William of Tyre: HISTORIA RERUM IN PARTIBUS TRANSMARINIS GESTARUM

Quae de praesenti hactenus contexuimus Historia, aliorum tantum quibus prisci temporis plenior adhuc famulabatur memoria, collegimus relatione; unde cum majore difficultate, quasi aliena mendicantes suffragia, et rei veritatem, et gestorum seriem, et annorum numerum sumus consecuti: licet fideli, quantum potuimus, haec eadem recitatione, scripto mandavimus. Quae autem sequuntur deinceps, partim nos ipsi fide conspeximus oculata, partim eorum, qui rebus gestis praesentes interfuerunt, fida nobis patuit relatione. Unde gemino freti adminiculo, ea quae restant, auctore Domino, facilius fideliusque posterorum mandabimus lectioni.

What of the present History we have thus far woven together, we gathered by the relation of others only, to whom the memory of the ancient time was still more copiously in service; whence, with greater difficulty, as though begging for alien suffrages, we have attained both the truth of the matter, and the sequence of deeds, and the number of years: yet in a faithful recitation, as far as we were able, we have consigned these same things to writing. But the things which follow hereafter, partly we ourselves have beheld with eyewitness faith, partly they have lain open to us by the faithful relation of those who were present at the deeds. Wherefore, relying on a twin aid, with the Lord as author, we shall more easily and more faithfully commit the things which remain to the reading of posterity.

Nam et recentium temporum solidior solet occurrere memoria; et quae visus menti obtulit, non ita facile oblivionis sentiunt incommodum, sicut quae solo sunt auditu collecta. Ut enim Flacci nostri utamur verbo, huic nostro consonante:

For both the memory of more recent times is wont to occur more solid; and the things which sight has offered to the mind do not so easily feel the incommodity of oblivion as those which have been collected by hearing alone. For, that we may use the word of our Flacci, consonant with our own:

Segnius irritant animum, demissa per aurem,
Quam quae sunt oculis subjecta fidelibus; et quae
Ipse sibi tradit spectator, etc.

Less keenly do things, let down through the ear, stir the mind,
than those which are set before faithful eyes; and the things
the spectator himself conveys to himself, etc.

CAPUT PRIMUM. Praemittitur praefatiuncula brevis. Defuncto Fulcone, succedit filius ejus, Balduinus tertius; et qualis corpore fuerit, describitur.

CHAPTER 1. A brief preface is prefixed. Upon Fulk’s decease, his son, Baldwin III, succeeds; and what he was like in body is described.

Defuncto domino Fulcone, Hierosolymorum ex Latinis rege tertio, successit ei dominus Balduinus tertius, ex domina Milisende regina filius ejus, fratrem habens unum puerulum, Amalricum nomine, annorum septem, ut praemisimus; qui postmodum eidem sine liberis defuncto successit in regno, sicut in sequentibus aperietur. Tredecim annorum erat dominus Balduinus cum regnare coepit: regnavit autem annis viginti. Fuit autem adolescens optimae indolis, id de se certis promittens indiciis, quod postea in virilem evadens aetatem pleno rerum persolvit experimento.

Lord Fulk being deceased, the third king of Jerusalem from among the Latins, Lord Baldwin the Third, his son by Lady Queen Milisende, succeeded him, having one little brother, named Amalric, aged 7, as we have premised; who afterwards, when the same died without children, succeeded to the kingdom, as will be shown in what follows. Lord Baldwin was 13 years old when he began to reign; moreover, he reigned 20 years. He was, moreover, an adolescent of the best natural endowment, giving sure indications of himself which he afterwards, on emerging into manly age, fully paid by the full proof of deeds.

Nam vir factus, sicut facie, et tota corporis habitudine, prae caeteris differenti formae praeeminebat elegantia: ita et mentis vivacitate et eloquentiae flore, omnes reliquos regni principes facile anteibat. Erat autem corpore procerus, mediocribus major; ad corporis proceritatem membrorum habens consonam, et quasi proportionaliter respondentem universaliter dispositionem, ita ut nec in modico, a ratione totius in eo pars aliqua dissentiret. Fuit sane facie decorus elegantissima, colore vivido, et innatum designante vigorem; a quibus plane in ea parte matrem referens, et ab avo non degener materno; oculis mediae quantitatis, modice proeminentibus, fulgoris temperati; capillo plano, non flavo penitus; barba mentum genasque, grata quadam plenitudine, favorabiliter vestitus; carnositatis media quadam habitudine modificatus, ita ut nec fratris more pinguior, nec matris exemplo dici posset macilentus.

For, once he had become a man, just as in his face and in the whole habit of body he stood out before the rest, preeminent by an elegance of form differing from the others, so too in the vivacity of mind and the flower of eloquence he easily outstripped all the other princes of the realm. He was tall in body, greater than men of moderate height; and to the body’s tallness he had a consonant disposition of the limbs, proportionally corresponding in general, so that not even in the least did any part in him dissent from the rationale of the whole. He was indeed most comely and most elegant in face, with a lively color, marking an innate vigor; in which respects he plainly recalled his mother on that side, and did not degenerate from his maternal grandsire; his eyes of medium size, moderately prominent, of tempered luster; his hair straight, not wholly fair; his beard clothing the chin and cheeks with a certain pleasing fullness; moderated by a kind of middle habit of fleshiness, so that he could be said neither fatter, after the manner of his brother, nor, after the example of his mother, lean.

Tanta autem, ut in summa dicatur, formae praeibat eminentia, ut ignaris etiam, eximia quadam in eo refulgente dignitate, certum in se de regia majestate daret indicium.

But so great, to speak in sum, was the eminence of his form, that even to the unknowing, with a certain exceptional dignity refulgent in him, it gave in itself a sure indication of royal majesty.

CAPUT II. De moribus et conversatione ejus.

CHAPTER 2. On his morals and conversation.

Huic autem tantae corporis venustati, mentis quoque bene constitutae aequipollenter respondebat habitus. Nam ingenii summe velocis erat et sponte fluentis eloquii ei non deerat praerogativa quaedam singularis, nec morum dignitate commendabilium quolibet principe videbatur inferior. Affabilis enim et misericors erat admodum; et licet supra vires se pene omnibus exhiberet liberalem, alieni tamen minime cupidus, nec ecclesiarum vexabat patrimonia, nec subjectorum, more prodigi, insidiabatur opulentiis.

Moreover, to this so great beauty of body there corresponded, in equal measure, the habit of a mind likewise well-constituted. For he was of an exceedingly swift wit, and there was not lacking to him a certain singular prerogative of eloquence flowing of its own accord; nor did he seem inferior to any prince in the dignity of commendable morals. For he was very affable and merciful; and although, beyond his means, he showed himself liberal to almost all, yet he was in no way covetous of what was another’s, nor did he vex the patrimonies of the churches, nor, after the manner of a prodigal, lay snares for the opulence of his subjects.

Quodque in ea aetate rarissime solet contingere, etiam in adolescentia sua erat Deum timens, et ad ecclesiasticas institutiones, et ecclesiarum praelatos omnimodam habens reverentiam; ingenii etiam vivacitate praeditus, fidelis etiam memoriae erat assecutus beneficium; erat autem et commode litteratus, et fratre suo domino Amalrico, qui ei successit, multo amplius; cum vero quid otii ex occupationibus publicis decerpere poterat, libenter incumbebat lectioni; historiarum praecipue auditor, antiquorum regum et optimorum principum gesta moresque diligenter investigabat; litteratorum maxime, sed et prudentum laicorum confabulationibus plurimum recreabatur. Tanta autem affabilitatis gratia praeeminebat, ut etiam contemptibilibus personis, ex improviso et nominatim salutationibus dependeret affatum; et ad se ingredi volentibus, vel occurrentibus passim mutuae collocutionis aut offerret ultro commercium, aut postulantibus non negaret. Unde tantam sibi plebis et patrum conciliaverat gratiam, ut praedecessorum suorum quolibet amplius, utrique classi haberetur acceptus.

And what in that age is very rarely wont to happen, even in his adolescence he was God-fearing, and toward ecclesiastical institutions and the prelates of the churches he had every kind of reverence; endowed also with vivacity of wit, he had likewise obtained the boon of a faithful memory; moreover he was suitably lettered, and much more so than his brother, lord Amalric, who succeeded him; and whenever he could snatch any leisure from public occupations, he gladly applied himself to reading; chiefly an auditor of histories, he diligently investigated the deeds and mores of the kings of old and of the best princes; he was very much refreshed by the confabulations of men of letters, and also of prudent laymen. And he so pre-eminent by the grace of affability, that even to persons of low estate, unexpectedly and by name, he would bestow an address of greeting; and to those wishing to enter to him, or meeting him anywhere, he would either of his own accord offer the commerce of mutual conversation, or not deny it to those requesting it. Whence he had conciliated to himself such favor of the commons and of the fathers, that, beyond any of his predecessors, he was held acceptable to both classes.

Erat autem et laboris patiens, et in dubiis bellorum eventibus, more optimi principis maxime providus; in summis necessitatibus, quas pro regni incremento pertulit saepius, regiam praeferens constantiam, et fortis viri nusquam deserens securitatem. Juris etiam consuetudinarii, quo regnum regebatur orientale, plenam habens experientiam: ita ut in rebus dubiis, etiam seniores regni principes ejus consulerent experientiam et consulti pectoris eruditionem mirarentur. Erat praeterea jucundi sermonis, facetique; et personis quibuslibet favorabili quadam compositione se conformem tribuens, omni aetati et conditioni gratissime se contemperabat.

He was also enduring of labor, and in doubtful outcomes of wars, after the manner of the best prince most provident; in the greatest necessities, which he very often bore for the increase of the kingdom, displaying royal constancy, and nowhere deserting the security proper to a man of fortitude. Of the customary law by which the Eastern realm was governed he had full experience: so that in doubtful matters even the senior princes of the kingdom would consult his experience and marvel at the erudition of his well-considered mind. He was moreover of pleasant discourse and facetious; and, by a certain favorable composition making himself conformable to persons of any sort, he most graciously tempered himself to every age and condition.

Urbanitatis quoque praecipuae; eo minus quod dicendi nimia utebatur libertate, ita ut quae in amicis erant notabilia et reprehensioni obnoxia, sublata differentia, utrum placeret an laederet, eis in faciem publice jacularetur; quae tamen, quoniam non nocendi animo, sed quadam mentis hilaritate, vel potius levitate dicebat, non multum inde etiam eorum quos sermone liberiore lacessebat, gratiam demerebatur; eoque amplius veniale videbatur, quod in se versa vice contorta, aequanimiter dicta supportabat mordacia. Ad haec et alearum, et damnificos talorum ludos, plusquam regiam deceret majestatem sequebatur; et carnis curam perficiens in desideriis, injuriam alienis dicebatur inferre matrimoniis. Sed hoc in adolescentia; nam vir factus, secundum Apostolum, evacuavit quae erant parvuli (II Cor.

He was also of exceptional urbanity; the less so, because he used an excessive freedom of speaking, so that the things in his friends which were notable and liable to reproach, the distinction removed whether it might please or wound, he would publicly hurl at them to their face; yet since he said these things not with a mind to harm, but from a certain cheerfulness of mind, or rather levity, he did not thereby much forfeit the favor even of those whom he provoked with a freer speech; and it seemed all the more venial for this, that, when turned back upon himself in due turn, he bore with equanimity the biting words. Besides this, he followed the games both of dice and the ruinous games of knucklebones more than befitted royal majesty; and, fulfilling care of the flesh in desires, he was said to inflict injury upon others’ marriages. But this in adolescence; for, having become a man, according to the Apostle, he made void the things that were of a child (2 Cor.

XIII, 11). Insignibus enim virtutibus secutis, vitia prioris compensavit aetatis; uxore enim suscepta, cum ea vixisse continentissime dictus est. Et quae in adolescentia minus Deo placita, et notae subjacentia, lubrico aetatis impellente, contraxerat, postmodum prudentiore consilio detersit, et studio in melius reformavit saniore. In sumenda praeterea corporis refectione sobrius erat admodum, et supra id quod aetas illa exigebat abstemius, ebrietatem, tam in cibo quam in potu, pessimi criminis fomitem esse asserens, abominabatur.

(2 Cor. 13, 11). For, distinguished virtues having followed, he compensated for the vices of his former age; for, a wife having been taken, he is said to have lived with her most continently. And the things which in adolescence, less pleasing to God and liable to censure, he had contracted, the slipperiness of that age impelling him, afterwards he wiped away by more prudent counsel, and by a sounder zeal he reformed for the better. Moreover, in taking bodily refection he was very sober, and more abstemious than that age required, asserting drunkenness, both in food and in drink, to be the tinder of a most wicked crime, he abominated it.

CAPUT III. De promotione ejus in regno; et quandiu sub matris tutela regnaverit.

CHAPTER 3. On his promotion to the kingship; and how long he reigned under his mother's guardianship.

Defuncto igitur patre, IV Idus Novembris, proxime subsecuto Dominici natalis die, anno Incarnationis Dominicae 1142, praesidente sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae domino Eugenio papa tertio, Antiochenae domino Aimerico, Hierosolymitanae domino Willelmo, Tyrensi vero Ecclesiae praesidente domino Fulchero, convenientibus de more principibus, simul et universis Ecclesiarum praelatis, in ecclesia Dominici Sepulcri, per manus domini Willelmi, bonae memoriae Hierosolymorum patriarchae, solemniter inunctus, consecratus et cum matre coronatus est. Erat autem mater, mulier prudentissima, plenam pene in omnibus saecularibus negotiis habens experientiam, sexus feminei plane vincens conditionem, ita ut manum mitteret ad fortia; et optimorum principum magnificentiam niteretur aemulari, et eorum studia passu non inferiore sectari. Regnum enim, filio adhuc intra puberes annos constituto, tanta rexit industria, tanto procuravit moderamine, ut progenitores suos in ea parte aequare merito diceretur; cujus quandiu regi voluit consilio filius, optata tranquillitate gavisus est populus, et prospero cursu regni procedebant negotia.

With his father deceased, on the 4th day before the Ides of November, which was shortly thereafter followed by the day of the Lord’s Nativity, in the year of the Lord’s Incarnation 1142, with Lord Eugenius, Pope the Third, presiding over the holy Roman Church, Lord Aimery of Antioch, Lord William of Jerusalem, and the Church of Tyre indeed presided over by Lord Fulk, the princes assembling according to custom, together with all the prelates of the Churches, in the church of the Lord’s Sepulchre, through the hands of Lord William, of good memory, patriarch of Jerusalem, he was solemnly anointed, consecrated, and crowned together with his mother. His mother, moreover, was a most prudent woman, possessing almost full experience in all secular business, plainly surpassing the condition of the female sex, such that she put her hand to strong things; and she strove to emulate the magnificence of the best princes, and to follow their pursuits with no inferior step. For the kingdom, with her son still within youthful years, she ruled with such industry and managed with such moderation that she was deservedly said in that respect to equal her progenitors; and for so long as the son wished to be ruled by her counsel, the people rejoiced in the desired tranquility, and the affairs of the realm advanced with a prosperous course.

Verum attendentes quibus mens erat levior, quod eorum studiis, quibus dominum regem involvere nitebantur, dominae reginae multum obviabat prudentia, dominum regem more aliorum ejusdem aetatis, cereum in vitia flecti, monitoribus asperum, suis inducunt persuasionibus, ut a matris tutela se subtrahens, regnum ipse moderaretur avitum. Indignum esse dicentes regem, quem omnibus aliis praeesse convenit, quasi privati filium, semper ad matris ubera dependere. Quae res sicut ex inconsulta levitate, vel ex quorumdam malitia habuit initium, ita regnum universum paulo minus habuit conterere: sicut inferius, cum de his tractabitur, diligentius docebitur.

However, noticing—those whose mind was more light—that the prudence of the lady queen was very much opposing the endeavors by which they were striving to entangle the lord king, they induce the lord king, after the manner of others of the same age, wax-like, to be bent toward vices, harsh toward monitors, by their persuasions to withdraw himself from his mother’s tutelage, and that he himself should moderate the ancestral kingdom. Saying that it was unworthy that a king, whom it befits to be set over all others, should always hang upon his mother’s breasts like the son of a private person. And this matter, just as it had its beginning from ill-considered levity, or from the malice of certain men, so it all but crushed the whole kingdom: as will be shown more diligently below, when these things are treated.

CAPUT IV. Sanguinus Edessam obsidet; et describitur ejusdem civitatis situs.

CHAPTER 4. Sanguinus besieges Edessa; and the site of the same city is described.

Eodem anno, illo medio temporis intervallo, quod inter patris obitum, et ejusdem domini Balduini in regnum promotionem fuit, Sanguinus vir sceleratus, Turcorum inter Orientales potentissimus, ejus civitatis quae olim Ninive dicta est, nunc autem mutato nomine Musula dicitur, et est metropolis ejus regionis, quae olim dicta est Assur, dominus et moderator, maximam et egregiam Medorum metropolim, Edessam nomine, quae alia magis usitata appellatione Rages dicitur, in multitudine magna obsedit multum praesumens tum de gentis suae numerositate et viribus; tum de simultatibus quae inter principem Antiochenum Raimundum, et ejusdem comitem civitatis Joscelinum, exortae fuerant nimis periculosae. Erat autem eadem civitas trans Euphratem sita, ab eodem flumine distans itinere diei unius. Praedictus autem comes civitatis illius, contra praedecessorum suorum morem, illius dimissa urbis habitatione, circa Euphratem, in loco qui dicitur Turbessei, jugem et assiduam constituerat conversationem, tum propter loci ubertatem, tum propter otium; erat enim longe ab hostium tumultu; deliciis vacans, nec debitam gerens pro tam nobili urbe sollicitudinem.

In the same year, in that middle interval of time which was between the father’s death and the promotion of that same lord Baldwin to the kingdom, Sanguinus, a wicked man, the most powerful among the Eastern Turks, lord and ruler of that city which was once called Nineveh, but now with a changed name is called Mosul, and is the metropolis of that region which was once called Assur, besieged with a great multitude the very great and excellent metropolis of the Medes, by name Edessa, which by another more usual appellation is called Rages, presuming much both on the numerousness and forces of his nation, and on the feuds which had arisen, most perilous, between Raymond, the prince of Antioch, and Joscelin, the count of that same city. Now the same city was situated across the Euphrates, at a distance from the same river of a day’s journey. But the aforesaid count of that city, contrary to the custom of his predecessors, having abandoned the dwelling in that city, had established a constant and assiduous residence about the Euphrates, in a place which is called Turbessei, both on account of the fertility of the place and on account of leisure; for it was far from the tumult of enemies; given over to delights, and not bearing the due solicitude for so noble a city.

Praedicta vero urbs Chaldaeos, et ex Armeniis imbelles viros et armorum usum penitus nescientes, solam negotiandi artem familiarem habentes, habebat domesticos; raroque Latinorum frequentabatur accessu, paucissimos ex eis habens cives. Erat autem solis mercenariis tradita ejus cura, neque iis etiam pro tempore, vel pro modo exhibita militiae, praestabantur stipendia; sed plerumque in annum vel amplius, pactam petentes pecuniam protrahebantur. At vero uterque Balduinus et Joscelinus senior, postquam eumdem comitatum adepti sunt, illic jugem et manentem constituerant habitationem, ex locis finitimis illuc tam victus quam armorum, et aliorum quae pro tempore erant necessaria, copiam, ad omnem sufficientiam diligenter inferentes; unde non solum in se tuta poterat consistere, sed et aliis vicinis urbibus merito erat formidabilis.

The aforesaid city, in truth, had as its natives Chaldeans, and from among the Armenians unwarlike men and utterly ignorant of the use of arms, having only the art of negotiating/commerce as familiar; and it was rarely frequented by the access of Latins, having very few citizens from among them. Moreover, its care was entrusted only to mercenaries, nor were stipends of soldiery paid to them even according to the time, or to the measure of the service rendered; but for the most part, for a year or more, when they sought the money agreed upon, they were put off. But both Baldwin and Joscelin the Elder, after they obtained that same county, established there a continual and abiding habitation, diligently bringing in from the neighboring places both a supply of victuals and of arms, and of other things which were necessary at the time, to full sufficiency; whence it could not only stand secure in itself, but was deservedly formidable also to other neighboring cities.

Erant autem, ut praemisimus, inter principem Antiochenum et comitem inimicitiae, non jam occultae, sed quae jam usque ad odium processerant manifestum: unde uterque, pro alterius molestiis aut sinistris eventibus, modicam aut nullam gerebat sollicitudinem; imo etiam detrimentis gaudebat et sinistris casibus laetabatur. Ex his omnibus praedictus princeps magnus Sanguinus occasionem colligens secumque ab universo Orientali tractu infinitas equitum copias deducens, convocatis etiam finitimarum urbium populis, urbem praedictam obsidione claudit; et obsessis omnem praestruit aditum, ita ut nec obsessis civibus egredi, nec ad eos introire volentibus ulla daretur facultas. Sed et victus et alimentorum quorumlibet plurimum angebantur inopia qui obsessi erant.

But, as we have premised, between the Prince of Antioch and the Count there were enmities, no longer hidden, but now advanced to manifest hatred; whence each bore slight or no solicitude for the other’s troubles or adverse events; nay, he even rejoiced at the losses and was glad at the adverse mishaps. From all this the aforesaid great prince Sanguinus, gathering occasion, and leading with him from the whole Oriental tract countless bodies of horsemen, and having convoked also the peoples of the neighboring cities, encloses the aforesaid city with a siege; and for the besieged he blocks every approach, so that no faculty was granted either to the besieged citizens to go out, or to those wishing to enter to go in to them. And the besieged were tormented exceedingly by want of food and of provisions of whatever kind.

Erat autem civitas muro circumdata solido, et turrium excelsarum vallata [praesidio] civitatis parte [superiore] alterum inferius, ad quae civibus etiam expugnata urbe, secundum poterat esse refugium; sed et haec omnia, sicut usui solent esse contra hostes, si sint qui pro libertate velint contendere, et se viriliter hostibus opponere; sic sine utilitate jacent, ubi non reperitur in obsessis qui vicem velit gerere defensoris. Parum est enim in civitatibus turres, muros esse et antemuralia, nisi sint qui haec omnia tueantur. Vacuam ergo urbem reperiens, et ex eo obtinendi majorem habens fiduciam, locatis in gyrum legionibus et legionum primiceriis congrua statione dispositis, urbem vallat; deinde tormentis et machinis jaculatoriis moenia debilitat; et crebris sagittarum immissionibus cives incessanter affligens, obsessis requiem negat.

Now the city was surrounded by a solid wall, and fenced by lofty towers, with a [garrison]; one part of the city [upper], the other lower, to which, even if the city were stormed, a second refuge could be available for the citizens; but even all these things, just as they are wont to be of use against enemies, if there are those who are willing to contend for liberty and to oppose themselves manfully to the foes; so they lie without utility, where among the besieged there is not found one who is willing to carry the part of a defender. For it is a small thing in cities to have towers, walls, and antemurals, unless there are those who guard all these. Finding, therefore, the city vacant, and from that having greater confidence of obtaining it, he girds the city with a circumvallation, the legions having been posted around and the primicerii of the legions set in suitable station; then with engines and javelin-casting machines he weakens the walls; and by frequent discharges of arrows, continually afflicting the citizens, he denies the besieged respite.

Nuntiatur interea, et fama discurrente vulgatur, quod praedicta Dei cultrix civitas, has obsidionis ab hostibus fidei et nominis Christiani patiebatur angustias: unde ad hunc sermonem, fidelium longe lateque haec audientium, liquefacta sunt corda, et zelus armari coepit, ad ultionem iniquorum. Comes vero hoc audiens, et facti acerbitate percussus, copias impiger convocat militares; et sero memor urbis eximiae, quasi jam defunctae parat exsequias, qui aegrotantis et remedia postulantis, curam habere noluit; circuit fideles, amicos sollicitat, Antiochenum principem dominum suum suppliciter monet, et attentius per nuntios hortatur, ut ejus compatiatur laboribus, et urbem praedictam a jugo futurae liberet servitutis. Pervenerunt etiam hujus tam sinistri casus nuntii ad regem Hierosolymorum, obsidionis circa praedictam urbem et angustiarum, quas cives ejus patiebantur, certitudinem attestantes.

Meanwhile it is announced, and with rumor running about it is made public, that the aforesaid God‑worshipping city was suffering these straits of a siege from the enemies of the faith and of the Christian name: whereupon, at this report, the hearts of the faithful far and wide hearing these things were liquefied, and zeal began to be armed for the vengeance of the iniquitous. But the Count, hearing this and smitten by the bitterness of the deed, energetically summons military forces; and, late mindful of the distinguished city, he prepares the exequies as if for one already deceased, who had not wished to have care of the sick one asking for remedies. He makes the rounds of the faithful, solicits friends, humbly admonishes the prince of Antioch, his lord, and more earnestly through messengers exhorts him to have compassion on its hardships, and to free the aforesaid city from the yoke of future servitude. Messengers also came to the king of Jerusalem, attesting the certitude of the siege around the aforesaid city and of the straits which its citizens were suffering.

Domina autem regina, quae regni moderabatur imperium, communicato cum proceribus consilio Manassem regium constabularium, consanguineum suum, Philippum Neapolitanum, Elinandum Tiberiadensem, una cum militari multitudine, illuc sub omni celeritate dirigit, ut optatum domino comiti et afflictis civibus ministrent solatium. Princeps vero Antiochenus, de comitis gaudens adversitatibus, non multum attendens quantum communibus debeat utilitatibus, et quod personale odium in publicam non debet redundare laesionem, occasiones colligit, dum petitum differt subsidium ministrare.

But the lady queen, who was moderating the sovereignty of the kingdom, having taken counsel with the nobles, dispatches Manasses, the royal constable, her kinsman, Philip the Neapolitan, and Elinand of Tiberias, together with a multitude of soldiery, thither with all speed, that they might minister the desired solace to the lord count and to the afflicted citizens. But the Prince of Antioch, rejoicing at the adversities of the count, not paying much heed how much he owes to the common utilities, and that personal hatred ought not to redound to public injury, gathers pretexts, while he defers to furnish the requested aid.

CAPUT V. Capitur civitas, et populus ejus occiditur.

CHAPTER 5. The city is taken, and its people are slain.

At Sanguinus interea obsessos continuis urgens assultibus, omnia nocendi percurrit argumenta; nil intentatum relinquit eorum quae civibus possint augere molestiam, et sibi ad obtinendum locum possint tribuere facultatem. Immissis igitur fossoribus per scrobes et subterraneos meatus, secus murum ducit cuniculum, suffossumque opus stipitibus sustentat appositis; quibus igne consumptis, decidit ex magna parte murus, et hiatum hostibus pervium plus quam centum dedit cubitorum. Hostes igitur aditum pro votis habentes, confluentibus undique in urbem ingrediuntur legionibus, et quos de civibus habent obviam gladiis perimunt, conditioni, aetati aut sexui non parcentes; ita ut de iis dictum videretur: Viduam et advenam interfecerunt, et pupillos occiderunt, juvenem simul ac virginem lactentem, cum homine sene (Psal.

But Sanguinus meanwhile, pressing the besieged with continuous assaults, runs through all the devices of harming; he leaves nothing unattempted of those things which could increase trouble for the citizens and could grant to himself the faculty for obtaining the place. Therefore, with miners sent in through pits and subterranean passages, he drives a tunnel along the wall, and the undermined work he supports with stakes set in place; these being consumed by fire, the wall collapses in great part, and it gave an opening passable to the enemy of more than a hundred cubits. The enemies, therefore, having the entry as they wished, as legions flow together from every side they enter the city, and those of the citizens whom they meet they slay with swords, sparing neither condition, age, nor sex; so that concerning them it might seem said: They killed the widow and the stranger, and they slew the orphans, the young man together with the maiden and the suckling, with the old man (Psal.

XCIII, 6). Capta igitur urbe et hostium gladiis tradita, qui prudentiores erant ex civibus, vel magis expediti, in praesidia, quae in urbe esse diximus, cum liberis et uxoribus, ut vitae saltem, licet tempore consulerent modico, se contulerunt; ubi tantus in introitu concurrentium populorum factus est tumultus, ut prae turba comprimente, multi miserabiliter suffocati interirent; inter quos et reverendissimus vir, Hugo, ejusdem civitatis archiepiscopus, cum quibusdam clericis suis eodem dicitur modo occubuisse. Hujus tamen miserabilis eventus culpam nonnullam in praedictum refundunt antistitem, qui praedicto interfuerunt negotio. Nam cum pecuniam collegisse diceretur infinitam, quam erogans militibus, urbi posset esse auxilio, maluit opibus avarus incumbere, quam populo consulere pereunti; unde factum est, ut avaritiae fructus colligens, mortem cum popularibus sortiretur indifferentem, ab auditu etiam malo, nisi misericorditer dominus subveniat, non multum securus.

93, 6). Therefore, the city having been taken and delivered to the enemies’ swords, those of the citizens who were more prudent, or more expeditious, withdrew with their children and wives into the garrisons which we have said to be in the city, that they might at least consult for life, albeit for a brief time; where so great a tumult arose at the entrance, from the peoples running together, that, because of the compressing crowd, many perished miserably by suffocation; among whom even the most reverend man, Hugh, archbishop of the same city, is said to have fallen in the same manner with certain of his clerics. However, those who were present at the aforesaid business lay back some blame for this miserable outcome upon the aforesaid prelate. For whereas he was said to have collected infinite money, which, by disbursing to the soldiers, could have been a help to the city, he, greedy of riches, preferred to lean upon his resources rather than to care for the perishing people; whence it came about that, gathering the fruits of avarice, he obtained a death indifferent with his fellow-citizens, not very secure even from evil hearing, unless the Lord mercifully come to the aid.

Talibus enim terribiles loquuntur Scripturae, dicentes: Pecunia tua tecum sit in perditionem (Act. VIII, 20). Sic igitur dum princeps Antiochenus, odio victus indiscreto, differt fratribus debitum auxilium ministrare; dumque comes aliena praestolatur suffragia, urbs antiquissima, et nomini Christiano a temporibus apostolorum devota, verbo et praedicatione apostoli Thaddaei, ab infidelium superstitionibus eruta, indebitae jugum passa est servitutis. Dicitur in eadem urbe et corpus beati Thomae apostoli, una cum praedicti apostoli et beati Abgari regis corporibus esse sepultum.

For with such things the Scriptures speak terribly, saying: May your money be with you into perdition (Acts 8, 20). Thus then, while the Antiochene prince, overcome by undiscriminating hatred, puts off ministering the due help to his brothers; and while the count awaits others’ suffrages, the most ancient city—devoted to the Christian name from the times of the apostles by the word and preaching of the apostle Thaddaeus—rescued from the superstitions of the unfaithful, suffered the yoke of undue servitude. It is said that in the same city also the body of the blessed apostle Thomas, together with the bodies of the aforesaid apostle and of blessed King Abgar, is buried.

Hic est Abgarus toparcha illustris, cujus epistolam ad Dominum Jesum Christum missam, Eusebius Caesariensis, in historia sua quam Ecclesiasticam nominat, asserit; quem et Domini dignum rescripto docet, utriusque ponens epistolam, et in fine ita subjungens: Haec in archivis publicis Edessanae urbis, in qua tunc supradictus Abgarus regnavit, ita descripta reperimus in iis chartis, quae gesta Abgari regis servata antiquitus continebant. Sed haec hactenus, nunc ad historiam redeamus.

This is Abgar, the illustrious toparch, whose epistle, sent to the Lord Jesus Christ, Eusebius of Caesarea asserts in his history, which he entitles Ecclesiastical; and he shows him worthy of a reply from the Lord, setting forth the epistle of each, and at the end subjoining thus: We found these things thus recorded in the public archives of the city of Edessa, in which at that time the aforesaid Abgar reigned, in those documents which contained the deeds of King Abgar preserved from antiquity. But so much for these things; now let us return to the history.

CAPUT VI. Trans Jordanem castrum, cui nomen Vallis Moysi, per regem acquiritur.

CHAPTER 6. Across the Jordan, a fortress named the Valley of Moses is acquired by the king.

Hujus domini Balduini, anno primo quo regnare coepit, Turci, quibusdam faventibus et vocantibus locorum incolis, castrum quoddam nostrum, cui nomen Vallis Moysi, in Syria Sobal, quae est trans Jordanem, occupaverant. Est autem praedictum oppidum, juxta aquas contradictionis, ubi Moyses populo Israelitico vociferante et deficiente prae siti, ex silice fluenta produxit, et bibit populus universus et jumenta ejus. Cognito itaque quod praedictum municipium hostes, nostris qui in eo erant occisis, detinerent, congregatis undique militaribus copiis, dominus rex, licet tener adhuc nimium, illuc proficiscitur; et transiens cum suis expeditionibus, Vallem illustrem, ubi nunc mare Mortuum, quod et lacus Asphaltes dicitur, interjacet, secundae Arabiae, quae est Petracensis, in finibus Moab, montana conscendit.

In the first year that this lord Baldwin began to reign, the Turks, certain of the local inhabitants favoring and summoning them, had occupied a certain of our castle, by name the Valley of Moses, in Syria Sobal, which is beyond the Jordan. Now the aforesaid town is near the waters of contradiction, where Moses, while the Israelite people were clamoring and failing from thirst, drew forth streams from the flint, and all the people drank, and their beasts of burden. Therefore, when it was learned that the enemies were holding the aforesaid municipality, our men who were in it having been slain, with military forces gathered from every side, the lord king, although still exceedingly tender (youthful), sets out thither; and, passing with his expeditions the Illustrious Valley, where now the Dead Sea, which is also called the Asphalt Lake, lies between, he ascended the mountains of Second Arabia, which is Petraean, on the borders of Moab.

Inde Syriam Sobal, quae est tertia Arabia, quae hodie vulgo dicitur terra Montis regalis, percurrentes, ad locum perveniunt destinatum. Indigenae autem regionis, comperto nostrorum adventu cum uxoribus et liberis in praesidium se contulerant, praesumentes de loci munitione, eo quod inexpugnabilis videretur. Ubi nostri, loci videntes difficultatem et insuperabile munimen, postquam aliquot diebus saxa contorquendo, crebris sagittarum immissionibus et aliis nocendi argumentis, inutiliter operam consumpserant, ad alia se dirigunt consilia.

Thence, traversing Syria Sobal, which is the Third Arabia, which today in the common tongue is called the land of the Royal Mountain, they arrive at the destined place. But the indigenous people of the region, upon discovering the arrival of our men, had betaken themselves with their wives and children into a stronghold, presuming upon the fortification of the place, since it seemed inexpugnable. There our men, seeing the difficulty of the site and the insuperable muniment, after for several days, by hurling stones, by frequent discharges of arrows, and by other arguments for doing harm, they had fruitlessly spent their effort, turn themselves to other counsels.

Erat autem tota illa regio olivis consita pinguibus, ita ut instar nemorum condensorum, universam terrae superficiem obumbrarent; unde regionis habitatores, sicut et eorum progenitores, sibi victum omnimodum propagabant; quibus deficientibus, omnino vivendi spes eos destitueret. Has igitur exstirpare et dare incendiis decretum est, ut saltem hoc damno deterriti, et succisis olivetis desperarent, et Turcis qui in municipium se contulerant traditis vel exclusis, nostris castrum restituerent: quod conceptum fructuoso non caruit eventu. Nam, protinus ubi succidi amicas viderunt arbores, mutato consilio, ad alia se convertunt studia; et conditionibus interpositis, quod Turcis quos introduxerant, liber et sine periculo pateret exitus; quodque eis et eorum uxoribus et liberis non imputaretur ad mortem, quod deliquerant, castrum domino regi restituerunt.

Now the whole of that region was planted with fat, rich olives, so that, in the likeness of condensed groves, they overshadowed the entire surface of the land; whence the inhabitants of the region, as also their progenitors, propagated for themselves every kind of victual; with these failing, the hope of living would utterly forsake them. It was therefore decreed to extirpate these and give them to the flames, so that, at least deterred by this loss, and, the olive-groves cut down, they might despair, and, the Turks—who had betaken themselves into the township—being handed over or excluded, they would restore the castle to our men: which conceived plan did not lack a fruitful outcome. For, immediately when they saw the friendly trees being cut down, their counsel changed, they turned themselves to other pursuits; and, conditions interposed—namely, that for the Turks whom they had brought in there should lie open a free and safe exit, and that what they had offended should not be imputed unto death to them and their wives and children—they restored the castle to the lord king.

Recepto itaque municipio, et custodibus in eo locatis, alimentorum quoque immissa copia, simulque et armorum, dominus rex cum suis, consummato negotio, quod ei in primi regni sui auspiciis occurrerat, victor, et sospes cum universo exercitu, ad propria reversus est.

Accordingly, the municipality having been recovered, and guards stationed in it, and a supply of provisions likewise sent in, as well as of arms, the lord king with his men, the business consummated which had presented itself to him at the auspices of the beginning of his reign, returned, victorious and safe, with the whole army, to his own.

CAPUT VII. Sanguinus moritur, dum obsidet Calagenbar; succedit ejus filius Noradinus.

CHAPTER 7. Sanguinus dies, while he besieges Calagenbar; his son Noradinus succeeds him.

Sanguinus interea, unde supra fecimus mentionem, subjugata urbe Edessana, tanto in immensum elatus successu, apposuit et civitatem munitam, supra Euphratis fluenta sitam, Calogenbar nomine, obsidere; in cujus obsidione dum perseveraret, tractante et disponente praedictae urbis domino, cum quibusdam cubiculariis et familiaribus ejus eunuchis, nocte una vino aestuans, et prae nimia crapula supinus jacens in tabernaculis suis ab eisdem domesticis suis, gladiis confoditur. De quo quidam nostrorum, nuntiato ejus interitu, sic ait:

Meanwhile Sanguinus, of whom we made mention above, the city of Edessa subjugated, so elated beyond measure by so great success, set himself also to besiege the fortified city, set above the streams of the Euphrates, by name Calogenbar; and while he persisted in its siege, it being managed and arranged by the lord of the aforesaid city, together with certain chamberlains and his familiar eunuchs, one night, burning with wine and, because of excessive crapulence, lying supine in his tents, he is stabbed through with swords by those same domestics of his. Concerning him, one of our men, his demise having been announced, thus said:

Quam bonus eventus! fit sanguine sanguinolentus,
Vir homicida, reus, nomine Sanguineus.

What a good event! with blood he becomes sanguinolent,
A homicidal man, a culprit, by the name Sanguineus.

Qui autem eum interfecerant, a domino urbis obsessae, ex condicto intra moenia recepti, ultrices consanguineorum exstincti manus effugerunt. Fugit autem et universus ejus exercitus, domini solatio et provisione destitutus; cui defuncto successerunt ejus filii, alter apud Mussulam, introrsum in Oriente; alter apud Halapiam, natu posterior, nomine Noradinus, vir providus et discretus, et juxta traditiones illius populi superstitiosas, timens Deum; felix quoque, et paternae ampliator haereditatis.

But those who had killed him, received within the walls by the lord of the besieged city in accordance with a prior agreement, escaped the avenging hands of the kinsmen of the slain. And his whole army fled as well, deprived of the solace and provision of their lord; upon whose death his sons succeeded: one at Mussula, further inward in the East; the other at Halapia, the younger by birth, by name Noradinus, a provident and discreet man, and, according to the superstitious traditions of that people, God-fearing; fortunate too, and an enlarger of his paternal inheritance.

CAPUT VIII. Nobilis quidam ex Damascenis, Bostrensis civitatis procurator, cum rege paciscitur; et exercitus regni versus Bostrum properat; Ainardus Damascenorum procurator factum nititur impedire.

CHAPTER 8. A certain nobleman from among the Damascenes, procurator of the city of Bostra, makes a pact with the king; and the army of the kingdom hastens toward Bostra; Ainardus, the procurator of the Damascenes, strives to impede the deed.

Non multo post tempore, anno secundo regni domini Balduini, nobilis quidam Turcorum satrapa, ex causis quibusdam, Mejeredim regis Damascenorum indignationem sustinens, et procuratoris ejus Mehenedin, qui alio nomine Ainardus dicebatur, gratia destitutus, cujus multo major quam ipsius regis in universis Damascenorum finibus erat auctoritas, ad dominum regem et matrem ejus, cum honesto comitatu venit Hierosolymam, asserens quod si dominus rex honestam et pro boni viri arbitratu sufficientem ei vellet assignare compensationem, ipse Bostrensem urbem, cui praeerat, una cum oppido Selcath, Christianis resignaret. Est autem Bostrum primae Arabiae metropolis, quae hodie vulgari appellatione Bussereth dicitur. Erat porro idem nobilis homo, ut dicebatur, Armenus genere, corpore procerus, facie venusta virilem tota corporis habitudine animositatem praetendens, eratque nomen ei Tantais.

Not long after, in the second year of the reign of lord Baldwin, a certain noble satrap of the Turks, for certain causes enduring the indignation of Mejeredim, king of the Damascenes, and bereft of the favor of his procurator Mehenedin, who by another name was called Ainardus—whose authority in all the territories of the Damascenes was much greater than that of the king himself—came to Jerusalem to the lord king and his mother, with an honorable retinue, asserting that, if the lord king would assign to him compensation honorable and, in the judgment of a good man, sufficient, he would resign to the Christians the city of Bostrum, over which he presided, together with the town Selcath. Now Bostrum is the metropolis of First Arabia, which today by the vulgar appellation is called Bussereth. Moreover, the same noble man, as it was said, was Armenian by race, tall in body, with a comely face, displaying manly spiritedness in the whole habitus of his body; and his name was Tantais.

Convocatis igitur hujus rei gratia universis regni principibus et deliberationis partibus congruo libramine pensatis, audita tanti viri adventus causa, placuit omnibus de communi consilio, ut de honesta et competente recompensatione, supradicto satisfiat viro; et convocatis exercitibus, ad Bostrenses partes dirigantur expeditiones; maximum enim et Deo acceptum regni judicant incrementum, si Christianae fidei et nostrae jurisdictioni, per hujus operam, jure perpetuo possit accrescere civitas praenominata. Pactis igitur hinc inde ad congruam consonantiam redactis, universus regni populus voce praeconia congregatur, et implorato de supernis auxilio, vivificae crucis ligno secum assumpto salutari, tam dominus rex, quam principes omnes, Tiberiadem usque perveniunt: ubi circa pontem, unde ex mari Jordanis fluenta se dividunt, castrametantur. Porro praedictus Ainardus, cum domino rege, sicut et cum patre ejus foedus prius inierat, et pacem temporalem: unde oportebat eum praemoneri solemniter, ut ad resistendum praeparandumque se, et convocandum exercitum legitimas pro more regionis haberet ferias; ne si repente et ante solemnem commonitionem, infra suos fines, hostiliter dominus rex ingrederetur, contra legem pactorum videretur versatus.

Accordingly, the princes of the whole realm having been convoked for this matter, and the parts of the deliberation weighed with a congruent balance, the cause of so great a man’s arrival having been heard, it pleased all by common counsel that satisfaction be made to the aforesaid man with an honorable and competent recompense; and that, the armies being summoned, expeditions be directed toward the Bostrian parts; for they judge it a very great and God‑acceptable increment of the kingdom, if by his agency the aforesaid city might be able to increase to the Christian faith and to our jurisdiction by a perpetual right. Therefore, the pacts on either side being brought into a congruent consonance, the whole people of the realm is assembled by a herald’s voice; and, aid from on high having been implored, and the saving wood of the life‑giving Cross taken up with them, both the lord king and all the princes come as far as Tiberias, where, around the bridge whence from the sea the Jordan’s streams part, they encamp. But the aforesaid Ainardus had previously entered into a covenant and a temporal peace with the lord king, as also with his father; wherefore he ought to be solemnly forewarned, that he might have, for preparing himself to resist and for convoking an army, the lawful feriae according to the custom of the region; lest, if suddenly and before the solemn admonition the lord king should enter his bounds in hostile fashion, he might seem to have acted against the law of the agreements.

Missis igitur nuntiis, ad eumdem procuratorem, dum ille tanquam vir sagacissimus ex industria differt responsa dare, jam pene mensis praeterierat: quo medio tempore non cessavit, tam prece quam pretio, omnes finitimos suae gentis proceres, longe lateque in sui subsidium convocare; quibus undique ad infinitatem nimiam congregatis, domino regi et principibus mandat, dicens: Contra legem initi foederis, in terram domini mei paratis intrare, et servum ejus contumacem, et contra debitae fidelitatis jura versantem, indebito protegere laboratis patrocinio; rogamus humiliato in preces animo, quatenus ab injusto dominus rex desistat proposito; pactorum prius initorum tenorem conservet illibatum. Nos parati sumus, domino regi universas cum omni integritate impensas, quas pro hac expeditione fecit, refundere. Ad haec dominus rex de communi consilio responsum dedit, dicens: Nos pactorum et foederis concepti, nullatenus intendimus violare tenorem; sed, quia praedictus nobilis homo ad nos venit, ut nobiscum familiariter loqueretur, non possumus homini in regno nostro spem habenti, cum nostra honestate ita penitus deesse. Sufficiet autem nobis, ut in urbem quam nostro deseruit intuitu, eum introducere sine difficultate liceat; postquam autem in suum se receperit municipium, tractet eum dominus suus patriis legibus, et secundum merita sua eidem praemia largiatur; nos enim sive in eundo, sive in redeundo, regi Damasceno amico nostro, omnino auctore Domino, sicut tenemur, declinabimus injuriam irrogare. Erat autem hic idem Ainardus, vir prudentissimus et populi nostri amator; qui, cum haberet tres filias, unam illarum dederat praedicto Damascenorum regi, alteram Noradino Sanguini filio; tertiam cuidam egregio militi, Manguarth nomine.

Therefore, messengers having been sent to that same procurator, while he, as a most sagacious man, intentionally deferred to give responses, now nearly a month had passed: during which meantime he did not cease, both by prayer and by price, to convoke all the neighboring nobles of his nation, far and wide, to his support; and when from every side an excessive multitude had been assembled, he sends word to the lord king and the princes, saying: Against the law of the initiated treaty you are preparing to enter into the land of my lord, and you are striving, with undue patronage, to protect his servant who is contumacious and acting against the rights of due fidelity; we beg, with a mind humbled into prayers, that the lord king desist from an unjust purpose; let him preserve inviolate the tenor of the agreements earlier entered. We are prepared to refund to the lord king all the expenses, with all integrity, which he has made for this expedition. To these things the lord king, with common counsel, gave an answer, saying: We intend in no way to violate the tenor of the agreements and the conceived treaty; but, because the aforesaid noble man has come to us to speak with us familiarly, we cannot, with our honor, so utterly fail a man in our kingdom who has hope. It will suffice for us that it be permitted to introduce him without difficulty into the city which, out of regard for us, he left; but after he has withdrawn himself into his own municipium, let his lord deal with him by the native laws, and grant to him rewards according to his merits; for we, whether in going or in returning, to the Damascene king our friend, altogether, with the Lord as author, as we are bound, will decline to inflict injury. Now this same Ainardus was a most prudent man and a lover of our people; who, though he had three daughters, had given one of them to the aforesaid king of the Damascenes, another to Noradin, son of Sanguinus; the third to a certain distinguished knight, by name Manguarth.

Habebat ergo regni curam, tum quia regis erat socer, tum quia vir circumspectus erat plurimum. Rex autem deses, ebriosus et epulo, solis vacabat deliciis et libidine totus effluebat dissolutus. Is, ut diximus, gentis nostrae gratiam, quibuscunque poterat obsequiis mereri, satagebat; et quibus solent amici comparari, merita in eo non erant otiosa.

He therefore had the care of the kingdom, both because he was the king’s father-in-law and because he was a man most circumspect. The king, however, slothful, drunken, and a banqueter, devoted himself only to delights and, wholly dissolved, overflowed in lust. He, as we have said, strove to merit the favor of our nation by whatever services he could; and the merits by which friends are wont to be acquired were not idle in him.

Quod utrum ex animo et ex dilectionis sinceritate procederet, an invitum impelleret necessitas, inter prudentes quaerebatur. Poterat sane utrumque esse in causa; nam generum suum Noradinum, sicut et patrem ejus prius, suspectum habebat non modicum, ne regem, iterum generum suum, virum prorsus inutilem, et crassa supinum ignorantia, regno, et se ab administratione detruderet. Inde erat maxime, quod nostrorum sibi necessariam reputans gratiam, omni via qua poterat ad eam obtinendam aspirabat.

Whether this proceeded from his spirit and from the sincerity of dilection, or necessity was impelling him unwilling, was being inquired among the prudent. Surely either could be in the case; for he held his son-in-law Noradin—just as previously his father—under no small suspicion, lest he should thrust down the king, again his son-in-law, a man utterly inutile and supine in crass ignorance, from the kingdom, and himself from the administration. Hence it was especially that, reckoning the favor of our people necessary to himself, by every way by which he could he aspired to obtain it.

Videbatur vir discretus praesagientem habere spiritum; nam quod verebatur accidit. Statim enim eo mortuo, praedictus Noradinus, consentientibus sibi Damascenis, illo qui regnabat violenter excluso, regnum occupavit. Elaborabat ergo fideliter, ut dominus rex, refusis sibi expensis, quae pro vocanda fecerat expeditione, ad propria rediret indemnis; et procul dubio minus hostiliter in eo facto, contra dominum regem et Christianum exercitum se habuisset, si convocatas exteras nationes, pro suo potuisset arbitrio cohibere.

The discreet man seemed to have a presaging spirit; for what he feared happened. Immediately upon his death, the aforesaid Noradin, with the Damascenes consenting to him, the one who was reigning having been violently excluded, occupied the kingdom. He therefore labored faithfully that the lord king, his expenses refunded to him—those which he had made for summoning the expedition—might return to his own uninjured; and beyond doubt he would have borne himself less hostilely in that matter against the lord king and the Christian army, if he had been able to restrain the convoked foreign nations at his own arbitrament.

Multa enim fidei sinceritatis et constantiae illius in plerisque negotiis, certo rerum experimento cognovimus argumenta.

For by sure experience of things we have recognized many evidences of his fidelity’s sincerity and constancy in very many affairs.

CAPUT IX. Procedens exercitus, infinita sustinet pericula.

CHAPTER 9. Proceeding, the army sustains infinite perils.

Verum, dum haec nuntiarent legati, inter quos erat praecipuus quidam domini regis familiaris, Bernardus Vacher; populus coepit acclamare eumdem Bernardum proditorem esse: non esse populo Christiano fidelem, quicunque dissuasionibus huic negotio velit dare impedimentum. Magnis etiam vocibus coepit plebs indiscreta clamare procedendum esse, urbem tam nobilem non facile esse deserendam; grates habendas nobili viro, et ejus per omnia propositum amplectendum fideliter et devote, qui tantum Christianitati obtulisset saeculis memorabile beneficium, et pro eo usque ad mortem decertandum. In hoc itaque tanto tumultu, praevaluit vulgi sententia, spreto consilio sanius affectorum.

However, while these things were being announced by the legates, among whom was a certain preeminent familiar of the lord king, Bernardus Vacher, the people began to acclaim that this same Bernard was a traitor: that whoever, by dissuasions, should wish to give impediment to this enterprise is not faithful to the Christian people. With great voices, too, the undiscerning plebs began to shout that there must be proceeding, that so noble a city is not easily to be deserted; that thanks are to be given to the noble man, and that his plan in all things is to be embraced faithfully and devoutly, who had offered to Christianity a benefit so great as to be memorable through the ages, and that for it one must contend even unto death. In this so great tumult, therefore, the opinion of the mob prevailed, with the counsel of the more sanely disposed spurned.

Compositis igitur sarcinis et solutis castris, versus praedictum oppidum iter dirigunt: transitaque cavea Roob, in planitiem pervenerunt, quae dicitur Medan, ubi singulis annis Arabum et aliorum Orientalium populorum solent nundinae convenire solemnes, ubi tanta hostium nostris coepit occurrere multitudo, ut qui prius coepto insistendum et in negotio procedendum acclamaverant, redire si fieri posset, praeoptarent et judicarent utilius. Visis tamen hostium cuneis, et stupentes multitudinem, nostri accingunt se tanquam statim praeliaturi. Rex vero, de consilio eorum qui rei militaris habebant experientiam, castra protinus jubet locari; quibus compositis, curam corporis, prout in arcto positi poterant, agentes, noctem illam duxerunt insomnem.

Therefore, with the packs arranged and the camp struck, they direct their march toward the aforesaid town; and, the Roob defile having been passed, they came into a plain which is called Medan, where each year solemn fairs are accustomed to convene of the Arabs and of other Eastern peoples; where so great a multitude of enemies began to meet our men that those who earlier had acclaimed that one must persist in the undertaking and proceed in the business would prefer to return, if it could be done, and judged it more expedient. Yet, the enemy squadrons seen, and amazed at the multitude, our men gird themselves as though about to fight at once. The king, however, by the counsel of those who had experience of the military art, orders the camp to be pitched forthwith; and these things set in order, attending to the care of the body, as they could, being placed in a strait, they spent that night sleepless.

At vero hostes, multiplicati supra numerum, legiones nostras undique vallantes, quasi manubias et vilia mancipia, nostros procul dubio habituros in crastino compeditos non dubitabant. Nostri vero continuis excubiis se observantes prudenter, et virorum fortium circa se tota sollicitudine impleverunt officia. Mane facto, communicato consilio, nostri procedendum esse decernunt; nam redire, cum ignominia plenum, tum pene videbatur impossibile.

But indeed the enemies, multiplied beyond number, hemming in our legions on every side, did not doubt that on the morrow they would without question have our men fettered as booty and cheap chattel-slaves. Our men, however, prudently keeping guard with continuous watches, fulfilled with all solicitude the offices of brave men about them. With morning come, after counsel had been communicated, our men decree that there must be a proceeding forward; for to return, as both full of ignominy, moreover seemed almost impossible.

Verum hostes circumpositi utrumque impedire videntur. Tandem nostri, animosius insistentes, per medias hostium acies viam ferro aperiunt et ad destinatum unanimiter locum contendunt; sed loricis, cassidibus, simul clypeis onusti, lento incedebant gradu; hostium etiam circumposita multitudine praepediebantur. At vero equites, licet expedientius possent incedere, peditum tamen oportebat in incessu conformes fieri manipulis ne dissolveretur agmen et irruendi super cuneos hostibus daretur occasio.

But the enemies, set around, seemed to impede both. At length our men, pressing on more spiritedly, through the midst of the enemies’ battle-lines open a way with iron, and with one mind hasten to the destined place; but, laden with cuirasses, helmets, and likewise shields, they were advancing with a slow step; they were also hampered by the multitude of enemies placed around. But indeed the horsemen, although they could advance more unencumbered, nevertheless had to be made conformable to the foot-soldiers in their march in maniples, lest the column be dissolved and an occasion be given to the enemies of rushing upon the wedge-formations.

Compatiebantur itaque sibi invicem cohortes, et quasi vir unus affectus erat populus universus. Tanta enim equitibus erat pedestrium turmarum cura, ut ipsi de equis descendentes, communicato cum eis labore, fessis pro vehiculo se exhibentes, itineris molestiam redderent leviorem. Hostes tamen interea crebris sagittarum immissionibus exercitum fatigantes, multiplicatis molestiis, nostrorum cohortes dissolvere nitebantur.

Therefore the cohorts suffered-with one another, and as if one man, the entire people was of one feeling. For so great was the care of the horsemen for the foot-squadrons, that they themselves, dismounting from their horses, sharing the toil with them, offering themselves as a vehicle for the weary, made the annoyance of the journey lighter. Meanwhile the enemies, by frequent emissions of arrows harassing the army, with troubles multiplied, were striving to dissolve our cohorts.

Nostri autem e diverso, quanto ad hoc magis eos vident instare et importunius, tanto sibi invicem cohaerere magis et coepto insistere ferventius itineri non formidant. Accedebat, ad majorem molestiarum cumulum, sitis aspera, ex laboris difficultate et aestatis caumate geminata. Erat quoque eis iter per loca arida et inaquosa; tota enim illa regio fontes nescit; verum hieme solent aquas colligere lacunis tam naturalibus quam manufactis, pluviales.

But our men, on the contrary, the more they see them press upon this and the more importunately, by so much the more they cohere to one another and do not fear to persist more fervently in the undertaken march. There was added, to swell the cumulus of troubles, a harsh thirst, doubled by the difficulty of the toil and the aestival heat. Their route, moreover, was through arid and waterless places; for that whole region knows no springs; but in winter they are wont to collect waters—pluvial—in basins both natural and manufactured.

Acciderat autem illis diebus, unde et hae ipsae factae erant inutiles; nam tanta fuerat paulo ante locustarum in ea provincia praeter morem intemperies, quod omnes hujusmodi piscinas tabo infecerant, et aquae usum reddiderant abominabilem putredine, quam morientes intulerant. Haec autem, qua nostris iter erat, regio dicitur Traconitis; cujus in Evangelio Lucas facit mentionem, dicens: Philippo autem Itureae et Traconitidis regionis tetrarcha (Luc. III, 1). Videtur autem nobis a Traconibus dicta.

However, it had happened in those days, whence also these very ones had been rendered useless; for there had been, a little before, in that province an intemperate outbreak of locusts beyond custom, which had infected all cisterns of this sort with filth, and had made the use of the water abominable by the putrescence which the dying had brought in. This region, moreover, through which our route lay, is called Trachonitis; of which Luke makes mention in the Gospel, saying: But Philip, tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis (Luke 3, 1). It seems to us, moreover, to be named from the Tracones.

Tracones enim dicuntur occulti et subterranei meatus, quibus illa regio abundat; nam pene universus illius regionis populus in speluncis et cavernis habitat, et in traconibus habet domicilia.

For tracons are called hidden and subterranean passages, with which that region abounds; for nearly the whole population of that region inhabits caves and caverns, and has domiciles in the tracons.

CAPUT X Ad locum pervenientes destinatum, civitatem reperiunt ab hostibus occupatam; et infecto negotio reditus indicitur.

CHAPTER 10 Arriving at the appointed place, they find the city occupied by enemies; and with the business unfinished, a return is proclaimed.

Transcursa igitur cum summo periculo regionis illius parte, circa horam diei novissimam ad locum perveniunt, qui antiquo Adratum dicitur vocabulo, nunc autem vulgari appellatione dicitur civitas Bernardi de Stampis. Est autem una de urbibus suffraganeis, quae ad Bostrensem metropolim habet respectum; ubi adjunctis illius loci incolis, ad hostium numerum, major nostris accessit molestia; ubi etiam de cisternis, quarum ora videbant patentia, et sine difficultate haurire aquas se posse nostri arbitrarentur, demissas situlas non sine damno amittebant; nam qui intus latebant in cavernis subterraneis funes praecidentes quibus hauriendi alligata erant instrumenta, funes remittebant decurtatos; et spe potus elusos, ad majus compellebant sitis dispendium, dum in hauriendis aquis frustra diutius laborabant. Sic igitur quatuor diebus continuis, nunquam indulta requie, nostri afflicti sunt incessanter, vix noctibus habentes otium ut necessitatibus corporis quocunque modo satisfacerent.

Having therefore traversed, with the greatest peril, a part of that region, they arrive about the very last hour of the day at the place which by an ancient name is called Adratum, but now by the vulgar appellation is called the city of Bernard de Stampis. And it is one of the suffragan cities, which has regard to the Bostran metropolis; where, the inhabitants of that place being joined to the number of the enemies, greater annoyance accrued to our men; where also from cisterns, whose mouths they saw lying open, and our men supposed that they could draw waters without difficulty, they would lose the buckets let down, not without damage; for those who were lurking inside in subterranean caverns, cutting the ropes by which the instruments of drawing were tied, would send back the ropes shortened; and having mocked them in the hope of drink, they were driving them to a greater detriment from thirst, while in drawing waters they labored longer in vain. Thus therefore, for four continuous days, with no rest ever granted, our men were incessantly afflicted, scarcely having leisure at night to satisfy the necessities of the body in whatever way they could.

Augebatur praeterea per singulos dies hostium numerus; nostrorum vero decrescebant agmina: aliis interemptis; aliis sauciis lethaliter; alii vero de vita desperantes, et nimia percussi formidine sarcinarum et impedimentorum augebant turbam, infra equos et jumenta delitescentes, et simulantes impotentiam, ne ad sustinenda hostilis impetus onera, egredi compellerentur. Tanta enim sagittarum et missilium pene continua supra nostrum exercitum erat densitas, ut grandinis aut imbrium instar descenderent, et universa tam homines quam jumenta telis consita viderentur. Mirari poterant intuentes, aut hostes in jaculando tantum posse, aut nostros tantum patientiae invincibilis continuare laborem.

Moreover, with each single day the number of the enemy was being increased; but the ranks of our men were being diminished: some slain; others wounded mortally; others, despairing of life and struck by excessive fear, were swelling the crowd of baggage and impedimenta, hiding beneath the horses and beasts of burden, and feigning impotence, lest they be compelled to go out to bear the burdens of sustaining the enemy’s onsets. For so great was the almost continuous density of arrows and missiles above our army, that they came down in the likeness of hail or of rains, and everything, both men and beasts of burden, seemed to be studded with darts. Those looking on could marvel either that the enemies were able so much in hurling, or that our men could continue a toil of such unconquerable patience.

Instabant et nostri, telis et sagittarum immissione nihilominus; sed hostium exercitus, discursus habens liberiores, rarius sagittis laedebantur nostris. Quarta demum die continuatis cum tanto periculo itineribus, ad locum destinatum appropiantes, urbem eminus contuentur; ubi cum multa difficultate, hostibus violenter exclusis, aquas intra rupes modice scaturientes occupant, et circa eas castra metantur; ubi refectioni vacantes aliquantulum, corporibus quantum permittebatur indulgent. Ea nocte ibi qualemqualem nostri habentes requiem, diem exspectabant cum summo desiderio sequentem; cum ecce intempestae noctis silentio, ex urbe praedicta quidam latenter egressus, per medias hostium acies ad nostrum se contulit exercitum, infaustae legationis bajulus.

Our men too pressed on, with the launching of missiles and of arrows nonetheless; but the army of the enemy, having freer maneuver, were more rarely wounded by our arrows. At last on the fourth day, the marches having been continued with so great danger, as they approached the destined place, they behold the city from afar; where, with much difficulty, the enemies having been forcibly shut out, they seize the waters gently gushing within the rocks, and they pitch camp around them; where, giving themselves somewhat to refection, they indulged their bodies as much as was permitted. That night there, our men having some sort of rest, were awaiting with the highest desire the following day; when behold, in the silence of the dead of night, from the aforesaid city someone, having gone out stealthily, through the midst of the enemy ranks betook himself to our army, bearer of an ill-omened legation.

Qui statim veniens, ad regem se postulat introduci, verba dicens se habere secretiora quae perferat. Admissus ergo, convocatisque principibus, simul quoque et illo nobili viro, qui ejusdem civitatis magistratum administraverat, et nos in praesentia duxerat pericula, nuntiat, urbem uxore ejusdem nobilis viri prodente, hostibus traditam; et eorum introductos satellites, arces et praesidium, exclusis aliis, obtinere universum. Hoc infelici rumore, nostri mente plurimum consternati, quid facto opus sit deliberant; tandemque visum est expedientius reditum ad propria, cum quocunque periculo, maturare.

He, coming at once, asks to be introduced to the king, saying that he has more secret words to deliver. Admitted, therefore, and the princes convoked, together also with that noble man who had administered the magistracy of the same city, and had led us through the perils in person, he announces that the city, the wife of that same noble man betraying it, has been handed over to the enemies; and that their satellites, having been brought in, hold the citadels and the whole stronghold, the others being shut out. At this ill-omened report, our men, greatly dismayed in mind, deliberate what there is need to do; and at length it seemed more expedient to hasten a return to their own, with whatever danger.

Fuerunt tamen nonnulli de majoribus regni principibus, qui domino regi secretius et in aurem consulerent, quatenus assumpto sibi vivificae crucis ligno equum domini Joannis Gomani, qui omnes alios ejusdem exercitus equos celeritate et laboris patientia longe superare dicebatur, conscenderet, et solus suae consuleret saluti. Hoc autem dicebant, omnino de reditu desperantes et omnium stragem timentes in proximo futuram. Quod verbum rex, licet infra annos puberes constitutus (significans qualis in majore aetate futurus esset) regia sprevit magnificentia, dicens: Propriam se omnino contemnere salutem, si tam Deo devotus populus casu tam flebili deperiret. Videntes ergo regem eorum monitis, licet ex affectu pro prodeuntibus, non acquiescere, ad alia se convertunt studia; et de reditu tractare incipiunt, videntes non sine universorum strage ad ulteriora se posse procedere.

Nevertheless there were some among the greater princes of the kingdom who advised the lord king more secretly and in his ear, that, having taken to himself the wood of the vivifying cross, he should mount the horse of lord John Goman, which was said by far to surpass all the other horses of the same army in speed and endurance of toil, and that he should look to his own safety alone. But they said this utterly despairing of a return and fearing a slaughter of all about to occur in the near future. That word the king, though still below the years of puberty (signifying what sort he would be in a greater age), spurned with regal magnificence, saying: That he utterly scorns his own safety, if a people so devoted to God should perish by so lamentable a mischance. Seeing therefore that the king did not acquiesce in their counsels, though out of affection for those going forth, they turn themselves to other plans; and they begin to treat of a return, seeing that they could not proceed to further things without the slaughter of all.

Tunc primum coepit spe tanta dejectis, et evacuatos videntibus omnes subs conatus, labor duplo exsurgere molestior. Nam, etsi prius dura nimis, et pene intolerabilia, et quibuslibet quae postmodum accidere possent non inferiora passi erant, spes tamen et fiducia obtinendi civitatem, laborantium animos confovens, ad tolerantiam gratis quibusdam stimulis accendebant. Videntes ergo se prorsus spe delusos, fixum firmumque quod proposuerant decernentes, ad iter se accingunt, voce praeconia reditu cunctis significato.

Then for the first time, as so great a hope was cast down, and as they saw all their efforts evacuated, the toil began to arise twice as grievous. For although earlier they had suffered things too hard and almost intolerable, and not inferior to whatever might afterwards befall, yet the hope and confidence of obtaining the city, cherishing the minds of the laboring, with certain welcome stimuli were kindling them to endurance. Therefore, seeing themselves utterly deluded of their hope, determining as fixed and firm what they had resolved, they gird themselves for the journey, the return being signified to all by a herald’s voice.

CAPUT XI. Rediens exercitus intolerabilia patitur pericula; stupent hostes nostrorum perseverantiam.

CHAPTER 11. The returning army suffers intolerable perils; the enemies are stupefied at the perseverance of our men.

Reddita igitur terris die, ecce Noradinus in auxilium soceri vocatus, infinita secum trahens Turcorum agmina, ab urbe praedicta veniens, ad hostium se adjungit cohortes. Nostri vero ad redeundum, secundum propositum, iter arripiunt. Quod videntes adversarii, clamoribus perstrepentes obviam se dare contendunt, ut impediant regressum.

Therefore, with the day returned to the earth, behold, Noradinus, called to the aid of his father-in-law, drawing with him innumerable bands of Turks, coming from the aforesaid city, joins himself to the cohorts of the enemies. But our men, for returning, according to the plan, take up the march. Seeing this, the adversaries, resounding with shouts, strive to throw themselves in the way, so that they may impede the return.

At nostri ipsa difficultate, quae undique premebat, facti animosiores, obvias acies gladiis et ferro dissolventes, viam sibi cum summo periculo et strage suorum violenter aperiunt. Erat autem nostris indictum publice, ut defunctorum corpora camelis et aliis animalibus ad sarcinas deputatis imponerent, ne nostrorum considerata strage, redderentur fortiores inimici; debiles quoque et saucios, jumentis imponi mandatur, ne omnino nostrorum aliquis aut mortuus aut debilis crederetur. His et datum erat in mandatis ut, gladios educentes, saltem speciem validorum exprimerent.

But our men, made more high-spirited by the very difficulty which pressed them on every side, breaking up the opposing battle-lines with sword and steel, violently opened a way for themselves, with the utmost peril and with the slaughter of their own. Moreover it had been publicly enjoined upon our men, that they place the bodies of the deceased upon camels and other animals assigned to the baggage, lest, the slaughter of our people being observed, the enemies be rendered stronger; the weak also and the wounded were commanded to be set upon beasts of burden, so that absolutely none of our men might be believed either dead or debilitated. And to these there was given in orders that, drawing their swords, they should at least express the semblance of the able-bodied.

Mirabantur itaque hostium prudentiores, quod de tanta immissione sagittarum, de crebris conflictibus, de tanta sitis, pulveris, aestus immoderata molestia, nullus unquam mortuus aut deficiens inveniretur; populum judicant ferreum, qui tot tamque continua possint tam perseveranter sustinere dispendia. Videntes porro hostes quod sic non proficerent, ad alia se convertunt molimina. Erat sane regio tota vepribus et frutectis humilibus, carduis aridis et synapis silva, veteribus stipulis et frugibus jam maturis, obsita: his omnibus ignem subjiciunt, vento nostris obvio fomitem et vires ministrante.

Thus the more prudent of the enemy marveled that, from so great a volley of arrows, from the frequent conflicts, from such thirst, dust, and the immoderate annoyance of heat, no one was ever found dead or fainting; they judge the people iron, who can so perseveringly endure so many and so continual losses. Moreover, seeing that they did not advance thus, the foes turn themselves to other contrivances. The whole region, in truth, was overgrown with brambles and low thickets, with dry thistles and a wild growth of mustard, covered with old stubble and with crops now ripe: to all these they apply fire, the wind, which was against our men, supplying fuel and force.

Hic incendii vicinioris afflatu fumique occurrentis nube densissima, nostris ingeminatur molestia, cum ecce ad venerabilem virum dominum Robertum Nazaraenum archiepiscopum, qui crucem Dominicam bajulabat, omnis populus cum clamore et ejulatu conversus, postulabat cum lacrymis, dicens: Ora pro nobis, pater; et per hoc vivificae crucis lignum, quod manibus gestas, in quo nostrae salutis auctorem credimus pependisse, erue nos ab his malis, nam diutius sustinere non possumus. Erat autem populus, in modum fabrorum officinas exercentium, vento agitante fuliginem, tam facie quam toto corporis habitu, nigredine factus decolor; et tam aestatis quam incendiorum caumate duplicato, ad supremum afflictus siti, supra vires laborabat. Ad has itaque gementis populi voces, vir Deo amabilis, contritus corde et animo valde compatiens, salutare lignum erigit contra incendia, quae illi totis viribus procurabant; et invocato de supernis auxilio, statim adfuit virtus divina, et in momento conversis in oppositum flatibus, incendia simul cum tetra fumi caligine in hostes, qui nostrum praecedebant exercitum, se dirigunt; et quae in nostram paraverant laesionem, in suam vident retorta perniciem. Stupent hostes novitate miraculi, et singularem reputant Christianorum fidem, quae tam praesens possit a Domino Deo suo pro votis impetrare beneficium.

Here, by the blast of the nearer conflagration and by the most dense cloud of oncoming smoke, our men’s distress is redoubled, when behold, toward the venerable man, lord Robert, archbishop of Nazareth, who was bearing the Lord’s Cross, all the people, turned with clamor and wailing, were beseeching with tears, saying: Pray for us, father; and by this wood of the life-giving cross which you carry in your hands, on which we believe the author of our salvation hung, rescue us from these evils, for we can no longer endure. Now the people, in the manner of smiths plying their workshops, the wind driving the soot, had been made discolored with blackness both in face and in the whole habit of the body; and with the heatwave both of summer and of the fires doubled, afflicted to the extreme by thirst, they toiled beyond their strength. To these voices, then, of the groaning people, the man beloved of God, contrite in heart and most compassionate in spirit, lifts up the saving wood against the fires which they with all their might were contriving; and, the aid from on high invoked, straightway divine power was present, and in a moment, the winds being turned to the opposite, the fires together with the foul gloom of smoke direct themselves upon the enemies who were going before our army; and what they had prepared for our harm, they see turned back into their own destruction. The enemies are astounded at the novelty of the miracle, and reckon the faith of the Christians singular, which can so presently impetrate from the Lord their God a benefit according to their vows.

Suis ergo occupati necessitatibus, nostris aliquam indulgent requiem, et ad tempus respirare concedunt.

Therefore, occupied with their own necessities, they grant our people some respite, and permit us to breathe for a time.

CAPUT XII. Mittitur ad hostes pro pace legatus; quidam nobilis de hostibus cadit; dissolvitur hostium exercitus; noster liberior proficiscitur.

CHAPTER 12. An envoy is sent to the enemies for peace; a certain nobleman of the enemies falls; the army of the enemies is dissolved; our force sets out more freely.

Dum vero his tam intolerabilibus noster exercitus premeretur malis, diffidentes de vulgi patientia majores, et qui sensus habebant magis exercitatos, regem adeunt, persuadent ut legatio ad Ainardum dirigatur, pacem postulans sub conditione qualibet, dum solummodo ad propria possit redire exercitus. Eligitur quidam qui suspectus habebatur, quod alia vice in legatione simili contra Christi populum malitiose versatus fuisset; tamen propter linguae commercium, quod habere dicebatur familiare plurimum, iterum id ei muneris injungitur. Dumque ei persuaderetur ut fideliter injunctum exsequatur officium, dixisse perhibetur: Injuste et praeter meritum suspectus habeor; vado tamen; quod si objecti reus sum criminis, nunquam mihi redire concedatur, quin hostium gladiis confossus inteream. Datam ergo in se mortis sententiam miser homo, divino judicio expertus est statim; nam, antequam ad hostes perveniret et legationis functus esset munere, armis hostium confossus interiit.

While indeed our army was being pressed by such intolerable evils, the chiefs, distrustful of the patience of the vulgus, and those who had senses more exercised, approach the king; they persuade that a legation be directed to Ainardus, asking for peace under whatever condition, provided only that the army might be able to return to its own. A certain man is chosen who was held suspect, because on another occasion, in a similar legation, he had dealt maliciously against the people of Christ; nevertheless, on account of the commerce of language, which he was said to have most familiar, that duty is again enjoined upon him. And while he was being urged to carry out faithfully the office enjoined, he is reported to have said: Unjustly and beyond my merit I am held suspect; I go nevertheless; but if I am guilty of the crime alleged, let it never be granted me to return, but rather let me perish, run through by the swords of the enemies. Therefore the wretched man, having given a sentence of death upon himself, experienced it at once by divine judgment; for, before he could reach the enemies and discharge the office of the legation, he perished, run through by the arms of the enemies.

Convenerant ad eamdem expeditionem quatuor inclyti Arabum principes fratres, illustris et eximii Arabum satrapae filii, qui dictus est Merel, cum innumera suorum manu; hi, dum nostros ex latere protervis nimis assultibus vexarent instantius; nostri autem proposita lege ad eos erumpere non auderent, ne si contra rei militaris disciplinam ordines solverent, duriorem in se tanquam locorum desertores experirentur sententiam: unus de familia Turci illius, qui nobiscum erat, non ferens illorum fastum et a nostris injuriam propulsare cupiens, vitae prodigus, et legis immemor propositae, equum viriliter admittens, in unum ex illis quatuor hastam, quam manu gerebat, dirigens, gladio transverberatum in medio suorum agmine, ad terram dejecit exanimem; seque statim, sanum et incolumem in nostrum recepit exercitum. Factus est ergo circa corpus defuncti, populi concursus innumerabilis; et cognito quod jam infelicem exhalaverat animam, in vocem erumpunt flebilem et doloris immensitatem fletus ubertate testantur. Nostri vero laetantes, diligenter quaerunt quisnam esset qui tanto se objecerit periculo, cujus tam insigne factum gloriam meruerit perennem; cognitoque quod vir alienigena, et cui legem propositam licebat ignorare, eo maxime quod linguae commercium non habens, edictum publicum non intellexerat, licet contra rei militaris disciplinam egisse non dubitaretur, tamen juris ignaro clementer indulgent, viri factum amplectentes, non tam ratione quam eventu commendabile.

There had come together to the same expedition four renowned Arab princes, brothers, sons of an illustrious and eximious satrap of the Arabs who was called Merel, with an innumerable band of their own; these, while they were harassing our men from the flank with assaults too insolent and pressing more urgently, whereas our men, by the law that had been proposed, did not dare to break out against them, lest, if they should loosen the ranks contrary to the discipline of the military art, they should incur a harsher sentence upon themselves as deserters of their positions: one of the household of that Turk who was with us, not bearing their arrogance and wishing to repel the injury from our men, prodigal of life and unmindful of the law that had been set forth, urging on his horse manfully, aiming the spear which he bore in his hand at one of those four, struck him and, run through with the sword, cast him to the ground lifeless in the midst of his own battle-line; and at once he withdrew himself safe and unharmed back into our army. There was therefore made around the corpse of the deceased an innumerable concourse of people; and, when it was known that he had already breathed out his unhappy soul, they break forth into a tearful cry and by the abundance of their weeping attest the immensity of their grief. But our men, rejoicing, diligently ask who it was who had exposed himself to so great a peril, whose deed so distinguished had merited perennial glory; and having learned that the man was a foreigner, and one to whom it was allowable to be ignorant of the promulgated law, especially since, not having commerce of the language, he had not understood the public edict, although it was not doubted that he had acted against the discipline of the military art, nevertheless they mercifully indulge the one ignorant of the law, embracing the man’s deed as commendable not so much by reason as by its outcome.

Solvitur ergo ex ea parte hostium cuneus; et liberiora habens noster exercitus spatia, angustias quas patiebatur, locis redimit patentioribus, et jam continuato per aliquot dies itinere, ventum erat iterum ad Caveam Roob; quem locum, quoniam angustus erat, et periculosus poterat esse transeuntibus, principes consulto jusserunt declinari. Praedictus vero Damascenorum procurator Ainardus, videns quod rex cum suis exercitibus versus praedictam vallem properabat, missis nuntiis offert quod, si ei bonum videretur, trans Caveam ei faceret honeste prandium praeparari; noverat enim jam per dies aliquot exercitum alimentorum inopia laborasse. Quod verbum utrum ex dilectionis sinceritate processerit, an ex dolo, volens nostras expeditiones in periculosarum vallium angustias immergere, pro certo non habemus compertum.

Therefore the enemy’s wedge is broken on that side; and our army, having freer spaces, redeemed the straits which it was suffering by more patent places; and now, the march having been continued for several days, they had come again to the Cavea Roob; which place, since it was narrow and could be dangerous for those passing through, the princes, advisedly, ordered to be declined. But the aforesaid procurator of the Damascenes, Ainardus, seeing that the king with his armies was hastening toward the aforesaid valley, sending messengers offers that, if it should seem good to him, beyond the Cavea he would have an honorable luncheon prepared for him; for he already knew that for several days the army had labored under a lack of provisions. Whether that word proceeded from the sincerity of affection, or from guile, wishing to plunge our expeditions into the straits of dangerous valleys, we do not have ascertained for certain.

Regulariter tamen creditur esse traditum, quod hostium munera merito etiam habeantur suspecta. Generali ergo decreto, decernunt via superiore, quoniam planior et minus periculosa erat, incedere. Cumque ducem non haberent qui agmina praeiret, et locorum per quae transituri erant haberet peritiam, ecce subito cohortes praecedens miles quidam ignotus, albi sessor equi, rubei coloris vexillum bajulans, lorica indutus, curtis usque ad cubitos manicis antecedebat exercitum.

Regularly, however, it is believed to have been handed down that the enemy’s gifts are deservedly also held suspect. Therefore, by a general decree, they determine to proceed by the superior route, since it was flatter and less perilous. And since they did not have a leader to go before the columns and to have expertise of the places through which they were about to pass, behold, suddenly there was a certain unknown soldier, going before the cohorts, a rider of a white horse, bearing a banner of red color, clad in a cuirass, with sleeves short to the elbows, who went on ahead of the army.

Hic tanquam angelus Domini exercituum, viarum sequens compendia et ad aquas ducens prius incognitas, congruis et commodis stationibus castrametari docebat. Sic igitur cum quinque diebus, usque ad praedictam Caveam vix pervenissent expeditiones, tribus postea sub jam dicto duce et itineris praeambulo, iter agentes, Gadaram usque perveniunt.

Here, as though an angel of the Lord of hosts, following the shortcuts of the roads and leading to waters previously unknown, he taught them to encamp at fitting and commodious stations. Thus therefore, when in five days the expeditions had scarcely reached up to the aforesaid Cavea, afterward in three, under the already-mentioned leader and pathfinder of the journey, making their march, they come as far as Gadara.

CAPUT XIII. Perveniunt Gadaram nostrae legiones; describitur locus; et ad propria revertitur exercitus.

CHAPTER 13. Our legions arrive at Gadara; the place is described; and the army returns to its own quarters.

Sita est Gadara in ea regione quae Decapolis dicitur, de qua in Evangelio Marci legitur: Exiens Jesus de finibus Tyri, venit per Sidonem ad mare Galilaeae, inter medios fines Decapoleos (Marc. VII, 31). In hac, sicut et nomen indicat, sunt civitates decem: Hippus, Pella, Gadara, de qua hic nobis est sermo, cum aliis septem. Ad quam, quoniam in confinio hostium et nostrae regionis sita est, cum pervenissent primae nostrorum legiones, tunc denuo quasi redivivo malo et recrudescente insania, furere coeperunt hostes circa postrema agmina; sed videntes quod non proficerent, et quod nostri in sua jam se contulerant, fumo, caloris intemperie taedioque fatigati, solutis agminibus gregatim ad propria redire coeperunt.

Gadara is situated in that region which is called the Decapolis, about which in the Gospel of Mark it is read: Jesus, going out from the borders of Tyre, came through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, through the midst of the borders of the Decapolis (Mark 7, 31). In this, as the name also indicates, there are ten cities: Hippus, Pella, Gadara—of which we speak here—together with seven others. To which, since it is situated on the confine of the enemy and of our region, when the first of our legions had arrived, then anew, as if with an evil revived and a madness breaking out again, the enemies began to rage around the rearmost ranks; but seeing that they were not making progress, and that our men had already withdrawn into their own quarters, wearied by smoke, by the intemperance of heat, and by fatigue, with their columns loosened, they began, in groups, to return to their own homes.

Nostri quoque nihilominus, transcursa nocte illa majore solito tranquillitate, exhaustis prae labore debitam corporibus exhibentes indulgentiam, die sequente ad urbem Tiberiadensem perveniunt. Asserunt autem unanimiter, quibus illius facti adhuc plenior famulatur memoria, quod hunc, unde diximus, ducem itineris nemo noverit; nam, cum ventum erat ut castrametaretur exercitus, subito disparebat, nec uspiam in castris videbatur; mane vero iterum exercitum anteibat. Non habet praesentium hominum memoria, quod Latinorum tempore, in toto Oriente, absque manifesta hostium victoria, tam periculosa fuerit expeditio.

Our men likewise, nonetheless, after that night had passed with tranquility greater than usual, granting to their bodies, exhausted by labor, the due indulgence, on the following day arrived at the city of Tiberias. They assert, moreover, unanimously—those for whom a fuller memory of that deed still serves—that this guide of the journey, of whom we have spoken, no one knew; for when it came time for the army to encamp, he suddenly disappeared, nor was he seen anywhere in the camp; but in the morning he again went before the army. The memory of men now living does not record that, in the time of the Latins, throughout the whole Orient, without a manifest victory of the enemies, there was ever so perilous an expedition.

Domino igitur rege in regnum reverso, cruce quoque Dominica Hierosolymis restituta, gavisus est populus qui remanserat, reverso ad se populo, dicens: Mortuus fuerat, et revixit; perierat, et inventus est (Luc. XV, 24). Postmodum vero idem nobilis homo, ab Ainardo vocatus verbis pacificis in dolo, quasi sub specie reconciliationis, male nimis tractatus est; nam, oculis erutis, in summa egestate et miseria, vitam miserabiliter infelicem finire coactus est.

Therefore, with the lord king returned into his kingdom, and the Lord’s Cross likewise restored at Jerusalem, the people who had remained rejoiced, the people having returned to itself, saying: He had been dead, and has come to life again; he had been lost, and has been found (Luke 15:24). Afterwards, however, that same noble man, summoned by Ainard with pacific words in deceit, as if under the semblance of reconciliation, was treated exceedingly ill; for, his eyes gouged out, in utmost want and misery he was forced to finish a pitiably unhappy life.

CAPUT XIV. Cives Edessani comitem vocant; comes accelerat; et urbem ignorantibus recipit hostibus.

CHAPTER 14. The citizens of Edessa summon the count; the count hastens; and he recovers the city, the enemies being unaware.

Dum haec circa nos geruntur, in partibus Edessanis factum miserabile, scriptis innodari dignum, accidit: quod ut plenius intelligatur, altius aliquantulum repetenda est historia. Mortuo Sanguino, maximo nominis Christiani persecutore, Noradinus filius ejus, dum de successione in patris principatum, apud Mussulam sustinet quaestionem et circa id in partibus illis detinetur occupatus, videntes Edessani cives quod pauci de familia ejus in civitate essent residui, qui ad tuenda praesidia erant deputati, reliqua autem populi pars universa fide polleret Christiana, occulte dirigunt nuntios ad praedictum comitem Joscelinum, significantes urbem Turcis vacuam, exceptis paucis qui praesidia servabant, solis civibus relictam. Erant autem, et a diebus apostolorum fuerant, illius cives urbis in Christi fide radicati et fundati, ita ut, sicut alias dictum est, aut rarissimus, aut nullus alterius professionis homo inter eos habitaret.

While these things are being transacted around us, in the Edessan parts a pitiable deed befell, worthy to be committed to writings: which, that it may be more fully understood, the history must be taken up again a little higher. Sanguinus having died, the greatest persecutor of the Christian name, his son Noradinus, while he sustains the question about succession to his father’s principate at Mussula, and is detained occupied about that matter in those regions, the citizens of Edessa, seeing that few of his household were left remaining in the city—those who had been deputed to guard the garrisons—while the whole remaining part of the people was strong in the Christian faith, secretly send messengers to the aforesaid count Joscelin, signifying the city to be void of Turks, save for the few who were keeping the defenses, left to the citizens alone. Moreover they were, and from the days of the apostles had been, the citizens of that city rooted and founded in the faith of Christ, so that, as has been said elsewhere, either most rare, or none at all of another profession dwelt among them.

Orant etiam et cum omni monent instantia, ut, militaribus copiis sine mora congregatis, ad urbem acceleret; eamque tradentibus civibus, sine periculo et sine difficultate recipiat. Ille vero cum omni celeritate, assumens sibi dominum Balduinum de Mares nobilem et potentem virum, et universam regionis illius tam equitum quam peditum militiam, transito repente fluvio ad praedictam urbem, cum omni comitatu suo de nocte repentinus accessit; ubi a civibus intempestae noctis silentio, dormientibus iis qui ad vigilias erant deputati, funibus et scalis sunt intromissi, qui caeteris de foris exspectantibus portas aperirent. Quibus apertis, immissis omnibus indifferenter, statim per urbem discurrentes, quotquot habuerunt de hostibus obviam, in ore gladii peremerunt.

They also beseech and, with every insistence, urge that, the military forces gathered without delay, he hasten to the city; and that, with the citizens handing it over, he receive it without danger and without difficulty. He indeed, with all celerity, taking to himself lord Baldwin of Marash, a noble and potent man, and the entire militia of that region, both of horse and of foot, the river suddenly crossed, approached the aforesaid city by night unexpectedly with all his retinue; where, by the citizens, in the silence of the dead of night, while those who had been deputed to the watches were sleeping, they were let in by ropes and ladders, that they might open the gates for the others waiting outside. These opened, and all without distinction being admitted, immediately running through the city, as many of the enemies as they met, they slew by the edge of the sword.

Fugit tamen eorum pars quaedam, et mortis declinans periculum, in praesidia se recepit. Obtinuit ergo comes, et Christianus qui cum eo erat exercitus, urbem eo modo per dies aliquot: praesidia tamen, quoniam victualibus, armis et militia instructa erant, et munita diligentius, comprehendere non valuit; maxime cum neque machinas, neque unde fieri possent materiam aut secum detulisset, aut in tota urbe reperisset.

Yet a certain part of them fled, and, avoiding the danger of death, withdrew into the garrisons. Therefore the count, and the Christian army that was with him, held the city in that manner for several days; the garrisons, however, since they were furnished with victuals, arms, and soldiery, and more carefully fortified, he was not able to seize; especially since he had neither brought with him engines, nor the material from which they could be made, nor had he found it in the whole city.

CAPUT XV. Noradinus occurrit; urbem obsidens, nostros angit miserabiliter.

CHAPTER 15. Noradinus comes up; besieging the city, he miserably harasses our men.

Diriguntur igitur, qui de successu qui acciderat, nostros longe lateque positos certificent nuntii et ad subsidium invitent finitimos, quatenus eorum suffragio, urbem quam sic Domino favente receperant, perpetuo obtinere et cultui conservare Christiano possint. Quibus auditis, laetatus est ubique populus Christianus; et secundum multitudinem doloris, quam de illius urbis captivitate conceperat, videntur in ea mensura recepisse consolationem. Sed, extrema gaudii luctus occupat; et subito versa est in moerorem cithara, et dolor natus redivivus pejor priore.

Therefore messengers are dispatched to certify our men placed far and wide about the success that had occurred, and to invite the neighbors to subsidy, so that by their suffrage they might be able to hold in perpetuity, and conserve to Christian cult, the city which thus, with the Lord favoring, they had recovered. When these things were heard, everywhere the Christian people rejoiced; and according to the multitude of grief which it had conceived from the captivity of that city, they seem to have received consolation in that measure. But, the end of joy grief seizes; and suddenly the cithara was turned into mourning, and the grief, born again, was worse than before.

Noradinus enim audiens quod comes praedictam urbem tradentibus civibus receperat, corrogatis undique ex omni Orientali tractu militaribus copiis et populis vicinarum urbium, voce praeconia in unum congregatis, adest subito, et urbem in circuitu dispositis legionibus vallat obsidione. Erat itaque nostris, sicut scriptum est: Foris gladius, et intus pavor (Deut. XXXII, 25). Nam hostiles exterius acies exitum negant, parant praelia, mortem intentant; interius, qui in praesidiis intra urbem erant, terrorem incutiunt, et assiduis molestant vexationibus.

For Noradinus, hearing that the count had recovered the aforesaid city, the citizens handing it over, with military forces summoned from every side out of the whole Oriental tract and the peoples of the neighboring cities, gathered into one by a herald’s proclamation, is suddenly at hand, and with legions arranged in a circuit he girds the city with a siege. It was therefore for our men, as it is written: Outside, the sword; and inside, fear (Deut. 32, 25). For outside the hostile battle-lines deny egress, prepare battles, threaten death; inside, those who were in the garrisons within the city instill terror, and harass with continual vexations.

Nostri porro inter tot angustias ignari quid faciant, volvunt apud se et frequenter mutant consilia; sed ad quamlibet deliberationis partem se convertentes nihil tutum reperiunt, nullum sine mortis discrimine rei exitum invenientes. Tandem pro loci et temporis conditione, visum est universis expedire, quod quocunque periculo, quocunque mortis discrimine, urbe sit egrediendum. Nam satius esse non dubitant, cum hostibus tentare congredi, et gladiis iter aperire, ut saluti consulatur, quam obsidionem sustinere: qua urgente, aut omnes indifferenter gladio pereant; aut inopia alimentorum compulsi, hostium vinculis mancipentur, et duram et omni mortis genere deteriorem subire cogantur servitutem.

Our men, moreover, amid so many straits, unaware what they should do, revolve counsels within themselves and frequently change them; but, turning themselves to whatever part of deliberation, they find nothing safe, discovering no outcome of the matter without the danger of death. At length, according to the condition of place and time, it seemed expedient to all that, whatever the peril, whatever the danger of death, they must go forth from the city. For they do not doubt that it is preferable to attempt to engage with the enemies and to open a way with swords, that provision may be made for safety, than to endure the siege; which, pressing hard, either all without distinction perish by the sword, or, compelled by lack of food, are delivered into the bonds of the enemies and are forced to undergo a slavery harsh and worse than every kind of death.

Placuit omnibus haec sententia; et, licet periculosa sit nimis, habito tamen respectu ad alia quae accidere poterant deteriora, compendiosior judicatur. Audientes haec cives, quorum opera et studio comes cum suis introductus erat, quod omnis resistendi spes et via salutis defecerat, timentes ne si in urbe post comitis exitum remanerent, morte gravissima punirentur, eo quod hujus facinoris viderentur esse auctores, assumptis uxoribus et liberis, cum Christiano exercitu egredi et dubiam cum fratribus fortunam experiri eligunt, potius quam morte certissima occumbere; aut jugum sub infidelibus hostibus durissimae pati servitutis, omni genere mortis amplius formidabile.

This opinion pleased all; and although it is too dangerous, yet, regard being had to other worse things which could happen, it is judged more expedient. Hearing this, the citizens, by whose effort and zeal the count had been brought in with his own, since all hope of resisting and the way of safety had failed, fearing that if they remained in the city after the count’s departure they would be punished with a most grievous death, because they would seem to be the authors of this deed, taking their wives and children, choose to go out with the Christian army and to try doubtful Fortune with their brothers, rather than to fall by most certain death; or to endure, under infidel enemies, the yoke of most harsh servitude, more formidable than every kind of death.

CAPUT XVI. Comes cum suis egrediens, ad propria redire contendit; insequitur Noradinus; obtruncat exercitus; comes fuga elabitur.

CHAPTER 16. The count, going out with his men, endeavors to return to his own lands; Noradinus pursues; he hews down the army; the count slips away in flight.

Patefactis igitur portis, quasi id singulare remedium et unica via sit salutis, omnes certatim egredi contendunt; et, licet per medios hostium cuneos terro iter aperiendum esse non dubitent, leve tamen judicant quidquid accidere potest urbem egressis. Interea de hostibus nonnulli, reserantibus eis aditum qui erant in praesidiis, in urbem recepti, a tergo instant acrius, et exitum maturare compellunt; qui vero exterius erant, audito quod sui ex parte intra civitatem introducti essent, et jam cum nostris pugnam committerent, suis volentes adjungi, portam quam nostri aperuerant, ut exirent, violenter occupant; et convocata ex universis ordinibus ingenti multitudine, egressum inhibent, sed et in urbem introire contendunt. Commissa est igitur ibi inter partes pugna, quantum loci patiebantur angustiae, periculosa nimis utrique parti.

The gates therefore thrown open, as though that were the singular remedy and the only way of salvation, all strive in rivalry to go out; and, though they do not doubt that a way must be opened with steel through the midst of the enemy’s wedge-formations, yet they judge light whatever can befall those who have gone forth from the city. Meanwhile, some of the enemy, as those who were in the garrisons unbarred the access for them, having been received into the city, press more sharply from the rear and compel them to hasten the exit; but those who were outside, on hearing that some of their own had been admitted in part within the city and were now joining battle with our men, wishing to be adjoined to their own, violently seize the gate which our men had opened to go out; and, having convoked from all orders an immense multitude, they inhibit the egress, but also strive to enter into the city. Therefore a battle was joined there between the parties, as far as the straits of the place allowed, exceedingly perilous to both sides.

Tandem vi compellentibus eis qui ab intus instabant cominus, et in hac parte nostris vires et animum ministrantibus, invitis et plurimum renitentibus exterioribus, viam ferro, multa utriusque partis strage aperiunt, campis se patentibus infundentes. Intueri erat ibi quod et visu miserabile, et recitatione gemitu plenum, inerme vulgus, imbellem civium populum, senes, valetudinarios, matronas cum virginibus tenellis, grandaevas matres cum parvulis et sugentibus ubera, in ipsis portarum angustiis, partim equorum pedibus conculcari; partim turba comprimentium interclusis respirandi meatibus, miserabiliter suffocari; partim gladiis hostium non parcentibus interire. Porro interfecti sunt ibi de civibus sexus promiscui pene omnes, qui nostrum exercitum egredientem sequi decreverant, paucis evadentibus qui aut proprii vigore corporis, aut equorum beneficio, abeuntem exercitum poterant comitari.

T at last, with those from within pressing them by force at close quarters, and on this side our men supplying strength and spirit, though those outside were unwilling and very greatly resisting, they open a way with iron, with much slaughter of either party, pouring themselves into the open fields. There it was to be seen what was both pitiable to the sight and, in the recitation, full of groaning: the unarmed common crowd, the unwarlike people of citizens, old men, the infirm, matrons with tender virgins, very aged mothers with little ones and infants sucking at the breasts, in the very straits of the gates, partly to be trampled by the feet of horses; partly, the passages for breathing blocked by the throng of those compressing, to be miserably suffocated; partly to perish by the swords of enemies not sparing. Moreover, of the citizens of mixed sex there were slain there almost all who had resolved to follow our army as it went out, with few escaping who, either by the vigor of their own body or by the benefit of horses, were able to accompany the departing army.

Videns ergo Noradinus nostros ad redeundum succinctos, cohortes convocat ad insectandum abeuntes, acies instruit, componit agmina; et procedentes continuis urgens a tergo congressionibus, insequitur. Erat autem nostris iter versus Euphratem, qui a praedicta urbe milliaribus distabat quasi quatuordecim: quo toto itinere non defuit domino comiti et exercitui ejus pugna jugis, periculum indeficiens; singulis enim pene passibus conflictus erant, tum multorum, tum singulares, quibus ex utraque parte plures occumbebant. Mortuus est ibi vir nobilis, unde supra fecimus mentionem, et militaribus insignis operibus, dominus Balduinus de Mares; ceciderunt quoque et alii plures viri commendabiles et digni memoria, quorum animae sancta requie perfruantur, quorum nomina non tenemus; quae tamen certum est in coelis esse conscripta, quia pro causa fidei et Christiani populi libertate, glorioso fine quieverunt.

Therefore, seeing our men girded for returning, Noradinus summons the cohorts to harry the departing, arrays the battle-line, marshals the columns; and, pressing them from the rear with continual engagements as they advanced, he pursues. Now the march for our men was toward the Euphrates, which was distant from the aforesaid city by about 14 miles: along this whole way there was no lack for the lord count and his army of a continual battle, an unfailing peril; for at almost every step there were clashes, both of many and single combats, in which on either side several fell. There died there a noble man, of whom we made mention above, notable for military works, Lord Baldwin of Mares; and there fell also many other men commendable and worthy of memory, whose souls may enjoy holy rest, whose names we do not retain; yet it is certain that they are written in the heavens, because for the cause of the faith and the liberty of the Christian people they came to rest with a glorious end.

Comes tandem impar viribus, suis ex parte plurima deficientibus, assiduos hostium non ferens impetus, fuga vitae consulens, transito Euphrate, in Samosatum se recepit. Alii vero ad diversa se conferentes, prout unicuique visum erat expedientius, sarcinas et impedimenta deserentes, vitae consuluerunt et saluti. Exiit ergo sermo iste per omnes fines late adjacentium regionum; et quos prius de recepta urbe Edessanorum rumor fecerat laetiores, nunc de reamissa, et strage nobilium et populi confusione Christiani, casus contristavit asperior.

The Count at last, unequal in strength, with his own for the most part failing, not bearing the assiduous onsets of the enemy, consulting for life by flight, after crossing the Euphrates, withdrew to Samosata. But others, betaking themselves to different places, as seemed more expedient to each, abandoning their packs and impedimenta, took thought for life and safety. Therefore this report went out through all the borders of the regions lying broadly adjacent; and those whom earlier the rumor of the recaptured city of the Edessenes had made more joyful, now, at its being lost again, and at the slaughter of the nobles and the confusion of the Christian people, a harsher mischance made sorrowful.

CAPUT XVII. Moritur Hierosolymitanus patriarcha Willelmus; Fulcherus Tyrensis archiepiscopus ei substituitur; Tyrensi Ecclesiae per regiam violentiam intruditur Radulphus, regius cancellarius.

CHAPTER 17. William, the Jerusalem patriarch, dies; Fulcher, archbishop of Tyre, is substituted in his place; into the Tyrian Church, by royal violence, Ralph, the royal chancellor, is intruded.

Per idem tempus dominus Willelmus bonae memoriae, Hierosolymorum patriarcha, vir simplex ac timens Deum, viam universae carnis ingressus est. Obiit autem V Kal. Octobris, pontificatus ejus anno quintodecimo; cui postmodum subsequente Januario, VIII Kal.

About the same time lord William of good memory, patriarch of Jerusalem, a simple and God‑fearing man, entered the way of all flesh. He died, moreover, on 27 September (the 5th day before the Kalends of October), in the 15th year of his pontificate; to whom thereafter, in the following January, on the 8th day before the Kalends...

Februarii, substitutus est dominus Fulcherus Tyrensis archiepiscopus, in praedecessorum nostrorum numero tertius. Eodem tempore, circa Epiphaniorum diem, fulmen divinitus immissum, ecclesiam Dominici Sepulcri et mentis Sion, ictu perculit periculoso; omne, ut credimus, portendens infaustum et universam deterrens civitatem. Visus est et cometa per dies multos; et alia quaedam praeter morem apparuerunt signa, futurorum designativa.

of February, lord Fulcher, archbishop of Tyre, was substituted, the third in the number of our predecessors. At the same time, around the day of the Epiphany, a thunderbolt divinely sent struck with a perilous blow the church of the Lord’s Sepulchre and of Mount Sion; portending, as we believe, everything ill-omened, and terrifying the whole city. A comet also was seen for many days; and certain other signs appeared beyond custom, designative of things to come.

Illis etiam diebus, cum Tyrensis vacaret Ecclesia, contigit tam dominum regem quam matrem ejus, penes quam regni cura, et universum residebat moderamen; dominum quoque patriarcham, qui ab eadem ecclesia fuerat assumptus; episcopos quoque ejusdem ecclesiae suffraganeos, apud praedictam urbem, ut ecclesiae providerent, convenisse; ubi, dum de more, de eligendo pontifice tractaretur, sicut solet in hujusmodi accidere, divisa sunt eligentium in duo desideria. Pars enim dari sibi deposcebat dominum Radulphum, regis cancellarium, virum utique litteratum, sed nimis saecularem, Anglicum natione, forma decorum, regi et reginae, cunctisque curialibus valde acceptum; et hi dominum regem et ejus matrem habebant propitios et fautores. Alii vero, quorum princeps erat Joannes Pisanus, ejusdem ecclesiae archidiaconus, qui postea fuit cardinalis Romanae Ecclesiae, sanctorum Sylvestri et Martini, et Bernardus Sidoniensis, et Joannes Berytensis episcopi: hi dominum patriarcham sequentes, praedictum Radulphum promovere nolebant; sed, interposita appellationis voce, contra alios de regia violentia praesumentes, patronum habentes dominum patriarcham, modis omnibus prohibebant.

In those same days, when the Church of Tyre was vacant, it befell that both the lord king and his mother, with whom the care of the kingdom and the whole governance resided; and also the lord patriarch, who had been taken up from that same church; and also the bishops, suffragans of the same church, had convened at the aforesaid city, that they might provide for the church; where, while, as is customary, there was deliberation about choosing a pontiff, as is wont to happen in matters of this sort, the desires of the electors were divided into two. For one party was demanding for itself lord Ralph, the king’s chancellor, a man indeed lettered, but too secular, English by nation, comely in form, very acceptable to the king and queen and to all the courtiers; and these had the lord king and his mother as well-disposed and as supporters. But the others, whose chief was John the Pisan, archdeacon of the same church, who afterward was a cardinal of the Roman Church of Saints Sylvester and Martin, and Bernard of Sidon, and John of Beirut, bishops—these, following the lord patriarch, were unwilling to promote the aforesaid Ralph; but, an appeal having been interposed, against the others who were presuming upon royal violence, having the lord patriarch as patron, they were prohibiting it by every means.

Factum est autem quod per violentiam obtinens praedictus cancellarius, ecclesiam et ejus bona invasit, posseditque per biennium: quousque per Romanum pontificem, praesentibus partibus lis decisa, dictante domino Eugenio, factum praedicti cancellarii in irritum est deductum. Postmodum autem idem Radulphus, favente sibi domino Adriano papa, qui ejus compatriota erat, ad ecclesiam assumptus Bethlehemiticam, episcopus ejus ordinatus est loci. In praedicta autem metropoli, de communi omnium consensu, concurrente universorum conniventia, substitutus est vir mirae simplicitatis et mansuetudinis, timens Deum et recedens a malo, cujus memoria in benedictione est apud Dominum et homines, dominus Petrus, ecclesiae Dominici Sepulcri prior, de citeriore natus Hispania, civitate Barchinona, nobilis secundum carnem, sed spiritu nobilior; cujus vita et conversatio longiores et diligentiores postulant tractatus.

It came to pass, however, that the aforesaid chancellor, obtaining by violence, invaded the church and its goods, and possessed them for two years; until, by the Roman pontiff, the lawsuit having been decided with the parties present, at the dictation of Lord Eugene, the deed of the aforesaid chancellor was brought to nullity. Afterwards the same Radulph, with Lord Adrian the pope, who was his compatriot, favoring him, was taken up to the Bethlehemite church and was ordained bishop of that place. In the aforesaid metropolis, by the common consensus of all, with the concurrence of everyone, there was substituted a man of wondrous simplicity and mildness, fearing God and turning away from evil, whose memory is in blessing with the Lord and with men—Lord Peter, prior of the Church of the Lord’s Sepulchre, born in Hither Spain, in the city of Barcelona, noble according to the flesh, but nobler in spirit; whose life and conduct call for a longer and more diligent treatment.

Sed nos historia revocat ut. omissis specialibus, de publicis edisseramus.

But history calls us back, that. with the special matters omitted, let us expound upon public affairs.

CAPUT XVIII. Excitatur populus Occidentalis; et ad subveniendum Orientalibus Christianis iter arripiunt Romanorum imperator Conradus, et Ludovicus rex Francorum, cum aliis multis principibus.

CHAPTER 18. The Occidental people is stirred up; and, to bring aid to the Oriental Christians, Conrad, emperor of the Romans, and Louis, king of the Franks, together with many other princes, take up the journey.

Capta igitur urbe, ut praemisimus, Edessana, rumor lethalis memoriae plenius personuit, et crebro fama divulgabatur per Occidentem universum, quod impia gens Turcorum, non solum urbem praedictam, sed omnem omnino Orientis tractum, licentia liberiore percurrens, nostrorum urbes, villas, municipia depopularentur, sed populum amplius solito Christianum praeliis et crebris nimium invasionibus affligerent. Erant qui verba hujusmodi longe lateque in populis et nationibus disseminarent; et desides et longa pace dissolutas, ad tantarum ultionem injuriarum sollicitarent provincias: dominus quoque Eugenius papa tertius, vir Deo plenus, paternam gerens pro filiorum Orientalium, quae dicebatur, afflictione sollicitudinem, et eis affectu pleniore compatiens, viros religiosos et exhortatorii sermonis habentes gratiam, potentes in opere et sermone, ad diversas Occidentis partes dirigit, qui populis, et tribubus et linguis, Orientalium fratrum denuntient pressuras intolerabiles; et ad tantas ultum iri fraterni sanguinis injurias, eos debeant animare. Inter quos vir immortalis memoriae et honestae conversationis speculum, dominus Bernardus, Clarevallensis abbas, piae in Domino et per omnia amplectendae recordationis, ad praedicti Deo placiti muneris exsecutionem, praecipuus eligitur; qui injunctae sibi dispensationis sedulus exsecutor, ejusdem operis secum Deo amabiles trahens comministros, impiger, indefessus, licet corporis esset invalidi, tum propter senium imminens, tum propter jejunia pene continua et subtilem nimis dietam, regna circuit, regiones obambulat, evangelizans ubique regnum Dei: afflictionem populi, qui est in Oriente, simul et molestias, quibus incessanter opprimuntur, aperit diligenter; urbes fidelium, prius fidei Christianae devotas, juga pati persecutorum nominis Christiani, et servitutem durissimam, proponit evidentius.

Accordingly, when the city of Edessa, as we have premised, was captured, a report of deadly memory resounded more fully, and frequently the rumor was spread through the entire West, that the impious nation of the Turks, running through with freer license not only the aforesaid city but absolutely the whole tract of the Orient, was laying waste our cities, villages, and municipalities, and was afflicting the Christian people beyond the usual with battles and with excessively frequent incursions. There were those who disseminated words of this sort far and wide among peoples and nations, and stirred up provinces, slothful and dissolved by long peace, to the avenging of such great injuries: and Lord Pope Eugenius III, a man full of God, bearing a paternal solicitude for the affliction, as it was said, of the Eastern sons, and with fuller affection sympathizing with them, sends to various parts of the West religious men having the grace of exhortatory speech, powerful in deed and in word, who should announce to peoples and tribes and tongues the intolerable oppressions of the Eastern brothers, and should encourage them that such great injuries of fraternal blood be avenged. Among whom, a man of immortal memory and a mirror of honorable conduct, Lord Bernard, abbot of Clairvaux, of pious remembrance in the Lord and in every respect to be embraced, is chosen as the chief for the execution of the aforesaid duty pleasing to God; who, a diligent executor of the dispensation enjoined upon him, drawing with him God-beloved fellow-ministers of the same work, energetic, untiring, although he was of an infirm body, both on account of impending old age and on account of almost continual fasts and a diet too meager, goes around kingdoms, traverses regions, evangelizing everywhere the kingdom of God: he carefully lays open the affliction of the people who are in the East, together with the molestations by which they are incessantly oppressed; he sets forth more plainly that the cities of the faithful, previously devoted to the Christian faith, are suffering the yokes of persecutors of the Christian name, and the most very harsh servitude, more evidently he sets forth.

Fratres quoque pro quibus Christus mori voluit, vinculis mancipatos et compedibus, fame attritos, horrendis carcerum clausos ergastulis, squalore sordidos, indutos amaritudine, sedere in mendicitate et ferro, plenius edocet. Ad hoc ad eorum liberationem invitat; ad propulsandas fratrum injurias oppressorum accendit; non defuturum de supernis auxilium, volentibus hunc tam pium laborem assumere, spondet; praemia etiam pro iis sempiterna, cum electis pollicetur. Haec ei per gentes, principatus et regna pia longanimitate disserenti, adfuit tam patrum quam plebis favor gratuitus: et exhortationibus ejus spontaneum praebentes assensum, iter versus Hierosolymam compromittunt; et vivificae crucis signum humeris aptantes, ad iter accinguntur. Nec solum iu plebeis et popularibus turmis hic persuadentium sermo ita se praebuit efficacem, verum usque ad supremos orbis moderatores, et eos qui praecipua regnorum videbantur dispensare fastigia, sermo iste cum effectu non inferiore pervenit.

Brothers also, for whom Christ willed to die, handed over to chains and shackles, wasted by hunger, shut up in the horrendous dungeons of prisons, filthy with squalor, clothed in bitterness, sitting in beggary and in iron, he instructs more fully. To this end he invites to their liberation; he enkindles [men] to drive back the injuries of the oppressed brothers; he pledges that aid from on high will not be lacking for those willing to assume this most pious labor; he also promises everlasting rewards for them, together with the elect. To him, discoursing with pious longanimity through nations, principalities, and kingdoms, there attended the gratuitous favor both of the fathers and of the populace: and, offering spontaneous assent to his exhortations, they commit themselves to a journey toward Jerusalem; and, fitting the sign of the life-giving cross to their shoulders, they gird themselves for the journey. Nor only in plebeian and popular throngs did this discourse of persuaders prove so effective, but even unto the supreme governors of the world, and those who seemed to dispense the chief pinnacles of the kingdoms, this discourse arrived with no lesser effect.

Illustres enim et potentissimi regum terrae, dominus videlicet Conradus Romanorum imperator, et dominus Ludovicus rex Francorum, cum multis utriusque regni principibus, consono voto et paribus desideriis amplexi sunt verbum; et salutare vivificae crucis signum in arrham futurae profectionis cum omni devotione cervicibus imprimunt et indumentis.

For the illustrious and most powerful of the kings of the earth—namely lord Conrad, emperor of the Romans, and lord Louis, king of the Franks—with many princes of both realms, embraced the word with a harmonious vow and equal desires; and they imprint the salutary sign of the life-giving cross upon their necks and garments, as an earnest of the future setting-forth, with all devotion.

CAPUT XIX. Imperator praecedens cum expeditionibus suis, Constantinopolim pervenit. Soldanus Iconiensis contra eum insidias praestruit.

CHAPTER 19. The Emperor, preceding with his expeditions, arrived at Constantinople. The Soldan of Iconium prepared ambushes against him.

Composito igitur congruo moderamine regnorum statu suorum, assumptis etiam iis qui ejusdem desiderii fervore concepto, votis salutaribus tenebantur obligati, paratis ad iter necessariis, prout regiam decebat dignitatem, Deo placitae peregrinationis, mense Maio, iter arripiunt unanimiter; sed avibus infaustis et omine sinistro. Nam, tanquam invita divinitate et eis irata, iter assumpserunt. In tota illa profectione nihil Deo placitum, peccatis nostris exigentibus, operati sunt; sed nostrum, quibus opem se laturos arbitrabantur, statum, in deteriorem mutaverunt conditionem.

Therefore, with the state of their realms composed under fitting moderation, and having also taken up those who, the fervor of the same desire having been conceived, were held bound by salutary vows, with the necessaries for the journey prepared as befitted royal dignity, for the God-pleasing pilgrimage, in the month of May, they unanimously set out; but under ill-omened birds and a sinister omen. For, as though divinity were unwilling and angry with them, they undertook the journey. In that whole profection they accomplished nothing pleasing to God, our sins requiring it; but our state, for whom they thought they would bring aid, they changed into a worse condition.

Segregatim igitur proposuerunt incedere et separatos ab invicem exercitus ducere ea videlicet ratione, ne, populis inter se dissentientibus, contentiones inter eos orirentur, et ut commodius vitae necessaria suis procurarent legionibus; sed etiam ut equis et jumentis, ad onera deputatis, pabula non deessent. Transcursa igitur Bawaria et flumine magno Danubio apud Ratisbonam transmisso, a laeva eumdem fluvium habentes, in Austriam descenderunt, inde Hungarorum fines ingressi, ubi a domino rege illius provinciae honorifice tractati sunt. Decurso igitur regno et utraque emensa Pannonia, Bulgarorum provincias, Moesiam videlicet et Daciam mediterraneam, Ripensem a laeva dimittentes, praetereunt.

Separately, therefore, they proposed to march and to lead their armies sundered from one another, namely on this plan: lest, the peoples being at variance among themselves, contentions arise between them; and that they might more commodiously procure the necessaries of life for their legions; but also that fodder not be lacking for the horses and beasts of burden assigned to loads. Bavaria then having been traversed, and the great river Danube crossed at Ratisbon, having the same river on the left hand, they descended into Austria, and thence entered the borders of the Hungarians, where by the lord king of that province they were honorably treated. The kingdom therefore having been run through and both Pannonias passed, they go by the provinces of the Bulgars, namely Moesia and Dacia Mediterranea, leaving Ripensis on the left.

Inde Thracias attingentes et urbes famosissimas Philippolim et Adrianopolim transeuntes, ad urbem regiam pervenerunt. Inde cum domino Manuele Constantinopolitano imperatore habito familiarius colloquio, transcursis feriis quae ad recreationem exercituum, et quietem post tot labores videbantur necessariae, transito Hellesponto, qui eamdem urbem alluit, et Europae terminus, Asiae praebet initium, in Bithyniam, quae prima de Asianis occurrit provinciis, castrametantur legiones universae in pago Chalcedonensi, unde relictam urbem e vicino erat conspicere. Haec est Chalcedon, urbs antiqua, ubi quarta sexcentorum triginta sex Patrum convenit sancta synodus, domini Martiani Augusti, et domini Leonis Romani pontificis, contra Eutycheten monachum et abbatem, qui unam tantum in Domino Jesu Christo asserebat naturam.

Thence, touching Thrace and passing through the most famous cities Philippopolis and Adrianopolis, they came to the royal city. Thence, after a more familiar colloquy with Lord Manuel, the Constantinopolitan emperor, and the holidays having been run through which seemed necessary for the recreation of the armies and for rest after so many labors, the Hellespont having been crossed—which bathes that same city and, as the boundary of Europe, affords the beginning of Asia—into Bithynia, which is the first that occurs among the Asian provinces, all the legions encamp in the district of Chalcedon, whence it was possible to behold at close hand the city left behind. This is Chalcedon, an ancient city, where the fourth holy synod of 636 Fathers assembled, under Lord Marcian Augustus and Lord Leo, the Roman pontiff, against Eutyches, a monk and abbot, who asserted only one nature in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Soldanus interea Iconiensis, audito tantorum principum adventu et suspectum habens eorum introitum a multo retro tempore, ex ultimis Orientis finibus militaria convocat auxilia; et sollicitum se gerit quomodo ab imminentibus hostium tantorum periculis se possit eximere. Urbes igitur munit, ruinas erigit, finitimorum implorat suffragia populorum; et cum anxietate continua, eorum quos pro furibus audierat, praestolatur adventum, de die in diem exspectans suorum interitum, patriae desolationem. Dicebatur enim, a saeculis inaudita advenire multitudo et universam terrae superficiem eorum dicebatur equitatus operire; maxima eis ad potum non sufficere flumina et regiones uberes cibos eis non posse ministrare ad sufficientiam.

Meanwhile the Sultan of Iconium, on hearing of the arrival of so many princes and having held their entry in suspicion from a long time back, summons military auxiliaries from the farthest borders of the East; and he conducts himself anxiously as to how he may be able to extricate himself from the imminent perils of such great enemies. Therefore he fortifies cities, raises the ruins, implores the suffrages (support) of neighboring peoples; and with continual anxiety awaits the coming of those whom he had heard were thieves, from day to day expecting the destruction of his own men and the desolation of his fatherland. For it was said that a multitude unheard of for ages was coming, and their cavalry was said to cover the entire surface of the earth; that the greatest rivers did not suffice them for drink, and that fertile regions could not furnish them foods to sufficiency.

Et licet major vero fama praecurrens hoc nuntiaret, rei tamen veritas magnis principibus a fide alienis Christiana, multum poterat et merito terrorem incutere. Nam, ut constanter asserunt qui in eadem expeditione praesentes fuerunt, in solo domini imperatoris comitatu, ad septuaginta millia fuerunt loricatorum, exceptis peditibus, parvulis et mulieribus, et equitibus levis armaturae. In exercitu vero domini regis Francorum, virorum fortium loricis utentium numerus ad septuaginta millia, excepta classe secunda, aestimabatur; quibus si clemens et propitia comesque fuisset Domini gratia et eos in beneplacito suo visitare dignatus esset Dominus, non solum Soldanum, verum universas Orientis provincias, nomini potuissent Christiano subjecisse; sed eorum ex occulto, justo tamen judicio, sprevit famulatum Dominus, nec habuit acceptum munus, quod indignis fortasse offerebant manibus.

And although rumor, greater than the truth, going before announced this, yet the truth of the matter could greatly and deservedly strike terror into the great princes alien from the Christian faith. For, as those who were present on the same expedition steadily assert, in the lord emperor’s retinue alone there were up to seventy thousand cuirassed men, the infantry, the little ones and the women, and the light-armed horsemen being excepted. In the army indeed of the lord king of the Franks, the number of brave men using cuirasses was estimated at seventy thousand, the second class excepted; with which, if the grace of the Lord had been clement and propitious and a companion, and the Lord had deigned to visit them in his good-pleasure, they could have subjected not only the Soldan, but the whole provinces of the East, to the Christian name; but from his hidden, yet just, judgment the Lord spurned their service, nor held acceptable the gift which perhaps they were offering with unworthy hands.

CAPUT XX. Transito Hellesponto, seducitur imperator Conradus, Graecorum malitia; et ad loca periculosa nimis ejus trahitur exercitus.

CHAPTER 20. After the Hellespont was crossed, Emperor Conrad is seduced by the malice of the Greeks; and his army is dragged to places exceedingly perilous.

Interea dominus imperator Conradus, transjectis universis trans Bosphorum legionibus, cum paucis et familiaribus admodum principibus, sumpta a domino imperatore licentia, navigio eumdem Bosphorum superans, exercitus iter jubet arripere, constitutis super singulas legiones singulis principibus: inde relinquens a laeva Galatiam et Paphlagoniam, et utrumque Pontum, a dextris vero Phrygiam, Lydiam et Asiam minorem, per mediam iter agens Bithyniam, juxta ejusdem regionis metropolim Nicomediam, Nicaeam, ubi trecentorum decem et octo sanctorum Patrum, temporibus domini Constantini, adversus infelicis Arii impia dogmata, convenit synodus, a dextris deserens, totam illam transcurrit regionem. Inde Licaoniam, cujus metropolis est Iconium, viam compendiosiorem secuti, instructis agminibus, universus attigit exercitus. Ubi praedictus soldanus, congregatis militaribus copiis et maxima Turcorum multitudine ex finitimis collecta regionibus, sustinens exspectabat, ut loco et tempore opportuno occurrere posset transeuntibus; et ne procederent, procurare posset impedimentum.

Meanwhile the lord emperor Conrad, after all the legions had been ferried across the Bosporus, with a few princes very familiar to him, having taken leave from the lord emperor, crossing that same Bosporus by ship, orders the army to take up the march, single princes being set over each legion. Then, leaving on the left Galatia and Paphlagonia and both Pontus, but on the right Phrygia, Lydia, and Asia Minor, he made his march through the midst of Bithynia, near the metropolis of that region, Nicomedia; leaving Nicaea, where in the times of the lord Constantine a synod of three hundred and eighteen holy Fathers assembled against the impious dogmas of the unfortunate Arius, on the right, he ran through that whole region. Thence the whole army, following the shorter way, with the columns drawn up, reached Lycaonia, whose metropolis is Iconium. There the aforesaid sultan, having gathered military forces and a very great multitude of Turks collected from the neighboring regions, was standing by in expectation, so that at a place and time opportune he might be able to fall upon those passing by, and might be able to contrive an impediment that they should not advance.

Omnes enim usque in ultimos Orientis fines illarum provinciarum reges, duces et cujuscunque generis principes tam prece quam pretio, in nostram sollicitaverat laesionem; asserens et frequentibus contestans nuntiis quod, si tantae tamque armatae multitudini liber transitus indulgeretur, futurum esse ut suae ditioni universum violenter subjiciant Orientem. Ex utraque igitur Armenia, Cappadocia, Isauria, Cilicia, Media, Parthia, ad ejus vocationem convolat gentium infinitus numerus, et colligitur numerositas inaudita; quorum omnium fretus auxilio, spem concipit, ut paribus possit resistere copiis, immensae quam audierat advenire multitudini. Tradiderat autem Constantinopolitanus discedenti ab eo, et id ipsum petenti, domino imperatori, viae duces, locorum peritos, provinciarum finitimarum omnem habentes prudentiam; sed fidei modicae.

For indeed he had incited, even to the furthest limits of the East, the kings, dukes, and princes of whatever kind of those provinces, both by prayer and by price, unto our injury; asserting and attesting with frequent messages that, if to so great and so armed a multitude a free passage were indulged, it would come to pass that they would violently subject the whole East to their dominion. From both Armenias, therefore, from Cappadocia, Isauria, Cilicia, Media, Parthia, at his summons there flocked an infinite number of nations, and an unheard-of multitude was gathered; relying on the aid of all of whom, he conceives the hope that he may be able to resist with equal forces the immense multitude which he had heard was arriving. Moreover, the man of Constantinople had delivered to the lord emperor—departing from him and asking this very thing—guides of the way, experts in the places, having every knowledge of the neighboring provinces; but of meager fidelity.

Hi ad hoc dati credebantur, ut bona fide praeirent exercitus, ne periculose incautis occurrerent locorum angustiae, aut invia secutis victus deesset legionibus. Hi, postquam in terram hostium introduxerunt cohortes, primiceriis exercitus praeceperunt, ut ad certos dies, quibus per loca deserta gratia compendii eos transire oportebat, necessariam sumerent ciborum alimoniam, spondentes firmissime quod, praetaxato paucorum dierum effluxo numero, ad Iconium urbem nominatissimam perventurus esset exercitus, et in regionem optimam, et commoditatibus redundantem conscensurus. Illi autem dicto parentes, currus, jumenta et quaelibet vehicula victualibus onerantes, eis habentes fidem in simplicitate spiritus sui secuti sunt praecedentes.

These were believed to have been assigned for this purpose: that they might go before the army in good faith, lest the straits of the places meet the incautious perilously, or, if they followed pathless ways, sustenance be lacking to the legions. These, after they had led the cohorts into the enemy’s land, instructed the first-ranked officers of the army to take the necessary nourishment of foods for certain days, on which, for the sake of a shortcut, it was proper for them to pass through desert places; most firmly pledging that, when the prefixed number of a few days had flowed by, the army would arrive at Iconium, a most-renowned city, and would mount into an excellent region, overflowing with commodities. But they, obeying the word, loading carts, beasts of burden, and whatever vehicles with victuals, having trust in them in the simplicity of their spirit, followed those going before.

Verum Graeci innata usi malitia, et consueto in nostros ducti odio, sive de mandato domini sui, sive hostium corrupti pecunia, studiose et ex industria per devia coeperunt trahere legiones; et in ea introducere loca, quibus populum simplicem major fieret hostibus opprimendi et expugnandi copia, et longe amplior ministraretur opportunitas.

However, the Greeks, using their innate malice and led by their accustomed hatred toward us, whether by the mandate of their lord or corrupted by the enemies’ money, began deliberately and by design to draw the legions through byways, and to conduct them into those places where for the enemies there would be a greater means of oppressing and storming the simple people, and a far ampler opportunity would be furnished.

CAPUT XXI. Absentant se malitiose, qui ejus exercitui, a Graeco imperatore duces erant dati: et periclitatur imperatoris exercitus.

CHAPTER 21. Those who had been given as leaders to his army by the Greek emperor maliciously absent themselves; and the emperor's army is imperiled.

Imperator vero videns dierum praetaxatum jam effluxisse numerum, et expeditiones nondum ad optatum et promissum pervenisse locum, viarum duces Graecos accersiri jubet, et coram principibus suis interrogare coepit diligentius: Quidnam sit quod amplioribus jam diebus quam ipsi ab initio deputassent, viam coeptam tenuisset exercitus, nec ad locum pervenisset constituti? Illi autem ad solita recurrentes figmenta, futurum esse dicunt et constanter affirmant, opitulante Domino, infra triduum universas Iconium perventum iri legiones. Quibus verbis imperator, sicut vir simplex erat, persuasus, adjecit ut etiam hoc triduum patienter sustineret, fidem habens eorum promissionibus. Nocte ergo insequente, castris more locatis solito, caeteris prae labore quieti membra concedentibus, praedicti pestilentes viri, intempestae noctis silentio, clam ab exercitu diffugiunt, relicto sine duce populo, qui eorum fidei fuerat commendatus.

But the emperor, seeing that the pre-assigned number of days had now flowed away, and that the expeditions had not yet reached the desired and promised place, orders that the Greek guides of the roads be summoned, and before his princes began to inquire more diligently: What is it that, for more days now than they themselves had from the beginning deputed, the army had held to the commenced road, and had not arrived at the appointed place? But they, reverting to their usual figments, say and constantly affirm that, with the Lord helping, within three days all the legions would arrive at Iconium. By these words the emperor, as he was a simple man, being persuaded, added that he would even patiently endure this three-day period, having faith in their promises. Therefore, on the following night, the camp having been pitched in the usual manner, while the rest, because of toil, were yielding their limbs to rest, the aforesaid pestilential men, in the silence of the dead of night, secretly fled away from the army, leaving the people without a leader, who had been commended to their faith.

Relata demum luce, cum jam tempus immineret ut proficisceretur exercitus, non sunt inventi qui de consuetudine praeibant agmina; tandemque ad imperatorem et principes exercitus, fugitivorum fraus relata est, et ab omnibus comperta malitia. Illi autem ut prolongarent iniquitatem sibi et peccatum peccato adderent, viri Belial, ad Francorum regis, qui in proximo dicebatur esse, properant exercitum, mentientes dominum imperatorem, qui praecesserat eorum fretum ducatu, omnia egisse prospere: Iconium violenter expugnatam, funditus dejecisse, et de hostibus triumphasse solemniter. Haec autem, ut credimus, ea videbantur intentione asserere, vel ut dominum regem in idem praecipitarent periculum, et eadem incedere via persuaderent; aut fortasse, ut periclitantibus fratribus non subvenirent, dum illis omnia succedere crederent ad votum; aut fortasse illud confinxerunt, ne si exercitum deperisse dicerent, ipsi tanquam proditores, quorum maleficio corruisset populus, raperentur ad poenas.

With light at last returned, when now the time was impending for the army to set out, those who by custom went before the columns were not found; and at length to the emperor and the princes of the army the fraud of the fugitives was reported, and their malice discovered by all. But they, in order to prolong iniquity for themselves and to add sin to sin, men of Belial, hasten to the army of the king of the Franks, who was said to be nearby, lying that the lord emperor, who had gone on before relying on their leadership, had done all things prosperously: that Iconium had been violently stormed, had been cast down to the foundations, and that he had solemnly triumphed over the enemies. These things, however, as we believe, they seemed to assert with this intention: either that they might precipitate the lord king into the same peril, and persuade him to proceed by the same way; or perhaps, that they might not come to the aid of the brothers while they were in danger, since they would believe that all things were succeeding to their wish; or perhaps they fabricated that, lest, if they were to say that the army had perished, they themselves, as traitors by whose malefice the people had collapsed, might be dragged off to punishments.

Quacunque tamen intentione illud dixerint, certum est illorum perfidia seductum exercitum, in ea unde corruit descendisse mortis discrimina. Videns ergo imperator ducibus itineris destitutum exercitum, convocato universorum principum coetu, quid facto opus sit deliberat. Aliis itaque redeundum, aliis vero procedendum esse dicentibus, fit votorum tanta dissonantia, ut vere dici posset: Effusa est contentio super principes, et errare fecit eos Dominus in invio, et non in via (Psal.

Whatever intention they may have had in saying that, it is certain that by their perfidy the army, led astray, descended into the perils of death, into those whence it fell to ruin. Therefore the emperor, seeing the army left without guides of the way, with an assembly of all the princes convened, deliberates what needs to be done. Accordingly, with some saying a return must be made, but others that they should proceed, there arises such a dissonance of votes that it could truly be said: Contention was poured out upon the princes, and the Lord made them err in a trackless place, and not in the way (Ps.

CVI, 40). Dumque sic locorum ignari, et pro alimentorum defectum solliciti fluctuarent (defecerat enim penitus tam equis et jumentis pabulum, quam hominibus quodlibet ciborum genus) nuntiatur, nec erat a vero longius, in vicino hostium consistere acies, et Turcorum innumeram adesse multitudinem. Erat autem in solitudine sterili, longe a culto solo constitutus exercitus: sicut studiose, ut praemisimus, a praedictis seductoribus fuerat introductus. Nam declinantes a dextra Lycaoniam, per quam iter eis esse debuerat, cum tempore recisiore illuc facile potuissent pervenisse et omnibus abundasse copiis, loca culta sequentes; laevam tenuerunt, et in Cappadociae solitudines, longe ab Iconio, universum deviare compulerunt exercitum.

106, 40). And while, thus ignorant of the places and anxious on account of the defect of provisions (for fodder had utterly failed both for horses and beasts of burden, and for men any kind of victuals), it is announced—and it was not farther from the truth—that nearby the battle-line of the enemy was standing, and that an innumerable multitude of Turks was at hand. Moreover, the army had been posted in a barren solitude, far from cultivated soil: just as, as we have premised, it had been studiously led in by the aforesaid seducers. For, turning aside from the right toward Lycaonia, through which the route ought to have been for them—since in more curtailed time they could easily have reached there and, following cultivated places, have abounded in all supplies—they held to the left, and into the solitudes of Cappadocia, far from Iconium, they compelled the whole army to deviate.

Dicebatur publice, nec a verisimili multum abhorrebat, quod de conscientia et mandato imperatoris Graecorum, nostrorum provectibus invidentis, constructa fuerunt haec tam periculosa molimina; suspectum enim semper et habuisse et habere Graeci dicuntur nostrum, maxime Teutonicorum, tanquam imperium aemulantium, incrementum omne. Moleste siquidem ferunt quod eorum rex Romanorum se dicit imperatorem; in hoc enim suo nimium detrahi videtur imperatori, quem ipsi monarcham, id est singulariter principari omnibus dicunt, tanquam Romanorum unicum et solum imperatorem.

It was said publicly, nor did it depart much from the verisimilar, that by the conscience and mandate of the emperor of the Greeks, begrudging the progresses of our men, these so perilous machinations were constructed; for the Greeks are said always to have held and to hold our, especially the Teutonics’, every increment suspect, as of those emulating the imperium. They take it ill, to be sure, that their king of the Romans calls himself emperor; for in this their own emperor seems to be greatly detracted, whom they call monarch, that is, to rule singularly over all, as the unique and sole emperor of the Romans.

CAPUT XXII. Irruunt e repente super Teutonicorum legiones Turci, et eas obtruncant; evadit tamen imperator.

CHAPTER 22. The Turks suddenly rush upon the Teutonic legions and cut them down; nevertheless the emperor escapes.

Sic igitur, cum fame et locorum ignorantia, laboris quoque diuturnitate, difficultate viarum, equorum defectum, sarcinarum pondere, domini imperatoris laboraret exercitus, Turcorum satrapae, et diversi generis magistratus, convocatis prius ad id ipsum militaribus auxiliis, repente supra eorum castra hostiliter irruunt, et irruptione subita, nihil tale verentes, conturbant legiones. Freti autem equis velocibus, quibus non defuerant necessaria, et armorum levitate, arcuum videlicet et pharetrarum, castra magnis vociferationibus circumstrepunt, et agilitate solita, in nostros lentos et armis onustos gravibus, impetus exercent periculosos. At vero nostri loricis, ocreis et clypeis onerati, habentes equos fame et itineris longitudine fatigatos et ad sustinendos discursus insufficientes, licet viribus et armorum usu praeminerent, longius tamen a castris, nec hostes insequi, nec cum eis committere volebant.

Thus then, while the army of the lord emperor was laboring with hunger and ignorance of the localities, with the long duration of toil, the difficulty of the roads, the failure of the horses, and the weight of the baggage, the satraps of the Turks and magistrates of diverse kinds, having first convened military auxiliaries for that very purpose, suddenly rush in hostile fashion upon their camp, and, by a sudden irruption, throw the legions—apprehending nothing of the kind—into confusion. Relying, moreover, on swift horses, to which nothing necessary had been lacking, and on the lightness of their arms, namely bows and quivers, they surround the camp with great vociferations, and with their customary agility exercise dangerous onsets against our men, slow and burdened with heavy arms. But indeed our men, weighed down with cuirasses, greaves, and shields, having horses wearied by hunger and the length of the journey and insufficient to sustain pursuits, although they were preeminent in strength and in the use of arms, yet, farther from the camp, were unwilling either to pursue the enemy or to engage with them.

Hostes e converso catervatim irruentes, eminus sagittarum, instar grandinis, immissa multitudine infinita, equos eorumque sessores vulnerantes, et causas mortis de remoto inferentes, equorum velocitate, nostrorum persequi volentium gladiis, fugientes, eripiebantur. Sic ergo in gyrum nostrorum vallatus exercitus, telorum et sagittarum immissionibus anxie nimis, et usque ad mortem premebatur; nec dabatur referendi vicem, et cum hostibus cominus conserendi copia: quippe quibus comprehendendi adversarios nulla erat facultas. Quoties enim in hostes nostrorum acies impetus facere nitebantur, illi dissolutis agminibus, nostrorum eludentes conatus, ad diversa ferebantur: iterum nostris in castra se recipientibus, illi agmina revocantes sua, nostrum cingebant exercitum; et instantes acrius, quasi obsessis requiem negabant.

The enemies, conversely, rushing in by companies, from afar with arrows, after the manner of hail, with an infinite multitude sent in, wounding the horses and their riders, and bringing the causes of death from a distance, were snatched away in flight by the speed of their horses, escaping the swords of our men who wished to pursue. Thus, our army, fenced in a ring, was pressed most anxiously, even unto death, by the discharges of missiles and arrows; nor was there given the chance of returning the exchange, nor the opportunity of engaging at close quarters with the enemies: since they had no capacity of catching hold of their adversaries. For as often as our battle-lines strove to make an attack upon the enemies, they, their columns dissolved, eluding our men’s efforts, were borne off in diverse directions; then, when our men withdrew back into the camp, they, recalling their own columns, would encircle our army; and pressing more sharply, they denied respite to men as if besieged.

Factum est autem occulto Dei judicio, justo tamen, quod omnis illa tantorum principum virtus, quae prius armis, viribus, animis et numero videbatur incomparabilis, subito contrita, languido lacessita Marte, corruit, ita ut vix remanerent illorum vestigia gloriae, et tantarum vix superesset residuum copiarum. Nam de septuaginta millibus loricatorum equitum, et de tanta pedestrium turbarum manu, quorum infinitus erat numerus, vix, ut asserunt qui praesentes fuerunt, decima pars evasit, aliis fame, aliis gladio interemptis, nonnullis etiam vinculis hostium mancipatis. Evasit tamen dominus imperator cum paucis ex principibus suis; et cum residuo suorum, licet cum difficultate nimia, post dies aliquot in partes Nicaeae se contulit.

Now it came to pass by the hidden, yet just, judgment of God, that all that prowess of such great princes, which before had seemed incomparable in arms, in strength, in spirits, and in number, was suddenly crushed—challenged by a sluggish Mars—and fell, so that scarcely the traces of their glory remained, and scarcely a remnant of such great forces survived. For out of seventy thousand cuirassed horsemen, and out of so great a multitude of foot, whose number was without limit, scarcely, as those who were present assert, a tenth part escaped, some being slain by hunger, others by the sword, and not a few also consigned into the bonds of the enemy. The lord emperor, however, escaped with a few of his princes; and with the remainder of his men, albeit with excessive difficulty, after some days he betook himself into the parts of Nicaea.

Hostes vero victoria potiti, onusti spoliis, et gaza multiplici facti locupletiores, equis, armis usque ad nauseam ditati, in sua se contulerunt, tanquam locorum periti, praesidia, exspectantes avide Francorum regis adventum, qui ad easdem prope partes advenisse dicebatur. Sperabant enim quod ex quo domini imperatoris majores fuderant copias, et de comitatu domini regis Franciae multo facilius possent obtinere: quod et factum est. Huic tamen tanto negotio Soldanus Iconiensis non interfuit; sed quidam nobilis militiae suae primicerius Turcorum magnus satrapa, Paramum dictus, hanc plagam, Domino permittente, contra spem exercuit.

But the enemies, having gotten possession of victory, laden with spoils, and made wealthier by manifold treasure, enriched with horses and arms to the point of nausea, betook themselves into their own garrisons, as experts of the locales, eagerly awaiting the arrival of the king of the Franks, who was said to have come to nearly the same regions. For they were hoping that, since they had routed the greater forces of the lord emperor, they could obtain much more easily also from the retinue of the lord king of France: and so it was done. To this, however, so great an affair, the Sultan of Iconium did not be present; but a certain noble, the primicerius (first-ranked) of his militia, a great satrap of the Turks, called Paramum, wrought this blow, the Lord permitting, contrary to expectation.

Accidit autem anno ab Incarnatione Domini 1146, mense Novembri.

It happened, moreover, in the year from the Incarnation of the Lord 1146, in the month of November.

CAPUT XXIII. Rex Francorum, transito Hellesponto, apud Niceam Bithyniae, cum suis pervenit legionibus; colloquuntur sibi ad invicem; imperator Constantinopolim revertitur.

CHAPTER 23. The King of the Franks, the Hellespont having been crossed, arrives with his legions at Nicaea of Bithynia; they converse with one another; the emperor returns to Constantinople.

Interea rex Francorum, pene eisdem subsecutus vestigiis cum suo exercitu, pervenerat Constantinopolim; ubi modico tempore secretioribus cum imperatore usus colloquiis, et ab eo honorificentissime, et multa munerum prosecutione dimissus, principibus quoque suis plurimum honoratis, inter urbem regiam et mare Ponticum, quod ab ea triginta distat milliaribus, ubi Hellespontus angustissimus, vix ad unum milliare habet latitudinis, cum universis legionibus transito mari, in Bithyniam descenderat: gyratoque sinu maris, qui ab adjacente urbe ejusdem Bithyniae metropoli, Nicomediensis dicitur, qui etiam Bosphori, sive Hellesponti pars est, in pago Niceo, non multum a Nicea remotus, castra locaverat, deliberans qua via incedendum esset; et de domino imperatore, qui eum praecesserat, nova diligentius investigans; et ecce nuntiatur dominum imperatorem, amisso exercitu, vagum et profugum, cum paucis principibus evasisse. Primum itaque sermo dubius, et sine certo auctore ortus est; sed processu temporis factus est certior; nam, modico interjecto intervallo, dominum Fredericus Suevorum dux, adolescens admirandae indolis, domini imperatoris ex fratre primogenito nepos, qui eidem domino Conrado, patruo suo succedens, Romanum hodie strenue et feliciter administrat imperium, a castris domini imperatoris egressus, ad exercitum domini regis Francorum properans, haec eadem quae prius incerto auctore susceperant, plenius et certius edocuit. Venerat autem, ut dominum regem cum praedicto domino imperatore ad colloquium invitaret ut, communi consilio, licet sero, de itinere tractaretur.

Meanwhile the king of the Franks, almost following their same footprints with his army, had arrived at Constantinople; where, having for a short time enjoyed more private colloquies with the emperor, and being dismissed by him most honorifically and with a great escort of gifts, his own princes also being very greatly honored, between the royal city and the Pontic sea, which is distant from it by 30 miles, where the Hellespont at its narrowest scarcely has one mile of breadth, with all the legions, the sea having been crossed, he had descended into Bithynia: and, the gulf of the sea having been circled, which from the adjacent city, the metropolis of the same Bithynia, is called the Nicomedian (gulf), which also is a part of the Bosporus or of the Hellespont, in the district of Nicaea, not far from Nicaea, he had pitched camp, deliberating by what route it ought to advance; and making more diligent inquiry for news of the lord emperor, who had gone before him; and lo, it is announced that the lord emperor, his army lost, had escaped as a wanderer and a fugitive with a few princes. At first, therefore, the report was doubtful and arose without a sure author; but with the progress of time it became more certain; for, after a brief interval interposed, lord Frederick, duke of the Swabians, a youth of admirable disposition, the lord emperor’s nephew from his firstborn brother, who, succeeding to that same lord Conrad, his uncle, today vigorously and happily administers the Roman empire, having gone out from the camp of the lord emperor, hastening to the army of the lord king of the Franks, more fully and more certainly informed these same things which previously they had received from an uncertain author. He had come, moreover, to invite the lord king to a colloquy with the aforesaid lord emperor, that, by common counsel, although late, the march might be deliberated.

Factum est autem ut, audito periculo fratrum et interitu, et domini imperatoris sinistro casu qui acciderat, universus Francorum merito turbaretur exercitus, et mente compateretur; tandem verbo domini ducis rex motus, habita cum suis deliberatione, ut cum eo loqueretur, cum paucis ex principibus suis progressus, duce praevio, usque ad imperatoris castra, quae in vicino idem locaverat, pervenit. Dato itaque et accepto debitae salutationis affatu, simul et osculo pacis interveniente, familiaribus usi colloquiis, ordinant proposito insistere, et simul junctis agminibus proficisci. Multi tamen de utroque exercitu, sed maxime de castris Teutonicorum, amissis viaticis et expensis ad iter necessariis, laboris quoque immensitate deterriti, votorum immemores, Constantinopolim sunt reversi.

It came to pass, however, that, when the peril and perishing of the brethren were heard, and the sinister mishap of the lord emperor which had occurred, the whole army of the Franks was rightly disturbed and sympathized in mind; at length, moved by the word of the lord duke, the king, having held deliberation with his own men that he might speak with him, advanced with a few of his princes, the duke leading the way, and came as far as the emperor’s camp, which he likewise had pitched nearby. Therefore, the due address of greeting having been given and received, and with the kiss of peace likewise intervening, having used familiar colloquies, they ordain to persist in the purpose and to set out together with their columns joined. Many, however, from both armies, but especially from the camp of the Teutons, their viatic provisions and the expenses necessary for the journey having been lost, and deterred also by the immensity of the labor, unmindful of their vows, returned to Constantinople.

Communicato igitur cum utriusque exercitus primoribus consilio, viam quam prius incesserat imperator, ad laevam relinquentes, versus Asiam minorem, relicta a dextris utraque Phrygia, post tergum vero Bithynia, dirigunt acies; et nunc mediterraneo, nunc maritimo gradientes itinere, Philadelphiam a laeva declinantes, Smyrnam, et inde Ephesum ejusdem Asiae metropolim, Joannis Evangelistae conversatione, praedicatione, simul et sepulcro claram, pervenerunt. Hic demum imperator, seu quia cum paucioribus erat, qui multo plures prius secum habuerat, verecundiam sustinens, aut Francorum fastus non ferens, seu aliis latentibus causis, remissis quae supererant per terram legionibus, ipse ab Epheso usus navigio, Constantinopolim reversus est. Ubi a domino imperatore, multo quam primo adventu, susceptus honestius, moram apud eum usque ad veris initium sequentis, cum suis habuit principibus.

Therefore, counsel having been communicated with the chiefs of both armies, leaving to the left the road which the emperor had previously gone, they direct their battle array toward Asia Minor, with both Phrygias left on the right, and Bithynia indeed behind their back; and now advancing by an inland, now by a maritime route, leaving Philadelphia on the left, they reached Smyrna, and thence Ephesus, the metropolis of the same Asia, renowned for the conversation and predication of John the Evangelist, and likewise for his sepulcher. Here at last the emperor—either because he was with fewer men, who earlier had had many more with him, enduring shame, or not bearing the haughtiness of the Franks, or for other hidden causes—having dismissed by land the legions that remained, he himself from Ephesus, making use of a ship, returned to Constantinople. There he was received by the lord emperor much more honorably than at his first arrival, and he made a stay with him, together with his princes, until the beginning of the following spring.

Erat enim inter eos affinitatis vinculum; nam eorum uxores, sorores erant, filiae Berengarii senioris, comitis de Sulcepach, magni et egregii principis, et in regno Teutonicorum potentissimi: unde ampliori erga eum abundabat gratia, et liberalitatem in eum et suos tenebatur, maxime interveniente imperatrice, effundere cumulatiorem.

For there was between them a bond of affinity; for their wives were sisters, daughters of Berengar the elder, count of Sulcepach, a great and egregious prince, and most powerful in the kingdom of the Teutons: whence a more ample favor toward him abounded, and he was constrained to pour out a more heaped-up liberality upon him and his own, especially with the empress intervening.

CAPUT XXIV. Rex Francorum alia procedens via, Ephesum pervenit; Guido comes de Pontivo ibi moritur. Franci Meandrum fluvium transeunt, invitis hostibus.

CHAPTER 24. The king of the Franks, proceeding by another way, reaches Ephesus; Guy, count of Ponthieu, dies there. The Franks cross the river Meander, the enemies unwilling.

Interea rex Francorum de itinere cum suis principibus valde sollicitus, dum apud Ephesum gratia recreandi exercitus, moram faceret, Guido comes de Pontivo, vir militaribus praeclarus et insignis actionibus, morbo gravatus in fata concessit, ibique in vestibulo ecclesiae honorifice sepultus est. Rex autem inde profectus cum suo exercitu, iter in Orientem pro viribus maturabat; profectus enim inde, post paucos dies, ad vada Meandri, oloribus amica, pervenit. Hic est ille fluvius, de quo Naso noster in libro dicit Heroicum:

Meanwhile the king of the Franks, very anxious about the journey with his princes, while at Ephesus he made a delay for the sake of refreshing the army, Guy, count of Ponthieu, a man illustrious in military matters and distinguished in deeds, weighed down by illness, conceded to his fate, and there in the vestibule of the church was honorably buried. But the king, setting out from there with his army, was hastening the march eastward with all his strength; for setting out from there, after a few days, he came to the fords of the Meander, friendly to swans. This is that river, of which our Naso in the book says the Heroic:

Sic ubi fata vocant, udis abjectus in herbis,
Ad vada Meandri concinit albus olor.

Thus, when the Fates call, cast down in the wet grasses,
at the shallows of the Meander the white swan sings.

Supra cujus ripas in pascuis grate virentibus castrametatus est. Hic primum Francis hostes, juxta eorum desiderium, datum est intueri; nam accedere volentibus ad aquas, ex opposita fluminis ripa, hostes in magna multitudine ripas contingere, et aquae usum nostris interdicebant. Tandem vero inventis vadis, flumine, hostibus invitis, transmisso, irruentes nostrorum acies, pluribus ex eis neci traditis, multisque vinculis mancipatis, eos in fugam vertunt; et obtinentes eorum castra simul et opima spolia et supellectilem universam, ulteriorem fluminis ripam viriliter sibi vindicarunt.

Above whose banks, in pleasantly green pastures, he encamped. Here for the first time it was granted to the Franks, according to their desire, to gaze upon the enemies; for, as they wished to approach the waters, from the opposite bank of the river the enemies, in great multitude, would reach the banks and interdict our men the use of the water. At length, however, the fords having been found, the river—though the enemies were unwilling—having been crossed, our battle-lines, rushing in, turned them to flight, many of them being consigned to death, and many mancipated to bonds; and, seizing their camp together with opulent spoils and all the equipment entire, they manfully vindicated to themselves the further bank of the river.

Habita itaque hujusmodi victoria, et de hostium manubiis et praeda facti laetiores, nocte illa cum tranquillitate transcursa, rursum dato mane, ad iter se accingunt; inde Laodiciam, ejusdem regionis urbem pervenientes, sumptis viaticis ad dies aliquot, more solito, proficiscuntur unanimes.

Accordingly, with a victory of this kind achieved, and made the more rejoicing by the enemy’s spoils and booty, that night having been passed with tranquility, when morning was again given, they gird themselves for the journey; then, arriving at Laodicea, a city of the same region, having taken viatic provisions for several days, in the usual manner, they set out unanimous.

CAPUT XXV. Francorum, casu miserabili, prosternitur exercitus; pars quae praecesserat, evadit.

CHAPTER 25. The army of the Franks is laid low by a miserable mishap; the part which had gone before escapes.

Erat autem exercitui mons obvius, arduus admodum, et ascendendum difficilis; illum ea die, juxta legem profectionis, transire oportebat. Porro in expeditione consuetudo erat, singulis diebus quosdam de illustribus, qui agmina praeirent, quosdam qui subsequerentur ad custodiam imbellis populi, et maxime turmarum pedestrium deputare; et cum principibus de modo viae, de profectionis quantitate, de loco castrorum in die sequenti, ordinare. Praeibat autem illa die cum vexillo regio sorte vocatus, in ordine vicis suae, nobilis quidam de Aquitania vir, nomine Gaufridus de Rancun.

But a mountain lay in the army’s path, very arduous and difficult to ascend; it had to be crossed that day, according to the rule of the march. Moreover, on campaign there was a custom, each day, to appoint some from among the illustrious to go before the columns, and some to follow for the guarding of the unwarlike people—especially assigning the companies of infantry—and to arrange with the leaders about the manner of the way, the measure of the march, and the place of the camp on the following day. Now that day there went before with the royal standard, summoned by lot in the order of his turn, a certain nobleman of Aquitaine, named Geoffrey of Rançon.

Hic cum praedictum montem ascendisset, cum agminibus quae praecedebant, in montis fastigio positus, licet praeordinatum fuisset quod in montis vertice castrametarentur qui praeibant, contra legem dispositam, proposuit adhuc aliquantulum procedere; nam videbatur ei quod modicum nimis illa die profectus esset exercitus, et multa diei pars adhuc superesset; coepit, ducibus praeeuntibus, et locum commodiorem in vicino promittentibus, adhuc ultra proficisci. Qui autem sequebantur, arbitrati quod in montis praedicti vertice essent castrametaturi, modicumque rati superesse itineris ad diem deputati, lente nimis et remissius sequi coeperunt praecedentes; ita quod monte a quibusdam transcurso, quibusdam vero circa montem adhuc moram facientibus, divisus est exercitus. Quod videntes qui a longe exercitum ex latere contuebantur hostium cunei, parati semper, si occasionem invenirent, irruere, et ad hoc specialiter sequentes sine intermissione exercitum: sumpta occasione, cum ex locorum angustiis, tum quia major et fortior expeditionis portio praecedens, separata erat; nec facile subsequentium aut conditionem nosse, aut eis laborantibus subvenire posse arbitrabantur; clivum montis occupant, ut majus inter praecedentes et subsequentes chaos firmaretur: instructisque aciebus, super nostros irruunt, et antequam arma possint corripere, nostras violenter dissolvunt acies; nec jam sagittis vel arcu, sed gladiis instantes cominus, Martem et mortem ingerunt, et diffugere paratos urgent atrocius.

Here, when he had ascended the aforesaid mountain with the columns that were preceding, set on the mountain’s ridge, although it had been preordained that those going before should encamp on the mountain’s summit, contrary to the established law he proposed to proceed still a little further; for it seemed to him that the army had advanced too little that day, and much of the day still remained; he began, with the guides going ahead and promising a more commodious place nearby, to push on yet farther. But those who were following, having supposed that on the summit of the aforesaid mountain they would be going to encamp, and thinking that only a little of the day’s appointed march remained, began to follow those ahead too slowly and more slackly; so that, with the mountain by some already crossed, while others were still making delay around the mountain, the army was divided. Seeing this, the enemy’s wedges, who from afar were watching the army from the flank, always ready to rush in if they should find an occasion, and to this end in particular following the army without intermission, seized the opportunity—both because of the narrowness of the places and because the greater and stronger portion of the expedition, the van, had been separated; nor did they suppose that those following could easily either learn the condition of affairs or be able to come to the aid of those in distress; they occupy the mountain’s slope, so that a greater chaos between the vanguard and the rear might be made firm; and, their battle-lines drawn up, they rush upon our men, and before they can snatch up their arms they violently dissolve our ranks; and now no longer with arrows or the bow, but pressing at close quarters with swords, they thrust war and death upon them, and more cruelly drive those ready to flee.

Nostris autem oberant locorum angustiae; equi quoque ob diuturnitatem et difficultatem itineris facti debiliores, sarcinarum etiam multiplex numerositas, nonnullum praestabant impedimentum; resistunt tamen unanimiter, et paribus animis, pro vita, pro libertate, pro consortibus itineris decertant viriliter; gladiis ac lanceis rem peragunt, sese mutuis sermonibus exhortantes et exemplis. Hostes e converso spe fruendi victoria, suos animant, ad memoriam revocantes quod paucis ante diebus majores multo copias minore fudissent periculo, et de pluribus et longe fortioribus facile triumphassent. Pugnant igitur Marte diu ancipiti et dubio eventu; verum in fine, peccatis nostris exigentibus, infidelium praevaluit manus; et noster usque modicum numerum, plurimis interemptis, captivatis innumeris, redactus est exercitus.

But the narrowness of the places hindered our men; the horses also, made weaker by the long duration and difficulty of the journey, and likewise the manifold multiplicity of baggage, furnished no small impediment; nevertheless they resist unanimously, and with equal spirits they contend manfully for life, for liberty, for their companions of the journey; with swords and lances they carry the matter through, exhorting themselves with mutual speeches and examples. The enemies, on the contrary, with the hope of enjoying victory, animate their own, calling to mind that a few days before they had routed much greater forces with less peril, and had easily triumphed over men more numerous and far stronger. They fight, therefore, with Mars long wavering and the issue doubtful; but in the end, our sins demanding it, the hand of the unbelievers prevailed; and our army, with very many slain and countless taken captive, was reduced to a small number.

Occubuerunt illa die viri nobiles et illustres, rebus militaribus singulariter insignes, pia digni recordatione, comes de Guarenna, vir inter majores eximius, Galcherus de Montiay, Eurardus de Bretol, Iterus de Magnac, et alii multi quorum nomina non tenemus, quae tamen scripta esse in coelis credendum est, quorum memoria in benedictione erit in saeculum saeculi. Occidit illa die, nostris infausta et casu nimis adverso, ingens Francorum gloria; et virtus gentibus hactenus formidabilis, contrita corruit, immundis et Deum nescientibus, quibus prius terrori fuerat, facta ludibrio. Quid est, benedicte Domine Jesu, quod populus iste, tibi tam devotus, pedum tuorum volens adorare vestigia, loca venerabilia, quae tua corporali consecrasti praesentia, deosculari cupiens, per manus eorum qui te oderunt, ruinam passus est?

On that day fell noble and illustrious men, singularly distinguished in military affairs, worthy of pious remembrance: the Count of Guarenna, a man outstanding among the magnates, Galcherus of Montiay, Eurardus of Bretol, Iterus of Magnac, and many others whose names we do not hold—yet it is to be believed that they are written in the heavens—whose memory will be in blessing unto the age of ages. On that day, ill‑fated for us and with a most adverse turn of fortune, the mighty glory of the Franks perished; and the valor hitherto formidable to the nations, shattered, collapsed, made a mockery by the unclean and those not knowing God, to whom it had previously been a terror. What is it, blessed Lord Jesus, that this people, so devoted to you, willing to adore the footprints of your feet, desiring to kiss the venerable places which you consecrated by your bodily presence, has suffered ruin at the hands of those who hate you?

Vere judicia tua abyssus multa (Psal. XXXV, 7) , et non est qui possit ad ea. Tu enim solus es, Domine, qui cuncta potes; et non est qui possit resistere voluntati tuae.

Truly your judgments are a great abyss (Psalm 35, 7) , and there is no one who can attain to them. For you alone are, O Lord, the one who can do all things; and there is no one who can resist your will.

CAPUT XXVI. Rex casu evadens, ad eos qui praecesserant se colligit; residuum exercitus apud Attaliam pervenit, inde in Syriam transfretans.

CHAPTER 26. The king, escaping by chance, joins himself to those who had gone before; the remainder of the army arrived at Attalia, thence crossing over into Syria.

Rex interea, casu magis quam industria, tanto tamque confuso exemptus periculo, saepe dicti, qui vicinus erat, montis clivum ascendens, cum paucis ejus fugae consortibus, sine duce, noctis intempestae silentio, ad suorum castra, aliquantulum locata remotius, se contulit. Hi autem qui praecesserant, vexillum regium secuti, ut praemisimus, et montis angustias sine difficultate transierant, et castra, nemine prohibente, loco satis commodo, locaverant, ignari prorsus et expertes omnium quae iis qui sequebantur acciderant. Praesagiebat tamen animus eorum qui praecesserant, ex quo viderunt acies interruptas et tantam subsequentium moram, quod aliquid sinistri obtigerat, nec erant eis pro voto universa.

Meanwhile the king, withdrawn from so great and so confused a peril more by chance than by industry, ascending the slope of the oft-mentioned mountain, which was nearby, with a few consorts of his flight, without a guide, in the silence of the dead of night, betook himself to the camp of his men, pitched somewhat farther away. Those, however, who had gone ahead, following the royal standard, as we have previously set forth, had passed the mountain narrows without difficulty, and, no one hindering, had pitched camp in a quite convenient place, utterly ignorant and uninstructed in all that had befallen those who were following. Yet the spirit of those who had gone before presaged, from the moment they saw the battle-lines interrupted and so great a delay of the subsequent troops, that something sinister had occurred, nor were all things according to their wish.

Ex quo autem per eos qui evaserant et cum rege in castra se contulerant, de infausto, qui acciderat, facti sunt certiores eventu, statim luctus occupat universa, moeror et anxietas corda sibi vindicat singulorum. Dumque sibi quisque, quem amiserat, proximum querulis vocibus et lacrymosis quaerit suspiriis, et dolore multiplicato quaesitum non invenit, ejulatu resonant agmina et gemitu cohortes macerantur; non erat in castris locus quem dolor familiaris, et domestica jactura non premeret: hic patrem, ille dominum; illa filium, haec maritum cuncta lustrando perquirit; dumque non inveniunt quod quaerunt, noctem percurrunt pondere curarum pervigilem, quidquid absentibus potest accidere deterius suspicantes. Reversi sunt tamen nocte illa de utraque classe nonnulli, qui frutectis et rupibus et cavernis terrae, mortis declinantes discrimen, noctis protecti beneficio, casu magis quam prudentia se adjungebant, ad castra pervenientes.

But when, through those who had escaped and had betaken themselves with the king into the camp, they were made more certain about the ill-fated event which had occurred, straightway mourning seizes all; sorrow and anxiety claim for themselves the hearts of each. And while each one seeks, with querulous voices and tearful sighs, the nearest kinsman whom he had lost, and, with grief multiplied, finds not the one sought, the ranks resound with wailing and the cohorts are worn down with groaning; there was not in the camp a place which family grief and domestic loss did not oppress: this man seeks his father, that one his lord; that woman her son, this one her husband, running through and scanning everything; and while they do not find what they seek, they spend the night wakeful under the weight of cares, suspecting whatever worse can befall the absent. Yet that night some from both columns returned, who, in thickets and crags and caverns of the earth, shunning the peril of death, protected by the benefit of night, attached themselves more by chance than by prudence, arriving at the camp.

Factum est autem hoc anno ab Incarnatione Domini 1146, mense Januario. Coepit autem ab ea die panis et omnis penitus alimonia in castris deficere; sed nec alterius generis deinceps per multos dies, habuerunt commercium; sed etiam, quod deterius erat, sine duce, sine praeambulo, passim nunc hac, nunc illac errabundi, locorum nullam omnino habentes peritiam, vagabantur. Tandem vero Pamphiliam ingressi, per abrupta montium, per devexa vallium, cum difficultate nimia, sine tamen hostium conflictu, usque Attaliam, ejusdem regionis metropolim, pervenerunt.

It came to pass, moreover, in this year from the Incarnation of the Lord, 1146, in the month of January. From that day bread and all sustenance utterly began to fail in the camp; nor for many days thereafter did they have commerce of any other kind; but also, what was worse, without a leader, without a scout, wandering everywhere now here, now there, having no knowledge at all of the places, they roved. At length indeed, having entered Pamphylia, over the precipices of the mountains and the declivities of the valleys, with excessive difficulty, yet without a conflict with the enemies, they came as far as Attalia, the metropolis of the same region.

Est autem Attalia civitas in littore maris sita, imperatoris Constantinopolitani [subjecta] imperio, agrum habens opimum, et tamen civibus suis inutilem; nam angustiantibus eos undique hostibus, nec permittentibus agrorum cultui vacare, jacet ager infructuosus, dum non est qui exercendo fecunditatem possit procurare; alias tamen multas habens commoditates, gratum se solet praebere hospitibus, nam aquas emanans perspicuas et salutares, pomeriis est obsita fructiferis, situ placens amoenissimo; trajectarum tamen frugum et per mare devectarum solet habere copias, et transeuntibus sufficientem ciborum commoditatem ministrare. Quia vero hostibus nimis est contermina, eorum non valens indesinenter sustinere molestias, facta est eis tributaria, per hoc necessariorum cum hostibus habens commercium. Hanc nostri, idiomatis Graeci non habentes peritiam, corrupto vocabulo Sataliam appellant; unde et totus ille maris sinus, a promontorio Lissidona, usque in insulam Cyprum, Attalicus dicitur, qui vulgari appellatione Gulphus Sataliae nuncupatur.

Now Attalia is a city situated on the shore of the sea, [subject] to the empire of the emperor of Constantinople, having an opulent countryside, and yet unprofitable to its citizens; for with enemies constricting them on every side, and not permitting them to devote themselves to the cultivation of the fields, the land lies unfruitful, since there is no one who can procure its fecundity by tilling; nevertheless having many other conveniences, it is accustomed to show itself pleasing to guests, for, sending forth waters pellucid and healthful, it is hedged about with fruit-bearing orchards, pleasing by a most delightful site; yet it is wont to have supplies of grain ferried across and conveyed by sea, and to furnish to those passing through a sufficient convenience of victuals. But because it is too contiguous to enemies, not being able to sustain their molestations incessantly, it has been made tributary to them, and by this has commerce of necessaries with the enemies. This place our men, not having skill of the Greek idiom, call Satalia by a corrupted word; whence also that whole gulf of the sea, from the promontory Lissidona as far as the island Cyprus, is called Attalic, which by the vulgar appellation is named the Gulf of Satalia.

Ad hanc perveniens rex Francorum cum suis, ob multitudinem concurrentium tantam passus est alimentorum penuriam, quod pene residuum exercitus, et maxime pauperes ibi consumerentur inedia. Ipse vero cum suis principibus, relictis pedestribus turmis maturato navigio, Isauriam Ciliciamque a laeva deserens, a dextris autem Cypro relicta, prosperis actus flatibus fauces Orontis fluminis, quod Antiochiam praeterlabitur, qui locus hodie dicitur Sancti Simeonis portus, juxta antiquam urbem Seleuciam, et ab Antiochia decem distat milliaribus, ingreditur.

Arriving there, the king of the Franks with his men, on account of the multitude of those converging, suffered such a scarcity of aliment that almost the remainder of the army, and especially the poor, were consumed there by starvation. But he himself, with his princes, the foot troops left behind, with a hastened voyage, leaving Isauria and Cilicia on the left, and Cyprus on the right, driven by favorable breezes, enters the narrows of the river Orontes, which flows past Antioch—the place today called the Port of Saint Symeon—near the ancient city Seleucia, and it is distant from Antioch 10 miles.

CAPUT XXVII. Raymundus princeps Antiochenus regem Francorum apud portum Sancti Simeonis honeste recipit; deducit Antiochiam; sed tandem male dividuntur ab invicem.

CHAPTER 27. Raymond, Prince of Antioch, honorably receives the King of the Franks at the Port of Saint Simeon; he escorts him to Antioch; but at last they part from one another on bad terms.

Audiens igitur princeps Antiochenus Raymundus, regem Francorum in partibus suis applicuisse, cujus adventum multis diebus ante exspectaverat, cum desiderio sustinens, convocatis nobilibus totius regionis, et populi primoribus, cum electo comitatu ei occurrens, in urbem Antiochenam, omnem ei exhibens reverentiam, occurrente ei universo clero et populo, magnificentissime introduxit. Conceperat autem multo ante, audito ejus adventu, quod per ejus auxilium Antiochenum principatum ampliare posset: unde et eidem in Franciam, antequam etiam iter arriperet, honesta praemiserat donaria, et exenia multi pretii, ut ejus sibi conciliaret gratiam, largitus fuerat. Praesumebat nihilominus et de reginae apud dominum regem interventu, quae ejusdem peregrinationis regi adhaeserat comes indivisa; quae ejusdem domini principis neptis erat, domini videlicet Willelmi Pictaviensium comitis, fratris ejus primogenita filia.

Therefore, hearing that Raymond, the Antiochene prince, that the king of the Franks had put in within his parts—whose arrival he had awaited many days earlier, bearing it with longing—having convoked the nobles of the whole region and the chiefs of the people, and going to meet him with a chosen retinue, he introduced him most magnificently into the city of Antioch, showing him every reverence, with all the clergy and people coming out to meet him. He had conceived long before, upon hearing of his coming, that by his aid he might be able to amplify the Antiochene principate: whence also to him in France, before he even undertook the journey, he had sent ahead seemly donaries and guest-gifts of great price, in order to conciliate his favor for himself; he had bestowed them lavishly. Nonetheless he was also presuming upon the queen’s intervention with the lord king, who had adhered to the king in that same pilgrimage as an indivisible companion; she was the niece of that same lord prince, namely the firstborn daughter of lord William, count of the Poitevins—his brother.

Advenienti igitur, ut diximus, omnem exhibuit humanitatem; sed et circa nobiles et principes, qui ejus secuti sunt comitatum, ejus simile non defuit studium, nec eximiae liberalitatis opera; sed omnes honore praeveniens, prout cujusque exigebant merita, plena tractabat munificentia. Erat ei sane spes maxima, quod urbes finitimas, Halapiam videlicet, et Caesaream, aliasque nonnullas ejus fretus auxilio, et copiis adjutus, sibi posset subjugare. Nec ea spe delusus esset, si regem cum suis ad hoc potuisset induxisse proceribus; nam tantus de adventu regis hostibus nostris timor incubuerat, ut jam non solum de viribus suis diffiderent, sed de vita etiam viderentur desperare.

Therefore, upon his arriving, as we have said, he displayed every humanity; and toward the nobles and princes who followed his retinue there was no lack, on his part, of like zeal nor of works of exceptional liberality; but, anticipating all with honor, as each one’s merits required, he treated them with full munificence. He indeed had a very great hope that the neighboring cities—Halapia, namely Aleppo, and Caesarea, and some others—relying on his aid and aided by his forces, he could subjugate to himself. Nor would he have been deluded of that hope, if he had been able to induce the king, together with his magnates, to this; for so great a fear had weighed upon our enemies from the advent of the king, that now they not only distrusted their own forces, but even seemed to despair of life.

Conveniens igitur solemniter, et in praesentia tam principum domini regis quam suorum princeps dominum regem, juxta id quod mente conceperat, et seoretius nonnunquam convenerat, et petitiones suas effectui sine difficultate mancipabiles, honestatique simul et utilitati convenire ostendens; ubi videt se non proficere, cum rex Hierosolymam votis ardentibus irrevocabiliter ire proposuisset, spe frustratus, mutato studio, regis vias abominari, et ei praestruere patenter insidias et in ejus laesionem armari coepit. Uxorem ejus enim in id ipsum consentientem, quae una erat de fatuis mulieribus, aut violenter aut occultis machinationibus, ab eo rapere proposuit. Erat, ut praemisimus, sicut et prius et postmodum manifestis edocuit indiciis, mulier imprudens, et contra dignitatem regiam legem negligens maritalem, tori conjugalis fidem oblita; quod postquam regi compertum est, principis praeveniens molimina, vitae quoque et saluti consulens, de consilio magnatum suorum iter accelerans, urbe Antiochena cum suis clam egressus est.

Accordingly, meeting solemnly, and in the presence both of the lord king’s princes and of his own, the prince addressed the lord king, according to what he had conceived in mind and had sometimes agreed more secretly, showing that his petitions were reducible to effect without difficulty, and that they suited both honor and utility; but where he sees he is not advancing, since the king had resolved irrevocably to go to Jerusalem with ardent vows, frustrated of hope, changing his aim, he began to abominate the king’s ways, and to lay snares for him openly and to arm himself for his hurt. For he proposed to snatch away his wife, consenting to that very thing—who was one of the foolish women—either by violence or by hidden machinations. She was, as we premised, as both before and afterwards manifest indications taught, an imprudent woman, and in violation of royal dignity neglectful of the marital law, forgetful of the faith of the conjugal bed; which, after it became known to the king, he, forestalling the prince’s contrivances, and consulting also for his life and safety, by the counsel of his magnates, accelerating the journey, departed secretly from the city of Antioch with his men.

Mutatus est igitur color optimus, et dissimilia acta sunt postrema prioribus; et qui cum tanta gloria susceptus fuerat adveniens, egrediens sorte mutata recessit inglorius. Sunt qui regi haec ad nimiam imputant malitiam: et ei dicunt digne pro meritis accidisse, quod tanti viri, et de se et de suis ita bene meriti preces non admiserit; praesertim cum constanter asseverent quod facile unam vel plures ex praenominatis urbibus, si ad id dare operam voluisset, obtinere potuisset.

Accordingly the favorable color was changed, and the last acts were dissimilar to the earlier; and he who on arriving had been received with so great glory, departing with his lot changed withdrew inglorious. There are those who impute these things in the king to excessive malice, and say that it befell him worthily according to his deserts, because he did not admit the prayers of so great a man, so well-deserving of him and of his own; especially since they constantly asseverate that he could easily have obtained one or more of the aforementioned cities, if he had been willing to give effort to that.

CAPUT XXVIII. Hieme transcursa, Conradus imperator, usus navigio, in Syriam pervenit; comes quoque Anfossus apud Acconensem applicat civitatem, moriturque apud Caesaream.

CHAPTER 28. With the winter passed, Conrad the Emperor, making use of navigation, arrived in Syria; likewise Count Anfossus made landfall at the city of Acre, and died at Caesarea.

Interea dominus imperator, transcursa hieme, apud urbem regiam, ubi a domino Constantinopolitano, humanitatis legibus diligenter, prout tantum decebat principem, tractatus, et donis in decessu largissimis cumulatus, classe quam eidem imperialis magnificentia deputaverat, vectus, cum quibusdam ex principibus suis in Orientem perveniens, portum attigit Acconensem. Inde Hierosolymam proficiscens, a domino rege Balduino et domino Fulchero bonae memoriae patriarcha, occurrente ei extra civitatem universo clero et populo cum hymnis et canticis, in sanctam introductus est civitatem. Applicuit etiam eisdem diebus portu quoque Acconensi, vir magnificus et illustris, comes Tolosanus, Anfossus nomine, domini Raymundi senioris comitis filius (qui tantus princeps, tanti fuit meriti in prima expeditione); vir suis egregius titulis; sed patris pia clarior memoria, dum inde Hierosolymam, ut Domino pro peracta feliciter peregrinatione gratias ageret, proficisceretur, apud Caesaream urbem maritimam, paucis postquam appulit diebus, porrecto, ut dicitur, veneno, sed auctore tanti sceleris incerto, vitam finivit.

Meanwhile the lord emperor, winter having been passed, at the royal city—where by the lord of Constantinople, according to the laws of humanity, as was fitting for so great a prince, he was carefully treated, and on his departure heaped with most lavish gifts—borne by the fleet which imperial magnificence had assigned to him, arriving in the Orient with certain of his princes, touched the port of Acre. Thence setting out to Jerusalem, by lord King Baldwin and by lord Fulcher, patriarch of good memory, with the whole clergy and people meeting him outside the city with hymns and songs, he was led into the holy city. In those same days there also put in to the port of Acre a magnificent and illustrious man, the Count of Toulouse, by name Anfossus, son of lord Raymond the elder count (who, so great a prince, was of such merit in the first expedition); a man distinguished by his own titles, yet the pious memory of his father more renowned; while from there he was setting out to Jerusalem, that he might give thanks to the Lord for a pilgrimage happily accomplished, at Caesarea, the maritime city, a few days after he made land, poison, as it is said, having been proffered, but the perpetrator of so great a crime being unknown, he ended his life.

Hujus viri inclytae recordationis, universus populus cum summo desiderio praestolabatur adventum; sperans quod faustum et felix omen patris, adveniens, regno esset illaturus.

Of this man’s illustrious remembrance, the entire people, with utmost desire, was awaiting his advent; hoping that, arriving, he would bring into the kingdom the auspicious and felicitous omen of his father.

CAPUT XXIX. Rex Francorum, ab Antiochia digressus, Hierosolymam properat; mittitur ei obviam Hierosolymitanus patriarcha.

CHAPTER 29. The King of the Franks, having departed from Antioch, hastens to Jerusalem; the patriarch of Jerusalem is sent to meet him.

Nuntiatur interea Hierosolymis, regem Francorum ab Antiochia digressum, ad partes accedere Tripolitanas, unde de communi omnium principum consilio dirigitur ei obviam dominus Fulcherus, bonae memoriae Hierosolymorum patriarcha, ut exhortationibus congruis et monitis salutaribus eum in regnum evocaret; ne forte vel a domino principe, restituta in integrum gratia revocatus, vel a domino comite Tripolitano, ejus consanguineo, detentus Hierosolymorum differret desideria. Orientalis enim Latinorum tota regio quatuor principatibus erat distincta. Primus enim ab austro, erat regnum Hierosolymorum, initium habens a rivo qui est inter Biblium et Berythum, urbes maritimas provinciae Phoenicis, et finem in solitudine quae est ultra Darum, quae respicit Aegyptum.

Meanwhile at Jerusalem it is reported that the king of the Franks, having departed from Antioch, is approaching the Tripolitan parts; whereupon, by the common counsel of all the princes, Lord Fulcher, of good memory, Patriarch of Jerusalem, is sent to meet him, that with suitable exhortations and salutary admonitions he might summon him into the kingdom; lest perhaps either, recalled by the lord Prince with favor restored in full, or detained by the lord Count of Tripoli, his kinsman, he should defer the desires of Jerusalem. For the whole Oriental region of the Latins was distinguished into four principalities. The first, from the south, was the kingdom of Jerusalem, having its beginning from the brook which is between Byblos and Beirut, maritime cities of the province of Phoenicia, and its end in the wilderness which is beyond Darum, which looks toward Egypt.

Secundus erat versus septentrionem, comitatus Tripolitanus, a rivo supradicto habens initium, finem vero in rivo qui est inter Maracleam et Valeniam, urbes similiter maritimas. Tertius erat principatus Antiochenus, qui ab eodem rivo habens initium, usque in Tarsum Ciliciae, versus occidentem protendebatur. Quartus erat comitatus Edessanus, qui ab ea silva quae dicitur Marrim, in orientem ultra Euphratem protendebatur.

Second, toward the north, was the County of Tripoli, having its beginning from the aforesaid stream, but its end at the stream which is between Maraclea and Valenia, likewise maritime cities. The third was the Principality of Antioch, which, having its beginning from the same stream, extended toward the west as far as Tarsus of Cilicia. The fourth was the County of Edessa, which from that forest which is called Marrim, stretched out toward the east beyond the Euphrates.

Hi omnes magni viri et potentes ab initio spem conceperant quod in adventu praedictorum regum, per eorum operam et auxilium possent fines suos dilatare et porrigere terminos in immensum. Omnes enim hostes immanissimos et urbes hostium invisas, plurimum habebant conterminas, quas sibi adjungere cupiebant. Erant ergo de cura domestica et familiari incremento valde solliciti.

All these great and powerful men, from the beginning, had conceived the hope that, at the advent of the aforesaid kings, by their effort and aid they might dilate their borders and extend their termini to an immense extent. For they had very many most savage enemies and hated cities of the enemy conterminous with them, which they wished to adjoin to themselves. Therefore they were very solicitous about domestic care and the increment of their household and family.

Unde reges nuntiis et muneribus ad se quisque invitabant, alios praevenire cupientes. Inter hos dominus rex et qui in regno erant, spem sibi videbantur fovere majorem, tum ob reverentiam locorum venerabilium, quorum amor et devotio omnes trahebat amplius; tum quia dominum imperatorem apud se habebant, ad quem credibile erat dominum regem Francorum accessurum, cum complendae orationis et peregrinationis gratia, tum ut de communi consilio in opere aliquo ad incrementum Christianitatis procederetur. Missus est ergo dominus patriarcha, ut praediximus, a regni principibus, metuentibus plurimum, ne a domino principe, cujus affinis erat, et ei arctiore charitatis vinculo jungi videbatur, et maxime interventu reginae, circa partes Halapiae detineretur, sicut et probabile videbatur.

Whence the kings, with envoys and gifts, each invited them to himself, wishing to forestall the others. Among these, the lord king and those who were in the kingdom seemed to foster for themselves a greater hope, both on account of the reverence of the venerable places, whose love and devotion drew all the more, and because they had the lord emperor with them, to whom it was credible that the lord king of the Franks would come, both for the sake of completing prayer and pilgrimage, and that by common counsel some enterprise might proceed for the increment of Christianity. Therefore the lord patriarch was sent, as we have said, by the princes of the kingdom, who greatly feared lest the lord king of the Franks might be detained around the parts of Aleppo by the lord prince, whose affine he was and to whom he seemed to be joined by a tighter bond of charity, and most of all by the intervention of the queen, as indeed seemed likely.

Cognito vero quod minus amice ab invicem discesserant, spes eis accessit amplior, quod sine dilatione inde digrediens, Hierosolymam esset perventurus. Contra tamen fortunae insidias, et quia prudenter timetur quidquid accidere potest, virum venerabilem praedictum patriarcham, cujus auctoritate moveretur, praemiserunt; nec spe concepta frustrati sunt; nam ejus verbum secutus, Hierosolymam incunctanter advenit. Quo perveniens, occurrente ei universo clero et populo, cum hymnis et canticis una cum principibus suis, honorifice, et cum debita gloria, in urbem receptus est et ad loca venerabilia deductus.

But when it was learned that they had departed from each other less amicably, a greater hope came to them, that, departing thence without delay, he would reach Jerusalem. Yet, against the ambushes of fortune, and because whatever can happen is prudently feared, they sent ahead the aforesaid venerable man, the patriarch, by whose authority he might be moved; nor were they disappointed of the hope conceived; for, following his word, he came to Jerusalem without delay. Arriving there, with the entire clergy and people running to meet him, with hymns and songs together with his princes, he was received honorably, and with due glory, into the city, and was led to the venerable places.

Tandem completis de more orationibus, indicitur apud urbem Acconensem curia generalis, ut de fructu tantae peregrinationis, et de tantorum fine laborum, et de regni desiderato tractaretur incremento. Tandem die statuta ad destinatum convenientes locum sicut et praeordinaverant, quid facto esset expedientius, cum regni nostri magnatibus, quibus plenior rerum et locorum erat cognitio, diligentius deliberare coeperunt.

At length, the prayers having been completed according to custom, a general court is proclaimed at the city of Acre, so that there might be deliberation concerning the fruit of so great a pilgrimage, and the end of so many labors, and the desired increase of the kingdom. At length, on the appointed day, assembling at the designated place, just as they had preordained, they began more diligently to deliberate, together with the magnates of our realm—who had a fuller knowledge of the affairs and the places—what would be more expedient to be done.