the English Prelates And therefore passing forward at Messina in Sicily the two Kings meet again where likewise King Richard to his exceeding joy found his fleet safely arrived but having met with much difficulty and danger in their passage Richard learnt by his own experience what miseries and dangers Merchants and Mariners at Sea meet withal being always within a few inches and after within an hairs breadth of death which made him revoke the Law of Wracks which intitled the King of England to all Ship wrackt goods Tankred was at this time King of Sicily who being a Bastard born had usurped the Crown detained the Dowrie and imprisoned the person of Joan Wife to William the Late King of Sicily and Sister to K. Richard So that he was in a miserable plight at the arrival of those two mighty Monarchs and knew not what course to steer To keep them out was impossible and above his Power and to let them in was dangerous and might prove his ruin and therefore resolved how Justly or Prudently let the Reader judge to secure himself by creating a misunderstanding between those two Kings And therefore applying himself to the French King he insinuated several false Stories of the King of England permitting his Subjects likewise to do the English all the secret mischief they could for which Richard who was not ignorant of what passed between him and the French King demanded satisfaction which was denied him wherefore resolving to avenge himself he assaulted took Messina it self together with most of the chief Forts in the Island demanding satisfaction for all the wrongs done both to himself and Sister Whereupon Tankred though he was dull at first yet now being prickd with the Sword he freely bled many Thousand Ounces of Gold and finding that as the case stood hiâ— best Thrift was to be Prodigal he gave ouâ— King what conditions soever he demanded However the misunderstanding which he had procured between the two Royal Pilgrims daily increased and Richard slighting the French Kings Sister whom he had formerly promised to marry expressed more affection to Berengariâ— Daughter to the King of Navarr which vexed Philip to the Heart but some Princes interposing between them healed the breach for the present but the cause remaining the Malady quickly returned with worse symptoms then before King Philip thinking to be revenged on Richard by fore staling the Market of Honour and ingrossing all to himself posted many to Ptolemais whilst Richard followed after at his leisure taking Cyprus in his way where reigned Isaac Or as others call him Cursac who under Andronicus the Grecian Emperour when it was common for every Factious Nobleman to snatch a plank of that shipwrack'd and sinking Empire had seized on that Island and there Tyranniz'd as an absolute King but being so fool-hardy as to abuse our Royal Pilgrim at his Arrival there by killing divers of his Souldiers who landed in his Island and refusing to â—ermit the Sea-sick Lady Berengaria to â—ome on Shore he lost both himself and â—is new erected Kingdom at once For â—ing Richard easily conquered the whole â—land and honoured the insolent Grecian with the Magnificent Captivity of Silver Fetters Yet like a noble and generous Conquerour he set his Daughter at Liberty and gave her Princely Usage the Island â—he pawned to the Templars for ready Money and because Cyprus had been anciently accounted the Seat of Venus that it might prove so to him in the pleasant Month of May he there solemnized his Marriage with his Beloved Lady Berengaria Whilst Richard was thus detained in Cyprus the Siege of Ptolemais was carried on with abundance of fierceness and resolution by the French King who hoped to get the Renown of its Conquest before King Richards Arrival but found it so strenuously defended by the Turks within that all his strength was not sufficient to force those Walls which had now above 2 years withstood the Christians Batteries by reason of the length of the Siege the Turks and Christians were become well acquainted with each others Way of fighting so that what advantages happened to either side were meerly
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
the Miseries of the last Siege and fearing the same Tragedy would be acted over again set fire to the Houses and in the Night saved themselves by flight whereupon the French issued in and quenching the fire saved abundance of Treasure from the fury of the flames Which Loss so discouraged Meladine that to purchase Peace with the Christians he offered to restore them the whole Kingdom of Jerusalem in as ample a manner as ever it had been enjoyed by any of their Predecessors to release all Prisoners and disburse a great Sum of Money to defray the Charge of the War But such was their Pride and Folly that they refused to accept of it unless Alexandria the best Port in all Egypt were given them as an Over-plus the Pope's Legate and Robert Earl of Artois persuading them to grant Peace upon no other terms Wherefore the Turk seeing themselves in so desperate a condition their Extremity rendered their Sword the keener and made them provide with the greater resolution to defend their Country to the utmost About this time there arose a difference between the French and the English to the great prejudice of their Proceedings And Meladine King of Egypt died likewise the same Year and left his imbroiled Kingdom to Melcchsala his Son From Damiata the French marched up towards Cairo the Governor whereof being offended with the new King promised to deliver it into their hands And having passed an arm of the River Nilus Earl Robert marched forward with a third part of the Army and suddenly assaulted the Turks in their Tents whilst the King was absent and put them to flight which Victory so lifted him up with conceit that he adventured contrary to the advice of the Master of the Templers to set on the whole Turkish Power which lay incamped not far off without staying for the rest of the Army whereby he was utterly overthrown and as he was crossing the River in his flight found Water enough to drown him tho' not to wash away the stain of rashness and cowardize from his memory and our English Earl refusing to fly died fighting in the midst of his Enemies there escaping no more but four persons to carry News of this fatal overthrow to the rest of the Army It is easier for the Reader to conceive than for my Pen to express the general grief wherewith these doleful Tydings were received by the French among whom the Plague raged so furiously that it daily swept away Thousands And to increase their sorrow several sick persons whom the King had sent down the River to Damiata were set upon by the Egyptian King and having neither Hands to fight nor Legs to run were every one either burned or drowned except Alexander Gifford an English-man whose Name and Family still remains at Chellingworth in Stafford-shire who acquainted the French with what had happened They would now have been glad of those Terms which a little before they slighted but it was too late for the Turks now scorned to treat with them The French would have had the King provided for his own safety by flying back to Damiata But he refused and resolving to live or die overcome or perish with them marched forward to the fatal place where the last Battel was fought And whilst they were astonished at the sight of their mangled fellows the Egyptian King set upon them with an infinite number of men and put them all being but few in number and those very weak to the sword except Lewis and his two Brothers whom he took Prisoners The Turks having thus slain all the French Pilgrims instantly marched up with their Ensigns to Damiata hoping thereby to surprize it which if they had done King Lewis had been for ever lost But God disappointed them for they were easily discovered notwithstanding their disguise and forced to go away without their desire The News of this sorrowful Accident coming to Europe filled every one with grief and made Henry King of England who had made great preparation to undertake the Voyage to alter his mind and imploy his Money to a better use But to return to Egypt Melechsala did not long survive this Victory being slain soon after by Tanquemine a sturdy Mammaluke who succeeded him in the Egyptian Kingdom by whom King Lewis was released in exchange for Damiata being obliged besides the surrender of the City to pay many Thousand Pounds for the releasing of Christian Captives and to make satisfaction for the Damage done in Egypt for the securing whereof he was forced to pawn to the Turks the Pyx and Host whence it is that a Wafer-Cake and a Box is always wrote in the Borders of that Tapestry which we have brought us out of Egypt as a perpetual Memorial of that Victory But tho' Lewis was set at liberty yet he got not home till four years after CHAP. VIII The Mammalukes described The Death of Frederick The Conversion of the Tartars And the extinguishing the Caliphs of Babylon Charles made King of Sicily and Jerusalem King Lewis makes a second Voyage THose Mammalukes which had now seized on the Kingdom of Egypt were the Children of Christian-Parents which were by Saladine and his Successors taught the Mahometan Superstition and instructed in all Military Discipline at several Nurseries and being found by their Valour and Courage to be the chief support of the Turkish Kings were by them advanced to the chief places of profit and trust and thereby the better enabled to pull down their raisers Which was performed during the captivity of King Lewis by Tarquemine who slew Melechsala and thinking it unfit so great a Prince should go to the grave alone sent all his Children after him And was afterwards chosen by the rest of the Mammalukes King of Egypt whereupon he by their advice and consent made several Laws which were ever afterward observed by them as irrevokable The first whereof was That the Sultan or chief of the servile Empire should not succeed by Inheritance but be chosen out of the Mammalukes The second That none should be admitted into the Order of the Mammalukes that were born either of Turkish or Jewish Parents but only such as were born Christians The third was That tho' the Sons of Mammalukes should injoy their Fathers Lands and Wealth yet they should not take upon them the Name and Honour of a Mammaluke The fourth was That the Native Egyptians should be permitted the use of no other Weapons but such wherewith they were to fight against Weeds and Till and Manure their Land There were in this Government several things worthy admiration First That of Slaves they should act the King without playing the Tyrant Secondly That they should neglect their own Children when it is common for other men to idolize them and sacrifice all that they have to their welfare Thirdly That they should not fall out in the Election of their Kings in regard they were all equal among themselves Lastly That it should indure so
killed or which was worse forced them to forswear their Religion and then marching to Antioch took that likewise slaying twenty and carrying away an hundred thousand Christians tho' it is to be suspected that the number of the Captives were at first written in figures and in time increased some thousands by the addition of nothing after which he laid seige to Ptolemais it self Those woful tidings brought into Europe so wrought on the good disposition of King Lewis that he resolved upon a second Voyage to Palestine from which all the perswasions of his Nobles could no way divert him in which Voyage there went with him his two Sons Philip and Tristram Theobald King of Navarre his Son in law Guido Earl of Flanders and Prince Edward eldest Son of Henry King of England who was attended by his Brother Edmund Earl surnamed Crouchback not because he was crook-shouldered as was pretended by Henry Duke of Lancaster when he usurped King Richard's Throne but from his being a Croised Soldier in the Holy War Lewis being now on his way to Palestine it was concluded by the general consent of his Council That for securing the Christians passage to Syria they should first take the City of Carthage in Affrica or rather Tunis which being raised out of the Ruins of that famous City was now become a Nest of Pirates who had killed and taken captive many Pilgrims who were sailing that way to the Holy Land But no sooner was the Siege began than the Plague seized on the Christian Army whereof Thousands died and among the rest Tristram King Lewis's Son and he himself of a Flux soon followed after His loss was much lamented he being accounted the French Josia as well for the Piety of his Life as the Wofulness of his Death and his wilful ingaging himself in a needless and unfortunate War But notwithstanding this Mortality the Siege was continued and Tunis brought into such distress that they were glad to surrender the Town on these Conditions That it should pay yearly to Charles King of Sicily and Jerusalem the Sum of Forty Thousand Crowns That they should receive Christian Ministers freely to Exercise their Religion And that they should be at the whole charge of that Voyage Prince Edward would have had the Town beaten down and all the Inhabitants put to the Sword accounting the foulest Quarter too fair for such Villains and their Goods sacrificed as an Anathema to God and burnt to ashes because gotten by Robbery But seeing he could not prevail with others he resolved however to shew his own detestation by execrating his part of the Spoil and causing it to be burnt forbidding the English Soldiers to save any thing of it telling them that Coals stolen out of that Fire would sooner burn their Houses than warm their Hands It troubled not the conscience of other Princes however to inrich themselves therewith and glut themselves with the stolen Honey found in that Hive of Drones And not only so but terminated their Pilgrimage there too refusing to proceed any further therein Whereat Edward astonished struck his Hands on his Breast and swore That tho' they all forsook him yet he would enter Ptolemais if accompanied with Fowin his Horse-keeper only And accordingly he arrived safe there to the great comfort of the Christians who were in sore distress Whilst Theobald King of Navarre with the Queen and the Earl of Flanders died in their way home and most of the Spoil was cast away At his arrival at Ptolemis he found the Christians just losing their last stake Bondocdar having brought them to so low an ebb that they had resolved if some unexpected Succour reversed not their intentions within three days to resign it up But Edward's coming in the interim revived their hopes and made them take Courage both to desie their Enemies and their own thoughts of surrendring the City Having sufficiently victualed and manned Ptolemais he marched with Six or Seven Thousand Men to Nazareth which he took and slew those he found therein And being afterwards informed that the Turks were gathered together at Cakhow about Forty Miles from thence he marched thither and setting upon them early in the Morning slew a Thousand of them and put the rest to flight In which Battel as well as in several other Skirmishes he gave sufficient proof of his own personal Valour slaying many of the Infidels in single combat After this Victory he returned to Ptolemais where Elenor his Consort was delivered of a fair Daugher but the Joy occasioned thereby was soon turned into Sorrow by the apprehension of his being mortally wounded by one of the Assassines who resorting to him several times with Letters and Messages from the Admiral of Joppa who pretended a desire to turn Christian The first time of his coming as the Prince was lying on his Bed and reading the Letters he brought none being in the Room but them two he suddenly struck him into the Arm with an invenomed Knife and attempted to have fetched another blow but the Prince whose Valour was now awakened gave him such a blow with his Foot that he felled him to the ground and wresting the poysoned Knife out of his hand thrust it into the Murtherer's Belly and slew him yet so that he hurt himself therewith in the Fore-head It is storied that his Lady sucked out all the venom of his Wounds without prejudicing her self But however certain it is that by the help of Physick good Attendance and an Antidote the Master of the Templars gave him he shewed himself on Horse back safe and well within fifteen days after The Admiral hearing of his recovery solemnly disavowed his having any hand in the Treachery it being seldom known that any will own themselves the Parent of an unsucceeding Villany And having done as much and more than could have been expected from so small a number as he had with him he returned home full fraught with Honour And his Father King Henry being dead the English Nobility met him as far as the Alpes to attend him in his return home CHAP. IX Rodulphus the Emperour hindred from going into Palestine sends the Duke of Mechlenburg Charles King of Jerusalem prevented in his intended Voyage MUch talk there was now in Syria of the great preparations of Rodulphus who was after two and twenty years Interregnum chosen Emperour of Germany and though but a meer Earl of Haspurg yet being now advanced to the Emperial dignity layed the first foundation of the Anstrian Family but he was too much imployed at home by Civil Discords and reducing the Princes to obedience whose Knees were too stiff to do him Homage till he had rendered them more pliable by degrees to think of going into Syria But yet being somewhat unwilling to render their great expectations wholly frustrat he sent the Duke of Mechlenburgh with a good Army to assist the Christians who coming to Ptolemais made several succesful incursions into the Enemies Countries about
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