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
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
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
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
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
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
Christians Victories was someâ— what staid for Boemund Prince of Antiochâ— marching into Mesopotamia was takeâ— Prisoner and the Heroick Godfrey whâ— had till now been ever accustomed to Conquer was forced to depart with disgrace from the Siege of Antipatris CHAP. IX The Original of the Hospitallers The scuffling between the King and Patriarch of Jerusalem about the division of the City The Issue of the quarrel and thâ— Death of Godfrey the first King ABout this time under Serard theiâ— first Master began the Order oâ— Knights Hospitallers There was indeeâ— an Order called by that name more anciently in Jerusalem but they were nâ— Knights but poor Alms-men whose House was founded and themselveâ— maintained by the Merchants of Amuâ— phia a City in Italy But they had now more stately Buildings assigned them and their House dedicated to St. John oâ— Jerusalem the conditions upon which they were to be admitted to the Highest Order of this Knighthood were these they must be Eighteen years old at least of an able body not descended of Jewish or Turkish Parents no Bastards except to a Prince there being honour in that dishonour but born of honest and worshipful Parents they always wore a Red Belt with a White Cross and a Black Cloak whereon was the White Cross of Jerusalem which was a Cross crossed or five Crosses together in memory of our Saviours five Wounds Their Profession was to fight against Infidels and secure Pilgrims in their coming to the Sepulchre they vowed Poverty Chastity and Obedience to which was added by Reimundus de Podio their second Master that they must receive the Sacrament thrice a year hear Mass once a day be no Merchants or Usurers fight no private Duels and always stand neuters and take part with neither side if the Princes of Europe should fall out At their Inauguration they received a Sword to intimate that they must be valiant which Sword had a Cross Hilt to remember them that they must therewith defend Religion 2ly With this Sword they were struck three times over the shoulders to teach them patiently to suffer for Christ Thirdly They must wipe the Sword to intimate that their lives must be clean and undefiled Fourthly They had gilt Spurs put upon them to intimate that they must scorn Wealth and spurn it at their heels Fifthly They were to take a Taper in their hands to intimate that they were to enlighten others by their exemplary lives About the same time also were ordained the Knights of the Sepulchre who were for their Original and Profession much like the former and their Order continueth to this day they being made by the Padre Guardian of Jerusalem of such as have seen the Sepulchre and should be all Gentlemen but the Padre frequently dispenses with the severity of that Law and admits of those who bring fat enough though no blood Now also there arose a great Controversie between the King and the Patriarch the latter claiming the Cities of Jerusalem and Joppa with all their dependances as belonging of right to him and the other denying to deliver them The Patriarch affirmed they had always belonged to his Predecessors and that it did not become Princes who ought to be Nursing Fathers to the Church sacrilegiously to suck from and devour it On the other side the King alledged that the Christian Princes had now purchased Jerusalem with their Blood and bestowed it on him so that the Patriarchs over-grown Title was lost in that Conquest from which as upon a new Foundation all must now build their claims who challenge a right to any part in that City Besides which it would be unreasonable for the King of Jerusalem to enjoy nothing in Jerusalem but live there more like a Sojourner than a Prince in his Royal Palace and be confined only to an airy Title whilst the Patriarch should enjoy all the Command To this the Patriarch answered That the Christians new Conquest could not cancel his Ancient Right which he said was enjoyed even under the Saracens especially since that Voyage was purposely undertaken for the advancing of the Church and not the bare restoring her to her Liberty only which Argument he pressed so home that Godfrey notwithstanding he was unwilling at first yet afterwards not only granted him on Candlemas day a fourth part of the City but on the Easter following the King lying then on his Death-bed gave him all Jerusalem Joppa and whatsoever else he desired upon condition that he should hold it of the Patriarch till he should Conquer Babylon or some other Royal City to keep his Court in And that iâ— in the mean time he should have died without Issue it should immediately bâ—delivered into the Patriarchs Possession Not long after Godfrey had made this liberal Grant wherein he frankly gave away his whole Kingdom at once he died having Reigned one year wanting five days and was buried in the Temple of the Sepulchre where his Tomb remains inviolated to this day CHAP. X. Baldwin chosen King he keepeth Jerusalem in despite of the Patriarch GOdfrey being dead the Christians with an unanimous consent made choice of Baldâ—in who was â—â—ount of Edessa a City in Arabia and Brother to Godfrey to succeed him a Prince who was tall and of a comely Personage being like Saul higher by the head than any of his Subjects and being thus chosen to the Kingdom without troubling his head about his Brothers Religious scruple of wearing a Crown of Gold where Christ wore one of Thorns he accepted the Ceremony as well as the Title and was Crowned on the Christmas day following But before his Coronation there was a desperate Quarrel between him and the Patriarch who upon the death of Godfrey devoured Jerusalem and the Tower of David in his hope but coming to take possession found that a more difficult task than it was to obtain the grant from the dying King For Garnier Earl of Gretz refused to surrender it telling him that he would according to his duty keep it on the behalf of King Baldwin who was not yet arrived from Edessa This unexpected refusal made the Patriarch storm exceedingly but however Baldwin having the stronger Sword and actual possession of the City kept it perforce which made the Patriarch complain to Boemund Prince of Antioch and stir him up to take Arms against King Baldwin for the recovery of the Churches Right as he was pleased to term it But not succeeding therein the difference was made up for the present by the mediation of friends although it was not long before it brake out again to that degree that the Patriarch was glad to flee to Antioch and from thence to Rome to complain to the Pope from whom hâ— obtained a command to King Baldwin foâ— the re establishing him in the Patriarchaâ— Seat with which as he was returning home he died at Messena in Ciciliaâ— whereupon Bremarus an holy and devouâ— man was against his own will advanceâ— by King Baldwin to the Chair
But being disliked by the Pope because the King chose him he was soon deposed and Gibellinus the Popes Legate chosen in his stead who being thought by Arnulphus who had been chosen Patriarch aâ— the first taking of Jerusalem and was thrust out again to go to slowly to his Grave he was suspected to have hastened his death upon which he was substituted in his room by the especial favour of King Baldwin CHAP. XI A mighty Army of new Adventurers after many hardships and difficulty effect nothing Alexius his Treachery THE spreading Fame of the Christians great Success in Palestine summoned a new supply of Pilgrims out of Christendom Germany and other places which had been sparing at the first Voyage â—ut resolved now to make amends with â—ouble liberality The chief Adventurers â—ere Guelpho Duke of Bavaria Hugh Broâ—er to the French King and Stephen Earl â—f Bloys both which had very much sufâ—ered in their Reputation for having deâ—erted their fellows in the first Expediâ—on and therefore sought to regain their â—ost Honour by this second Adventure The Duke of Aquitain the Earl of Burundy and the Couar of Bogen with maâ—y more grear Men and Prelates leadâ—ng with them an Army of 250000 Men. All Europe was now big with expectaâ—ion to see what so great an Army would atchieve it being common for most men to measure Victories by the â—ultitudes of the Souldiers But in this â—ase it signified little for they did noâ—hing worthy admiration unless it were â—hat they went so far to do just nothing â—heir sufferings being far more famous â—han their doings being so consumed by Plague Famine and Sword that scarce one thousand of them ever reached Paâ—estine and those fitter to be sent to Hosâ—itals than to march into the Field But the chief cause why this Voyage miscarried so miserably was the Treathery of Alexius who perplexing himself with a groundless and ridiculous fear lest between the Latines in the East who were come thither upon pretence of conquering Palestine and those in the West his Graecian Empire lying in the midst should be ground to powder as betweeâ— two Milstones did them all the private mischief he could possibly procure whilst he publickly pretended to havâ— the greatest kindness for them imaginâ—able calling the chief Captains of theiâ— Army his Sons and thereby verifying the Proverb The more courtesie the morcraft But in private he would say to his friends that he took as great a pleaâ— sure to see those European Pilgrims iâ— Battel with the Turk as he would do to see two Mastiff Dogs sighting togetherâ— hoping that which side soever lost hâ— himself should be a gainer Wherefore he so ordered the matter that they haâ—â— no sooner passed Graecia and crossed thâ— Bosphorus but they were for thirty dayâ— together exposed as a mark to the Turkisâ— Arrows and cut off by their cowardly Enemies whilst they were pent up in the straits of unknown passages But in the mean time King Baldwiâ— imployed himself with better success iâ— Palestine For by the assistance of thâ— Genoan Fleet who were for their painâ— to have a third part of the spoil and a Street in every place that was taken he â—on several very considerable Havens â—ong the midland Sea there being beâ—re this but one only part for the Chriâ—ians to land at viz. Joppa He began with Antipatris to redeem the Christian â—onour which was morgaged there when Godfrey was forced to rise from before it But the Turks having gotten â—ogether a good Army gave him Battel â—t Rhamula where he gave them a very â—reat overthrow The Joy of which Victory continued â—ot long for the Turks being recruited â—nd resolving upon revenge set upon him â—gain in the same place and after a reâ—olute fight obtained the Victory it being â—he first great overthrow the Christians â—ad ever received in Palestine whereâ—n besides many others the Earls of Bloys and Burgundy lost their lives and the King himself was reported to be slain This Victory so entoxicated the Turks with Joy that they gave themselves to â—mirth and jollity without the least susâ—icion of a Reincounter which Baldwin â—eing informed of by his Spies returned suddenly upon them with fresh Souldiers â—nd with the back-blow of an unlook'd for Enemy which is commonly the most fatal bravely wrested the Victory out of the Infidels hands Nor were the rest of the Christian Princes idle but endeavoured likewise the inlarging of the Christian Dominions Tancred Prince of Galilee possessing him self of Apamea and Laodicea two Citieâ— in Coelosyria which were both built bâ— Antiochus Nor was it long before Ptolemais fell likewise into the Christian hands a City on the Mediterranean Sea which took its name from Ptolemeus Philometor King of Egypt The Genoan Gallies being ten in number doing the greatest service in the taking of it and therefore as a reward had granted them large profits from the Harbour a Church to themselves and Jurisdiction over the fourth part of the City which came aâ— last to be the very Seat of the Holy Warâ— there being in it a continual fighting against the Turks for an hundred and eighty years together But whilst the Arms of the Christians prospered so well in some places they were unsuccessful in others for Baldwâ—â— Count of Edossa and Earl Joceline besieging Charran in Mesopotamia had broughâ— it into such straits that it was ready to bâ— delivered to them when the Christian Captains falling out among themselves were set upon and defeated by the Pagans and the two Earls with diver others taken Prisoners However to mitigate the sorrow for this misfortune Byblus which was a very good Haven and built by Heveus the Sixth Son of Canaan was taken by King Baldwin and shortly after Tripoli was likewise conquered by his Victorious Arms who created one Bertram a Nobleman that had behaved himself well in the Siege Earl of Tripoli it being accounted a Title of great Honour in regard Tripoli was ever reckoned one of the four Tetrarchies of the Kingdom of Jerusalem And to revenge the many injuries they had received from treacherous Alexius Boemund Prince of Antioch with a great Navy spoiled the Havens of Graecia every one abhorring his unfaithful practice were willing to list themselves as Volunteers for this Service But an Agreement was soon made between them Sidon the most ancient and famous City of Phoenicia was by the help of the Danish and Norway Fleet added likewise to the Kingdom of Jerusalem flushed with which Conquest and the series of success that had for a long â—â—me attended them they next set down before Tyre a City which Sea and Land Nature and Art had combined together to make strong and impregnable it being incompassed by the Sea all but a narrow neâ— of Land that tacks it to the Coâ—nent which was fortified with mâ— Walls and Towers so that it was hâ— to determine whether the strength ofâ— City or the Wealth of its Inhabitaâ— was greatest But not being able
it was convenient to send an Army not so much to Conquer it as to receive it Henry Duke of Saxony was chosen General of the Pilgrims who was acompanied by Frederick Duke of Austria Hermand Landgrave of Thuringia Henry Palatine of the Rhine the Arch-bishops of Ments and Wittenburgh the Bishops of Bream and Halberstadt and Regenspurg and divers other Prelates so that it was an Episcopal Army and one might there have truly seen the Church Militant In their passage through Greece they found better usage then some of their Predecessors and being conveyed from thence by Shiping into Syria they presently brake the Truce made with the Turks by the King of England being impowered so to do by a Dispensation from the Pope who looked upon a peace Solemnly made the Usurper and free his Father from his Miserable Captivity The Soldiers were well enough pleased with the exchange of service for they knew well enough that in Palestine there was nothing to be got but Honour and here they hoped to get both Honour and Spoil Wherefore setting saile from Jadera they went directly to Constantinople and after some few hot skirmishes easily took the City whereupon Alexius the Usurper with his Wife Whores and Treasure being fled away blind Isaac and his son Alexius were saluted Joynt Emperors which brittle Honour was quickly broken for the Old Emperor being now brought out of a close pent Dungeon into the open Air died soon after and his Son was thereupon Villainously strangled by Alexius Ducas a man of base Parentage who was in a tumultuous manner chosen Emperor by the People but growing proud upon his being thus advanced to the Imperial Throne he gave some affronts to the Latins who still lay in their Ships before Constantinople whereupon they assaulted the City again the Second time and taking it by main force plundered all the inhabitants Ravishing the Women and using a Thousand Insolencies wherein the very Sanctuaries needed Sanctuaries to defend them from the violence of the inraged Soldiers And the Latines having thus Possessed themselves of Constantinople within twelve Months conquered all the Grecian Empire except Adrinople and divided it among themselves Making Baldwine Earl of Flanders Emperor of Grecia Boniface Marquiss of Montferrat King of Thessaly and Geoffrey a French Noble man Prince of Achaia and Duke of Athens And the Venetians got many rich Islands in the Egean and Ionian Seas And Thomas Maucrocenus was Elected the first Latine Patriarch of Constantinople CHAP. III. The Holy War turned upon the Albigenses THe Pope having lately diverted the Holy War and turned it upon the Grecian liked the Success of it so well that he afterwards made a common Trade of it for having about two years after procured the Levying a great Army for the Holy War he sent them against the Albingenses in France Who being accounted Hereticks by his Holiness he resolved to destroy them without Mercy That pretended Shepherd of the Church knowing no other way to bring home wandring Sheep then by worrying them to Death for the promoting which Pious Work he promised all those who would undertake it the same Pardon and Indulgences as to them that went to Conquer the Holy-Land And the better to perswade People to undertake it he only requests their Aid for forty days hoping to have eaten up those despised Hereticks at a mouthful Tho' therein he found himself mistaken for they found him and his Successor work enough for fifty years together However in regard the Seat of the War was nearer the Service shorter and the Wages the same with the Voyage into Palestine many entred themselves for this imploy neglected the other The chief whereof were the Duke of Burgundy the Earls of Nevers St. Paul Auxierne Geneva Poictiers and Montfort And of Church-Men Milo the Popes Legate the Arch-Bishops of Sens and Roven the Bishop of Clearmort Nevers Charters Baguex and many more every Bishop with the Pilgrims of his own Jurisdiction Their work was to destroy the Albingenses which were in great numbers in Daulphine Province and other parts of France and to Root out all their Friends and Favourers or suspected to be so Pope Innocent the Third having gathered together an Army of an hundred thousand Pilgrims Sackt the Cities of Besiers and Carcassone destroying many Papists among the Albingenses and cutting the Priests themselves in pieces even in their Priestly Ornaments After which Simon Earl of Monfort was made General of the Pilgrims who had been hitherto Commanded by Milo the Popes Legate which made the Earls of Fayl Tholouse and Cammurge with the Prince of Berne who were the Patrons of the Albingenses to shelter themselves under Peter King of Aragon whose Homagers they were One great Inconvenience ever attended that Army of Pilgrims for so soon as ever their forty days were expired in regard it was the full time set them by the Pope to merit Paradise in they would not stay a Night longer least peradventure having purchased Heaven they might by continuing longer in the Service be put into the Possession of it sooner then they were willing which being observed by the King of Aragon and that between the going out of the Old and the coming in of the New store of Pilgrims there was usually a very low ebb and their Army was almost dwindled to nothing he took the Earl of Monfort at the advantage before he was re-inforced with new Pilgrims and gave him Battel when he had not above two thousand two hundred Men left himself having an Army of thirty thousand Foot and seven thousand Horse which made him so over-Confident of Victory that out of Pride and Vanity he exposed his Person so openly at the Head of the Army that he did as it were invite his Enemies Arrows to hit so fair a Mark by which he was so mortally Wounded that he fell from his Horse and with his Body sunk the Hearts of his Soldiers who all presently run away Simon pursuing them to the very Gates of Thoulose and killing many thousands of them Yet in a few years the Face of this War was Changed for young Reimund Earl of Thoulose exceeding his Father both in Valour and Success re-gained in a few Months what Simon and his Pilgrims had been many years in Conquering And at last Simon as he laid Siege to Tholose had his Head shot off from his Body by a stone which a Woman let fly out of an Engine from the City wall In whose Death the raging storm of open War against those Albingenses ended In the prosecution whereof Three Hundred Thousand Craised Pilgrims had within the compass of fifteen years lost their lives so that there was not a City or Village in France but what had in it some Widows or Orphans to curse the Promoters of this Expedition but tho' the great storm was over yet many great drops feil upon them afterwards the Pope being still stiring up one or other to molest them CHAP. IV. King Almerick