the Passeover when in a manner all Judea was inclosed in Jerusalem all private synagogues doing then their duties to the mother-temple so that the citie then had more guests then inhabitants Thus the Passeover first instituted by God in mercie to save the Israelites from death was now used by him in justice to hasten their destruction and to gather the nation into a bundle to be cast into the fire of his anger Besides those who were slain ninetie seven thousand were taken captives and they who had bought our Saviour for thirty pence were themselves sold thirty for a penie The Generall of the Romanes in this action was Titus sonne to Vespasian the Emperour A prince so good that he was styled the Darling of mankind for his sweet and loving nature and pitie it was so good a stock had not been better grafted so vertuously disposed that he may justly be counted the glory of all Pagans and shame of most Christians He laboured what lay in his power to have saved the temple and many therein but the Jews by their obstinacie and desperatenesse made themselves uncapable of any mercy Then was the temple it self made a sacrifice and burnt to ashes and of that stately structure which drew the Apostles admiration not a stone left upon a stone The walls of the citie more shaken with the sinnes of the Jews defending them then with the battering rammes of the Romanes assaulting them were levelled to the ground onely three towres left standing to witnesse the great strength of the place and greater valour of the Romanes who conquered it But whilest this storm fell on the unbeleeving Jews it was calm amongst the Christians who warned by Christs predictions and many other prodigies fled betimes out of the citie to Pella a private place beyond Jordan which served them in stead of a little Zoar to save them from the imminent destruction Chap. 2. How Iudea was dispeopled of Iews by Adrian the Emperour THreescore yeares after Adrian the Emperour rebuilt the citie of Jerusalem changing the situation somewhat westward and the name thereof to Aelia To despite the Christians he built a temple over our Saviours grave with the images of Jupiter and Venus another at Bethlehem to Adonis her minion and to enrage the Jews did engrave swine over the gates of the citie Who storming at the profanation of their land brake into open rebellion but were subdued by Julius Severus the Emperours lieutenant an experienced captain and many thousands slain with Bencochab their counterfeit Messias for so he termed himself that is the fonne of a starre usurping that prophesie Out of Iacob shall a starre arise though he proved but a fading comet whose blazing portended the ruine of that nation The captives by order from Adrian were transported into Spain the countrey laid waste which parted with her people and fruitfulnesse both together Indeed pilgrimes to this day here and there light on parcels of rich ground in Palestine which God may seem to have left that men may tast the former sweetnesse of the land before it was sowred for the peoples sinnes and that they may guesse the goodnesse of the cloth by the finenesse of the shreds But it is barren for the generality the streams of milk and hony wherewith once it flowed are now drained dry and the whole face of the land looketh sad not so much for want of dressing as because God hath frowned on it Yet great was the oversight of Adrian thus totally to unpeople a province and to bequeath it to foxes and leopards Though his memory was excellent yet here he forgot the old Romanes rule who to prevent desolations where they rooted out the natives planted in colonies of their own people And surely the countrey recovered not a competencie of inhabitants for some hundred yeares after For though many pilgrimes came thither in after-ages yet they came rather to visit then to dwell and such as remained there most embracing single lives were no breeders for posterity If any say that Adrian did wilfully neglect this land and prostitute it to ruine for the rebellion of the people yet all account it small policie in him in punishing the Jews to hurt his own empire and by this vastation to leave fair and clear footing for forrein enemies to fasten on this countrey and from thence to invade the neighbouring dominions as after the Persians and Saracens easily overran and dispeopled Palestine and no wonder if a thin medow were quickly mown But to return to the Jews Such stragglers of them not considerable in number as escaped this banishment into Spain for few hands reap so clean as to leave no gleanings were forbidden to enter into Jerusalem or so much as to behold it from any rise or advantage of ground Yet they obtained of the after-Emperours once a yeare namely on the tenth of August whereon their citie was taken to go in and bewail the destruction of their temple and people bargaining with the souldiers who waited on them to give so much for so long abiding there and if they exceeded the time they conditioned for they must stretch their purses to a higher rate So that as S. Hierome noteth they who bought Christs bloud were then glad to buy their own tears Chap. 3. Of the present wofull condition of the Iews and of the small hope and great hindrances of their conversion THus the main bodie of the Jews was brought into Spain and yet they stretched their out-limbes into every countrey so that it was as hard to find a populous citie without a common sink as without a company of Jews They grew fat on the barest pasture by usurie and brokage though often squeezed by those Christians amongst whom they lived counting them dogs and therefore easily finding a stick to beat them And alwayes in any tumult when the fense of order was broken the Jews lay next harms as at the coronation of Richard the first when the English made great feasts but the pillaged Jews paid the shot At last for their many villanies as falsifying of coin poysoning of springs crucifying of Christian children they were slain in some places and finally banished out of others Out of England anno 1291 by Edward the first France 1307 by Philip the Fair Spain 1492 by Ferdinand Portugall 1497 by Emmanuel But had these two latter kings banished all Jewish bloud out of their countreys they must have emptied the veins of their best subjects as descended from them Still they are found in great numbers in Turkie chiefly in Salonichi where they enjoy the freest slavery and they who in our Saviours time so scorned Publicanes are now most imployed in that office to be the Turks toll-gatherers Likewise in the Popish parts of Germanie in Poland the Pantheon of all religions and Amsterdam may be forfeited to the king of Spain when she cannot shew a pattern of this as of all other
because jointly built by the Tyrians Sidonians and Aradites And Berytus since Barutus accompanied her neighbour and both of them were yeelded unto the Christians The King created one Bertram a well-deserving Noble-man Earl of Tripoli who did homage to the King for his place which was accounted a title of great honour as being one of the foure Tetrarchies of the kingdome of Jerusalem Chap. 12. The description of Sidon and Tyre the one taken the other besieged in vain by Baldwine SIdon is the most ancient citie of Phenicia And though the proud Grecians counted all Barbarians besides themselves yet Phenicia was the schoolmistresse of Grecia and first taught her her alphabet For Cadmus a Phenician born first invented and brought letters to Thebes Sidon had her name from the eldest sonne of Canaan and was famous for the finest crystall-glasses which here were made The glassie sand was fetched 40 miles off from the river Belus but it could not be made fusile till it was brought hither whether for want of tools or from some secret sullen humour therein we will not dispute This citie anciently was of great renown but her fortune being as brittle as her glasses she was fain to find neck for every one of the Monarchs yokes and now at last by the assistance of the Danish and Norvegian fleet was subdued by the Christians Fleshed with this conquest they next besieged Tyre Sea and land nature and art consented together to make this city strong for it was seated in an island save that it was tacked to the continent with a small neck of land which was fortified with many walls and towres It is questionable whether the strength or wealth of this city was greater but out of question that the pride was greater then either Here the best purples were died a colour even from the beginning destined to Courts and Magistracie and here the richest clothes were imbroidered and curiously wrought And though generally those who are best with their fingers are worst with their arms yet the Tyrians were also stout men able mariners and the planters of the noblest colonies in the world As their city was the daughter of Zidon so was it mother to Romes rivall Carthage Leptis Utica Cadiz and Nola. The most plentifull proof they gave of their valour was when for three yeares they defended themselves against Nebuchadnezzar and afterwards stopped the full career of Alexanders conquests so that his victorious army which did flie into other countreys was glad to creep into this citie Yet after seven moneths siege such is the omnipotency of industry he forced it and stripped this lady of the sea naked beyond modesty and mercy putting all therein to the sword that resisted and hanged up 2000 of the prime citizens in a rank along the sea-shore Yet afterwards Tyre out-grew these her miseries and attained though not to her first giant-like yet to a competent proportion of greatnesse At this time wherein King Baldwine besieged it it was of great strength and importance insomuch that finding it a weight too heavy for his shoulders he was fain to break off his siege and depart With worse successe he afterwards did rashly give battel to the vast army of the Persian Generall wherein he lost many men all his baggage and escaped himself with great difficulty Chap. 13. The pleasurable voyages of King Baldwine and his death AFter the tempest of a long warre a calm came at last and King Baldwine had a five yeares vacation of peace in his old age In which time he disported himself with many voyages for pleasure as one to the Red-sea not so called from the rednesse of the water or sand as some without any colour have conceited but from the neighbouring Edomites whom the Grecians called Erythreans or red men truly translating the Hebrew name of Edomites they had their name of rednesse from their father Edom. And here Baldwine surveyed the countrey with the nature and strength thereof Another journey he took afterwards into Egypt as conceiving himself ingaged in honour to make one inrode into that countrey in part of paiment of those many excursions the Egyptians had made into his Kingdome He took the city of Pharamia anciently called Rameses and gave the spoil thereof to his souldiers This work being done he began his play and entertained the time with viewing that riddle of Nature the river of Nilus whose stream is the confluence of so many wonders first for its undiscovered fountain though some late Geographers because they would be held more intelligent then others have found the head of Nilus in their own brains and make it to flow from a fountain they fansie in the mountains of the moon in the south of Africa then for the strange creatures bred therein as river-bulls horses and crocodiles But the chiefest wonder is the yearly increasing thereof from the 17. of June to the midst of September overflowing all Egypt and the banks of all humane judgement to give the true reason thereof Much time Baldwine spent in beholding this river wherein he took many fishes and his death in eating them for a new surfet revived the grief of an old wound which he many yeares before received at the siege of Ptolemais His sicknesse put him in mind of his sinnes conscience speaking loudest when men begin to grow speechlesse And especially he grieved that having another wife alive he had married the Countesse of Sicilie the relict of Earl Roger But now heartily sorrowfull for his fault he sent away this his last wife yet we reade not that he received his former again Other faults he would have amended but was prevented by death And no doubt where the deed could not be present the desire was a sufficient proxy He died at Latis a city in the road from Egypt and was brought to Jerusalem and buried on Palm-sunday in the temple of the Sepulchre in the 18. yeare of his reigne A Prince superiour to his brother Godfrey in learning equall in valour inferiour in judgement rash precipitate greedy of honour but swallowing more then he could digest and undertaking what he was not able to perform little-affected to the Clergie or rather to their temporall greatnesse especially when it came in competition with his own much given to women besides the three wives he had first marrying Gutrera an English-woman after her death Tafror an Armenian Lady and whilest she yet survived the Countesse of Sicilie yet he had no child God commonly punishing wantonnesse with barrennesse For the rest we referre the reader to the dull Epitaph written on his tombe which like the verses of that age runneth in a kind of rhythme though it can scarce stand on true feet Rex Baldwinus Iudas alter Maccabaeus Spes patriae vigor Ecclesiae virtus utriusque Quem formidabant cui dona tributa ferebant Cedar Aegypti Dan ac homicida Damascus Proh dolor
chastitie And as if the ground here were stained with perfidiousnesse here Simeon and Levi killed the Sichemites Joseph was sold by his brethren Abimelech usurped the government the ten tribes revolted from Rehoboam 4. Mount Ephraim a ridge of hills crossing this countrey 5. Gerizzim and Ebal two mountains the blessings were pronounced on the one and the curses on the other Chap. 21. Iudea surveyed JUdea comprised the tribes of Benjamin Dan Simeon and Judah Benjamin flourished with Gilgal where Joshua circumcised the Israelites They hitherto had been fellow-commoners with the Angels feeding on manna which here ceased God withdrawing miracles where he afforded means 2. Gibeon whose inhabitants cozened Joshua with a passe of false-dated antiquitie Who would have thought that clouted shoes could have covered so much subtilty Here Joshua sent his mandate to the sunne to stand still and to wait on him whilest he conquered his enemies 3. Nob where Doeg more cruel then the Kings cattel he kept slew eighty five Priests as innocent as their ephods were white 4. Jericho whose walls were battered down with the sound of rammes horns 5. Bethel where God appeared to Jacob. 6. Ai where the Israelites were slain for the sacriledge of Achan Dan had these memorables 1. Joppa a safe harbour where Jonah fled from Gods service 2. Ashdod or Azotus where Dagon did twice homage to the Ark not onely falling bare but putting off his head and hands 3. Gath a seminary of giants where Goliath was born 4. Ekron where Beelzebub the God of flies had a nest or temple 5. Timnath where Judah committed incest with Tamar but betrayed himself by his own tokens and beat himself with his own staff Hence Samson fetcht his wife whose epithalamium proved the dirge to so many Philistines 6. Modin where the Maccabees were buried 7. Sorek the chief if not onely rivulet of this tribe Entring on the south-coasts of Simeon we light on Askelon where Herod was born 2. Gaza chief of the five Satrapies of the Philistines the gates whereof Samson carried away and hither being sent for to make sport in the house of Dagon acted such a tragedie that plucked down the stage slew himself and all the spectatours 3. More inland Ziklag assigned by Achish to David 4. Beersheba and Gerar where Abraham and Isaac lived most constantly neare unto the brook of Besor The tribe of Judah was the greatest of all so that Simeon and Dan did feed on the reversion thereof and received those cities which originally belonged to this royall tribe Memorable herein were 1. Hebron the land whereof was given to Caleb because he and Joshua consented not to the false verdict which the jurie of spies brought in against the land of Canaan 2. Nigh in the cave of Machpelah the Patriarchs were buried whose bodies took livery and seasin in behalf of their posteritie which were to possesse the whole land 3. Kirjath-sepher or Debir an ancient Universitie of the Canaanites for though Parnassus was onely in Greece yet the Muses were not confined to that countrey 4. Tekoa where Amos was born fetcht from the herdsmen to feed Gods sheep and to dresse his vine from gathering wild-figs 5. Zoar Lots refuge neare to which his wife for one farewell-glance at Sodome was turned into a pillar of salt to season us to measure a sinne by the infinitenesse of God who forbiddeth it Adjoyning is Lots cave where he affecting solitarinesse had too much company of his own daughters 6. Carmel where Nabal lived as rich as foolish but those grains of wisdome which were wanting in him were found over-weight in his wife Here Uzziah pastured his cattel a King yet delighted in husbandry as thrift is the fewel of magnificence 7. Bethlehem where our Saviour was born 8. Jerusalem whereof afterwards Chap. 22. Of Trachonitis WE want one adequate word of a countrey to expresse the tribes of Reuben Gad and half-Manasses beyond Jordan Trachonitis cometh the nearest so called because it riseth up in sharp hills which are known to Ptolemie by the name of Hippus to Strabo of Trachones but in Scripture of mount Hermon or Gilead Reuben though disinherited of the birth-right had this honour of an elder brother that he was first provided for His chief places Heshbon and Medeba and Macherus the strongest in-land citie in that part of the world Mount Abarim a chain of hills the highest whereof was Nebo the top-cliff of Nebo Pisgah whence Moses viewed the land hereabouts the Angel buried him and also buried his grave lest it should occasion idolatry The river Arnon parteth this tribe from Moab In Gad we find Peniel where Jacob wrestled with God lost a sinew but got a blessing Jabesh-gilead where Saul was buried Ramoth-gilead where Ahab was slain Rogelim the mannour of Barzillai superannuated to be a courtier Mahanaim where the Angels appeared to Jacob The forrest of Ephraim where that execution was done by Jephthah on the Ephraimites for not pronouncing that heavie aspiration in Shibboleth The river Jabbok In Manasses Edrei the citie of Og on whose giant-like proportion the Rabbines have more giant-like lies Gadara whose inhabitants loved their swine better then their Saviour They that desire to be further informed of Canaan let them spare pains to strike fire and light their candle at Sir Walter Raleghs torch Chap. 23. The description of the citie of Ierusalem the observables within and about her JErusalem by the often change of her fortunes hath somewhat altered her situation having hitched her self more north-west-ward For the mountain of Calvarie which formerly she shut out of her gates as the infamous place of execution she now embraceth within her walls as her most venerable monument On the south of Jerusalem once part of her now excluded lieth mount Sion famous anciently for the palace of David On the east mount Olivet parted with the vale of Jehoshaphat which some will have shall be the hall for the great Assizes of the world at the day of judgement whilest others more modestly conceive that the place as well as the time is concealed On the west the hill of Gihon And on the north it is indifferent plain The monuments which are still extant to be seen without or within the citie are reduceable to one of these three ranks 1. Certainly true as the mountains compassing it which are standards too great and too heavie for either time or warre to remove and such also are some eminent particulars of some places which constant tradition without rupture hath entailed on posteritie 2. Of a mixt nature where the text is true but superstition and fansie have commented on it 3. Stark lies without a rag of probabilitie to hide their shame where the beleever is as foolish as the inventer impudent We will bundle them together and let the Reader sort them at his discretion for it is as hard to fit the throats as to please the palates of men and that will choke one mans belief which another will
so that their luxury differed from Elias his austerity as much as velvet from sackcloth Wherefore that the Carmelites came from mount Carmel cannot be denied But on that mountain I find that both Elias and Baals priests gathered together and let the indifferent reader judge which of them their lives do most resemble Afterwards Pope Honorius 3. counting the party-coloured coats these Carmelites did wear to be too gaudy caused them to wear onely white the colour which nature doth die simple and therefore fittest for religion But Melexala King of Egypt who formerly was very bountifull to the Carmelites knew not his Alms-men in their new coats but changed his love as they their livery and persecuted them out of all Egypt It seemeth afterwards by the complaint of Mantuan that they wore some black again over their white For he playeth on them as if their bad manners had blacked and altered their clothes Now though Palestine was their mother England was their best nurse Ralph Fresburg about the yeare 1240 first brought them hither and they were first seated at Newenden in Kent An hundred and fourty English writers have been of this order And here they flourished in great pomp till at last King Henry the 8. as they came out of the wildernesse so turned their houses into a wildernesse not onely breaking the necks of all Abbeys in England but also scattering abroad their very bones past possibility of recouniting them Chap. 27. Edessa lost The hopefull voyage of Conrade the Emperour and Lewis King of France to the Holy land blasted by the perfidiousnesse of Emmanuel the Grecian Emperour EMpires have their set bounds whither when they come they stand still go back fall down This we may see in the kingdome of Jerusalem which under Godfrey and the two first Baldwines was a gainer under Fulk a saver under the succeeding Kings a constant loser till all was gone For now Sanguin Prince of the Turks as bloudy as his name wrested from the Christians the countrey and city of Edessa one of the foure Tetrarchies of the kingdome of Jerusalem And though Sanguin shortly after was stabbed at a feast yet Noradine his sonne succeeded and exceeded him in cruelty against the Christians The losse of Edessa wherein our religion had flourished ever since the Apostles time moved Conrade Emperour of the West and Lewis the 7. surnamed the Young King of France to undertake a voyage to the Holy land Pope Eugenius the 3. bestirred himself in the matter and made S. Bernard his soliciter to advance the designe For never could so much steel have been drawn into the east had not this good mans perswasion been the loadstone The Emperours army contained two hundred thousand foot besides fifty thousand horse Nor was the army of King Lewis much inferiour in number In France they sent a distaff and a spindle to all those able men that went not with them as upbraiding their effeminatenesse And no wonder when women themselves went in armour having a brave lasse like another Penthesilea for their leader so befringed with gold that they called her Golden-foot riding astride like men which I should count more strange but that I find all women in England in the same posture on their horses till Anna wife to King Richard the second some 200 yeares since taught them a more modest behaviour The Turks did quake hearing of these preparations which to them were reported farre greater then they were fame contrary to all other painters making those things the greatest which are presented the farthest off Conrade with his army took his way through Grecia where Emmanuel the Emperour possessed with an hereditary fear of the Latines fortified his cities in the way as knowing there needed strong banks where such a stream of people was to passe And suspecting that if these Pilgrimes often made his Empire their high-way into Palestine little grasse would grow in so troden a path and his countrey thereby be much endamaged he used them most treacherously giving them bad welcome that he might no more have such guests To increase their miseries as the Dutch encamped by the river Melas if that may be called a river which is all mud in summer all sea in winter deserving his name from this black and dismall accident it drowned many with its sudden overflowings as if it had conspired with the Grecians and learned treachery from them They that survived this sudden mishap were reserved for lingring misery For the Grecian Emperour did them all possible mischief by mingling lime with their meal by killing of stragglers by holding intelligence with the Turks their enemies by corrupting his coyn making his silver as base as himself so that the Dutch sold good wares for bad money and bought bad wares with good money by giving them false Conductours which trained them into danger so that there was more fear of the guides then of the way All which his unfaithfull dealings are recorded by that faithfull historian Nicetas Choniates who though a Grecian born affirmeth these things the truth of his love to his countrey-men no whit prejudicing his love to the truth Chap. 28. The Turks conquered at Meander The Dutch and French arrive in Palestine SCarce had the Dutch escaped the treachery of the Greeks when they were encountred with the hostility of the Turks who waited for them on the other side of Meander The river was not foordable ship or bridge the Christians had none when behold Conrade the Emperour adventured on an action which because it was successefull shall be accounted valiant otherwise we should term it desperate After an exhortation to his army he commanded them all at once to flownce into the river Meander was plunged by their plunging into it his water stood amazed as unresolved whether to retreat to the fountain or proceed to the sea and in this extasie afforded them a dry passage over the stream An act which like that of Horatius Cocles his leaping into Tiber plus famae ad posteros habiturum quà m fidei will find more admirers then beleevers with posterity The affrighted Turks on the other side thinking there was no contending with them that did teach nature it self obedience offered their throats to the Christians swords and were killed in such number that whole piles of dead bones remain there for a monument like those heaps of the Cimbrians slain by Marius neare Marseils where afterwards the inhabitants walled their vineyards with sculls and guarded their grapes with dead men Hence Conrade made forward to Iconium now called Cogni which he besieged in vain to the great losse of his army The King of France followed after with great multitudes and drank of the same cup at the Grecians hands though not so deeply till at last finding that those who marched through the continent met with an ocean of miserie he thought better to trust the wind and sea then
pleased himself in the style of Prince of Tyre then King of Jerusalem as counting it more honour to be Prince of what he had then King of what he had not And now the Christians began every where to build The Templars fortified Gaza King Richard repaired and walled Ptolemais Porphyria Joppa and Askelon But alas this short prosperity like an Autumne-spring came too late and was gone too soon to bring any fruit to maturitie It was now determined they should march towards Jerusalem for all this while they had but hit the butt that Holy citie was the mark they shot at Richard led the vantguard of English Duke Odo commanded in the main battel over his French James of Avergne brought on the Flemings and Brabanters in the rere Saladine serpent-like biting the heel assaulted the rere not farre from Bethlehem when the French and English wheeling about charged the Turks most furiously Emulation formerly poyson was here a cordiall each Christian nation striving not onely to conquer their enemies but to overcome their friends in the honour of the conquest King Richard seeking to put his courage out of doubt brought his judgement into question being more prodigall of his person then beseemed a Generall One wound he received but by losing his bloud he found his spirits and laid about him like a mad-man The Christians got the victory without the losse of any of number or note save James of Avergne who here died in the bed of honour But more of the Turks wore slain then in any battel for fourtie yeares before Had the Christians presently gone to Jerusalem probably they might have surprised it whilest the Turks eyes were muffled and blindfolded in the amazement of this great overthrow But this opportunitie was lost by the backwardnesse and unwillingnesse of King Richard and the English say the French writers To crie quits with them our English authours impute it to the enviâ— of the French who would have so glorious an action rather left undone then done by the English They complain likewise ofâ— the treacherie of Odo Duke of Burgundie who more carefull of his credit then his conscience was choked with the shame of the sinne he had swallowed and died for grief when his intelligence with the Turks was made known This cannot be denied that Saladine sent term them bribes or presents both to our King and the French Duke and they received them no wonder then if neither of them herein had a good name when they traded with such familiars But most hold King Richard attempted not Jerusalem because as a wise architect he would build his victories so as they might stand securing the countrey as he went it being senselesse to besiege Jerusalem a straggling citie whilest the Turks as yet were in possession of all the sea-ports and strong forts thereabout About this time he intercepted many camels loaden with rich commoditie those Eastern wares containing much in a little And yet of all this and of all the treasures of England Sicilie and Cyprus which he brought hither King Richard carried home nothing but one gold-ring all the rest of his wealth melted away in this hot service He wintered in Askelon intending next spring to have at Jerusalem Chap. 12. The little-honourable peace King Richard made with Saladine Of the value of Reliques BUt bad news out of Europe shaked his steadiest resolutions hearing how William Bishop of Ely his Vice-roy in England used unsufferable insolencies over his subjects So hard it is for one of base parentage to personate a King without over-acting his part Also he heard how the King of France and John Earl of Morton his own brother invaded his dominions ambition the Pope in their belly dispensing with their oath to the contrary Besides he saw this warre was not a subject capable of valour to any purpose the Venetians Genoans Pisans and Florentines being gone away with their fleets wisely shrinking themselves out of the collar when they found their necks wrung with the hard imployment Hereupon he was forced first to make the motion of in plain terms to begge peace of Saladine Let Saladine now alone to winne having all the game in his own hand Well knew he how to shoot at his own ends and to take aim by the exigencies wherein he knew King Richard was plunged For he had those cunning gypsies about him who could read in King Richards face what grieved his heart and by his intelligencers was certified of every note-worthy passage in the English armie Upon these terms therefore or none beggers of peace shall never be choosers of their conditions a truce for three some say five yeares might be concluded That the Christians should demolish all places they had walled since the taking of Ptolemais which was in effect to undo what with much charge they had done But such was the tyrannie of King Richards occasions forcing him to return that he was glad to embrace those conditions he hated at his heart Thus the voyage of these two Kings begun with as great confidence of the undertakers as expectation of the beholders continued with as much courage as interchangeablenesse of successe baned with mutuall discord emulation was ended with some honour to the undertakers no profit either to them or the Christian cause Some farre-fetched deare-bought honour they got especially King Richard who eternized his memory in Asia whom if men forget horses will remember the Turks using to say to their horses when they started for fear Dost thou think King Richard is here Profit they got none losing both of them the hair of their heads in an acute disease which was more saith one then both of them got by the voyage They left the Christians in Syria in worse case then they found them as he doeth the benighted traveller a discourtesie rather then a kindnesse who lendeth him a lantern to take it away leaving him more masked then he was before And now a little to solace my self and the reader with a merry digression after much sorrow and sad stories King Richard did one thing in Palestine which was worth all the cost and pains of his journey namely He redeemed from the Turks a chest full of holy Reliques which they had gotten at the taking of Jerusalem so great as foure men could scarce carry any way And though some know no more then Esops cock how to prize these pearls let them learn the true value of them from the Romane jewellers First they must carefully distinguish between publick and private Reliques In private ones some forgery may be suspected lest quid be put for quo which made S. Augustine put in that wary parenthesis Si tamen Martyrum If so be they be the Reliques of Martyrs But as for publick ones approved by the Pope and kept in Churches such no doubt as these of King Richards were oh let no Christian be such an infidel as to stagger at the
the Latines The Holy warre thereby much endamaged IT was conceived that it would be much beneficiall to the Pilgrimes in their voyages to Palestine that the Latines were lately possessed of the Grecian Empire For what is saved is gained And grant that the Latines in Greece should not actually assist in the Holy warre yet it was a considerable advantage what all justly expected That Pilgrimes should now have safe and secure passage through Grecia the pitfall which formerly had devoured so many But these fair hopes soon miscarried For what through the celerity of Theodorus Lascaris and the gravity of John Ducas his sonne in law who reigned as Grecian Emperours in Nice the Greeks recovered every foot of ground that the Latines had wonne from them Onely the Venetians being good at holdfast kept their portion when all others had spent theirs and enjoy Candie to this day This is imputed to their discretion in their choice who in the sharing of this Empire amongst the Western Princes refused the continent countreys though greater in extent and richer in cities and chose rather the Islands which being as little worlds in themselves were most capable of entire fortifications especially in their way who were most powerfull at sea Sixty yeares almost did the Latines make a hard shift to hold Constantinople under five succeeding Emperours 1. Baldwine the first Earl of Flanders 2. Henry his brother 3. Peter Count of Auxerre in France Henrie's sonne in law 4. Robert 5. Baldwine the second and last An example which the observers of the ominous circulation or return of names alledge That as a Baldwine was the first so a Baldwine was the last Latine Emperour in Grecia Of these the first Baldwine had his hands and feet cut off and died in a ditch Peter invited to a feast payed the shot with his life the other three died without any violence but with much misery And thus their conquest of Grecia like a little sprig stuck into the ground did sprout at the first whilest it had any sap in it but then withered for want of a root Indeed it was impossible long to continue For when the generation of the primitive adventurers in this action were dead there wanted another to succeed them and the countreys whence they came were so farre off that supplies of Latine people came thither very slowly Onely Venice well peopled her parts from the vicinity of her dominions And that number of souldiers which is sufficient by sudden conquest to over-runne a countrey is incompetent without a second edition of new supplies to make good manage and maintain it especially being to meddle with the Greeks farre exceeding them in number subject onely out of fear longing daily for their liberty and opportunity to recover it Let never any Pilgrimes hereafter make Greece their inne in their journey to Palestine Yea also at this time the furnace of the Grecian jealousie was made seven times hotter For besides this Civil an Ecclesiasticall and Spirituall breach happened betwixt them and the Latines which we come now to describe Chap. 4. The uncurable breach betwixt the Eastern and Western Churches with the occasion thereof HItherto Grecians and Latines lived together in Palestine in some tolerable correspondencie differing in judgement but complying in affections as counting themselves two severall sides yet both making up the body of Christians But now by an unhappy discord they were irreconcilably parted asunder to the great advantage of the Turks and prejudice of the Holy warre We will fetch this flame from the first spark and though we go farre about the length of the journey will be recompensed by the goodnesse of the way Anciently in the primitive time the Church of Rome was esteemed the first and chiefest of all others but without any jurisdiction above them Because that was the Imperiall citie and Queen of the world therefore the Church therein was highest in account as the candle which is in the fairest candlestick is alwayes set above the rest though otherwise equall unto it in light at the upper end of the table It happened afterward that the Emperour removed his seat from Rome to Constantinople Whereupon orphane Rome suddenly decayed for the Emperours court carried day with it and left night behind it was chief mourner at the funeralls of her own greatnesse and from a pleasant garden turned a wildernesse overgrown with Goths Vandals and other barbarous weeds whilest Constantinople tricked and tired her self started up in an instant great rich and stately insomuch that John her Patriarch claimed to be universall Bishop above all other Gregory the Great Bishop of Rome stoutly withstood him protesting that he was the usher of Antichrist who assumed that swelling title wherein he â—eated the brand to mark his successour with For Boniface save one the next Pope of Rome so dealt with Phocas the Emperour of Constantinople that he got himself confirmed universall Bishop over the whole world A Chaplain and a Patrone well met both usurpers supporting one another like stones in an arch with their reciprocall aid Phocas held Boniface in his chair and Boniface kept Phocas in his throne And thus was the Pope of Rome first possessed of his Primacie both of dignity and authority both of precedencie of power and jurisdiction over all other Churches As for his pretense to challenge it by commission from Christ and succession from Peter this string to his bow is so full of gauls frets and knots it cannot hold and is broken by many learned Divines However Constantinople rather overborn then overcome for want rather of strength then stomach ever rebelled or rather resisted for no rebellion against usurpation Romes supremacie especially when she found her self befriended with any advantage for many hundred yeares after It happened to come to the matter in hand that a Grecian Archbishop went to Rome there to have his confirmation Where the Court demanded for him such unreasonable fees toll more then the grift that the Prelate perceived it would weaken him to be confirmed and shake his estate to settle him in his Bishoprick Home therefore he cometh with a loud alarm against the extortions of Rome and mustereth together many of his countrey-men who hereupon for ever withdrew their obedience from Rome and threw off that heavy yoke they could not bear hereafter owning her for their sister not mother It may seem strange that the Romane Court being here justly taxed for extortion would not amend it But how often soever she be told of her dirty face she will never wash it For reforming would argue a former fault and they feared if they yeelded themselves guilty in one point it would shake the whole fabrick of their credit Besides if the Grecians had received satisfaction and redresse in this grievance it would have given them pretense to prepare more requests and to think that they also were due Lastly no strength of perswasion will draw men from those
light of Nature concurreth with Faith then those wherein humane reason is no foe but standeth neuter lastly such as are merely of Faith leaving the issue of all to God whose oratory alone can perswade souls or whether which is more probable it was but tumultuously done many on a sudden rather snatching then embracing religion we will not dispute Sure it is that Mango sent Haalon his brother who is said to have married a wife an excellent Christian and descended from the Wise-men who came to see our Saviour with a great armie to suppresse the Turks and assist the Christians It seemeth his armie rid post for falling into Persia he conquered it sooner then one can well travel it in half a yeare It facilitated his victory because that countrey had much unfurnished her self to furnish her forrein colonies and garisons in Syria And generally active nations are strongest abroad and weakest at home where they are onely strong with a conceit of their strength beleeved in other countreys The citie Samarchanda onely resisted him Haalon seeing it would not come at the first let it stay counting it beneath a conquerour to tempt his fortune with a long siege which perchance might alter the whole course of the cards and make him rise a loser Wherefore he himself onely skimmed the cream of the conquest and went away with what was easie and smooth deputing an inferiour captain to hew this knotty service who after a long siege subdued it For in respect of the age of this siege that of Troy was but a child it lasting seven and twenty yeares and at last not taken but yeelded up the defendants then wanting clothes to cover their nakednesse From Persia Haalon marched to Babylon The Caliph whereof called Musteazem was so superstitious an idolater to his wealth that he would not provide necessaries for the defense of the city and therefore it was quickly subdued The covetous Caliph he famished to death and then filled his mouth with melted gold Every where Mosques went down and Churches up Hence into Mesopotamia which he instantly conquered with the cities of Aleppo and Edessa He wonne and restored many places to Conrade the Christian Prince of Antioch which the Turks formerly detained from him Yea this Tartarian armie so awed Melechem the Mammaluke Prince of Egypt who succeeded Tarqueminus that he durst not budge And many other good offices this Haalon did to the Christians in Syria Chap. 23. The discord betwixt the Genoans and Venetians who burn the Genoans ships in Ptolemais BUt they were unworthy of this happinesse who would not be at leisure to make use of it but busied themselves in private dissensions the Genoans against the Pisans and Venetians These States as many other in Italy at this time were so proud in their Masters old clothes they scarce knew themselves grown brave with the feathers the Eagle had moulted and set up by the breaking of the Emperour in Italy The Venetians and Genoans were hardly matched The Pisans were not so strong but as stomachfull as either of them and then in this point of policie superiour to both That first siding with the Genoans they whipped the Venetians then when they were sufficiently humbled taking part with the Venetians they stripped and lashed the Genoans and the scales being even before Pisa made that weigh down by course wherein she cast her grains Now not content to fall out at home within the doores of Italy they must fight in Syria in the open street where the Turks looked on and laughed at them counting it in their apprehension as good sport as to see a spider poison a toad Besides their old grudges transported hither out of Italy this green wound was the cause of their dissension here In Ptolemais these three States had their severall streets severall markets for trading and courts for causes both civill and criminall but all three had one Church that of S. Sabbas common unto them by the ordering of the Pope himself who counted the same Church might serve the worshippers of the same God But the Venetians by the vertue of an ancient agreement betwixt them and King Baldwine for their service in winning this city challenged a peculiar interest therein Hereabout was there old bustling and in a tumult the Genoans at that time surpassing for number drave the Venetians out of the Church Yea Philip of Montfort a French Governour of Ptolemais in the time of the interregnum wanting not onely policie for a Magistrate but wit for a man Blondus saith he was half-mad and his actions speak him no lesse compelled the Venetians generally to forsake the city Implacably incensed hereat the Venetians arm thirteen galleys which they had at Tyre coming to Ptolemais forced asunder the chain which crossed the haven and burned five and twenty ships of the Genoans which lay there For alas being straitned in the haven they had no room being intangled to turn and free themselves one from another And though united force be most forcible yet not when so stifled and smothered that it cannot expresse and exercise it self Many brave souldiers in these ships lost their lives in a bundle without selling them or ever opening their wares To avenge this losse the State of Genoa sent from home a navie of fifty ships of all sorts which came to Tyre There meet they with Reinerius Zenus Duke of Venice with the united power of the Venetians and Pisans counting no fewer then seventy foure vessels well provided They would have fought in the very haven of Tyre but the Governour of the citie forbad it It would be more scandalous to Christianity The roving fireballs might hurt the citie and sinking ships hinder the harbour Besides the conquered party would probably complain of the partiality of the place that it more favoured one side They should not fight under his nose if they had a mind to it let them out and try their fortunes in the open sea Chap. 24. The Genoan navie beaten by the Venetian Sea and land-service compared both in danger and honour ACcordingly it was performed out they go and fall to their work Their galleys like Ostriches used their legges more then their wings more running with oars then flying with sails At that time before Ordinance was found out ships were both gunnes and bullets themselves and furiously ranne one against another They began with this arietation Herein strength was much but not all nimblenesse was also very advantageous to break and slent the down-right rushings of a stronger vessel Then fell they to grappling Here the steady ship had the better of it and those souldiers who best kept their legges could best use their arms the surest stander being alwayes the soundest striker Much valour was shewed on both sides and at last the victorie fell to the Venetian The Genoans losing five and twenty of their ships fled and saved the rest in the
very bountifull to the Carmelites who lived dispersed in Syria but afterwards he banished them out of his countrey because they altered their habit and wore white coats at the appointment of Pope Honorius the Turks being generally enemies to innovations and loving constancy in old customes Nor was this any mishap but an advantage to the Carmelites to lose their dwellings in Syria and gain better in Europe where they planted themselves in the fattest places So that he who knoweth not to choose good ground let him find out an house of the Carmelites a mark that faileth not for his direction Alphir was next to Melechsaites otherwise called Elsi He perceiving that now or never was the time finally to expell the Christians out of Palestine whilest the Princes in Europe were in civil warres besieged and wonne Tripoli Sidon Berytus and Tyre beating them down to the ground but suffering the inhabitants on some conditions to depart Nothing now was left but Ptolemais which Alphir would not presently besiege lest he should draw the Christians in Europe upon him but concluded a peace for five yeares with the Venetians as not willing wholly to exasperate them by winning all from them at once and thinking this bitter potion would be better swallowed by them at two severall draughts Mean time Ptolemais was in a wofull condition In it were some of all countreys so that he who had lost his nation might find it here Most of them had severall courts to decide their causes in and the plenty of Judges caused the scarcity of justice malefactours appealing to a triall in the courts of their own countrey It was sufficient innocency for any offender in the Venetian court that he was a Venetian Personall acts were entituled nationall and made the cause of the countrey Outrages were every-where practised no-where punished as if to spare Divine revenge the pains of overtaking them they would go forth and meet it At the same time they were in fitters about prosecuting their titles to this city no fewer then the Venetians Genoans Pisans Florentines the Kings of Cyprus and Sicily the Agents for the Kings of France and England the Princes of Tripoli and Antioch the Patriarch of Jerusalem the Masters of the Templars and Hospitallers and whom I should have named first the Legate of his Holinesse all at once with much violence contending about the right of right nothing the title to the Kingdome of Jerusalem and command of this city like bees making the greatest humming and buzzing in the hive when now ready to leave it Chap. 33. Ptolemais besieged and taken by Sultan Serapha WIthin the city were many voluntaries lately come over five hundred whereof were of the Popes furnishing But belike he failed afterwards in his payment to them the golden tide flowing not so fast out as into his Holinesse coffers The souldiers being not payed according to their blunt manners would pay themselves and marching out pillaged the countrey contrary to the truce Sultan Serapha who succeeded Alphir demanding restitution is denied and his Embassadours ill intreated Hereupon he sitteth down before the city with six hundred thousand men But we are not bound to beleeve that Alexanders souldiers were so big as their shields speak them which they left in India nor Asian armies so numerous as they are reported Allow the Turks dominions spacious and populous and that they rather drained then chose souldiers yet we had best credit the most niggardly writers which make them an hundred and fifty thousand Serapha resolveth to take it conceiving so convenient a purchase could not be over-bought The place though not great yet was a mote in the eye of the Turkish Empire and therefore pained them Peter Belvise Master of the Templars a valiant Captain had the command of the city assigned him by generall consent He encouraged the Christians to be valiant not like prodigall heirs to lose this city for nothing which cost their grandfathers so much bloud at least let them give one blaze of valour ere their candle went out How should they shew their friends their faces if they shewed their foes their backs Let them fight it out manfully that so if forced at last to surrender it they might rather be pitied for want of fortune then justly blamed for lack of valour And now Ptolemais being to wrestle her last fall stripped her self of all cumbersome clothes women children aged persons weak folks all such hindering help and mouthes without arms were sent away and twelve thousand remained conceived competent to make good the place Serapha marcheth up furiously his men assault the city with open jaws ready to devoure it had not their mouthes been stopped with the artillery the Christians shot at them Back they were beaten and many a Turk slain But Serapha was no whit sensible thereof who willingly would lose a thousand men in a morning for a breakfast double so many at a dinner and continue this costly ordinary for some dayes together yea in spite he would spend an ounce of Turkish bloud to draw a drop of Christian In this conflict Peter Belvise was slain with a poisoned arrow A losse above grieving for Many were strong in desiring the honour who were weak to discharge the office But the worst mischief was the Christians were divided amongst themselves and neglected to defend the citie conceiving that though that was taken yet every particular nation could defend it self having their buildings severally fortified And this dangerous fansie took off their thoughts from the publick good and fixed them on their private ends Mean time the Patriarch of Jerusalem and others some name with them Henry King of Jerusalem and Cyprus more seeking their safety then honour secretly fled with their bodies after their hearts out of the city and some of them shunning a noble death fell on a base end being drowned in the sea Their cowardlinesse is imputed by some Authours to all the rest whereas it appeareth on the contrary they most valiantly behaved themselves At last the Turks entred the city by undermining the walls and conceived their work now done when it was new begun For they found Ptolemais not a city but a heap of cities thrown together wherein the people of every countrey so fensed themselves in their severall forts that they powdered the Turks with their shot when they entred the streets It is hardly to be paralleled in any siege that a taken city was so long before it was taken for it held out fifty dayes and the Knights-Hospitallers made good their castle for two whole moneths together But alas as the severall parts of Insecta being cut asunder may wriggle and stirre a while not live long so these divided limbes could not long subsist and at last most of them were slain Yet was it a bloudy victory to the Turks most of them that entred the city being either burned with fire or killed with arrows or smothered with the fall of towres
late warres in the dayes of Queen Elisabeth were hot between England and Spain there were Commissioners on both sides appointed to treat of peace They met at a town of the French Kings and first it was debated what tongue the negotiation should be handled in A Spaniard thinking to give the English Commissioners a shrewd gird proposed the French tongue as most fit it being a language which the Spaniards were well skilled in and for these Gentlemen of England I suppose said he that they cannot be ignorant of the language of their fellow-subjects their Queen is Queen of France as well as England Nay in faith Masters replyed Doctor Dale the Master of Requests the French tongue is too vulgar for a businesse of this secrecie and importance especially in a French town we will rather treat in Hebrew the language of Jerusalem whereof your Master is King I suppose you are herein as well skilled as we in French At this day the Turk hath eleven points of the law in Jerusalem I mean possession and which is more prescription of a hundred and twentie yeares if you date it from the time it came into the Ottoman familie but farre more if you compute it from such time as the Mammaluke Turks have enjoyed it Yea likely they are to keep it being good at hold-fast and who will as soon lose their teeth as let go their prey With the description of the greatnesse of which Empire will we God willing now close this Historie Chap. 30. Of the greatnesse strength wealth and wants of the Turkish Empire What hopes of the approching ruine thereof THe Turkish Empire is the greatest and best-compacted not excepting the Romane it self in the height thereof that the sunne ever saw Take sea and land together as bones and flesh make up one bodie and from Buda in the West to Tauris in the East it stretcheth about three thousand miles little lesse is the extent thereof North and South It lieth in the heart of the world like a bold champion bidding defiance to all his borderers commanding the most fruitfull countreys of Europe Asia and Africa Onely America not more happie in her rich mines then in her remotenesse lieth free from the reach thereof Populous it is not for men will never grow thick where meat groweth thinne It lieth waste according to the old proverb Grasse springeth not where the Grand Signors horse setteth his foot Besides a third part I may say half of those in Turkie are not Turks but either Jews or Christians The strength of this Empire consisteth either in bones or stones men or munition Of the first The best stake in the Turks hedge is his great number of Horsemen called Timariots conceived to exceed seven hundred thousand fighting men These are dispersed over all his Dominions and have lands allotted unto them in reward of their good service and valour much in the nature of those souldiers of the Romish Empire called Beneficiarii And indeed the Turkish Empire resembleth the Romane in many particulars not that they ever studied imitation and by reading of Historie conformed their State to Romane precedents farre be it from us to wrong them with the false imputation of so much learning but rather casually they have met in some common principles of policie Of these Timariots on occasion and competent warning he can bring into the field an hundred and fiftie thousand all bound by the tenure of their lands to arm clothe feed pay themselves So great an armie which would drain the wealth of other Princes doth cost the great Turk no drop of expense Next follow his best footmen called Janizaries taken young from their Christian parents parallel to the Romane Pretorian souldiers being the guard of the Grand Signors person But as they watch about him so he casteth a watchfull eye on them seeing of late they are grown from painfull to be proud yea insolent and intolerable it being true of these Janizaries in the Turkish Empire as of Elephants in an armie If well ruled they alone are enough to winne the battel if unruly they alone are enough to lose it As for all other sorts of the Turks both foot and horse they are but slugs as whom the Grand Signor little trusteth and others need lesse fear His frontier cities especially those which respect Christendome are exactly fortified Rank with these such places of importance and castles as command passages of consequence As for his inland-inland-cities there is no superfluous scarce competent strength in them But if we allow those people to be chaste who never were solicited to be otherwise then may many cities lying in the bowels of his Empire passe for strong which for a long time have not had nor in haste are likely to have the temptation of a siege Of Ordinance he hath great store and hath excellent materials to make them of and is also very powerfull in shipping Indeed ships of great burden would be burdensome in those narrow seas and experience hath found lesser vessels of greater use whereof he hath store And though the Turks either want ingenie or industrie either care not or cannot be good shipwrights themselves yet the spite is as long as there is gold amongst the Turks there will be drosse amongst the Christians I mean some who for base gain will betray the mysteries of our usefull arts unto them As for wood to build with he hath excellent in Bithynia yea generally in this wild Empire trees grow better then men To his sea-munition may be reduced his multitude of slaves though not the informing yet against their wills the assisting form of his Galleys and in whom consisteth a great part of their strength and swiftnesse Nor must we forget the Pirates of Tunis and Algier which are Turks and no Turks Sometimes the Grand Signor disclaimeth renounceth and casteth them off to stand upon their own bottom as when those Christian Princes which are confederate with him complain to him of the wrongs those sea-robbers have done them But though he sendeth them out to seek their own meat he can clock them under his wings at pleasure And we may verily beleeve though sometimes in the summer of his own prosperitie he throweth them off as an upper garment of no use yet in cold weather he will buckle them on again and if necessitie pincheth him receive them not as retainers at large but as his best servants in ordinarie Nor is it the last and least part of the strength of this Empire that all her native people are linked together in one religion The discords about which in other kingdomes have been the cause first of the unjoynting and then of the finall ruine desolation of many worthy States Whereas here the Mahometane religion if I wrong it not with so good a name is so full of unitie and agreement that there is no difference dissension about it Yea well may that coat have no seam which hath no shape A
the Holy land what need Kings roam The Pope can make an Holy land at home By making it his own Then for a fashion 'T is said to come by Constantines donation For all this Fox-craft I have leave I hope To think my friend farre wiser then the Pope And Hermite both He deals in Holy warres Not as a stickler in those fruitlesse jarres But a composer rather Hence this book Whereon whil'st I with greedie eyes do look Me thinks I travel through the Holy land Viewing the sacred objects on each hand Here mounts me thinks like Olivet brave sense There flows a Iordan of pure eloquence A Temple rich in ornament I find Presented here to my admiring mind Strange force of Art The ruin'd Holy citie Breeds admiration in me now not pitie To testifie her liking here my Muse Makes solemn Vows as Holy Pilgrimes use I vow deare friend the Holy warre is here Farre better writ then ever fought elsewhere Thousands have fought and died But all this while I vow there nothing triumphs but thy style Thy wit hath vanquisht Barbarisme more Then ever Godfrey's valour did before Might I but choose I rather would be farre Be authour of thy Book then of that Warre Let others fight I vow to reade thy works Prizing thy ink before the bloud of Turks J. BOOTH B. D. C. C. C. On the Title of this book HOw comes stern Warre to be accounted holy By nature fierce complexion melancholy I le tell you how Sh 'as been at Rome of late And gain'd an indulgence to expiate Her massacres and by the Popes command Sh 'as bin a Pilgrime to the Holy land Where freeing Christians by a sacred plot She for her pains this Epithet hath got HUGO ATKINS NOr need Ierusalem that holy mother Envy old Troy since she has found another To write her battels and her warres rehearse In prose as elegant as Homers verse Let Sueton's name august as Cesars be Curtius more worlds then Alexander see Let Joseph in his countreys siege survive And Phenix-like in his own ashes thrive Thy work great FVLLER will out-live their glory And make thy memorie sacred as thy Storie Thy style is clear and white thy very name Speaks purenesse and addes lustre to the frame All men could wish nay long the world would jarre So thou 'dst be pleas'd to write compose the Warre H. HUTTON M. A. C. Jes. To my friend Mr THOMAS FULLER on his book The Holy Warre WHile of thy book I speak Friend I le tâ—ink on Thy Iordan for my purest Helicon And for bifork'd Parnassus I will set My phansie on the sacred Olivet 'T is holy ground which now my measur'd feet Must tread on then as in due right 't is meet Let them be bare and plain for quâ—inter art May sacrifice to thee without a heart And while it praiseth this thy work may preach His glory rather then thy merits reach Here Reader thou may'st judge and well compare Who most in madnesse Iew or Romane share This not so blind yet in the clearest day Does stumble still on stocks on stones on clay The other will in bright and highest noon Choose still to walk by glimmering light o' th' Moon Here thou may'st represented see the fight Between our earthly Flesh and heavenly Sp'rit Lo how the Turk doth drive with flaming sword Salvation from him and Gods holy word As once the angel did rebellious vice With Adam force from blessed paradise And this in style diamond-like doth shine Which firmest parts and clearest do combine And o're the sad ground of the Iewish storie As light embroidrie explayes its glorie The Temple ras'd and ruin'd seems more high In his strong phrase then when it kiss'd the skie And as the Viper by those pretious tears Which Phaeton bemon'd of Amber wears A rich though fatall coat so here inclos'd With words so rare so splendent so compos'd Ev'n Mahomet has found a tombe which shall Last when the fainting Loadstone lets him fall HENRY VINTENER To his old friend Mr FULLER I Love no warres I love no jarres Nor strifes fire May discords cease Let 's live in peace This I desire If it must be Warre we must see So Fates conspire May we not feel The force of steel This I desire But in thy book When I do look And it admire Let Warre be there But Peace elswhere This I desire Tho. Jackson To his worthy Friend Mr THOMAS FULLER on his book The Holy Warre THere 's not a storie Friend in thy book told But is a jewell each line a thred of gold Though Warre sound harsh and doth our minds affright Yet cloth'd in well-wrought language doth delight Such is thy gilded phrase I joy to reade In thee massacres and to see men bleed Oft have I seen in hangings on a wall The ruines of great Troy and Priams fall A storie in it self so full of woe T' would make the Graecian weep that was the foe But being wrought in arras and made gay With rich embroydery makes th'beholder say I like it well This flame that scarre is good And then commends this wound that stream of blood Things in themselves distastfull are by art Made pleasant and do much delight the heart Such is thy book Though it of bloud relate And horrid Warre whose very name we hate Yet clad in arras-language and thy phrase Doth not affright but with delight amaze And with such power upon our senses seise That makes Warre dreadfull in it self to please WILLIAM JOHNSON Q. Coll. To his deare Friend Mr FULLER WE need not now those zealous vot'ries meet Or pilgrimes turn but on our verses feet Thy quill hath wing'd the earth the Holy land Doth visit us commanded by thy hand If envy make thy labours prove thy losse No marvel if a Croisade wear the Crosse. CLEMENT BRETTON Sidn Coll. Errata Page 10 Sabell Aen. Reade Sabell Enn. 12 Sabell Aen. Reade Sabell Enn. 72 For Paulinus Reade Pontius 114 For Charatux Reade Characux 155 For Noradine Reade Coradine 205 For Nanse Reade Nuise 243 For Burbant Reade Bourbon 264 For foure Albergies Reade seven Albergies 267 For necessarie security Reade necessarie severity 275 For offertures Reade offers Last page of the Chronol For Peter Belius Reade Peter Belvise In the Table For Charatux Reade Characux The Historie of the HOLY WARRE Book I. Chap. 1. The destruction of the citie and temple of Ierusalem by the Romanes under the conduct of Titus WHen the Jews had made the full measure of their sinnes runne over by putting to death the Lord of life Gods judgements as they deserved and our Saviour foretold quickly overtook them for a mighty army of the Romanes besieged and sackt the citie of Jerusalem wherein by fire famine sword civil discord forreigne force eleven hundred thousand were put to death An incredible number it seemeth yet it cometh within the compasse of our belief if we consider that the siege began at the time of
tamed with husbandry But the people scorning that their ground should be better civilized then themselves never manure it and had rather provide their bread with the sword then with the plough Other partiall causes might share in these Turks removall but the cause of causes was the justice of God to suffer this unregarded people to grow into the terrour of the world for the punishment of Christians and we may justly hope that when the correction is done the rod shall be burnt especially finding already their force to abate being at this day stopt with the half-kingdome of Hungarie who formerly could not be stayed by the whole Empire of Greece The first step these Turks took out of their own countrey was into Turcomania a northern part of Armenia conquered and so called by them where they lived like the Scythian Nomades alwayes wandring yet alwayes in their way none claiming a propriety in the land as his all defending the common interest therein as theirs The next step was into Persia whither they were called to assist Mahomet the Saracen Sultan against his enemies where taking notice of their own strength the Saracens cowardize and the pleasure of Persia they under Tangrolipix their first king overcame that large dominion Then did the Turks take upon them the Mahometan religion and having conquered the Saracens by their valour were themselves subdued by the Saracen superstition An accident more memorable because not easily to be paralleled excepting king Amaziah who having taken Edom was took with the idolatry thereof because conquerours commonly bring their religion into the places they subdue and not take it thence Their third large stride was into Babylon the Caliph whereof they overcame And shortly after under Cutlu-muses their second king they wan Mesopotamia the greatest part of Syria and the citie of Jerusalem Mean time whilest these vultures Turks and Saracens pecked out each others eyes the Christians if they had husbanded this occasion might much have advantaged themselves and might have recovered their health by these contrary poysons expelling each other But the Grecian Emperours given over to pleasure and covetousnesse regarded not their own good till at last the Turks devoured them as God willing shall be shewed hereafter As for those Christians who lived in Palestine under the Turks they had no lease of their safetie but were tenants at will for their lives and goods to these tyrants though it rained not down-right yet the storm of persecution hung over their heads their minds were ever in torture being on the rack of continuall fear and suspense and Simon himself was no better then an honourable slave though Patriarch of Jerusalem as appeareth by his letters of complaint Chap. 8. The character of Peter the Hermite his soliciting the Holy warre the Councel at Clermont and the successe thereof IT happened there came a pilgrime to Jerusalem called Peter an Hermite born at Amiens in France one of a contemptible person His silly looks carried in them a despair of any worth and yet as commonly the richest mines lie under the basest and barrenest surface of ground he had a quick apprehension eloquent tongue and what got him the greatest repute was accounted very religious With him Simon the Patriarch of Jerusalem often treated concerning the present miseries of the Christians under the Turks what hope of amendment and how the matter might secretly be contrived that the Princes in Europe might assist and relieve them Peter moved with the Patriarchs perswasions the equitie and honourablenesse of the cause and chiefly with a vision as they say from heaven wherein our Saviour himself appointed him his Legate with a commission to negotiate the Christian cause took the whole businesse upon him and travelled to Rome to consult with Pope Urbane the second about the advancing of so pious a designe Now though many cry up this Hermite to have been so pretious a piece of holinesse yet some suspect him to be little better then a counterfeit and a cloke-father for a plot of the Popes begetting because the Pope alone was the gainer by this great adventure and all other Princes of Europe if they cast up their audit shall find themselves losers This with some is a presumption that this cunning merchant first secretly imployed this Hermite to be his factour and to go to Jerusalem to set on foot so beneficiall a trade for the Romish Church As for the apparition of our Saviour one may wonder that the world should see most visions when it was most blind and that that age most barren in learning should be most fruitfull in revelations And surely had Peter been truly inspired by God and moved by his Spirit to begin this warre he would not have apostated from his purpose so mortified a man would not have feared death in a good cause as he did afterwards and basely ran away at Antioch For when the siege grew hot his devotion grew cold he found a difference betwixt a voluntary fast in his cell and a necessary and undispensable famine in a camp so that being well hunger-pincht this cunning companion who was the trumpet to sound a march to others secretly sounded a retreat to himself ran away from the rest of the Christians and was shamefully brought back again for a fugitive But to return to Pope Urbane who was zealous in the cause to further it and called a Councel at Clermont in France where met many Princes and Prelates to whom he made a long oration Authours differ in the mould but they agree in the metall that it was to this effect First he bemoned the miseries of the Christians in Asia and the vastation of those holy places Jerusalem which was once the joy of the whole earth was now become the grief of all good men the Chapell of Christs conception at Nazareth birth at Bethlehem buriall on mount Calvarie ascension on mount Olivet once the fountains of piety were now become the sinks of all profanenesse Next he encouraged the Princes in the Councel to take arms against those infidels and to break their bonds in sunder and to cast their cords farre from them and as it is written to cast out the handmaid and her children Otherwise if they would not help to quench their neighbours houses they must expect the speedy burning of their own and that these barbarous nations would quickly overrun all Europe Now to set an edge on their courage he promised to all that went this voyage a full remission of their sinnes penance here and the enjoying heaven hereafter Lastly thus concluded Gird your swords to your thighs O ye men of might It is our parts to pray yours to fight ours with Moses to hold up unwearied hands to God yours to stretch forth the sword against these children of Amalek Amen It is above belief with what cheerfulnesse this motion meeting with an active
title and not onely to corroborate but to create a right Yea God himself may seem herein to allow their title by suffering them so long peaceably to enjoy it 3. To visit those places in Jerusalem the theatre of so many mysteries and miracles was a uselesse as difficult and might be superstitious if any went as it is to be feared too many did with placing transcendent holinesse in the place and with a wooden devotion to the materiall Crosse. The Angel sent the women away from looking into the sepulchre with He is risen he is not here and thereby did dehort them and us from burying our affections in Christs grave but rather to seek him where he was to be found At this day a gracious heart maketh every place a Jerusalem where God may as well and as acceptably be worshipped S. Hilarion though he lived in Palestine saw Jerusalem but once and then onely because he might not seem to neglect the holy places for their nearnesse and vicinitie And S. Hierome though himself lived at Bethlehem disswaded Paulinus from coming thither for the pains would be above the profit 4. Lastly this warre was a quicksand to swallow treasure and of a hot digestion to devoure valiant men no good much evil came thereby and the Christians that went out to seek an enemie in Asia brought one thence to the danger of all Europe and the losse of a fair part thereof For though Careat successibus opto Quisquis ab eventu facta notanda putet may he never speed Who from the issue censures of the deed and though an argument fetcht from the successe is but a cyphre in it self yet it increaseth a number when joyned with others These reasons have moved the most moderate and refined Papists and all Protestants generally in their judgements to fight against this Holy warre But as for the opinion of Bibliander who therein stands without company if Bellarmine hath truly reported it it is as farre from reason as charity namely that these Christians that went to fight against the Saracens were the very army of Gog and Magog spoken of by the prophet Ezekiel Yet must we not here forget that such as at this time went to Jerusalem whether ridiculously or blasphemously or both let others judge did carry a goose before them pretending it to be the holy Ghost Chap. 11. The private ends and profits of the Pope which he is charged by authours to have had in this Holy warre IT is enough with some to make it suspicious that there were some sinister ends in this warre because Gregory the seventh otherwise called Hildebrand and by Luther Larva diaboli the worst of all that sat in that chair first began it but death preventing him Urbane the second whom Cardinall Benno called Turbane for troubling the whole world effected it And though the pretenses were pious and plausible yet no doubt the thoughts of his Holinesse began where other mens ended and he had a privie project beyond the publick designe First to reduce the Grecians into subjection to himself with their three Patriarchs of Jerusalem Antioch and Constantinople and to make the Eastern Church a Chapell of ease to the Mother-Church of Rome Secondly this warre was the Popes house of Correction whither he sent his sturdie and stubborn enemies to be tamed Such high-spirited men whom he either feared or suspected he condemned to this employment as to an honourable banishment and as Saul being afraid of David sent him to fight against the Philistines that so he might fall by their sword so the Pope had this cleanly and unsuspected conveyance to rid away those he hated by sending them against infidels This appeared most plainly in the matter of the Emperour himself whom he sent from home that so he might rob his house in his absence At the beginning of this warre the Popes temporall power in Italy was very slender because the Emperours dominions did gird him close and hard on all sides but soon after he grew within short time without all measure and did lurch a castle here gain a citie there from the Emperour whiles he was imployed in Palestine So that by the time that the Christians had lost all in Syria the Emperour had lost all in Italy his dominions there being either swallowed up by Peters patrimony or by private Princes and upstart free-states which as so many splinters flew out of the broken Empire Thirdly hereby the Pope determined on his side the gainfullest controversie that ever was in Christendome This was about the investiture of Bishops whether the right lay in the Pope or in secular Princes Now his Holinesse diverted this question out of Princes heads by opening an issue an other way and gave vent to the activitie of their spirits in this martiall imployment and in the mean time quietly went away without any corrivall concluding the controversie for his own profit Lastly he got a masse of money by it He had the office to bear the bag and what was put into it as contributed to this action from pious people and expended but some few drops of the showres he received Guesse the rest of his griping tricks from this one which Matth. Paris reporteth First he prompted many people in England unfit for arms to take upon them a vow to go to the Holy warre and this was done by the exhortation and preaching of the Friars This done he compelled and forced those Votaries whose purses were more usefull for this service then their persons to commute their journey into money the payment whereof should be as meritorious as their pilgrimage And thus scraped he a masse of coin from such silly people as thought themselves cleansed of their sinnes when they were wiped of their money and who having made themselves slaves to the Pope by their rash vow were glad to buy their libertie at his price As the Pope so most of the Clergie improved their estates by this warre for the secular Princes who went this voyage sold or morgaged most of their means selling for gold to purchase with steel and iron and the Clergy were generally their chapmen For they advised these undertakers seeing this action was for Christ and his Church rather to make over their estates to spirituall men of whom they might again redeem the same and from whom they should be sure to find the fairest dealing then to lay-men Godfrey Duke of Bouillon sold that Dukedome to the Bishop of Liege and the castle of Sartensy and Monsa to the Bishop of Verdune Baldwine his brother sold him the citie of Verdune Yea by these sales the third part of the best feoffs in France came to be possessed by the Clergie who made good bargains for themselves and had the conscience to buy earth cheap and to sell heaven deare Yea this voyage laid the foundation of their temporall greatnesse till at last the daughter
probable the actions of this nation are hidden as wrapped up in the bundle with some others I should guesse under the French but the intimacie of those two people is of a farre later date Denmark and Norway neare-acquainted with the Arctick pole though they lagged the last and may therein be excused because of the length of the way were sharers in the honour of this imployment and performed good sea-service Sweden either acted not at all or else had a very short part in this businesse That countrey being a separatist because of her remote situation had little communion with other parts of Europe And indeed histories are mute of Sweden but that of late Gustavus his victorie hath put a tongue into them and hath made that countrey famous to all posteritie Chap. 14. The sad beginning of the warre THeir first setting forth was checked with bad successe For Walter Sensaver a noble man but what countrey-man it is unknown who had more of the sail of valour then balast of judgement led forth an ill-grown and unproportioned armie with many thousand foot and eight horsemen onely But we must not think that this fowl should flie farre whose wings were so short and train so long His men were routed and slain by the Bulgarians and he himself through many miseries scarce recovered Constantinople Peter the Hermite with his army went further to meet his own destruction For after many difficulties having crossed the Bosporus they came into Asia and there found some cities forsaken by the Turks their inhabitants This they imputed to their enemies fear which proceeded from their police and therefore being more greedy to pillage then carefull to fortifie the places they took hunted after preys so long till they became one themselves Hugh brother to the King of France with his surname of the Great had as little successe as the former his armie being quickly abridged by the furious Bulgarians in their passage and he brought prisoner to Constantinople Besides these one Gotescalcus a Priest a wolf in sheeps clothing and Emmicho a tyrant-Prince neare the Rhene led forth a rout of wicked people who carried the badge of the Crosse and served the devil under Christs liverie killing and pillaging the poore Jews and other people in Germanie as they went This made Coloman King of Hungarie not onely denie them passage through his countrey and no wonder if he was loth to lodge those guests who were likely to rob their host but also put most of them to the sword Some suspected these beginnings to be but the bad breakfast to a worse dinner and therefore abandoning their resolutions returned home others little moved hereat conceived these first defeats to be but the clarifying of the Christian army from the dregs of base and ruder people Chap. 15. The Pilgrimes arrivall at Constantinople entertainment and departure BUt now to speak in my authours phrase the chaff being winnowed with this fanne out of Gods floore the good grain began to appear Godfrey Duke of Bouillon set forth and marched through Hungary with an armie of civill and wel-conditioned souldiers so also did Boemund Reimund and Robert the Normane whose setting forth bare diverse dates and they embraced severall courses through sundry countreys but the first Rendezvous where all met was at Constantinople This was no pleasant prospect to Alexius the Grecian Emperour to see the sea full of ships the shore of souldiers He had gotten the Empire by bad practices by deposing and cloistering Nicephorus his predecessour and an ill conscience needeth no enemie but it self for now he affrighteth himself with the fansie that these Pilgrimes were so many pioners come to undermine him Yea he seemeth to have entailed his jealousies on all his successours who never cordially affected this warre but suspected that these Western Christians made but a false blow at Jerusalem and meant to hit Constantinople But though he had a storm in his heart yet he made all fair weather in his face and finding these his guests so strong that they could command their own welcome he entertained them rather for fear then love At last it was covenanted betwixt them that what countreys or cities soever Jerusalem alone excepted once belonging to this Grecian Empire should be recovered by these Latines should all be restored to Alexius in lieu whereof he was to furnish them with armour shipping and all other warlike necessaries Thus might that Emperour have much improved his estate by these adventures but he like those who cannot see their own good for too stedfast looking on it by his over-carefulnesse and causelesse suspicion deprived himself of this benefit and implunged himself in much just hatred for his unjust just dealing and treachery Polybius though a Grecian himself yet thus painteth out his countreymen amongst the Greeks If one should lend a talent though he should have for it ten bonds ten seals and twice as many witnesses yet the borrower will not keep his credit It seems Alexius was one of this same faith who though so solemnly engaged on his honour to perform this agreement so advantagious to himself most un-princelike brake his word and molested these Pilgrimes afterwards Some question the discretion of these Princes in this agreement to bargain to purchase Alexius his profit with their bloud and conceive that they much under-valued themselves in swearing homage unto him which onely Robert Earl of Flanders remembring that he was free-born and bred refused to do Yet they may herein be partly excused for they apprehended it of absolute necessitie to gain this Emperours favour on what price soever because his countrey was the high-way through which they must passe Besides their zeal to be at their journeys end made them insensible of any future disadvantages so be it they might have but present expedition to the place they were bound for And we may also think that Alexius his liberall gifts had great efficacie in this matter to win these Princes to his own desires Chap. 16. The estate of Asia siege and taking of Nice Turks overthrown in battel AT our last mentioning of the Turks and their victories we left them possest of Jerusalem and the greater part of Syria but since they have thrived better and won the lesser Asia from the Grecian Emperour Indeed those Emperours with their own hands lifted up the Turks into their throne and caused them thus speedily to conquer For giving themselves over to pleasure they gave little countenance and lesse maintenance to men of service and action whereby the martiall sparks in noble spirits were quenched and no wonder if vertue did wither where it was not watered with reward Secondly out of covetousnesse the Emperours unfurnished their frontiers of garrisons and laid them open to invasions a notorious solecisme in policie for if doores in private houses are to be locked much more frontiers in kingdomes Neither did it a
little advantage the Turks proceedings that the Grecian Empire fell to Eudoxia a woman and her children in minoritie too weak pilots to steer so great a State in the tempest of warre And though after other changes it fell to Alexius one whose personall abilities were not to be excepted against yet he being totally busied at home to maintain his title against home-bred foes had no leisure to make any effectuall resistance against forrein enemies Nor did the death of Cutlen-Muses their king any whit prejudice the Turkish proceedings for Solyman his sonne succeeded him a Prince no lesse famous for his clemencie then his conquests as victory to generous minds is onely an inducement to moderation In this case under the tyrannie of the Turks stood Asia the lesse and though there were many Christians in every citie yet these being disarmed had no other weapons then those of the Primitive Church tears and prayers But now these Western Pilgrimes arriving there besiege the citie of Nice with an armie as glorious as ever the sunne beheld This citie was equally beholden to nature and art for her strength and was formerly famous for the first generall Councel called there by Constantine against Arius wherein were assembled 318 Bishops The Pilgrimes had a Lombard for their engineer the neighbouring wood afforded them materials whereof they made many warlike instruments and hoped speedily to conquer the citie But breathed deer are not so quickly caught The Turks within being experienced souldiers defeated their enterprises And here one might have seen art promising her self the victory and suddenly meeting with counter-art which mastered her The lake Ascanius whereon the citie stood having an out-let into the sea much advantaged the besieged whereby they fetcht victualls from the countrey till at last that passage was locked up by the Grecian fleet Soon after the citie was surrendred on composition that the inhabitants lives and goods should be untouched whereat the souldiers who hitherto hoped for the spoyl now seeing themselves spoyled of their hope shewed no small discontentment Solymans wife and young children were taken prisoners and the citie according to the agreement was delivered to Tatinus the Grecian Admirall in behalf of Alexius his master From hence the Christians set forward to the vale of Dogorgan when behold Solyman with all his might fell upon them and there followed a cruel battel fought with much courage and varietie of successe A cloud of arrows darkened the skie which was quickly dissolved into a showre a bloud The Christians had many disadvantages For their enemies were three to one and valour it self may be pressed to death under the weight of multitude The season was unseasonable the scorching of the sunne much annoying these northern people whilest the Turks had bodies of proof against the heat Besides the Christians horses affrighted with the barbarous sounds of the Turkish drummes were altogether unserviceable However they bravely maintained their fight by the speciall valour and wisdome of their leaders amongst whom Boemund and Hugh brother to the King of France deserved high commendations till at last finding themselves overmatched they began to guard their heads with their heels and fairly ran away When in came Robert the Normane in the very opportunity of opportunitie Much he encouraged them with his words more with his valour slaying three principall Turks with his own hands This sight so inspirited the Christians that coming in on fresh they obtained a most glorious victorie Two thousand on their side were slain whereof William the brother of Tancred Godfrey de Mont and Robert of Paris were of speciall note But farre greater was the slaughter of their enemies especially after that Godfrey of Bouillon who had been absent all the battel came in with his army yet they wanted a hammer to drive the victory home to the head having no horses to make the pursuit Solyman flying away burned all as he went and to prop up his credit gave it out that he had gotten the day pleasing himself to be a conquerour in report This great battel was fought July the first though some make it many dayes after Yea so great is the varietie of Historians in their dates that every one may seem to have a severall clock of time which they set faster or slower at their own pleasure but as long as they agree in the main we need not be much moved with their petty dissensions Chap. 17. The siege and taking of Antiochia Corboran overcome in fight of Christs spear and of holy fraud FRom hence with invincible industry and patience they bored a passage through valleys up mountains over rivers taking as they went the famous cities Iconium Heraclea Tarsus and conquering all the countrey of Cilicia This good successe much puffed them up God therefore to cure them of the pleurisie of pride did let them bloud with the long and costly siege of Antiochia This citie watered by the river Orontes and called Reblath of the Hebrews was built by Seleucus Nicanor and enlarged by Antiochus Compassed it was with a double wall one of square stone the other of brick strengthened with 460 towres and had a castle on the East rather to be admired then assaulted Here the professours of our faith were first named Christians and here S. Peter first sat Bishop whose fair church was a Patriarchall seat for many hundred yeares after Before this city the Pilgrimes army incamped and strongly besieged it but the Turks within manfully defending themselves under Auxianus their captain frustrated their hopes of taking it by force The siege grew long and victuals short in the Christians camp and now Peter the Hermite being brought to the touch-stone discovered what base metall he was of ran away with some other of good note and were fetcht back again and bound with a new oath to prosecute the warre At last one within the citie though Authours agree neither of his name nor religion some making him a Turk others a Christian some calling him Pyrrhus some Hemirpherrus others Emipher in the dead of the night betrayed the citie to Boemund The Christians issuing in and exasperated with the length of the siege so remembred what they had suffered that they forgot what they had to do killing promiscuously Christian citizens with Turks Thus passions like heavie bodies down steep hills once in motion move themselves and know no ground but the bottom Antiochia thus taken was offered to Alexius the Emperour but he refused it suspecting some deceit in the tender as bad men measure other mens minds by the crooked rule of their own Hereupon it was bestowed on Boemund though this place dearly purchased was not long quietly possessed For Corboran the Turkish Generall came with a vast armie of Persian forces and besieged the Christians in the citie so that they were brought into a great strait betwixt death and death hunger within and their foes without Many
description of Palestine let none conceive that God forgot the Levites in division of the land because they had no entire countrey allotted unto them Their portion was as large as any though paid in severall summes They had 48 cities with their suburbs tithes first-fruits free-offerings being better provided for then many English ministers who may preach of hospitalitie to their people but cannot go to the cost to practice their own doctrine A table shewing the varietie of places names in Palestine  In the old Testament At Christs time In S. Hieromes time At this day 1 Azzah Gaza Constantia Gazra 2 Japho Joppa  Jaffa 3 Ramah Arimathea  Ramma 4 Shechem Sychar Neapolis Pelosa 5  Lydda Diospolis  6 Capharsalama Antipatris  Assur 7 Zarephath Sarepta  Saphet 8  Emmaus Nicopolis  9 Bethsan  Scythopolis  10 Tzor Tyrus  Sur. 11 Laish    Dan. Cesarea-Philippi Paneas Belina Leshem    12 Jerusalem Hierosolyma Aelia Cuds 13 Samaria Samaria Sebaste  14 Cinnereth Tiberias  Saffer 15 Accho Ptolemais  Acre 16 Gath.  Dio-Cesarea Ybilin 17 Dammesek Damascus  Sham. 18 Arnon  Areopolis Petra 19 Rabbah Philadelphia   20 Waters of Merom Semochonite lake  Houle Chap. 24. The siege and taking of Ierusalem BY this time cold weather the best besome to sweep the chambers of the aire had well cleared the Christians camp from infection and now their devotion moved the swifter being come neare to the centre thereof the citie of Jerusalem Forward they set and take the citie of Marrha and imploy themselves in securing the countrey about them that so they might clear the way as they went Neither did the discords betwixt Reimund and Boemund much delay their proceedings being in some measure seasonably compounded as was also the sea-battel betwixt the Pisans and Venetians For the Venetians seeing on the Pisans the cognisance of the Crosse the uncounterfeited pasport that they wear for the Holy warre suffered them safely to go on though otherwise they were their deadly enemies yea and set five thousand of them at libertie whom they had taken captive The Pilgrimes kept their Easter at Tripoli Whitsuntide by Cesarea-Stratonis taking many places in their passage and at last came to Jerusalem Discovering the citie afarre off it was a prettie sight to behold the harmonie in the difference of expressing their joy how they clothed the same passion with diverse gestures some prostrate some kneeling some weeping all had much ado to manage so great a gladnesse Then began they the siege of the citie on the north being scarce assaultable on any other side by reason of steep and broken rocks and continued it with great valour On the fourth day after they had taken it but for want of scaling-ladders But a farre greater want was the defect of water the springs being either stopped up or poysoned by the Turks so that they fetcht water five miles off As for the brook Cedron it was dried up as having no subsistence of it self but merely depending on the benevolence of winter-waters which mount Olivet bestoweth upon it Admirall Coligni was wont to say He that will well paint the beast Warre must first begin to shape the belly meaning that a good Generall must first provide victuals for an armie Yea let him remember the bladder in the beasts belly as well as the guts and take order for moisture more especially then for meat it self thirst in northern bodies being more unsupportable then famine Quickly will their courage be cooled who have no moisture to cool their hearts As for the Christians want of ladders that was quickly supplied for the Genoans arriving with a fleet in Palestine brought most curious engineers who framed a wooden towre and all other artificiall instruments For we must not think that the world was at a losse for warre-tools before the brood of guns was hatched It had the battering ramme first found out by Epeus at the taking of Troy the balista to discharge great stones invented by the Phenicians the catapulta being a sling of mighty strength whereof the Syrians were authours and perchance King Uzziah first made it for we find him very dextrous and happy in devising such things And although these bear-whelps were but rude and unshaped at the first yet art did lick them afterwards and they got more teeth and sharper nails by degrees so that every age set them forth in a new edition corrected and amended But these and many more voluminous engines for the ramme alone had an hundred men to manage it are now virtually epitomized in the cannon And though some may say that the finding of gunnes hath been the losing of many mens lives yet it will appear that battels now are fought with more expedition and victory standeth not so long a neuter before she expresse her self on one side or other But these gunnes have shot my discourse from the siege of Jerusalem To return thither again By this time in the space of a moneth the Genoans had finished their engines which they built seven miles off for nearer there grew no stick of bignesse I will not say that since our Saviour was hanged on a tree the land about that city hath been cursed with a barrennes of wood And now for a preparative that their courage might work the better they began with a fast and a solemn procession about mount Olivet Next day they gave a fierce assault yea women played the men and fought most valiantly in armour But they within being fourtie thousand strong well victualled and appointed made stout resistance till the night accounted but a foe for her friendship umpired betwixt them and abruptly put an end to their fight in the midst of their courage When the first light brought news of a morning they on afresh the rather because they had intercepted a letter tied to the legs of a dove it being the fashion of that countrey both to write and send their letters with the wings of a fowl wherein the Persian Emperour promised present succours to the besieged The Turks cased the outside of their walls with bags of chaff straw and such like pliable matter which conquered the engines of the Christians by yeelding unto them As for one sturdie engine whose force would not be tamed they brought two old witches on the walls to inchant it but the spirit thereof was too strong for their spells so that both of them were miserably slain in the place The day following Duke Godfrey fired much combustible matter the smoke whereof the light cause of an heavie effect driven with the wind blinded the Turks eyes and under the protection thereof the Christians entred the citie Godfrey himself first footing the walls and then his brother
Pilgrimes coming to the Sepulchre and they vowed Poverty Chastity and Obedience Reimundus de Podio their second master made some additionalls to their profession as They must receive the sacrament thrice a yeare heare Masse once a day if possible They were to be no merchants no usurers to fight no private duells to stand neuters and to take no side if the Princes in Christendome should fall out But it is given to most religious orders to be clear in the spring and mirie in the stream These Hospitallers afterwards getting wealth unlaced themselves from the strictnesse of their first Institution and grew loose into all licentiousnesse What was their obedience to their master but rebellion against the Patriarch their first patrone as shall be shewed hereafter What was their poverty but a couzenage of the world whilest their order sued in formâ pauperis and yet had nineteen thousand mannours in Christendome belonging unto them Neither will it be scandalum magnatum to their lordships to say what S. Bernard speaketh of their chastity how they lived inter scorta epulas betwixt bawds and banquets And no wonder if their forced virginity was the mother of much uncleannesse For commonly those who vow not to go the high-way of Gods ordinance do haunt base and unwarrantable by-paths I will not forestall the history to shew how these Hospitallers were afterwards Knights of Rhodes and at this day of Malta but will conclude with the ceremonies used at their creation because much materiall stuff no doubt may be picked out of their formalities There is delivered them 1. a sword in token that they must be valiant 2. with a crosse-hilt their valour must defend religion 3. With this sword they are struck three times over the shoulders to teach them patiently to suffer for Christ 4. They must wipe the sword their life must be undefiled 5. Gilt spurres are put on them because they are to scorn wealth at their heels 6. And then they take a taper in their hands for they are to lighten others by their exemplary lives 7. and so go to heare Masse where we leave them At the same time Knights of the Sepulchre were also ordained which for their originall and profession are like to these Knights-hospitallers The order continueth to this day The Padre Guardian of Jerusalem maketh them of such as have seen the Sepulchre They should be Gentlemen by birth but the Padre carrieth a Chancerie in his bosome to mitigate the rigour of this Common law and will admit of him that bringeth fat enough though no bloud as of late he made an Apothecary of Aleppo of that honour So that there the sword of Knighthood is denied to none who bring a good sheath with them and have a purse to pay soundly for it Chap. 5. The scuffling betwixt the King and Patriarch about the city of Ierusalem the issue thereof NOt long after there was started a controversie of great consequence betwixt the King and Patriarch the Patriarch claiming the cities of Jerusalem and Joppa with the appertenances the King refusing to surrender them The Patriarch pleaded That these places anciently belonged to his predecessours He set before the King the hainousnesse of sacriledge how great a sinne it was when Princes who should be nursing-fathers and suckle the Church shall suck from it and shewed how the Common-wealth may grow fat but never healthfull by feeding on the Churches goods On the other side the King alledged That the Christian Princes had now purchased Jerusalem with their bloud and bestowed it on him that the Patriarchs overgrown title was drowned in this late conquest from which as from a new foundation all must build their claims who challenge any right to any part in the city Secondly he pleaded it was unreasonable that the King of Jerusalem should have nothing in Jerusalem as at this day the Romane Emperour is a very ciphre without power or profit in Rome and should live rather as a sojourner then a Prince in his royall citie confined to an airy title whilest the Patriarch should have all the command To this the Patriarch answered That the Christians new conquest could not cancell his ancient right which was enjoyed even under the Saracens That this voyage was principally undertaken for advancing the Church and not to restore her onely to her liberty and withhold from her her lands so that in this respect she should find better usage from her foes then from her children If we mistake not the chief pinch of the cause lieth on the Patriarchs proof that the lands he demanded formerly belonged to his predecessours and we find him to fail in the main issue of the matter True it was that for the last thirty yeares the Patriarchs on condition they should repair and fortifie the walls of Jerusalem were possessed of a fourth part of the city even by grant from Bomensor the Emperour of the Saracens in the yeare of our Lord 1063. But that ever he had the whole citie either by this or by any previous grant it appeareth not in Tyrius who saith moreover We wonder for what reason the lord Patriarch should raise this controversie against Duke Godfrey Let me adde that this our Authour is above exception for being both a politick states-man and pious prelate no doubt his penne strikes the true and even stroke betwixt King and Patriarch Besides he might well see the truth of this matter writing in a well-proportioned distance of time from it Those who live too neare the stories they write oftentimes willingly mistake through partiality and those who live too farre off are mistaken by uncertainties the footsteps of truth being almost worn out with time But to return to Godfrey who though unwilling at first yet afterwards not onely on Candlemasse-day restored to the Patriarch the fourth part of the citie but also on the Easter following gave him all Jerusalem Joppa and whatsoever he demanded conditionally that the King should hold it of the Patriarch till such time as he could conquer Babylon or some other royall citie fit for him to keep his court in If in the mean time Godfrey died without issue the Patriarch was to have it presently delivered unto him We will be more charitable then those that say that the Patriarch herein did bewitch and be mad Godfrey to make this large donation to him by torturing his conscience at the confession of his sinnes Onely we may question the discretion of this Prince in giving a gift of so large a size for Charities eyes must be open as well as her hands though she giveth away her branches not to part with the root And let the reader observe that Godfrey at the time of this his bountifull grant lay on his death-bed sick of that irrecoverable disease which ended him How easily may importunity stamp any impression on those whom desperate sicknesse hath softened And if the sturdiest man nigh death may be
Bernards bow Wherefore this miscarriage came very seasonably to abate their over-towring conceits of him and perchance his own of himself And no doubt he made a good use of this bad accident The lesse his fame blazed the more his devotion burned and the cutting off of his top made him take deep root and to be made more truly humbled and sanctified In his book of Consideration he maketh a modest defense of himself whither we referre the reader To conclude The devotion of this man was out of question so neglecting this world that he even did spit out that preferment which was dropped into his mouth But as for his judgement it was not alwayes the best which gave occasion to the proverb Bernardus non vidit omnia Chap. 31. Vnseasonable discords betwixt King Baldwine and his mother Her strength in yeelding to her sonne UPon the departure of Emperour Conrade and King Lewis Noradine the Turk much prevailed in Palestine Nor was he little advantaged by the discords betwixt Millesent Queen-mother and the Nobility thus occasioned There was a Noble-man called Manasses whom the Queen governing all in her sonnes minority made Constable of the kingdome This man unable to manage his own happinesse grew so insolent that he could not go but either spurning his equals or trampling on his inferiours No wonder then if envy the shadow of greatnesse waited upon him The Nobility highly distasted him but in all oppositions the Queens favour was his sanctuary who to shew her own absolutenesse and that her affection should not be controlled nor that thrown down which she set up still preserved the creature she had made His enemies perceiving him so fast rooted in her favour and seeing they could not remove him from his foundation sought to remove him with his foundation instigating young King Baldwine against his mother and especially against her favourite They complained how the State groned under his insolency He was the bridge by which all offices must passe and there pay toll He alone sifted all matters and then no wonder if much bran passed He under pretense of opening the Queens eyes did lead her by the nose captivating her judgement in stead of directing it He like a by-gulf devoured her affection which should flow to her children They perswaded the King he was ripe for government and needed none to hold his hand to hold the sceptre Let him therefore either untie or cut himself loose from this slavery and not be in subjection to a subject Liberty needeth no hard pressing on youth a touch on that stamp maketh an impression on that waxen age Young Baldwine is apprehensive of this motion and prosecuteth the matter so eagerly that at length he coopeth up this Manasses in a castle and forceth him to abjure the kingdome Much stirre afterwards was betwixt him and his mother till at last to end divisions the kingdome was divided betwixt them She had the city of Jerusalem and the land-locked part he the maritime half of the land But the widest throne is too narrow for two to sit on together He not content with this partition marcheth furiously to Jerusalem there to besiege his mother and to take all from her Out of the citie cometh Fulcher the good Patriarch his age was a patent for his boldnesse and freely reproveth the King Why should he go on in such an action wherein every step he stirred his legs must needs grate and crash both against nature and religion Did he thus requite his mothers care in stewarding the State thus to affright her age to take arms against her Was it not her goodnesse to be content with a moyety when the whole kingdome in right belonged unto her But ambition had so inchanted Baldwine that he was penetrable with no reasons which crossed his designes so that by the advice of her friends she was content to resigne up all lest the Christian cause should suffer in these dissensions She retired her self to Sebaste and abridged her train from State to necessity And now the lesse room she had to build upon the higher she raised her soul with heavenly meditations and lived as more private so more pious till the day of her death Chap. 32. Reimund Prince of Antioch overcome and killed Askelon taken by the Christians The death of King Baldwine THese discords betwixt mother and sonne were harmonie in the eares of Noradine the Turk Who coming with a great army wasted all about Antioch and Prince Reimund going out to bid him battel was slain himself and his army overthrown nor long after Joceline Count of Edessa was intercepted by the Turks and taken prisoner As for Constantia the relict of Reimund Prince of Antioch she lived a good while a widow refusing the affections which many princely suiters proffered unto her till at last she descended beneath her self to marry a plain man Reinold of Castile Yet why should we say so when as a Castilian Gentleman if that not a needlesse tautologie as he maketh the inventory of his own worth prizeth himself any Princes fellow And the proverb is Each lay-man of Castile may make a King each clergie-man a Pope Yea we had best take heed how we speak against this match for Almericus Patriarch of Antioch for inveighing against it was by this Prince Reinold set in the heat of the sunne with his bare head besmeared with hony a sweet-bitter torment that so bees might sting him to death But King Baldwine mediated for him and obtained his liberty that he might come to Jerusalem where he lived many yeares in good esteem And Gods judgements are said to have overtaken the Prince of Antioch for besides the famine which followed in his countrey he himself afterwards fighting unfortunately with the Turks was taken prisoner But let us step over to Jerusalem where we shall find King Baldwine making preparation for the siege of Askelon Which citie after it had long been blocked up had at last an assaultable breach made in the walls thereof The Templars to whom the King promised the spoil if they took it entred through this breach into the citie and conceiving they had enow to wield the work and master the place set a guard at the breach that no more of their fellow-Christians should come in to be sharers with them in the booty But their covetousnesse cost them their lives for the Turks contemning their few number put them every one to the sword Yet at last the citie was taken though with much difficulty Other considerable victories Baldwine got of the Turks especially one at the river Jordan where he vanquished Noradine And twice he relieved Cesarea-Philippi which the Turks had straitly besieged But death at last put a period to his earthly happinesse being poisoned as it was supposed by a Jewish physician for the rest of the potion killed a dog to whom it was given This Kings youth was stained with unnaturall discords with his
and following the advice of Charatux his counseller counted one of the wisest men in the world though his person was most contemptible so true it is none can guesse the jewel by the casket dismantled all his cities in the Holy land save some frontier-places rasing their walls and forts that they were not tenable with an army For he feared if the Dutch wonne these places they would not easily be driven out whereas now being naked from shelter he would weary them with set battels having men numberlesse and those neare at hand and so he would tame the Romane Eagle by watching him giving him no rest nor respite from continuall fighting It is therefore no Paradox to say That in some case the strength of a kingdome doth consist in the weaknesse of it And hence it is that our English Kings have suffered Time without disturbing her meals to feed her belly full on their in-land castles and citie-walls which whilest they were standing in their strength were but the nurseries of rebellion And now as one observeth because we have no strong cities warre in England waxeth not old being quickly stabbed with set battels which in the Low-countreys hath already outlived the grand climactericall of threescore and ten yeares But Frederick the Emperour being now entring into the Holy land was to the great grief of all Christians suddenly taken away being drowned in the river of Saleph a river such is the envie of Barbarisme obscuring all places which cannot accurately be known at this day because this new name is a stranger to all ancient maps If he went in to wash himself as some write he neither consulted with his health nor honour Some say his horse foundred under him as he passed the water others that he fell from him But these severall relations as varietie of instruments make a dolefull consort in this that there he lost his life and no wonder if the cold water quickly quenched those few sparks of naturall heat left in him at seventie yeares of age Neubrigensis conceiveth that this his sudden death was therefore inflicted on him because in his youth he fought against the Popes and Church of Rome But I wonder that he seeing an Emperour drowned in a ditch durst adventure into the bottomlesse depths of Gods counsels Let it content us to know that oftentimes heaven blasteth those hopes which bud first and fairest and the feet of mightie Monarchs do slip when they want but one step to their enemies throne After his death Frederick Duke of Suevia his second sonne undertook the conduct of the armie Now the Turks conceiving grief had steeped and moistened these Pilgrimes hearts gave them a sudden charge in hope to have overthrown them But the valiant Dutch who though they had scarce wiped their eyes had scoured their swords quickly forced them to retire Then Frederick took the citie of Antioch which was easily delivered unto him and his hungrie souldiers well refreshed by the citizens being as yet for the most part Christians Marching from hence in set battel he overthrew Dodequin Generall of Saladines forces slew foure thousand and took a thousand prisoners with little losse of his own men and so came to the citie of Tyre where he buried the corpse of his worthy father in the Cathedrall Church next the tombe of learned Origen and Gulielmus Tyrius the worthy Archbishop preached his funerall sermon We may heare his sorrowfull army speaking this his Epitaph unto him Earth scarce did yeeld ground enough for thy sword To conquer how then could a brook afford Water to drown thee brook which since doth fear O guiltie conscience in a map t' appear Yet blame we not the brook but rather think The weight of our own sinnes did make thee sink Now sith 't is so wee 'l fetch a brackish main Out of our eyes and drown thee once again From hence by sea they were conveyed to the Christian army before Ptolemais where young Frederick died of the plague and his great army which at first consisted of an hundred and fiftie thousand at their setting forth out of Germanie had now no more left then eighteen hundred armed men Chap. 5. The continuation of the famous siege of Ptolemais The Dutch Knights honoured with a grand Master WE have now at our leisure overtaken the snail-like siege of Ptolemais still slowly creeping on Before it the Christians had not onely a Nationall but an Oecumenicall army the abridgement of the Christian world Scarce a state or populous citie in Europe but had here some competent number to represent it How many bloudie blows were here lent on both sides and repayed with interest what sallies what assaults what encounters whilest the Christians lay betwixt Saladine with his great army behind them and the citie before them One memorable battel we must not omit It was agreed betwixt Saladine and the Christians to trie their fortunes in a pitched field and now the Christians were in fair hope of a conquest when an imaginarie causelesse fear put them to a reall flight so ticklish are the scales of victory a very mote will turn them Thus confusedly they ran away and boot would have been given to change a strong arm for a swift leg But behold Geoffrey Lusignan King Guy's brother left for the guarding of the camp marching out with his men confuted the Christians in this their groundlesse mistake and reinforced them to fight whereby they wonne the day though with the losse of two thousand men and Gerard Master of the Templars It was vainly hoped that after this victorie the citie would be surrendred but the Turks still bravely defended it though most of their houses were burnt and beaten down and the citie reduced to a bare sceleton of walls and towres They fought as well with their wits as weapons and both sides devised strange defensive and offensive engines so that Mars himself had he been here present might have learned to fight and have taken notes from their practice Mean time famine raged amongst the Christians and though some provision was now and then brought in from Italy for so farre they fetched it yet these small showres after great droughts parched the more and rather raised then abated their hunger Once more we will take our farewell of this siege for a twelve-moneth But we must not forget that at this time before the walls of Ptolemais the Teutonick order or Dutch Knights which since the dayes of Baldwine the second lived like private pilgrimes had now their order honoured with Henry of Walpot their first grand Master and they were enriched by the bountie of many Germane benefactours These though slow were sure they did hoc agere ply their work more cordiall to the Christian cause then the Templars who sometimes to save their own stakes would play bootie with the Turks Much good service did the Dutch Knights in the Holy warre till at last no wise Doctour will
a Tyrant both detaining the dowrie and imprisoning the person of Joan wife to William late King of Sicilie and sister to King Richard But in what a case was he now having two such mightie Monarchs come unto him To keep them out was above his power to let them in against his will Well he knew it was wofull to lie in the rode where great armies were to passe For power knoweth no inferiour friend and the land-lord commonly loseth his rent sometimes his land where the tenant is too potent for him At last he resolved how wisely or honestly let others judge openly to poise himself indifferent betwixt these two Kings secretly applying himself to the French which King Richard quickly discovered as dissembling goeth not long invisible before a judicious eye Mean time the citizens of Messana did the English much wrong if not by the command with the consent of the King For though it be unjust to father the base actions of unrulie people on their Prince yet Tankred not punishing his people for injuring the English when he might and was required thereunto did in effect justifie their insolencies and adopt their deeds to be his Wherefore King Richard to avenge himself took Messana by assault seised on most forts in the Island demanding satisfaction for all wrongs done to him and his sister Tankred though dull at first now pricked with the sword came off roundly with many thousand ounces of gold and seeing as the case stood his best thrift was to be prodigall gave to our King what rich conditions soever he demanded Worse discords daily encreased betwixt the Kings of France and England King Richard slighting the King of France his sister whom he had promised to marrie and expressing more affection to Beringaria daughter to the King of Navarre Some Princes interposing themselves in this breach rather asswaged the pain then removed the maladie So dangerous are ruptures betwixt great ones whose affections perchance by the mediation of friends may be brought again to meet but never to unite and incorporate King Philip thinking to forestall the market of honour and take up all for himself hasted presently to Ptolemais Richard followed at his leisure and took Cyprus in his way Isaac or Cursac reigned then in Cyprus who under Andronicus the Grecian Emperour when every factious Noble-man snatched a plank out of that shipwracked Empire seised on this Island and there tyrannized as a reputed King Some falsely conceive him a Pagan and his faith is suspected because his charitie was so bad killing the English that landed there not having so much man as to pitie a woman and to suffer the sea-sick Lady Beringaria to come on shore But King Richard speedily overran the Island honoured Isaac with the magnificent captivitie of silver fetters yet giving his daughter libertie and princely usage The Island he pawned to the Templars for readie money And because Cyprus by antiquitie was celebrated as the seat of Venus that so it might prove to him in the joyous moneth of May he solemnly took to wife his beloved Lady Beringaria Chap. 8. The taking of the citie Ptolemais WHilest King Richard stayed in Cyprus the siege of Ptolemais went on and though the French King thought with a running pull to bear the citie away yet he found it staked down too fast for all his strength to stirre Mean time the plague and famine raged in the Christians camp which the last yeare swept away fiftie Princes and Prelates of note Who no doubt went hence to a happie place though it was before Pope Clement the sixth commanded the angels who durst not but obey him presently to convey all their souls into Paradise which should die in their Pilgrimage This mortalitie notwithstanding the siege still continued And now the Christians and Turks like two fensers long playing together were so well acquainted with the blows and guards each of other that what advantage was taken betwixt them was merely casuall never for want of skill care or valour on either side It helped the Christians not a little that a concealed Christian within the citie with letters unsubscribed with any name gave them constant and faithfull intelligence of the remarkable passages amongst the Turks No Prince in this siege deserved more then Leopoldus Duke of Austria who fought so long in assaulting this citie till his armour was all over gore bloud save the place covered with his belt Whereupon he and his successours the Dukes of Austria renouncing the six Golden larks their ancient arms had assigned them by the Emperour a fesse Argent in a field Gules as the paternall coat of their family By this time King Richard was arrived taking as he came a dromond or Saracen ship wherein were fifteen hundred souldiers and two hundred and fiftie scorpions which were to be imployed in the poisoning of Christians and now the siege of Ptolemais more fiercely prosecuted But all their engines made not so wide a breach in that citie walls as envie made betwixt the French and English Kings Yet at last the Turks despairing of succour their victuals wholly spent yeelded up the citie by Saladines consent on condition to be themselves safely guarded out of it all Christian prisoners Saladine had were to be set free and the Crosse to be again restored The houses which were left with the spoil and prisoners were equally divided betwixt Philip and Richard Whereat many Noble-men partners in the pains no sharers in the gains departed in discontent Some Turks for fear embraced the Christian faith but quickly returned to their vomit as religion died in fear never long keepeth colour but this dayes converts will be to morrows apostates Hereupon it was commanded that none hereafter should be baptized against their wills Here the English cast down the ensignes of Leopoldus Duke of Austria which he had advanced in a principall towre in Ptolemais and as some say threw them into the jakes The Duke though angrie at heart forgot this injurie till he could remember it with advantage and afterwards made King Richard pay soundly for this affront It is not good to exasperate any though farre inferiour for as the fable telleth us the beetle may annoy the eagle and the mouse befriend the lion When the citie was taken it grieved the Christians not a little that their faithfull correspondent who advised them by his letters could no where be found Pitie it was that Rahabs red lace was not tied at his window But indeed it was probable that he was dead before the surrendring of the citie Greater was the grief that the Crosse did no where appear either carelessely lost or enviously concealed by the Turks Whilest the Christians stormed hereat Saladine required a longer respite for the performance of the conditions But King Richard would not enlarge him from the strictnesse of what was concluded conceiving this was in effect to forfeit the victorie back again Besides he
with their own bloud when their camp was their shambles the Turks their butchers and themselves the Martinmasse-beeves from which the beastly drunkards differ but a little The citie of Joppa the Turks rased to the ground and of this victory they became so proud that they had thought without stop to have driven the Christians quite out of Syria But by the coming of Simon Count of Montford a most valiant and expert Captain sent thither by Philip the French King with a regiment of tall souldiers at the instance of Innocent the third that succeeded Celestine in the Papacy and by civil discord then reigning amongst the Turks themselves for sovereignty their fury was repressed and a peace betwixt them and the Christians concluded for the space of ten yeares During which time the Turks promised not to molest the Christians in Tyre or Ptolemais Which peace so concluded the worthy Count returned with his souldiers into France Chap. 17. A Crusado for the Holy land diverted by the Pope to Constantinople They conquer the Grecian Empire THis truce notwithstanding another armie of Pilgrimes was presently provided for Syria The Tetrarchs whereof were Baldwine Earl of Flanders Dandalo the Venetian Duke Theobald Earl of Champaigne Boniface Marquesse of Montferrat with many other Nobles Leave we them a while taking the citie of Jadera in Istria for the Venetians Mean time if we look over into Greece we shall find Isaac Angelus the Emperour deposed thrust into prison his eyes put out the punishment there in fashion so that he ended his dayes before he ended his life by the cruelty of Alexius Angelus his brother who succeeded him But young Alexius Isaac Angelus his sonne with some Grecian Noble-men came to the courts of most Western Princes to beg assistance to free his father and expell the tyrant He so deported himself that each gesture was a net to catch mens good will not seeking their favour by losing himself but though he did bow he would not kneel so that in his face one might reade a pretty combat betwixt the beams of majesty and cloud of adversity To see a Prince in want would move a misers charity Our Western Princes tendered his case which they counted might be their own their best right lying at the mercy of any stronger usurper Young Alexius so dressed his meat that he pleased every mans palate promising for their succours to disingage the French from their debts to the Venetian promising the Venetian satisfaction for the wrongs done them by the Grecians and bearing the Pope in hand he would reduce the Eastern Churches into his subjection things which he was little able to perform But well may the statute of Bankrupt be sued out against him who cannot be rich in promises These his fair proffers prevailed so farre that the Pope commanded and other Princes consented that this army of Pilgrimes levied for the Holy land should be imployed against the usurping Grecian Emperour Many taxed his Holinesse for an unjust steward of the Christian forces to expend them against the Grecians which were to be laid out against the Infidels Especially now when Palestine through the dissension of the Turks offered itself into the Christians arms to be regained Others thought the Pope took the right method because he which should winne Jerusalem must begin at Constantinople And by this warre the Grecian Empire which was the bridge to Syria would be made good and secured for the passage of Pilgrimes The souldiers generally rejoyced at the exchange of their service for the barren warres in Syria starved the undertakers and a cook himself cannot lick his fingers where no meat is dressed There nothing but naked honour was to be gotten here honour clothed with spoil the usurpers treasure would make brave scrambling amongst them And it was good plowing up of that ground which had long lien fallow Setting sail from Jadera which citie they had subdued to the Venetian forcing them to pay three thousand cony-skins yearly for tribute to that State like good fensers they strook at the head and made for Constantinople Which they quickly took after some hot skirmishes Alexius Angelus the usurper with his wife whores and treasure fled away Blind Isaac Angelus was fetched out of prison he and young Alexius his sonne saluted joynt Emperours Which brittle honour of theirs was quickly broken For soon after the father died being brought into an open place kept before in a close pent dungeon and having long fasted from good aire he now got his death by surfeting on it His sonne was villainously strangled by Alexius Ducas called from his beetle-brow Mursiphlus One of base parentage who was tumultuously chosen Emperour by the people This Ducas offered some affronts to the Latines which lay before Constantinople in their ships Wherefore and also because they were not payed for their former service they the second time assaulted the citie and took it by main force killing none but robbing all ravishing women and using a thousand insolencies Some fled for their succour to the shrines of Saints But the Sanctuaries needed sanctuaries to protect themselves the souldiers as little respecting place as formerly age or sex not standing on any reverence to the Saints they stood upon them making footstools of their images and statues Nicetas Choniates hitherto an historian now a plaintiff writing so full of ohs and exclamations as if the while pinched by the arm rather without measure then cause bemoneth the outrages the Latines here committed Poore man all the miseries our Saviour speaketh of in a siege met in him His flight from Constantinople was in the winter on the Sabbath-day his wife being great with child But when the object is too neare the eye it seemeth greater then it is and perchance he amplifieth and aggravateth the cruelty of these Pilgrimes being nearly interessed therein himself especially when the rhetorick of grief is alwayes in the Hyperbole Nor is it any news for souldiers to be so insolent when they take a citie by assault which time is their Saturnalia when servants themselves do command acknowledging no other leader or captain then their own passions Within a twelve-moneth all Greece was subdued save onely Adrianople Baldwine Earl of Flanders chosen Emperour Thomas Maurocenus elected first Latine Patriarch in Constantinople Boniface Marquesse of Montferrat made King of Thessalie Geoffrey of Troy a Frenchman Prince of Achaia and Duke of Athens the Venetians got many rich Islands in the Egean and Ionian seas So that one could not now see the Grecian Empire for Empires It was now expected that they should have advanced hence into Palestine But here having well feathered their nests they were loth to flie any further And now no wonder if the Christians affairs in Palestine were weak and lean the Pope diverting the meat that should feed them another way Chap. 18. The Pope sendeth an armie of Croises against
of Damascus profering them if they would depart to restore them the true Crosse the citie of Jerusalem and all the land of Palestine The English French and Italians would have embraced the conditions pleading That honourable peace was the centre of warre where it should rest That they could not satisfie their conscience to rob these Egyptians of their lands without a speciall command from God That it was good wisdome to take so desperate a debt whensoever the payment was tendred otherwise if they would not be content with their arms full they might perchance return with their hands emptie But the Legate would no wayes consent alledging this voyage was undertaken not onely for the recovery of Palestine but for the exstirpation of the Mahometane superstition And herein no doubt he followed the instructions of his master whose end in this warre was That this warre should have no end but be alwayes in doing though never done He knew it was dangerous to stop an issue which had been long open and would in no case close up this vent of people by concluding a finall peace Besides an old prophesie That a Spaniard should win Jerusalem and work wonders in those parts made Pelagius that countrey-man more zealous herein Coradine angry his profer was refused beat down the walls of Jerusalem and all the beautifull buildings therein save the towre of David and the temple of the Sepulchre Not long after Damiata having been basieged one yeare and seven moneths was taken without resistance plague and famine had made such a vastation therein The Christians entred with an intent to kill all but their anger soon melted into pity beholding the citie all bestrawed with corpses The sight was bad and the sent was worse for the dead killed the living Yea Gods sword had left their sword no work Of threescore and ten thousand but three thousand remained who had their lives pardoned on condition to cleanse the citie which imployed them a quarter of a yeare Hence the Christians marched and took the citie of Tanis and soon after the Pope substituted John de Columna a Cardinall Legate in the place of Pelagius Chap. 26. New discords betwixt the King and the Legate They march up to besiege Cairo GReat was the spoil they found in Damiata wherein as in strong barred chests the merchants of Egypt and India had locked up their treasure A full yeare the Christians stayed here contented to make this inne their home Here arose new discords betwixt the King and the new Legate who by vertue of his Legation challenged Damiata for his Holinesse which by publick agreement was formerly assigned to the King Bren in anger returned to Ptolemais both to puff out his discontents in private to teach the Christians his worth by wanting him For presently they found themselves at a losse neither could they stand still without disgrace nor go on without danger The Legate commanded them to march up but they had too much spirit to be ruled by a Spirituall man and swore not to stirre a step except the King was with them Messengers therefore were sent to Ptolemais to fetch him They found him of a steelie nature once through-hot long in cooling yet by promising him he should have his own desires they over-perswaded him not to starve an armie by feeding his own humours Scarce after eight moneths absence was he returned to Damiata but new divisions were betwixt them The Legate perswaded the armie to march up and besiege Cairo he promised if they would obey him they should quickly command all Egypt by present invading it Let defendants lie at a close guard and offer no play Delayes are a safe shield to save but celerity the best sword to winne a countrey Thus Alexander conquered the world before it could bethink it self to make resistance And thus God now opened them a doore of victorie except they would barre it up by their own idlenesse But the King advised to return into Syria That Cairo was difficult to take and impossible to keep That the ground whereon they went was as treacherous as the people against whom they fought That better now to retire with honour then hereafter flie with shame That none but an empirick in warre will denie but that more true valour is in an orderly well grounded retreat then in a furious rash invasion But the Legate used an inartificiall argument drawn from the authority of his place thundering excommunication against those that would not march forward And now needs must they go when he driveth them The crafty Egyptians of whom it is true what is said of the Parthians Their flight is more to be feared then their fight ran away counterfeiting cowardlinesse The Christians triumphed hereat as if the silly fish should rejoyce that he had caught the fisherman when he had swallowed his bait The Legate hugged himself in his own happinesse that he had given so successefull advice And now see how the garland of their victory proved the halter to strangle them Chap. 27. The miserable case of the drowned Christians in Egypt Damiata surrendred in ransome of their lives EGypt is a low level countrey except some few advantages which the Egyptians had fortified for themselves Through the midst of the land ran the river Nilus whose stream they had so bridled with banks and sluces that they could keep it to be their own servant and make it their enemies master at pleasure The Christians confidently marched on and the Turks perceiving the game was come within the toil pierced their banks and unmuzzling the river let it runne open mouth upon them yet so that at first they drowned them up but to the middle reserving their lives for a further purpose thereby in exchange to recover Damiata and their countreys liberty See here the land of Egypt turned in an instant into the Egyptian sea See an army of sixty thousand as the neck of one man stretched on the block and waiting the fatall stroke Many cursed the Legate and their own rashnesse that they should follow the counsel of a gowned man all whose experience was clasped in a book rather then the advice of experienced captains But too late repentance because it soweth not in season reapeth nothing but unavoidable miserie Meladine King of Egypt seeing the constancy and patience of the Christians was moved with compassion towards them He had of himself strong inclinations to Christianity wearie of Mahometanisme and willing to break that prison but for watchfull jaylers about him He profered the Christians their lives on condition they would quit the countrey and restore Damiata They accepted the conditions and sent messengers to Damiata to prepare them for the surrendring of it But they within the citie being themselves safe on shore tyrannized on their poore brethren in shipwrack pretending That this armie of Pilgrimes deserved no pity who had invited this misfortune on themselves by their own rashnesse That if they
his Wantonnesse A Nunnes vail was but a slender shield against his lust This sinne he was given to which was besides the custome of the Dutch saith one who though great friends to Bacchus are no favourites of Venus which is strange that they should heap up so much fewel and have no more fire In a word he was a better Emperour then a man his vices being personall most hurting himself his vertues of a publick nature and accomplishing him for government Chap. 30. Mines and countermines betwixt the Emperour and the Pope seeking to blow up or at leastwise to stay the projects each of other IT is verily conceived that the Pope provided this match for Frederick to imploy him in Palestine whilest he at home might play his game at pleasure For as provident Nature in marshalling the elements assigned fire a place in the verge and border of this lower world farre from the rest lest otherwise the activity thereof might set the others in combustion so the Pope disposed this hot violent-spirited Emperour farre off and engaged him in a distant and dangerous warre out of the borders of Europe Frederick smelt the project of his Holinesse being also master in the art of dissembling though he must acknowledge the Pope his senior in that faculty Wherefore he deferred the performance of his promise and his voyage into Palestine from moneth to moneth and yeare to yeare wisely gaining time by losing it The truth was he was not yet ripe for such an expedition The Pope was afraid of his valour he of the Popes treachery and more feared him behind his back then the Turk before his face He was loth to let go the Eagle he had in hand to catch the little bird that was in the bush Wherefore as yet he refused to go pleading that the eight yeares truce which King Bren had made with the Turks was not yet expired before which time to fight against them was to fight against God and conscience and that it was no way to propagate the Faith by breach of faith Pope Honorius continued still to put him in mind of his promise Yea he rubbed his memory so roughly he fetched off the skinne with his threats and menaces But before Fredericks journey began Honorius his life ended and Gregory the ninth succeeded him who at the first dash excommunicated the Emperour for his delay Know by the way that his name-sake Gregory the seventh otherwise Hildebrand first hanselled his excommunication on Henry the fourth Before his time the Imperiall majesty what is observed of the Seal that it is never hit with thunder was never fulminated against with excommunication afterward nothing more usuall till the commonnesse of those thunderbolts caused their contempt and the Emperours natures were so used to this physick it would not work with them Of late his Holinesse is grown more advised very sparingly using them especially against Protestant Princes counting it policie to hold that weapon within the scabbard which hath no other edge but what is given it by the opinion of those against whom it is used Frederick at last cometh forth of Germany with his armie marcheth through Italy cometh to Brindisi where the plague seiseth on his men whereof died the Landtgrave of Thuringia and others Soon after he fell very desperately sick himself which stayed his journey many moneths It went neare to the Pope that the Emperour was so neare to him His case now was worse then formerly For he had rouzed the Lion out of his denne but could not get him into the net His sicknesse must either be more or lesse to do good And the Pope having no variety of weapons excommunicated him afresh pretending Fredericks disease was onely the cramp of lazinesse and that he was sick to do good but swooned to do mischief as appeared by his unjust seising on the goods of Lewis Landtgrave of Thuringia late deceased The Emperour protested his innocencie accused the Popes injustice putting himself on the triall of all Christian Princes to whom he wrote letters At last health came and Frederick departed bearing up with his navie for Palestine The Pope hearing thereof belibelled him more fouly then ever before because like an undutifull sonne he departed without his Fathers blessing being not absolved and reconciled to his Mother the Church Chap. 31. Frederick recovereth all Palestine and Ierusalem without expense of time or bloud SEe how Gods blessing goeth along with the Popes curses The fame of Fredericks valour and maiden fortune never as yet spotted with ill successe like an harbinger hastening before had provided victorie to entertain him at his arrivall yea this Emperour swifter then Cesar himself overcame before he came over into Palestine At this time the state of the Turks in Syria was very aguish and Fredericks coming put them into a shaking fit Coradine was dead his children in minority the Turkish Souldans factious boiling in enmity one against another Whereupon the Sultan of Babylon who was of chiefest authority and governed Syria profered Frederick so honourable conditions as he might desire but could never hope for namely To restore unto him Jerusalem and all Palestine in as full and ample a manner as it was possessed by Baldwine the fourth before Saladine subdued it To set all Christian captives at liberty provided that the Turks might have accesse to the Sepulchre though not lodging in the citie but suburbs and that in small numbers at a time there to do their devotions they also having a knowledge of and giving an honour to Christ though no better then ignorance and dishonour of him Frederick before he ratified any thing by oath sent to have the Popes approbation who ill entreated and imprisoned his messengers denied them audience and contemptuously tore the Emperours letters Wherefore Frederick without yea against his Holinesse consent concluded a ten yeares truce with the Sultan and on Easter-day triumphantly entring Jerusalem crowned himself King with his own hands For Gerard Patriarch of Jerusalem and Oliver master of the Templars with all the Clergie absented themselves neither was there any masse sung in the citie as long as the Emperour being excommunicated remained there See that produced as it were in an instant which the succession of many yeares could not perform all the Holy land recovered Some gallants perchance whose curious palates count all conquests drie meat which are not juyced with bloud will dispraise this Emperours victory for the best praise thereof because it was so easily gotten without drawing his sword for it But they deserve to go naked who scorn to wear good clothes if they cost not dear The Templars were vexed at heart that they had no partnership in the glory of this action yea this touched their copy-hold Had they lived lazie thus long in Palestine sucking the sweet of Christendome to no purpose See Frederick with few men little money lesse time as master of his
craft had finished that which these bunglers had so long in vain been fumbling about Wherefore they wanting true merit to raise themselves to the pitch of Fredericks honour sought by false detraction to depresse him to the depth of their own basenesse defaming him as if he conspired with the Sultan to the ruine of all Christianity In the mean time the Christians every where built and repaired the cities of Palestine being now resigned into their hands Joppa and Nazareth they strongly fortified the walls of Jerusalem were repaired the Churches therein adorned and all publick edifices either wholly cast their skin with the snake or at leastwise renewed their bill with the eagle having their fronts either built or beautified But new tackling to an old rotten keel will never make serviceable ship Short were the smiles of this citie which groning under Gods old curse little joyed her self in this her new bravery The end of the third Book The Historie of the HOLY WARRE Book IIII. Chap. 1. Frederick battered with the Popes force and undermined with his fraud leaveth Palestine and returneth into Italy THus the Christian affairs in Palestine were in good case and possibility of improvement But the Pope knew he should catch no fish if the waters were thus clear Wherefore he stirred up John Bren Fredericks father in law ghesse whether his plots ran not low when he used such dregs to raise a rebellion in Italy against him His Holinesse spread a false report of purpose that Frederick was dead Who would think there were so much substance in a shadow This vain rumour wrought reall effects strengthening Fredericks foes with hopes and staggering his friends with fear and uncertainties Bren striking the iron whilest it was hot wonne many places from the Emperour And though Time soon after was delivered of her daughter Truth yet the confutation came too late to shut the doore when the steed was stoln the Pope having attained his ends and served his turn already A jubile of liberty was proclaimed to all the Emperours subjects and they dispensed with from the Pope for their allegeance to him Milain and many other cities in Italy formerly Imperiall danced at this musick made a foot-cloth of their Masters livery and from this time dated themselves Free-States Here was brave gleaning where all ranne away with whole sheaves where robbery was priviledged for lawfull purchase And the Pope wise enough not so to give away the pie but to keep the best corner for himself carved all Apulia for his own part Whilest hostility in Italy treason beset Frederick in Syria the Templars intimated to the Sultan his private project to wash himself in Jordan that so he might be surprized But the Sultan no doubt out of pity to see a Lion catched in a Fox-trap there being a consanguinity of all Princes and the royall bloud which runneth in their veins causing a sympathie of Majesty betwixt them scorned to advantage himself by treachery and sent their letters to Frederick Who afterwards used the Templars and generally all the Clergie in Palestine counting them complies with the Pope coursely not to say cruelly At last having confirmed his ten yeares truce and having appointed Reinoldus Duke of Bavaria his Lieutenant in Syria without noise he cometh into Europe For to return triumphantly in state had been but an alarm to awaken envy and a warning-piece for his enemies to prepare against him He outsailed fame it self landing in Italy in person before he arrived there in report Then the love of his loyall subjects hitherto rather covered then quenched appeared and though formerly forced to a contrary motion returned now quickly to their own Prince their proper centre Within fifteen dayes assisted with the Duke of Spoletum Frederick recovered all which was wonne from him and unravelled the fair web of John Brens victory even to the very hemme thereof Then was all Italy resembled by Geographers for the fashion thereof to a mans legge troubled with the incurable gout of schisme and faction Not a city of note in it which was not dichotomized into the sect of the Guelfes which favoured the Pope and Gibellines which adhered to the Emperour Guelfes for the Pope Gibellines for the Emperour Vrsini in Rome Columnienses in Rome Sabellii in Rome Frangepanes in Rome Caesarini in Rome Adimarii in Florence Pazii in Florence Bondelmontii in Florence Uberti in Florence Amidei in Florence Donati in Florence Cerchii in Florence Albicâ—i in Florence Riccii in Florence Strozi in Florence Medicei in Florence Salviati in Florence Pactii in Florence Interminelli in Lucca Obicii in Lucca Carrarii in Padua Flosci in Genoa Spinola in Genoa Grimaldi in Genoa Adurnii in Genoa Fregosii in Genoa Dorii in Genoa Caneduli in Bonoâ—ia Bentivoli in Bonoâ—ia Pepuli in Bonoâ—ia Malvecii in Bonoâ—ia Mâ—rescotti in Bonoâ—ia Estenses in Ferrara Saliguerri in Ferrara Vicecomites in Milain Turregiani in Milain Gonzagae in Mantua Bonacursii in Mantua I will not quarrel with the tradition That Elves and Goblins in our English tongue had their first originall from the depravation of the names of Guelfes and Gibellines If so sure I am what now we make terriculamenta infantum scarecrows to affright children were then true Harpyes to devoure men I would farther prosecute these discords and also shew how Frederick was forced to ask pardon of him who had most wronged him and dearly to purchase his absolution from the Pope For though this Emperours heart was as hard as stone yet was it furrowed dinted and hollowed at last with the Popes constant dropping and incessant raining of curses upon him But I dare wander no farther in this subject lest any should question my Passe but return back to the Holy land Chap. 2. The Tartars first appearing in the world affright both Christians and Turks Of their name and nature Whether Turks or Tartars be easier convertible to the true religion REinoldus Duke of Bavaria being lest Fredericks Lieutenant in Syria wisely discharged his office and preserved the peace entire which was concluded with the Sultan of Babylon But the Templars sought by all means to bring this ten yeares truce to an untimely end which was as bad as a Lent to them wherein they must fast from fighting the meat and drink of turbulent spirits These counting all luke-warm which were not scalding hot condemned Reinoldus for want of zeal in the Holy warre and gave him many a lift to heave him from his place but still he sat sure poised with his own gravity Nor did the enmity of Henry King of Cyprus much trouble him who challenged the Principality of Antioch as next of kinne to the Prince deceased For Reinold met and defeated him in battel and bestowed Antioch on Frederick base sonne to Frederick the Emperour But that which kept both Christians and Turks in aw and made them willing mutually to observe the truce was the fear of the Tartars a fierce nation which now
this day confesse not to the beholders that any such cost was ever bestowed there He also caused the corpses of the Christians killed at the late battel at Gaza and hitherto unburied decently to be interred and appointed an annuall salarie to a Priest to pray for their souls Hereby he had the happinesse with little cost to purchase much credit and the living being much taken with kindnesse to the dead this burying of those Christians with pious persons wonne him as much repute as if he killed so many Turks At last the truce for ten yeares was concluded with the Sultan all Christian captives were discharged and set free many forts of them restored and matters for the main reduced to the same estate they were at the first peace with Frederick the Emperour and Richard returning through Sicily and by Rome where he visited his Holinesse safely came home to England Where he was welcomed with bad news that a discontented Cornish man banished for his misdemeanours had found out tinne-mines in Bohemia which afterwards more asswaged the swelling of this Earls bags then all his voyage to Palestine For till that time that metall was onely fetched from England which afforded meat to some forrein countreys and dishes to all His voyage was variously censured The Templars which consented not to the peace flouted thereat as if all this while he had laboured about a difficult nothing and as good never a whit as never the better for the agreement would never hold long Others thought he had abundantly satisfied any rationall expectation For he compelled saith one the Saracens to truce a strange compulsion without violence except the shewing of a scabbard he restored many to the life of their life their liberty which alone was worth all his pains the peace he concluded was honourable and a cheap Olive-branch is better then deare Bayes Two of our English Richards were at Palestine one famous for drawing his sword the other his purse He was also remarkable herein that he brought all his men and ships safe home next of kin to a miracle and none will deny but that in such dangerous adventures a saver is a gainer One good he got hereby This journey brought him into play amongst forrein Princes henceforward the beyond-sea-world took notice of him and he of it Never would he have had the face to have courted the Crown Imperiall if these his travels had not put boldnesse and audacity into him which made him afterwards a stiff rivall to bid for the Empire of Germany Chap. 9. The Corasines cruelly sack the city of Ierusalem and kill the Christians therein ABout this time though we find not the punctuall date thereof happened the death of Reinoldus Fredericks Lieutenant in Syria who by his moderation had been a good benefactour to the Holy warre But the Templars counted him to want metall because he would not be mad and causelesly break the truce with the Sultan In his grave was buried the happinesse of the Christians in Palestine for now the lawlesse Templars observe no other rule but their own will And now the inundation of the Tartarians in spite of all dammes and banks overranne the North of Asia and many nations fled from their own countreys for fear of them Amongst other the Corasines called by some Choermines and Groissoms a fierce and warlike people were notwithstanding by the Tartarians forced to forsake their land Being thus unkennelled they had their recourse to the Sultan of Babylon and petitioned him to bestow some habitation upon them Their suit he could neither safely grant nor deny A deniall would egge their discontents into desperatenesse and such sturdy dangerous vagabonds might do much harm to admit them to be joynt-tenants in the same countrey with the Turks was a present inconvenience and would be a future mischief In stead therefore of giving them a house he sent them to a work-house yet so that they apprehended it a great courtesie done unto them For he bestowed on them all the lands which the Christians held in Palestine liberall to give away what was none of his and what the others must purchase before they could enjoy The Sultan encouraged them to invade that countrey whose people he pretended were weak and few the land wealthy and fruitfull so that the conquest would be easie especially they having his assistance in the present service and perpetuall patronage hereafter Animated herewith in come the Corasines with their wives and children bringing their housholds with them to win houses and lands for them into Syria and march directly to Jerusalem which being a weak and unfortified place was taken without resistance Weak and unfortified Strange It is confessed on all sides that Frederick the Emperour and Reinoldus his Lieutenant spared no expense in strengthening this city since which time we find no solemn taking it by the Turks Who then can expect lesse then an impregnable place where so much cost was sown Which driveth us to conceive one of these three things Either that the weaknesse of this citie was chiefly in the defenders hearts Or else that formerly there happened some blind and silent dispoiling of this place not mentioned by Authours Or lastly that Jerusalem was a Jericho I mean a place cursed in building like Pharaohs lean kine never a whit the fatter for devouring much meat and which still went in rags though her friends bestowed change of raiment upon her Thus this city after that it had been possessed fifteen yeares by the Christians was wonne by this barbarous people never since regained to our religion Sleep Jerusalem sleep in thy ruines at this day of little beauty and lesse strength famous onely for what thou hast been The Christians flying out of Jerusalem with their families took their course towards Joppa but looking back beheld their own ensignes advanced on the citie-walls so done in policie by their enemies Whereupon their credulity thus commented That their fellows had beaten the Corasines in Jerusalem and by these banners invited them to return But going back they found but cold or rather too hot entertainment being slain every mothers child of them Dull nostrils not to sent so stale and rank a stratageme of their foes so often used so easily defeated not to send some spies to tast the bait before all swallowed it But men marked out for destruction will runne their own heads into the halter Chap. 10. Robert Patriarch of Ierusalem with the whole strength of the Christians conquered by the Corasines THe desperatenesse of the disease priviledgeth the taking of any Physick The Christians being now in deep distresse resolved on a dangerous course but as their case stood thought necessary For they made peace with the Sultan of Damascus and Seisser and with the Sultan of Cracci These were Dynastes in Syria of some good strength and were at discord with the Sultan of Babylon and swearing them to be faithfull borrowed an armie of their forces
them all being few and feeble to the sword taking King Lewis with his two brethren Alphonse and Charles prisoners Instantly the Turks went up with French ensignes to Damiata hoping so suddenly to surprise it Which project had it took effect then farewell King Lewis for ever He must be sent a present to the Caliph of Babylon from whom never any returned alive Melechsala being but Purgatory whence there was redemption but the Babylonian Caliph Hell it self from whence no hope of release But God defeated their designe for the Turks could not French it so handsomely but that they were discovered The very language of their hands made them suspected afarre off because they could not counterfeit the French idiotismes in managing their bucklers that nation being most punctuall and criticall in their military postures But being come neare it was plain for any to read Turk in their beards and complexions so that they departed without having what they desired Chap. 17. The wofull impression which the ill successe of the French wrought on the Christians in Europe SOme made more hast then good speed bad news being the worst ware a ship can be fraught with to sail into France with the sad tidings of this overthrow These intelligencers Blanch the Queen-mother and Regent of France rewarded with the gallows and my Authour doubteth not to pronounce them all Martyrs But let them be contented with the coronet of their own innocence though without the crown of Martyrdome that honour belonging to such alone as suffer death for fundamentall points of religion But so great an eclipse could not long be kept from the eyes of the world this dolefull and dismall news was sounded and seconded from every side Then was there a generall lamentation over all Christendome chiefly in France where all were so sorrowfull that any mirth was counted profanenesse Many bounded not themselves within the banks of grief but brake out into blasphemy both in France and elsewhere taxing Justice it self of being unjust and not content to admire what they could not conceive condemned Gods proceedings herein to be against right because above their reason Fools because they could not conquer on earth did quarrel with heaven This bad breath though it came but from the teeth of some yet proceeded from the corrupted lungs of others some spake but out of present passion but others even out of inbred Atheisme Many who before were but lukewarm in religion now turned stark-cold In Venice and some other cities of Italy the inhabitants whereof Matthew Paris calleth semi-christianos but half-Christians though this his harsh appellation wanteth three parts of charity began wholly to tend to apostasie And now for a crutch to stay their reeling faith it was high time for the Clergie to ply the pulpits They perswaded those Rachels who in this voyage had lost any children and would not be comforted that their children were in a most blessed condition They emptied all their boxes of their colours of rhetorick therewith to paint out the happinesse of their estate which they enjoyed in heaven They pieced out their Sermons with reporting of Miracles How William Earl of Sarisbury appeared to his mother and assured her that he reigned most glorious in heaven She presently forgot her grief for losing her sonne for joy that she had found a Saint yea a Martyr This was their constant custome When any in Europe wept for the losse of their friends in this warre their tears were instantly dried up with some hot miracle that was reported them Wherewith the silly people were well pleased as babes of clouts are good enough to keep children from crying About this time many thousands of the English were resolved for the Holy warre and would needs have been gone had not the King strictly guarded his ports and kept his Kingdome from running away out of doores The King promised he would go with them and hereupon got a masse of money from them for this journey Some say that he never intended it and that this onely was a trick to stroke the skittish cow to get down her milk His stubborn subjects said that they would tarry for his company till midsummer and no longer Thus they weighed out their obedience with their own scales and the King stood to their allowance But hearing of this sorrowfull accident both Prince and people altered their resolution who had come too late to help the French in their distresse and too soon to bring themselves into the same misery Chap. 18. King Lewis exchanged for Damiata stayeth some yeares at Ptolemais BUt return to Egypt where King Lewis was kept prisoner by Melechsala who often felt his disposition about the resigning of Damiata but found that to heare of death was more welcome musick unto him But see here a sudden alteration One Tarqueminus a sturdy Mamaluke with another of that society killed Melechsala in the very height of his victorious happinesse and succeeded him in the Egyptian Kingdome This Tarquemine came in with an intent to send Lewis the same way Which poore Prince was onely armed with innocence and majesty and yet his bare person defended his person from that cruel attempt such an awfull impression did his very presence saith my Authour strike into him who would have stricken him But we may rather think that the city of Damiata was King Lewis his corslet and that all the towres and walls of that place fensed him Tarqueminus reserving his person as an equivalent ransome thereby to redeem that royall citie Now Lewis had changed his Lord but not his lamentable condition continuing still a prisoner At last he was restored to his liberty on condition that the Christians should surrender Damiata and he also pay back to the Turks many thousand pounds both for ransome of Christian captives and in satisfaction of the vastations they had committed in Egypt Lewis for security of this money pawned to the Turk the Pyx and Host that is the body of Christ transsubstantiated in the Eucharist as his chiefest jewel which he should be most carefull to redeem Hence in perpetuall memory of this conquest we may see a Wafer-cake and a Box alwayes wrought in the borders of that tapestry which is brought out of Egypt Note by the way that the Turks were most unreasonable in their rates of ransoming souldiers and in all other their pecuniary demands For their own countrey being neare to the fountain of gold and silver they made as if it flowed as plentifully in other places measuring the wealth of other lands by their own and asking as much for a private mans ransome as would drain a Princes purse in these Western parts Thus was Damiata restored again to the Turks and the Christians punctually performed their promises though the false Miscreant on the other side set not half the captives free killed all the sick persons whom by promise he should relieve and contrary to the agreement suffered not any Christian
to transport any of his goods out of Egypt Hence Lewis sailed to Ptolemais where he lived in a miserable case being forsaken of his brothers subjects friends and the Pope himself His brothers Alphonse and Charles though sent into France to solicite his suit and to advance his ransome with speed yet being arrived forgot the affliction of Joseph and the King was as farre from their mind as their sight Wherefore God justly visited Alphonse with an incurable disease His subjects though furious at first in bemoning him yet the fit past complained not so much for him as on him charging him for ill managing the matters in Egypt by his cowardlinesse and indiscretion His friends the Pisans and Genoans reviled him as the marrer of their mart Damiata being formerly their most gainfull port but now their hony was spoiled by destroying the hive For the Sultan seeing the city taken twice of the Christians in short time to prevent further dispute about it took away the subject of the question and rased it to the ground The Pope forsook him And though many intreated his Holinesse not to prosecute the Emperour Frederick any further from whom Lewis expected all the beams of his comfort yet he would heare of no submission from him but sought finally to ruine him Onely Blanch King Lewis his mother was carefull for her sonne and laboured his cause day and night But alas her arms were too short to bring all ends together And having gathered a considerable summe of money and shipped it for Palestine a tempest in a moment cast that away which her care and thrift was many moneths in getting All this he bore with a soul not benummed with Stoicall senselessenesse but becalmed with Christian patience a second Job so that what pleased God pleased him It somewhat mitigated his misery that he had the company of his consort Margaret a woman worthy so good a husband Here she bore him a child which because another Benoni or Sonne of sorrow was called Tristram But that name is more ancient nor had it its birth from the christening of this child Foure yeares King Lewis lived not to say loitered in Syria daily expecting in vain that some Prince of Europe should fetch him off with honour being loth to return till he could carry home his credit with him And though he was out of his Kingdome yet was he in his kingdome whilest surveying there the sacred monuments wherewith he was so highly affected Chap. 19. The Common-wealth of the Mammalukes described presenting us with many unexampled remarkables NOw more largely of Tarqueminus and his killing Melechsala and of the common-wealth of the Mammalukes begun by him And because great is the merit of this story as very memorable we will fetch it from its first originall Saladine as is touched before was the first of the Turkish Kings who began the gainfull trade of the Mammalukes These were Christian captives brought out of Taurica Chersonesus and instructed as in Mahometanisme so in all military discipline Saladine disposing them in martiall nurseries and continuing a constant succession of them one under another It is above belief how much and speedily they were improved in warlike exercises Art doubled their strength by teaching them to use it And though they came rough out of their own countrey they were quickly hewen and polished by education yea their apprehensions prevented the precepts and their practice surpassed the presidents of those that instructed them As it is observed in fruits and flowers that they are much bettered by change to a fitter soil so were these people by altering their climate The cold countrey wherein they were bred gave them big and robustious bodies and the hot climate whereinto they were transplanted ripened their wits and bestowed upon them craft and activity the dowrie of the Southern countreys They attained to be expert in any service especially they were excellent horsemen and at last they began to ride on the backs and necks of the Turkish Kings themselves True it is Saladine kept his distance over them used them kindly yet made them not wantons and so poised these Mammalukes with his native Egyptians that in all actions he still reserved the casting voice for himself But Meladine and Melechsala his successours entertained them without number and instructed them beyond reason so that under them in a manner they monopolized all places of strength and command till at last the stemme of these mercenary souldiers being too great for the stock of the natives the Turkish Kingdome in Egypt like a top-heavy tree became a windfall Indeed the dastardnesse of the Egyptians made these Mammalukes more daring and insolent For the Egyptians more loved profit then honour wealth then greatnesse and though contented to abide labour would in no wise undergo danger Merchandise they were wholly imployed in and it seemed they used trading so long till at last they made sale of their own spirits Yea one could not now know Egypt to be Egypt but onely by the overflowing of Nilus not by any remaining ancient marks of valour in the peoples disposition Thus the genius of old Kingdomes in time groweth weaker and doteth at the last But to come to Tarqueminus He being one of these Mammalukes and perceiving how easie it was for those that did support to supplant the Turkish Kings with another of his associates slew Melechsala as it was said And because it was unfitting so great a Prince should go to the grave alone he also sent his children and intimate friends thither to attend him Tarqueminus afterwards procured of his society to be chosen King of Egypt He was the Solon or Lycurgus of this slavish common-wealth and by the consent of the rest of his company he enacted many laws Whereof these were those of the Grand Charter which admitted of no revocation First That the Sultan or chief of this servile Empire should be chosen alwayes out of the Mammalukes Secondly That none should be admitted to the Order of the Mammalukes which were either Jews or Turks by birth but onely such as being born Christians were afterwards taken captives and then from the time of their slavery had been instructed in the Mahometane religion Thirdly That though the sonnes of the Mammalukes might enjoy their fathers lands and wealth yet they might not take upon them the name or honour of a Mammaluke Fourthly That the native Egyptians should be permitted no use of weapons but onely such as with which they fought against weeds to till and manure the land In surveying this State we can turn no way but must meet with wonders First one would think that there was such an indelible character of slavery in these captives and such a laesum principium in them that none of them ever should make a good Prince as knowing no more how to sway a sceptre then a pure clown to manage a sword or else that they should over-state it turn tyrants and
his Barons power to suffer parties to trie their intricate titles to land by duells He severely punished blasphemers searing their lips with an hot iron And because by his command it was executed upon a great rich citizen of Paris some said he was a tyrant He hearing it said before many I would to God that with searing my own lips I could banish out of my realm all abuse of oathes He loved more to heare Sermons then to be present at Masse whereas on the contrary our Henry the third said he had rather see his God then heare another speak of him though never so well His body was carried into France there to be buried and was most miserably tossed it being observed that the sea cannot digest the crudity of a dead corpse being a due debt to be interred where it dieth and a ship cannot abide to be made a bier of He was Sainted after his death by Boniface the eighth and the five and twentieth day of August on which day in his first voyage to Palestine he went on shipboard is consecrated to his memory Herein he had better luck then as good a man I mean our Henry the sixth who could not be canonized without a mighty summe of money belike Angels making Saints at Rome Chap. 28. Tunis taken The French return home whilest our Edward valiantly setteth forward for Palestine BY this time Tunis was brought to great distresse and at last on these conditions surrendred That it should pay yearly to Charles King of Sicily and Jerusalem fourty thousand crowns That it should receive Christian Ministers freely to exercise their religion If any Saracen would be baptized he should be suffered That all Christian captives should be set free That they should pay back so much money as should defray the Christians charges in this voyage Our Edward would needs have had the town beaten down and all put to the sword thinking the foulest quarter too fair for them Their goods because got by robbery he would have sacrificed as an anathema to God and burnt to ashes His own share he execrated and caused it to be burnt forbidding the English to save any thing of it because that coals stolen out of that fire would sooner burn their houses then warm their hands It troubled not the consciences of other Princes to enrich themselves herewith but they glutted themselves with the stolen hony which they found in this hive of drones And which was worse now their bellies were full they would go to bed return home and go no further Yea the young King of France called Philip the Bold was fearfull to prosecute his journey to Palestine whereas Prince Edward struck his breast and swore That though all his friends forsook him yet he would enter Ptolemais though but onely with Fowin his horse-keeper By which speech he incensed the English to go on with him The rest pleading the distemperature of the weather went to Sicily in hope with change of aire to recover their health Where many of them found what they sought to avoid death amongst other Theobald King of Navarre and Isabell his wife and William Earl of Flandres who ended their dayes at Drepanum Besides their navie was pursuivanted after with a horrible tempest and a curse entailed either on their ill-gotten goods or deserting Gods cause or both arrested them in their return so that of this great wealth little was landed in Europe their ships being wracked the goods therein cast into the sea with which the waves played a little and then chopped them up at a morsel Whilest the weather frowning on them smiled on the English Prince Edward no whit damnified either in his men or ships with Elenor his tender consort then young with child safely arrived at Ptolemais to the great solace and comfort of the Christians there being in great distresse Chap. 29. Prince Edwards performance in Palestine He is dangerously wounded yet recovereth and returneth home safe AT his arrivall the last stake of the Christians was on losing For Bendocdar the Mammaluke Prince of Egypt and Syria had brought Ptolemais to so low an ebbe that they therein resolved if some unexpected succour reversed not their intentions within three dayes to resigne the city unto him Edward landing stayed this precipitation who arrived with his armie there in the very interim in opportunity it self which is the very quintessence of time so that all concluded his coming thus hitting the mark was guided by the hand of an especiall providence And now those who before in despair would have thrown up their cards hope at least to make a saving game and the Christians taking comfort and courage both defie their enemies and their own thoughts of surrendring the citie Prince Edward having sufficiently manned and victualled Ptolemais taking six or seven thousand souldiers marched to Nazareth which he took and slew those he found there After this about midsummer understanding the Turks were gathered together at Cakhow fourty miles off very early in the morning he set upon them slew a thousand and put the rest to flight In these skirmishes he gave evident testimonies of his personall valour Yea in cold bloud he would boldly challenge any Infidel to a duell To speak truth this his conceived perfection was his greatest imperfection For the world was abundantly satisfied in the point of his valour yet such was his confidence of his strength and eagernesse of honour that having merited the esteem of a most stout man he would still supererogate yea he would profer to fight with any mean person if cried up by the volge for a tall man this daring being a generall fault in great spirits and a great fault in a Generall who staketh a pearl against a piece of glasse The best was in that age a man fighting with sword and buckler had in a manner many lives to lose and duells were not dangerous Whilest he stayed at Ptolemais Elenor his Lady was delivered of a fair daughter called from her birth-place Joan of Acres But fear of her husbands death abated her joy at her daughters birth The Turks not matching him in valour thought to master him with treachery which was thus contrived The Admirall of Joppa a Turk pretended he would turn Christian and imployed one Anzazim an Assasine in the businesse betwixt him and Prince Edward who carried himself so cunningly that by often repairing to our Prince he got much credit and esteem with him Some write this Anzazim was before alwayes bred under ground as men keep hawks and warre-horses in the dark to make them more fierce that so coming abroad he should fear to venture on no man But sure so cunning a companion had long conversed with light and been acquainted with men yea Christians and Princes as appeareth by his complying carriage else if he had not been well read in their company he could not have been so perfect in his lesson But let him be bred any where
the very ruines as thirsty of revenge killing those that ruined them Serapha evened all to the ground and lest the Christians should ever after land here demolished all buildings the Turks holding this position That the best way to be rid of such vermine is to shave the hair clean off and to destroy all places wherein they may nestle themselves Some say he plowed the ground whereon the city stood and sowed it with corn but an eye-witnesse affirmeth that still there remain magnificent ruines seeming rather wholly to consist of divers conjoyned castles then any way intermingled with private dwellings No fewer then an hundred thousand Latine Christians all that were left in Syria fled at this time into Cyprus It is strange what is reported That above five hundred matrones and virgins of noble bloud standing upon the shore of Ptolemais and having all their richest jewels with them cried out with lamentable voice and profered to any mariner that would undertake safely to land them any-where all their wealth for his hire and also that he should choose any one of them for his wife Then a certain mariner came and transporting them all freely safely landed them in Cyprus nor by any enquiry could it after be known when he was sought for to receive his hire who this mariner was nor whither he went The Hospitallers for haste were fain to leave their treasure behind them and hide it in a vault which being made known from time to time to their successours was fetched from thence by the galleys of Malta about three hundred yeares afterwards Henry King of Cyprus to his great cost and greater commendation gave free entertainment to all Pilgrimes that fled hither till such time as they could be transported to their own countreys and thanks was all the shot expected of these guests at their departure Thus after an hundred ninety and foure yeares ended the Holy warre for continuance the longest for money spent the costliest for bloudshed the cruellest for pretenses the most pious for the true intent the most politick the world ever saw And at this day the Turks to spare the Christians their pains of coming so long a journey to Palestine have done them the unwelcome courtesie to come more then half the way to give them a meeting The end of the fourth Book A Supplement of the Historie of the HOLY WARRE Book V. Chap. 1. The executing of the Templars in France MY task is done Whatsoever remaineth is voluntary over-measure onely to hemme the end of our historie that it ravel not out As to shew What became of the Templars the Teutonick Order and the Hospitallers What were the hindrances of this warre What nation best deserved in it What offers were afterwards made to recover Jerusalem By how many challengers that title at this day is claimed What is the present strength of Jerusalem What hope to regain it with some other passages which offer attendance on these principall heads Know then Some nineteen yeares after the Christians had lost all in Palestine the Templars by the cruel deed of Pope Clement the fifth and foul fact of Philip the Fair King of France were finally exstirpated out of all Christendome The historie thereof is but in twilight not clearly delivered but darkened with many doubts and difficulties We must pick out letters and syllables here and there as well as we may all which put together spell thus much Pope Clement having long sojourned in France had received many reall courtesies from Philip the King yea he owed little lesse then himself to him At last Philip requested of him a boon great enough for a King to ask and a Pope to grant namely all the lands of the Knights Templars through France forfeited by reason of their horrible heresies and licentious living The Pope was willing to gratifie him in some good proportion for his favours received as thankfulnesse is alwayes the badge of a good nature and therefore being thus long the Kings guest he gave him the Templars lands and goods to pay for his entertainment On a sudden all the Templars in France they clapt into prison wisely catching those Lions in a net which had they been fairly hunted to death would have made their part good with all the dogs in France Damnable sinnes were laid to their charge as sacrificing of men to an idol they worshipped rosting of a Templars bastard and drinking his bloud spitting upon the crosse of Christ conspiring with Turks and Saracens against Christianitie Sodomie bestialitie with many other villanies out of the rode of humane corruption and as farre from mans nature as Gods law Well the Templars thus shut in prison their crimes were half-proved The sole witnesse against them was one of their own Order a notorious malefactour who at the same time being in prison and to suffer for his own offenses condemned by the Master of their Order sought to prove his own innocency by charging all his own Order to be guiltie And his case standing thus he must either kill or be killed die or put others to death he would be sure to provide water enough to drive the mill and swore most heartily to whatsoever was objected against the Order Besides the Templars being brought upon the rack confessed the accusations to be true wherewith they were charged Hereupon all the Templars through France were most cruelly burned to death at a stake with James the grand Master of their Order Chap. 2. Arguments produced on either side both for the innocencie and guiltinesse of the Templars THere is scarce a harder question in later historie then this Whether the Templars justly or unjustly were condemned to suffer On the one side it is dangerous to affirm they were innocent because condemned by the Pope infallible in matters of such consequence This bugbear affrighteth many and maketh their hands shake when they write hereof If they should say the Templars were burned wrongfully they may be fetched over the coals themselves for charging his Holinesse so deeply yea hereby they bring so much innocent bloud on the Popes head as is enough to drown him Some therefore in this matter know little and dare speak lesse for fear of after-claps Secondly some who suspect that one eye of the Church may be dimme yet hold that both the eyes the Pope and generall Councel together cannot be deceived Now the Councel of Vienne countenanced the exstirpation of the Templars determined the dissolution of their Order and adjudged their lands to be conferred on the Knights-Hospitallers Men ought then to be well advised how they condemn a generall Councel to be accessorie post factum to the murder of so many men For all this those who dare not hollow do whisper on the other side accounting the Templars not malefactours but martyrs First because the witnesse was unsufficient a malefactour against his Judge and secondly they bring tortured men against themselves Yea there want not those that
a Lady of great perfection and of a Mahometane become a Christian at the request of his wife he besieged the citie Jerusalem and took it without resistance The Temple of our Saviour he gave to the Armenians Georgians and other Christians which flocked thick out of Cyprus there to inhabit But soon after his departure it fell back again to the Mammalukes of Egypt who enjoyed it till Selimus the great Turk anno 1517 overthrew the Empire of Mammalukes and seised Jerusalem into his hand whose successours keep it at this day Jerusalem better acquitteth it self to the eare then to the eye being no whit beautifull at all The situation thereoâ— is very uneven rising into hills and sinking into dales the lively embleme of the fortunes of the place sometimes advanced with prosperitie sometimes depressed in misery Once it was well compacted and built as a citie that is at unitie in it self but now distracted from it self the suspicious houses as if afraid to be infected with more miserie then they have alreadie by contiguousnesse to others keep off at distance having many waste places betwixt them not one fair street in the whole citie It hath a castle built as it is thought by the Pisans tolerably fortified Good guard is kept about the citie and no Christians with weapons suffered to enter But the deepest ditch to defend Jerusalem from the Western Christians is the remotenesse of it and the strongest wall to fense it is the Turkish Empire compassing it round about Poore it must needs be having no considerable commoditie to vent except a few beads of Holy earth which they pay too deare for that have them for the fetching There is in the citie a covent of Franciscans to whom Christians repair for protection during their remaining in the citie The Padre Guardian appointeth these Pilgrimes a Friar who sheweth them all the monuments about the citie Scarce a great stone which beareth the brow of reverend antiquitie that passeth without a peculiar legend upon it But every vault under ground hath in it a deep mysterie indeed Pilgrimes must follow the Friar with their bodies and belief and take heed how they give tradition the lie though she tell one never so boldly The survey finished they must pay the Guardian both for their victuals and their welcome and gratifie his good words and looks otherwise if they forget it he will be so bold as to remember them The Guardian farmeth the Sepulchre of the Turk at a yearly rent and the Turks which reap no benefit by Christs death receive much profit by his buriall and not content with their yearly rent squeeze the Friars here on all occasions making them pay large summes for little offenses The other subsistence which the Friars here have is from the benevolence of the Pope and other bountifull benefactours in Europe Nor getteth the Padre Guardian a little by his fees of making Knights of the Sepulchre of which Order I find some hundred yeares since Sr John Chamond of Lancels in Cornwall to have been dubbed Knight But I beleeve no good English subject at this day will take that honour if offered him both because at their creation they are to swear loyaltie to the Pope and King of Spain and because honours conferred by forrein Potentates are not here in England acknowledged neither in their style nor precedencie except given by courtesie Witnesse that famous case of the Count Arundel of Wardour and Queen Elisabeths peremptorie resolve That her sheep should be branded with no strangers mark but her own The land about it as Authours generally agree is barren Yet Brochard a Monk who lived here some two hundred yeares since commendeth it to be very fruitfull Sure he had better eyes to see more then other men could or else by a Syâ—eâ—doche he imputeth the fertilitie of parcels to the whole countrey But it is as false a consequence as on the other side to conclude from the basenesse of Bagshot-heath the barrennesse of all the Kingdome of England We may rather beleeve that since the fall of the Jews from Gods favour the once-supernaturall fertilitie of the land is taken away and the naturall strength thereof much abated and impaired Chap. 28. Whether it be probable that this Holy warre will ever hereafter be set on foot again THus we state the question Whether this Holy warre I mean for the winning of the citie of Jerusalem and recovering of Palestine will probably ever hereafter be projected and acted again We may beleeve this tragedie came off so ill the last acting that it will not be brought on the stage the second time 1. The Pope will never offer to give motion to it as knowing it unlikely to succeed Policies of this nature are like sleights of hand to be shewed but once lest what is admired at first be derided afterwards 2. Princes are grown more cunning and will not bite at a bait so stale so often breathed on The Popes ends in this warre are now plainly smelt out which though prettie and pleasing at first yet Princes are not now like the native Indians to be cozened with glasse and gaudie toyes The load-stone to draw their affection now out of non-age must present it self necessary profitable and probable to be effected 3. There is a more needfull work nearer hand to resist the Turks invasion in Europe Heark how the Grecians call unto us as once the man in the vision did to S. Paul Come over into Macedonia and help us Yea look on the Popes projects of the last Edition and we shall find the businesse of the Sepulchre buried in silence and the Holy warre running in another chanel against the Turks in Christendome 4. Lastly who is not sensible with sorrow of the dissensions better suiting with my prayers then my penne wherewith Christian Princes at this day are rent in sunder wounds so wide that onely Heavens chirurgerie can heal them Till which time no hope of a Holy warre against the generall and common foe of our Religion We may safely conclude that the regaining of Jerusalem and the Holy land from the Turks may better be placed amongst our desires then our hopes as improbable ever to come to passe except the Platonick yeare turning the wheel of all actions round about bring the spoke of this Holy warre back again Chap. 29. Of the many Pretenders of titles to the Kingdome of Ierusalem NO Kingdome in the world is challenged at this day by such an armie of Kings as this of Jerusalem It is sooner told what Princes of Europe do not then what do lay claim to it they be so many Take their names as I find them in the Catalogue of Stephen a Cypriot 1 The Emperour of the East 2 The Patriarch of Ierusalem 3 The Lusignans Kings of Cyprus 4 Emfred Prince of Thorone 5 Conrade de la-Rame Marquesse of Montferrat 6 The Kings of England 7 His Holinesse 8 The
they must first kill and slay him themselves At last Simon of Montfort nigh Paris accepted of it swearing to vex the Lords enemies And for a breakfast to begin with he was seised of the Vicecounty of Besiers proceeding from hence to take many castles and cities One grand inconvenience attended on this armie of Pilgrimes For when their quarantine or fourty dayes service was expired the term the Pope set them to merit Paradise in they would not stay one whit longer Like post-horses they would runne to their set stage but could not be spurred one foot further contenting themselves they had already purchased heaven and fearing they should be put in possession thereof too soon by losing their lives in that service And though the Bishops perswaded some few to stay that so the surplusage of their merits might make up the arrerages of their friends which wanted them yet could they not prevail to any purpose Nor could they so cast and contrive their matters the tide of peoples devotion being uncertain but that betwixt the going out of the old and coming in of the new store of Pilgrimes there would be a low ebbe wherein their armie was almost wasted to nothing whereof the Albingenses made no small advantage However the Earls of Tholose Foyx and Comminge and Prince of Berne the patrones of the Albingenses finding they were too weak for this Holy armie sheltered themselves under Peter King of Aragon whose homagers they were receiving investiture from him though their dominions lay on this side of the Pyrenean hills This King had the greatnesse of the Earl of Montfort in suspicion fearing lest these severall Principalities which now were single arrows should be bound in one sheaf conquered and united under Earl Simon Wherefore he fomented a faction in them against the Holy armie publickly protesting against the proceedings of Earl Simon charging him to have turned the bark of Gods Church into a pirates ship robbing others and enriching themselves under the pretense of Religion seising on the lands of good Catholicks for supposed hereticks using Gods cause as hunters do a stand in it the more covertly to shoot at what game they please Otherwise why was the Vicecount of Beziers who lived and died firm in the Romish faith lately trained into the Legates hand and against oathes and promises of his safe return kept close prisoner till his death and his lands seised on by Earl Simon At last the King of Aragon taking the Earl of Montfort on the advantage shooting him as it were betwixt wind and water the ending of the old and beginning of new Pilgrimes forced him to a battel The King had thirty thousand foot and seven thousand horse but the Earl of both foot and horse not above two thousand two hundred They closed together neare the castle of Moret And the King whether out of zeal of conquest and thirst of honour or distrust of under-officers or desire to animate others or a mixture of all ranne his curvets so openly and made his turns and returns in the head of the army that so fair a mark invited his enemies arrows to hit him by whom he was wounded to death and fell from his horse to lesson all Generals to keep themselves like the heart in the body of the army whence they may have a virtuall omnipresence in every part thereof and not to expose their persons which like crystall viols contain the extracted spirits of their souldiers spilled with their breaking to places of imminent danger With his bodie fell the hearts of his men And though the Earls of Tholose Foyx and Comminge perswaded entreated threatned them to stay they used their oratorie so long till their audience ranne all away and they were fain to follow them reserving themselves by flight to redeem their honour some other time Simon improving this victorie pursued them to the gates of Tholose and killed many thousands The Friars imputed this victory to the Bishops benediction and adoring a piece of the Crosse together with the fervency of the Clergies prayers which remaining behind in the castle of Moret battered heaven with their importunity On the other side the Albingenses acknowledged Gods justice in punishing the proud King of Aragon who as if his arm had been strong and long enough to pluck down the victory out of heaven without Gods reaching it to him conceived that Earl Simon came rather to cast himself down at his feet then to fight But such reckonings without the host are ever subject to a rere-account Yet within few yeares the face of this warre began to alter With writers of short-hand we must set a prick for a letter a letter for a word marking onely the most remarkables For young Reimund Earl of Tholose exceeding his father in valour and successe so bestirred himself that in few moneths he regained what Earl Simon was many yeares in getting And at last Earl Simon besieging Tholose with a stone which a woman let flie out of an engine had his head parted from his body Men use not to be niggards of their censures on strange accidents Some paralleled his life with Abimelech that tyrant-Judge who with the bramble fitter to make a fire then a King of accepted of the woodden Monarchie when the vine olive figge-tree declined it They paired them also in their ends death disdaining to send his summons by a masculine hand but arresting them both by a woman Some perswaded themselves they saw Gods finger in the womans hand that because the greater part of his cruelty lighted on the weaker sex for he had buried the Lady of laVaur alive respecting neither her sex nor nobility a woman was chosen out to be his executioner though of himself he was not so prone to cruelty but had those at his elbow which prompted him to it The time of his death was a large field for the conceits of others to walk in because even then when the Pope and three Councels of Vaur Montpelier and Laterane had pronounced him sonne servant favourite of the faith the invincible defender thereof And must he not needs break being swoln with so many windie titles Amongst other of his styles he was Earl of Leicester in England and father to Simon Montfort the Catiline of this Kingdome who under pretense of curing this land of some grievances had killed it with his physick had he not been killed himself in the battel of Evesholm in the reigne of Henry the third And here ended the storm of open warre against the Albingenses though some great drops fell afterwards Yea now the Pope grew sensible of many mischiefs in prosecuting this people with the Holy warre First the incongruity betwixt the Word and the Sword to confute hereticks with armies in the field opened clamourous mouthes Secondly three hundred thousand of these Croised Pilgrimes lost their lives in this expedition within the space of fifteen yeares so that there was neither citie nor
village in France but by reason hereof of had widows and orphanes cursing this expidition And his Holinesse after he had made allowance for his losse of time bloud and credit found his gain de claro very small Besides such was the chance of warre and good Catholicks were so intermingled with hereticks that in sacking of cities they were slain together Whereupon the Pope resolved of a privater way which made lesse noise in the world attracted lesse envy and was more effectuall To prosecute them by way of Inquisition Hereby he might single them out by retail rooting out the tares without hurting the corn and overthrowing them by piece-meal whom he could never stagger in grosse Dominick a Spaniard was first authour hereof Well did his mother being with child of him dream that she had a dog vomiting fire in her wombe This ignivomous curre sire of the litter of Mendicant Friars called Dominicanes did bark at and deeply bite the poore Albingenses After his death Pope Honorius for his good service bestowed a Saintship on him For he dreamed he saw the Church of Rome falling and Dominick holding it up with his shoulders wherefore he canonized this Atlas of their religion The proceedings of this Inquisition were the abridgement of all cruelty turning the sword of Justice into the butchers ax But no doubt God when he maketh inquisition for bloud will one day remember this bloudy Inquisition And who can but admire at the continuance of the doctrine of the Albingenses to this day maugre all their enemies Let those privy-counsellers of Nature who can tell where swallows lie all winter and how at the spring they have a resurrection from their seeming deadnesse let those I say also inform us in what invisible sanctuaries this doctrine did lurk in spite of persecution and how it revived out of its ashes at the coming of Luther To conclude it is observed That in those parts of France where the Albingenses were most cruelly handled now the Protestants heirs to most of their tenets flourish most as in the countreys of Gascongne Daulphine and Languedoc Chap. 23. King Almerick for his lazinesse deposed by the Pope WElcome the Holy land welcome Ptolemais How shallow and almost quite dry is the stream of Pilgrimes grown here since the Pope hath drained it with so large a by-chanel into France As for Almerick the idle King of Jerusalem we find him as we left him drowning his cares constantly in wine his hands being lazier then those are printed in the margent of a book which point what others should read whilest he would neither do nor order what should be done So true was it of him what is said of another Titularis non tutelaris Rex defuit non praefuit Reipublicae And now the warre betwixt Noradine Saladines sonne and Saphradine his uncle about the sovereignty lasting nine yeares ended with Saphradines death and Noradine contented himself with the government of Aleppo whilest Saphradines two sonnes shared his dominions Coradine commanding in Damascus and Syria and Meladine in Egypt The former of these without any resistance built a fort in mount Tabor to the great annoyance of the Christians To prevent farther mischief arising from Almericks negligence the Pope who would have a finger in every Crown and a hand in this deposed him from the Kingdome This Almerick grieved to lose what he was never carefull to keep soon after died for sorrow But how doth this agree with Marinus Sanutus who maketh him to die of a surfet of gilt-heads five yeares sooner and saith there was five yeares interregnum in Palestine wherein the Christians had no King at all Chap. 24. Iohn Bren made King of Ierusalem A most promising voyage into Palestine of new Pilgrimes which remove the seat of the warre into Egypt IN the place of Almerick the Pope appointed John de Bren a private French Gentleman to be King Who to twist his title with another string married Maria Iole the sole daughter of Conrade late King of Jerusalem This John had behaved himself right valiantly amongst other Latine Princes in the voyage against the Greeks and was a most martiall man as all do witnesse Onely one calleth him imbellem hominem why I know not except he be of that humour to delight to be one of the Antipodes treading opposite to a world of writers besides In the beginning of his reigne this accident whether monstrous or miraculous fell out In France a boy for his yeares went about singing in his own tongue Iesus Lord repair our losse Restore to us thy holy Crosse. Numberlesse children ranne after him and followed the same tune their captain and chanter did set them No bolts no barres no fear of fathers or love of mothers could hold them back but they would to the Holy land to work wonders there till their merry musick had a sad close all either perishing on land or drowned by sea It was done saith my authour by the instinct of the devil who as it were desired a cordiall of childrens bloud to comfort his weak stomach long cloyed with murdering of men Soon after began the Laterane Councel under Innocent the third Wherein many things were concluded for the recovery of the Holy land as That the Crosse should every where be preached with zeal and earnestnesse to procure Pilgrimes That all tiltings in Christendome for three yeares should be forbidden that so the spears of Christians might onely be broken against Infidels That Clergie-men that went this voyage might if need were mortgage their Church-livings for three yeares to provide themselves with present necessaries That all debters during their Pilgrimage though bound by oath in conscience the strongest specialty should be dispensed with to pay no use to their creditours who if Christians by excommunications if Jews were to be forced by the secular power to remit their interest That all Priests should contribute the twentieth part of their revenues for three yeares to advance this designe And lest saith his Holinesse we should seem to lay heavy burdens on others which we will not touch with our least finger we assigne a ship at our own cost to carry our Pilgrimes of the citie of Rome and disburse for the present what can be spared from our necessary expenses to the summe of thirty thousand pounds to further the project and for three yeares to come we and our brethren the Cardinals of Rome will fully pay the tenth of our Church-profits Hereupon next spring a numerous armie set forward to Palestine conducted by Pelagius the Popes Legate Andrew King of Hungarie who having washed himself in the river of Jordan would stay no longer but instantly returned home the three Electorall Archbishops with those of Liege Wirtzburg Bamberg Strassburg Paris c. Lewis Duke of Bavaria Leopold of Austria a navie of our English besides Florentines Genoans and many other nations The autumne they spent in the