building, and making there by the space of fortie dayes engins, and many
kindes of warlike instruments: and appointing all things to be made
perfectly ready, which seemed to be most conuenient for the assaulting of
the city. Assoone as this purpose and intent of the king was come vnto the
eares of the inhabitants of Sagitta, and that an inuincible power of men of
warre was arriued at Iaphet to helpe the king, they were greatly astonied,
fearing that by this meanes, they should be consumed and subdued by the
king by dint of sword, as other cities, to wit, Cæsaria, Assur, Acres,
Cayphas, and Tabaria were vanquished and subdued. And therefore laying
their heads together, they promised to the king by secret mediatours, a
mighty masse of money of a coyne called Byzantines: and that further they
would yeerely pay a great tribute, vpon condition that ceasing to besiege
and inuade their city, he would spare their liues. Whereupon these
businesses were handled from day to day betweene the king and the citizens,
and they sollicited the king for the ransomming both of their city and of
their liues, proffering him from time to time more greater gifts. And the
king for his part, being carefull and perplexed for the payment of the
wages which he ought vnto his souldiers, harkened wholy vnto this offer of
money. Howbeit because he feared the Christians, least they should lay it
to his charge as a fault, he durst not as yet meddle with the same.
Chap. 5.
In the meane space Hugh of Tabaria being sent for, accompanied with the
troopes of two hundred horsemen and foure hundred footmen, inuaded the
countrey of the Grosse Carle called Suet, very rich in gold and siluer most
abundant in cattle frontering vpon the countrie of the Damascenes, where
hee tooke a pray of inestimable riches and cattle, which might haue
suffised him for the besiege of Sagitta, whereof he ment to impart
liberally to the king, and his companie. This pray being gathered out of
sundry places thereabout, and being led away as farre as the citie of
Belinas, which they call Cæsaria Philippi, the Turkes which dwelt at
Damascus, together with the Saracens inhabitants of the countrie perceiuing
this, flocking on all partes together by troopes, pursued Hughes companie
to rescue the pray, and passed foorth as farre as the mountaines, ouer
which Hughes footemen did driue the pray. There beganne a great skirmish of
both partes, the one side made resistance to keepe the pray, the other
indeuoured with all their might to recouer it, vntill at length the Turkes
and Saracens preuailing, the pray was rescued and brought back againe:
which Hugh and his troopes of horsemen, suddenly vnderstanding, which were
on the side of the mountaines, incontinently rid backe vpon the spurre,
among the straight and craggie rockes, skirmishing with the enemies, and
succouring their footemen, but as it chanced they fought vnfortunately. For
Hugh, being vnarmed, and immediatly rushing into the middest of all
dangers, and after his woonted manner inuading and wounding the infidels,
being behinde with an arrowe shot through the backe which pierced thorough
his liuer and brest, he gaue vp the ghost in the handes of his owne people.
Hereupon the troupes of the Gentiles being returned with the recouered
pray, and being deuided through the secret and hard passages of the craggie
hilles, the souldiers brought the dead bodie of Hugh, which they had put in
a litter, into the citie of Nazareth, which is by the mount Thaber, where
with great mourning and lamentation, so worthie a prince, and valiant
champion was honourably and Catholikely interred. The brother of the said
Hugh named Gerrard, the same time lay sicke of a grieuous disease. Which
hearing of the death of his brother, his sicknesse of his body increasing
more vehemently through griefe, he also deceased within eight dayes after,
and was buried by his brother, after Christian maner.
Chap. 6.
After the lamentable burials of these so famous Princes, the King, taking
occasion of the death of these principall men of his armie, agreed, making
none priuie thereto, to receiue the money which was offered him for his
differing off the siege of the citie of Sagitta, yet dissembling to make
peace, with the Saracens, but that he ment to go through with the worke,
that he had begunne. Whereupon sending a message vnto Iaphet, hee aduised
the English souldiers to come downe to Acres with their fleete, and to
conferre and consult with him touching the besieging and assaulting of the
citie of Sagitta, which rising immediatly vpon the kings commaundement, and
foorthwith hoysing vp the sayles of their shippes aloft with pendants and
stremers of purple, and diuerse other glorious colours, with their flagges
of scarlet colour and silke, came thither, and casting their ancres, rode
hard by the citie. The king the next day calling vnto him such as were
priuie and acquainted with his dealings, opened his griefe vnto the chiefe
Captaines of the English men and Danes, touching the slaughter of Hugh, and
the death of his brother, and what great confidence he reposed in them
concerning these warres: and that nowe therefore they being departed and
dead, he must of necessity differre the besieging of Sagitta, and for this
time dismisse the armie assembled. This resolution of the king being spred
among the people, the armie was dissolued, and the Englishmen, Danes and
Flemings, with sailes and oares going aboard their fleete, saluted
['saulted' in source text--KTH] the king, and returned home vnto their
natiue countries.
* * * * *
The trauailes of one Athelard an Englishman, recorded by master Bale
Centur. 12.
Athelardus Bathoniensis Coenobij monachus, naturalium rerum mysteria, et
causas omnes, diligentiâ tam vndecunque exquisitâ perscrutatus est, vt cum
aliquibus veteris seculi philosophis non indignè conferri possit. Hic olim
spectatæ indolis Adolescens, vt virente adhuc ætate iuuenile ingenium
foecundaret, atque ad res magnas pararet relicta dulci patria longinquas
petijt regiones. Cum verò Ægyptum et Arabiam peragrans, plura inuenisset,
quæ eius desiderabat animus, cum magno laborum, ac literarum lucro in
Angliam tum demùm reuertebatur. Claruit anno virginei partus, 1130. Henrico
primo regnante.
The same in English.
Athelard a Monke of the Abbie of Bathe was so diligent a searcher of the
secrets, and causes of naturall things, that he deserueth worthely to be
compared with some of the auncient Philosophers. This man although young,
yet being of a good wit, and being desirous to increase and enrich the same
with the best things, and to prepare himselfe as it were for greater
matters, left his Countrey for a time, and trauailed into forreine Regions.
He went through Egypt, and Arabia, and found out many things which he
desired to his owne priuate contentment, and the profite of good letters
generally, and so being satisfied, returned againe into his Countrey: he
flourished in the yeere 1130. Henry the first being then king of England.
* * * * *
The life and trauailes of one William of Tyre, an Englishman. Centur. 12.
[Sidenote: Hic etiam Guilielmus Tyrensis claruit sub Henrico primo.]
Guilielmus, Ecclesiæ Dominici sepulchri Hierosolymæ Regularium Canonicorum
prior, natione Anglicus vir vita et moribus commendabilis, Anno Dom. 1128.
postquam Tyrorum Ciuitas fidei Christianæ restituta est a Guimundo
Hierosolymorum patriarcha, eidem vrbi primus Archiepiscopus præficiebatur.
Est autem Tyrus ciuitas antiquissima, Phoeniciæ vniuersæ Metropolis, quæ
inter Syriæ protuincias, et bonorum omnium penè commoditate, et incolarum
frequentia primum semper obtinuit locum: post conscripta quædam opuscula,
et Epistolas, ad Dominum migrauit, An. Christi 1130. quum duobus tantum
sedisset annis, et in Tyrensi Ecclesia sepelitur.
The same in English.
William the Prior of the Canons Regular in the Church of Ierusalem, called
the Lords Sepulchre, was an Englishman borne, and of a vertuous and good
behauiour. After that the Citie of Tyre was restored againe to the
Christian faith, Guimunde the Patriarke of Ierusalem made him the first
Archbishop of Tyre, in the yeere 1128. Which Tyre is a very ancient Citie,
the Metropolis of all Phoenicia, and hath bene accompted the chiefest
Prouince of Syria, both for fruitful commodities and multitude of
inhabitants. This William hauing in his life written many Bookes and
Epistles, died at last in the yeere 1130. hauing bene Archbishop the space
of two yeeres, and was buried in the Church of Tyre.
* * * * *
The trauailes of Robertus Ketenensis.
Robertus Ketenensis natione et cognomine Anglus, degustatis primum per
Anglorum gymnasia humanarum artium elementis literarijs, vltramarinas
statim visitare prouincias in animo constituit: Peragratis ergò Gallijs,
Italia, Dalmatia, et Græcia, tum demum peruenit in Asiam, vbi non paruo
labore, ac vitæ suæ periculo inter Saracenos truculentissimum hominum
genus, Arabicam linguam ad amussim didicit In Hispaniam postea nauigio
traductus, circa fluuium Hiberum Astrologicæ artis studio, cum Hermanno
quodam Dalmata, magni sui itineris comite se totum dedit. [Sidenote:
Claruit sub Stephano.] Clarutt anno seruatoris nostri, 1143 Stephano
regnante, et Pampilonæ sepelitur.
The same in English.
This Robert Ketenensis was called an Englishman by surname, as he was by
birth: who after some time spent in the foundations of humanitie, and in
the elements of good Artes in the Vniuersities of England, determined to
trauaile to the partes beyond sea: and so trauailed through France, Italie,
Dalmatia, and Greece, and came at last into Asia, where he liued in great
danger of his life among the cruell Saracens, but yet learned perfectly the
Arabian tongue. Afterwardes he returned by sea into Spaine, and there about
the riuer Iberus, gaue him selfe wholy to the studie of Astrologie, with
one Hermannus a Dalmatian, who had accompanied him in his long voyage. He
flourished in the yeere 1143. Steuen being then king of England, and was
buried at Pampilona.
* * * * *
A voyage of certaine English men vnder the conduct of Lewes king of France
vnto the Holy land.
[Sidenote: 1147. Tempore regis Stephani.] Tantæ expeditionis explicito
apparatu vterque princeps iter arripuit, et exercitu separtito. Imperator
enim Conradus præcedebat itinere aliquot dierum, cum Italorum, Germanorum,
aliarúmque gentium amplissimis copijs. Rex vero Lodouicus sequebatur
Francorum, Flandrensium, Normannorum, Britonum, Anglorum, Burgundionum,
Prouincialium, Aquitanorum, equestri simul et pedestri agmine comitatus.
Gulielmus Neobrigensis, fol. 371.
The same in English.
Both the princes prouision being made for so great an expedition, they
seuering their armies, entered on their iourney. For the Emperour Conradus
went before, certaine dayes iourney, with very great power of Italians,
Germans, and other countreys. And king Lewes followed after accompanied
with a band of horsemen and footmen of French men, Fiemmings, Normans,
Britons, Englishmen, Burgundions, men of Prouence, and Gascoins.
* * * * *
The voyage of Iohn Lacy to Ieirusalem.
[Sidenote: 1173.] Anno Domini 1172 fundata fuit abbatia de Stanlaw per
dominum; Iohannem Lacy Constabularium Cestriæ et dominum de Halton, qui
obijt in Terra sancta anno sequenti: qui fuit vicessimus annus regni regis
Henrici secundi.
The same in English.
In the yere of our Lord 1172 was founded the abbey of Stanlaw by the lord
Iohn Lacy Constable of Chester, and lord of Halton, who deceased in the
Holy land the yere following: which was in the twentieth yere of king Henry
the second.
* * * * *
The voyage of William Mandeuile to Ierusalem.
[Sidenote: 1177.] William Mandeuile earle of Essex, with diuers English
lords and knights, went to the Holy land in the 24 yere of Henry the
second. Holinshed pag. 101.
* * * * *
A great supply of money to the Holy land by Henry the 2.
The same yeere King Henry the second being at Waltham, assigned an aide to
the maintenance of the Christian souldiers in the Holy lande, That is to
wit, two and fortie thousand marks of siluer, and fiue hundred marks of
golde. Matth. Paris and Holins. pag. 105.
* * * * *
A letter written from Manuel the Emperour of Constantinople, vnto Henrie
the second King of England, Anno Dom. 1177. wherein mention is made that
certaine of King Henries Noble men and subjects were present with the
sayd Emperour in a battell of his against the Soldan of Iconium. Recorded
by Roger Houeden, in Annalium parte posteriore, in regno Hen. 2. fol.
316, et 317.
Eodem anno Manuel Constantinopolitanus imperator, habito prælio campestri
cum Soltano Iconij et illo devicto, in hac forma scripsit Domino regi
Angliæ.
Manuel in Christo deo Porphyrogenitus, diuinitus coronatus, sublimis,
potens, excelsus, semper Augustus, et moderator Romanorum, Comnenus,
Henrico nobilissimo regi Angliæ, charissimo amico suo, salutem et omne
bonum. Cum imperium nostrum necessarium reputet notificare tibi, vt dilecto
amico suo, de omnibus quæ sibi obueniunt; ideò et de his quæ nunc
acciderunt ei, opportunum iudicauit declarare tuæ voluntati. Igitur a
principio coronationis nostræ imperium nostrum aduersus dei inimicos Persas
nostrum odium in corde nutriuit, dum cerneret illos in Christianos
gloriari, eleuatique in nomen dei, et Christianorum dominari regionibus.
Quo circa et alio quidem tempore indifferentèr inuasit eos, et prout deus
ei concessit, sic et fecit. Et quæ ab ipso frequenter patrata sunt ad
contritionem ipsorum et perditionem, imperium nostrum credit nobilitatem
tuam non latere. Quoniam autem et nunc maximum exercitum contra eos ducere
proposuit, et bellum contra omnem Persidem mouere, quia res cogebat. Et non
vt voluit multum aliquem apparatum fecit, sicut ei visum est. Veruntamen
prout tempus dabat et rerum status, potentèr eos inuasit. Collegit ergo
circa se imperium nostrum potentias suas: sed quia carpenta ducebat
armorum, et machinarum, et aliorum instrumentorum conferentium ciuitatem
expugnationibus, pondera portantia: idcircò nequaquam cum festinatione iter
suum agere poterat. Ampliùs autem dum adhuc propriam regionem peragraret,
antequam barbarorum aliquis aduersus nos militaret in bellis aduersarius,
ægritudo difficillima fluxus ventris invasit nos, qui diffusus per agmina
imperij nostri pertransibat, depopulando et interimendo multos, omni
pugnatore grauior. Et hoc malum inualescens maximè nos contriuit. Ex quo
verò fines Turcorum inuasimus, bella quidem primum frequentia concrepabant,
et agmina Turcorum cum exercitibus imperij nostri vndique dimicabant. Sed
Dei gratia ex toto à nostris in fugam vertebantur barbari. Post verò vbi ei
qui illic adjacet angustiæ loci, quæ à Persis nominatur Cibrilcimam,
propinquauimus, tot Persarum turmæ peditum et equitum, quorum pleræque ab
interioribus partibus Persidis occurrerant in adiutorium contribulium
suorum, exercitui nostro superuenerunt, quot penè nostrorum excederent
numerum. Exercitu itaque imperii nostri propter viæ omnino angustiam et
difficultatem, vsque ad decem milliaria extenso; et cum neque qui præibant
possent postremos defendere, neque versa vice rursus postremi possent
præeuntes inuare, non mediocritèr ab inuicem hos distare accidit. Sanè
primæ cohortes permultùm ab acie imperij nostri diuidebantur, postremarum
oblitæ, illas non præstolantes. Quoniam igitur Turcorum agmina ex iam
factis prælijs cognouerant, non conforre sibi à fronte nobis repugnare,
loci angustiam bonum subuentorem cum inuenissent, posteriora statuerunt
inuadere agmina, quod et fecerunt. Arctissimo igitur vbique loco existente,
instabant barbari vndique, à dextris et a sinistris, et aliundè dimicantes,
et tela super nos quasi imbres descendentia interimebant viros et equos
complures. Ad hæc itaque imperium nostrum vbi malum superabundabat,
reputans secum oportunum iudicabat retrò expectare, atque illos qui illic
erant adiuuare, expectando vtiquè contra infinita illa Persarum agmina
bellum sustinuit. Quanta quidem, dum ab his circundaretur, patrauerit, non
opus est ad tempus sermonibus pertexere, ab illis autem qui interfuerunt,
forsitan discet de his tua nobilitas. Inter hæc autem existente imperio
nostro, et omne belli grauamen in tantum sustinente, postremæ cohortes
vniuersæ Gnecorum et Latinorum, et reliquorum omnium generum conglobatæ,
quæ iaciebantur ab inimicis tela non sustinentes, impactione vtuntur, et
ita violentèr ferebantur, dùm ad adiacentem ibi collem quasi ad
propugnaculum festinarent: sed precedentes impellunt nolentes. Multo autem
eleuato paluere, ac perturbante oculos, et neminem permittente videre quæ
circa pedes erant, in præcipitium quod aderat profundissimæ vallis alius
super alium homines et equi sic incontinentè portati corruerunt, quòd alij
alios conculcantes ab inuicem interemerunt non ex gregarijs tantum, sed ex
clarissimis et intimis nostris consanguineis. Quis enim inhibere poterat
tantæ multitudinis importabilem impulsum? At verò imperium nostrum tot et
tantis confertum barbáris saucians, sauciatúmque, adeò vt non modicam in
eos moueret perturbationem, obstupentes perseuerant iam ipsius, et non
remittebatur, benè iuuante deo, campum obtinuit. Neque locum illum scandere
aduersarios permisit, in quo dimicauit cum barbaris. Nec quidem equum suum
illorum timore incitauit, celerius aliquando ponere vestigia. Sed
congregando omnia agmina sua, et de morte eripiendo ea, collocauit circa
se: et sic primes attigit, et ordinatim proficiscens ad exercitus suos
accessit. Ex tunc igitur videns Soltanus, quòd post tanta quæ acciderant
exercitibus nostris, imperium nostrum, sicut oportunum erat, rem huiusmodi
dispensauit, vt ipsum rursùm inuaderet: mittens supplicauit imperio nostro,
et deprecatorijs vsus est sermonibus, et requisiuit pacem illius,
promittens omnem imperij nostri adimplere voluntatem, et seruitium suum
contra omnem hominem dare, et omnes qui in regno suo tenebantur captiuos
absoluere, et esse ex toto voluntatis nostræ. Ibidem ergo per duos dies
integros, in omni potestate morati sumtis, et cognito quòd nihil poterat
fieri contra ciuitatem Iconij, perditis testudinibus et machins bellicis,
eo quòd boues cecidissent a telis in modo pluuiæ iactis, qui eas trahebant:
Simul autem eo quòd et vniuersa animalia nostra irruente in illa
difficillima ægritudine laborabant, suscepit Soltani depræcationem et
foedera et iuramenta peracta sub vexillis nostris, et pacem suam ei dedit.
Inde ingressum imperium nostrum in regionem suam regreditur, tribulationem
habens non mediocrem super his quos perdidit corisanguineis, maximas tamen
Deo gratias agens, qui per suam bonitaiem et nunc Ipsum honorauit: Gratum
autem habuimus, quòd quosdam nobilitatis tuæ principes accidit interesse
nobiscum, qui narrabunt de omnibus quæ acciderant, tuæ voluntati seriem.
Cæterum autem, licèt contristati simus propter illos qui ceciderunt:
oportunum tamen duximus, de omnibus quæ; acciderant, declarare tibi, vt
dilecto amico nostro, et vt permultùm coniuncto imperio nostro, per
puerorum nostrorum intimam consanguinitatem. Vale. Data mense Nouembris,
indictione tertia.
The same in English.
In the yeere 1177, Manuel the emperour of Constantinople hauing fought a
field with the Soldan of Iconium, and vanquished him, wrote vnto Henry the
second king of England in maner following.