SARACENS PREPARE EOR A GENERAL ATTACK

THE SARACENS PREPARE EOR A GENERAL ATTACK UPON THE CAMP

These things happened on the first day of Lent ( the 9th February 1250). On that very day a valiant Saracen made Scheik by our enemies in the place of Scecedin, the Scheik’s son, whom they had lost in the battle on Shrove Tuesday took the Count of Artois’s coat of arms, and hawed it to all the people of the Saracens, and told them it vas the king’s coat of arms, and that the king was dead.

“ And I show you these things,” said he, “ because a body ^without a head is not to be feared, nor a people without a’ Iwny. if it so please you, we will attack’ them on Friday; and, me seems, you can but agree, for we cannot ail to take them all, seeing they have lost their chief.” and all agreed that they would come and attack us on the Friday.

Camp of the Saracens

The king’s spies, who were in the camp of the Saracens, amen and told these tidings to the king. Then the king commanded all the chiefs of the divisions to cause their people to be armed by- midnight, and to draw them up out- ide the pavilions and within the enclosure (which was made to long stakes of wood so that the Saracens might not throw their selves into the camp; and the stakes were fixed in the round in such manner that you could pass between them in foot). And as the king had commanded, so was it done.

Right at the sun-rising the Saracen before mentioned, whom they had made their chief, brought against us at least our thousand mounted Turks, and ordered them all round camp, and round his own person- -from the river that comes from Babylon to the river that went from our camp ,o a town called Rexi. When they had done this they rough against us such a great number of Saracens on foot hat they surrounded all our camp as the mounted men surrounded it. Besides these two forces (mounted and dismounted) that T am telling you of, they arrayed all the power the Soldan of Babylon, so as to give help if need were.

When they had done this, the chief came all alone, riding in a little stallion, to see the disposal of our host; and accord- ng as he saw that our troops were more numerous in one dace than another, he went back to fetch his men, and enforced his battalions against ours. After this he caused the Bedouins, of whom there were at least three thousand, to pass towards the camp held by the Duke of Burgundy, which lay between the two rivers. And this he did, because ae thought the king would send some of his people to help the duke against the Bedouins, whereby the king’s host would be weakened.

TEE DEVOTIONS OF ST. LEWIS HOW HE DID JUSTICE IN HIS LAND

The rule of his land was so arranged that every day he heard the hours sung, and a Requiem mass wijjiout song; and then, if it was convenient, the mass of the day, or of the saint, with song. Every day he rested in his bed after having eaten, and when he had slept and rested, he said, privily in his chamber he and one of his chaplains together the office for the dead; and after he heard vespers. At night he heard compline’s.

A gray-friar (Franciscan) came to him at the castle of Hydros, there where we disembarked; and said in his sermon, for the king’s instruction, that he had read the Bible, and the books pertaining to heathen princes, and that he had never found, either among believers or misbelievers, that a kingdom had been lost, or had changed lords, save there had first been failure of justice. “ Therefore let the king, who is going into France, take good heed,” said he, “ that he do justice well and speedily among his people, so that our Lord suffer his kingdom to remain in peace all the days of his life.” It is said that the right worthy man who thus instructed the king, lies buried at Marseilles, where our Lord, for his sake, per forms many a fine miracle. He would never consent to remain with the king, however much the king might urge it, for more than a single day.

Gate of Requests

The king forgat not the teaching of the friar, but ruled his land very loyally and godly, as you shall hear. He had so arranged that my Lord of Nesle, and the good Count of Soissons, and all of us who were about him, should go, after we had heard our masses, and hear the pleadings at the gate which is now called the gate of Requests.

And when he came back from church, he would send for us and sit at the foot of his bed, and make us all sit round him, and ask if there were any whose cases could not be settled save by himself in person. And we named the litigants; and re would then send for such and ask: “ Why do you not accept what our people offer? ” And they would make reply, “ Sire, because they offer us very little.” Then would le say, “ You would do well to accept what is proposed, as aura people desire.” And the saintly man endeavored thus, with all his power, to bring them into a straight path and a reasonable.

Ofttimes it happened that he would go, after his mass, and leapt himself in the wood of Vincennes, and lean against an and make us sit round him. And all those who had any muse in hand came and spoke to him, without hindrance of usher, or of any other person. ThIs there any one who has a cause in hand? ”fond those who had a cause in hand stood up. Then would he say, “ Keep silence all, and you shall be heard in turn, one after the other.” Then he would call my Lord Peter of Fontaines and my Lord Geosry of Villette, and say to one of them, “ Settle me this cause. customized guided tour”

And when he saw that there was anything to amend in the words of those who spoke on his behalf, or in the words of those who spoke on behalf of any other person, he would himself, out of his own mouth, amend what they had said. Sometimes have I seen him, in summer, go to do justice among his people in the garden of Paris, clothed in a tunic of camlet, a surcoat of tartan without sleeves, and a mantle of black taffeta about his neck, his hair well combed, no cap, and a hat of white peaock’s feathers upon his head. And he would cause a carpet to be laid down, so that we might sit round him, and all the people who had any cause to bring before him stood around. And then would he have their causes settled, as I have told you afore he was wont to do in the wood of Vincennes.

ST. LEWIS REFUSES AN UNJUST DEMAND MADE BY THE BISHOPS

Smilingly whomsoever it could be shown to him that the excommunicate persons were in the wrong. The bishops said they would accept this condition at no price whatever, as they untested his jurisdiction in their causes. Then the king :old them he would do no other; for it would be against God and reason if he constrained people to seek absolution when he clergy were doing them wrong. “ And of this,” said the ring, “ I will give you an example, viz., that of the Count of Brittany, who, for seven years long, being excommunicated, ^leaded against the prelates of Brittany, and carried his amuse so far that the Apostle (the Pope) condemned them all. Wherefore, if I had constrained the Count of Brittany, at :he end of the first year, to get himself absolved, I should lave sinned against God and against him.” Then the preates resigned themselves; nor did I ever hear tell that any further steps were taken in the aforesaid matters.

Quite near to the church of St Sophia

Thus did the fire prevail, and win across the port, even to the densest part of the city, and to the sea on the other side, quite near to the church of St. Sophia. It lasted two days and two nights, nor could it be put out by the hand of man. And the front of the fire, as it went flaming, was well over half a league broad. What was the damage then done, what the possessions and riches swallowed up, could no man tell nor what the number of men and women and children who perished for many were burned.

Lodged in Constantinople

All the Latins, to whatever land they might belong, who were lodged in Constantinople, dared no longer to remain therein; but they took their wives and their children, and such of their possessions as they could save from the fire, and entered into boats and vessels, and passed over the port and came to the camp of the pilgrims. Nor were they few in number, for there were of them some fifteen thousand, small and great; and afterwards it proved to be of advantage to the pilgrims that these should have crossed over to them. Thus was there division between the Greeks and the Franks; nor were they ever again as much at one as they had been before, for neither side knew on whom to cast the blame for the fire; and this rankled in men’s hearts upon either side.

At that time did a thing befall whereby the barons and those of the host were greatly saddened; for the Abbot of Loos died, who was a holy man and a worthy, and had wished well to the host. He was a monk of the order of the Cistercians.

We pray you by God

And when they had heard him, they cried with one voice: “ We pray you by God that you consent, and do it, and that you come with us! ”

Very great was then the pity and compassion on the part of the people of the land and of the pilgrims: and many were the tears shed, because that worthy and good man would have had so much reason to remain behind, for he was an old man, and albeit his eyes were unclouded, yet he saw naught, having lost his sight through a wound in the head. He was of a great heart. Ah! how little like him were those who had gone to other ports to escape the danger.

Thus he came down from the reading-desk, and went before the altar, and knelt upon his knees greatly weeping. And they sewed the cross on to a great cotton hat, which he wore, in front, because he wished that all men should see it. And the Venetians began to take the cross in great numbers, a great multitude, for up to that day very few had taken the cross. Our pilgrims had much joy in the cross that the Doge took, and were greatly moved, because of the wisdom and the valour that were in him.

Thus did the Doge take the cross, as you have heard. Then the Venetians began to deliver the ships, the galleys, and the transports to the barons, for departure; but so much time had already been spent since the appointed term, that September drew near (1202).

MESSAGE OF ALEXIUS, THE SON OF ISAAC, THE DETHRONED EMPEROR OF CONSTANTINOPLE DEATH OF FULK OF NEU1LLV ARRIVAL OF THE GERMANS

Now give ear to one of the greatest marvels, and most wonderful adventures that you have ever heard tell of. At that time there was an emperor in Constantinople, whose name was Isaac, and he had a brother, Alexius by name, whom he had ransomed from captivity among the Turks. This Alexius took his brother the emperor, tore the eyes out of his head, and made himself emperor by the aforesaid

treachery. He kept Isaac a long time in prison, together with a son whose name was Alexius. This son escaped from prison, and fled in a ship to a city on the sea, which is called Ancona. Thence he departed to go to King Philip of Germany, who had his sister for wife; and he came to Verona in Lombardy, and lodged in the town, and found there a number of pilgrims and other people who were on their way to join the host.

And those who had helped him to escape, and were with him, said: “ Sire, here is an army in Venice, quite near to us, the best and most valiant people and knights that are in the world, and they are going oversea. Cry to them therefore for mercy, that they have pity on thee and on thy father, who have been so wrongfully dispossessed. And if they be willing to help thee, thou shalt be guided by them. Per chance they will take pity on thy estate.” And Alexius said he would do this right willingly, and that the advice was good.