The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation Volume Viii Part 2

The trauailes of one Athelard an Englishman, recorded by master Bale Centur. 12.

Athelardus Bathoniensis Coen.o.bij monachus, naturalium rerum mysteria, et causas omnes, diligentia tam vndecunque exquisita perscrutatus est, vt c.u.m aliquibus veteris seculi philosophis non indigne conferri possit. Hic olim spectatae indolis Adolescens, vt virente adhuc aetate iuuenile ingenium foecundaret, atque ad res magnas pararet relicta dulci patria longinquas petijt regiones. c.u.m ver aegyptum et Arabiam peragrans, plura inuenisset, quae eius desiderabat animus, c.u.m magno laborum, ac literarum lucro in Angliam tum demum reuertebatur. Claruit anno virginei partus, 1130. Henrico primo regnante.

The same in English.

Athelard a Monke of the Abbie of Bathe was so diligent a searcher of the secrets, and causes of naturall things, that he deserueth worthely to be compared with some of the auncient Philosophers. This man although young, yet being of a good wit, and being desirous to increase and enrich the same with the best things, and to prepare himselfe as it were for greater matters, left his Countrey for a time, and trauailed into forreine Regions.

He went through Egypt, and Arabia, and found out many things which he desired to his owne priuate contentment, and the profite of good letters generally, and so being satisfied, returned againe into his Countrey: he flourished in the yeere 1130. Henry the first being then king of England.

The life and trauailes of one William of Tyre, an Englishman. Centur. 12.

[Sidenote: Hic etiam Guilielmus Tyrensis claruit sub Henrico primo.]

Guilielmus, Ecclesiae Dominici sepulchri Hierosolymae Regularium Canonicorum prior, natione Anglicus vir vita et moribus commendabilis, Anno Dom. 1128.

postquam Tyrorum Ciuitas fidei Christianae rest.i.tuta est a Guimundo Hierosolymorum patriarcha, eidem vrbi primus Archiepiscopus praeficiebatur.

Est autem Tyrus ciuitas antiquissima, Phoeniciae vniuersae Metropolis, quae inter Syriae protuincias, et bonorum omnium pene commoditate, et incolarum frequentia primum semper obtinuit loc.u.m: post conscripta quaedam opuscula, et Epistolas, ad Dominum migrauit, An. Christi 1130. quum duobus tantum sedisset annis, et in Tyrensi Ecclesia sepelitur.

The same in English.

William the Prior of the Canons Regular in the Church of Ierusalem, called the Lords Sepulchre, was an Englishman borne, and of a vertuous and good behauiour. After that the Citie of Tyre was restored againe to the Christian faith, Guimunde the Patriarke of Ierusalem made him the first Archbishop of Tyre, in the yeere 1128. Which Tyre is a very ancient Citie, the Metropolis of all Phoenicia, and hath bene accompted the chiefest Prouince of Syria, both for fruitful commodities and mult.i.tude of inhabitants. This William hauing in his life written many Bookes and Epistles, died at last in the yeere 1130. hauing bene Archbishop the s.p.a.ce of two yeeres, and was buried in the Church of Tyre.

The trauailes of Robertus Ketenensis.

Robertus Ketenensis natione et cognomine Anglus, degustatis primum per Anglorum gymnasia humanarum artium elementis literarijs, vltramarinas statim visitare prouincias in animo const.i.tuit: Peragratis erg Gallijs, Italia, Dalmatia, et Graecia, tum demum peruenit in Asiam, vbi non paruo labore, ac vitae suae periculo inter Saracenos truculentissimum hominum genus, Arabicam linguam ad amussim didicit In Hispaniam postea nauigio traductus, circa fluuium Hiberum Astrologicae artis studio, c.u.m Hermanno quodam Dalmata, magni sui itineris comite se totum dedit. [Sidenote: Claruit sub Stephano.] Clarutt anno seruatoris nostri, 1143 Stephano regnante, et Pampilonae sepelitur.

The same in English.

This Robert Ketenensis was called an Englishman by surname, as he was by birth: who after some time spent in the foundations of humanitie, and in the elements of good Artes in the Vniuersities of England, determined to trauaile to the partes beyond sea: and so trauailed through France, Italie, Dalmatia, and Greece, and came at last into Asia, where he liued in great danger of his life among the cruell Saracens, but yet learned perfectly the Arabian tongue. Afterwardes he returned by sea into Spaine, and there about the riuer Iberus, gaue him selfe wholy to the studie of Astrologie, with one Hermannus a Dalmatian, who had accompanied him in his long voyage. He flourished in the yeere 1143. Steuen being then king of England, and was buried at Pampilona.

A voyage of certaine English men vnder the conduct of Lewes king of France vnto the Holy land.

[Sidenote: 1147. Tempore regis Stephani.] Tantae expeditionis explicito apparatu vterque princeps iter arripuit, et exercitu separt.i.to. Imperator enim Conradus praecedebat itinere aliquot dierum, c.u.m Italorum, Germanorum, aliarumque gentium amplissimis copijs. Rex vero Lodouicus sequebatur Francorum, Flandrensium, Normannorum, Britonum, Anglorum, Burgundionum, Prouincialium, Aquitanorum, equestri simul et pedestri agmine comitatus.

Gulielmus Neobrigensis, fol. 371.

The same in English.

Both the princes prouision being made for so great an expedition, they seuering their armies, entered on their iourney. For the Emperour Conradus went before, certaine dayes iourney, with very great power of Italians, Germans, and other countreys. And king Lewes followed after accompanied with a band of hors.e.m.e.n and footmen of French men, Fiemmings, Normans, Britons, Englishmen, Burgundions, men of Prouence, and Gascoins.

The voyage of Iohn Lacy to Ieirusalem.

[Sidenote: 1173.] Anno Domini 1172 fundata fuit abbatia de Stanlaw per dominum; Iohannem Lacy Constabularium Cestriae et dominum de Halton, qui obijt in Terra sancta anno sequenti: qui fuit vicessimus annus regni regis Henrici secundi.

The same in English.

In the yere of our Lord 1172 was founded the abbey of Stanlaw by the lord Iohn Lacy Constable of Chester, and lord of Halton, who deceased in the Holy land the yere following: which was in the twentieth yere of king Henry the second.

The voyage of William Mandeuile to Ierusalem.

[Sidenote: 1177.] William Mandeuile earle of Ess.e.x, with diuers English lords and knights, went to the Holy land in the 24 yere of Henry the second. Holinshed pag. 101.

A great supply of money to the Holy land by Henry the 2.

The same yeere King Henry the second being at Waltham, a.s.signed an aide to the maintenance of the Christian souldiers in the Holy lande, That is to wit, two and fortie thousand marks of siluer, and fiue hundred marks of golde. Matth. Paris and Holins. pag. 105.

A letter written from Manuel the Emperour of Constantinople, vnto Henrie the second King of England, Anno Dom. 1177. wherein mention is made that certaine of King Henries n.o.ble men and subjects were present with the sayd Emperour in a battell of his against the Soldan of Iconium. Recorded by Roger Houeden, in Annalium parte posteriore, in regno Hen. 2. fol.

316, et 317.

Eodem anno Manuel Constantinopolita.n.u.s imperator, habito praelio campestri c.u.m Soltano Iconij et illo devicto, in hac forma scripsit Domino regi Angliae.

Manuel in Christo deo Porphyrogenitus, diuinitus coronatus, sublimis, potens, excelsus, semper Augustus, et moderator Romanorum, Comnenus, Henrico n.o.bilissimo regi Angliae, charissimo amico suo, salutem et omne bonum. c.u.m imperium nostrum necessarium reputet notificare tibi, vt dilecto amico suo, de omnibus quae sibi obueniunt; ide et de his quae nunc acciderunt ei, opportunum iudicauit declarare tuae voluntati. Igitur a principio coronationis nostrae imperium nostrum aduersus dei inimicos Persas nostrum odium in corde nutriuit, dum cerneret illos in Christianos gloriari, eleuatique in nomen dei, et Christianorum dominari regionibus.

Quo circa et alio quidem tempore indifferenter inuasit eos, et prout deus ei concessit, sic et fecit. Et quae ab ipso frequenter patrata sunt ad contritionem ipsorum et perditionem, imperium nostrum credit n.o.bilitatem tuam non latere. Quoniam autem et nunc maximum exercitum contra eos ducere proposuit, et bellum contra omnem Persidem mouere, quia res cogebat. Et non vt voluit multum aliquem apparatum fecit, sicut ei visum est. Veruntamen prout tempus dabat et rerum status, potenter eos inuasit. Collegit ergo circa se imperium nostrum potentias suas: sed quia carpenta ducebat armorum, et machinarum, et aliorum instrumentorum conferentium ciuitatem expugnationibus, pondera portantia: idcirc nequaquam c.u.m festinatione iter suum agere poterat. Amplius autem dum adhuc propriam regionem peragraret, antequam barbarorum aliquis aduersus nos militaret in bellis aduersarius, aegritudo difficillima fluxus ventris invasit nos, qui diffusus per agmina imperij nostri pertransibat, depopulando et interimendo multos, omni pugnatore grauior. Et hoc malum inualescens maxime nos contriuit. Ex quo ver fines Turcorum inuasimus, bella quidem primum frequentia concrepabant, et agmina Turcorum c.u.m exercitibus imperij nostri vndique dimicabant. Sed Dei gratia ex toto a nostris in fugam vertebantur barbari. Post ver vbi ei qui illic adjacet angustiae loci, quae a Persis nominatur Cibrilcimam, propinquauimus, tot Persarum turmae peditum et equitum, quorum pleraeque ab interioribus partibus Persidis occurrerant in adiutorium contribulium suorum, exercitui nostro superuenerunt, quot pene nostrorum excederent numerum. Exercitu itaque imperii nostri propter viae omnino angustiam et difficultatem, vsque ad decem milliaria extenso; et c.u.m neque qui praeibant possent postremos defendere, neque versa vice rursus postremi possent praeeuntes inuare, non mediocriter ab inuicem hos distare accidit. Sane primae cohortes permultum ab acie imperij nostri diuidebantur, postremarum oblitae, illas non praestolantes. Quoniam igitur Turcorum agmina ex iam factis praelijs cognouerant, non conforre sibi a fronte n.o.bis repugnare, loci angustiam bonum subuentorem c.u.m inuenissent, posteriora statuerunt inuadere agmina, quod et fecerunt. Arctissimo igitur vbique loco existente, instabant barbari vndique, a dextris et a sinistris, et aliunde dimicantes, et tela super nos quasi imbres descendentia interimebant viros et equos complures. Ad haec itaque imperium nostrum vbi malum superabundabat, reputans sec.u.m oportunum iudicabat retr expectare, atque illos qui illic erant adiuuare, expectando vtique contra infinita illa Persarum agmina bellum sustinuit. Quanta quidem, dum ab his circundaretur, patrauerit, non opus est ad tempus sermonibus pertexere, ab illis autem qui interfuerunt, forsitan discet de his tua n.o.bilitas. Inter haec autem existente imperio nostro, et omne belli grauamen in tantum sustinente, postremae cohortes vniuersae Gnecorum et Latinorum, et reliquorum omnium generum conglobatae, quae iaciebantur ab inimicis tela non sustinentes, impactione vtuntur, et ita violenter ferebantur, dum ad adiacentem ibi collem quasi ad propugnaculum festinarent: sed precedentes impellunt nolentes. Multo autem eleuato paluere, ac perturbante oculos, et neminem permittente videre quae circa pedes erant, in praecipitium quod aderat profundissimae vallis alius super alium homines et equi sic incontinente portati corruerunt, qud alij alios conculcantes ab inuicem interemerunt non ex gregarijs tantum, sed ex clarissimis et intimis nostris consanguineis. Quis enim inhibere poterat tantae mult.i.tudinis importabilem impulsum? At ver imperium nostrum tot et tantis confertum barbaris saucians, sauciatumque, ade vt non modicam in eos moueret perturbationem, obstupentes perseuerant iam ipsius, et non remittebatur, bene iuuante deo, campum obtinuit. Neque loc.u.m illum scandere aduersarios permisit, in quo dimicauit c.u.m barbaris. Nec quidem equum suum illorum timore incitauit, celerius aliquando ponere vestigia. Sed congregando omnia agmina sua, et de morte eripiendo ea, collocauit circa se: et sic primes attigit, et ordinatim proficiscens ad exercitus suos accessit. Ex tunc igitur videns Solta.n.u.s, qud post tanta quae acciderant exercitibus nostris, imperium nostrum, sicut oportunum erat, rem huiusmodi dispensauit, vt ipsum rursum inuaderet: mittens supplicauit imperio nostro, et deprecatorijs vsus est sermonibus, et requisiuit pacem illius, promittens omnem imperij nostri adimplere voluntatem, et seruitium suum contra omnem hominem dare, et omnes qui in regno suo tenebantur captiuos absoluere, et esse ex toto voluntatis nostrae. Ibidem ergo per duos dies integros, in omni potestate morati sumtis, et cognito qud nihil poterat fieri contra ciuitatem Iconij, perditis testudinibus et machins bellicis, eo qud boues cecidissent a telis in modo pluuiae iactis, qui eas trahebant: Simul autem eo qud et vniuersa animalia nostra irruente in illa difficillima aegritudine laborabant, suscepit Soltani depraecationem et foedera et iuramenta peracta sub vexillis nostris, et pacem suam ei dedit.

Inde ingressum imperium nostrum in regionem suam regreditur, tribulationem habens non mediocrem super his quos perdidit corisanguineis, maximas tamen Deo gratias agens, qui per suam bonitaiem et nunc Ipsum honorauit: Gratum autem habuimus, qud quosdam n.o.bilitatis tuae principes accidit interesse n.o.bisc.u.m, qui narrabunt de omnibus quae acciderant, tuae voluntati seriem.

Caeterum autem, licet contristati simus propter illos qui ceciderunt: oportunum tamen duximus, de omnibus quae; acciderant, declarare tibi, vt dilecto amico nostro, et vt permultum coniuncto imperio nostro, per puerorum nostrorum intimam consanguinitatem. Vale. Data mense Nouembris, indictione tertia.

The same in English.

In the yeere 1177, Manuel the emperour of Constantinople hauing fought a field with the Soldan of Iconium, and vanquished him, wrote vnto Henry the second king of England in maner following.

Manuel Comnenus in Christ the euerliuing G.o.d a faithful emperour, descended of the linage of Porphyrie, crowned by G.o.ds grace, high, puissant, mighty, alwayes most souereign, and gouernour of the Romans; vnto Henry the most famous king of England, his most deare friend, greeting and all good successe. Whereas our imperiall highnesse thinketh it expedient to aduertise you our welbeloued friend of all our affaires: We thought it not amisse to signifie vnto your, royal Maiestie certaine exploits at this present atchieued by vs. From the beginning therefore of our inauguration our imperiall highnes hath mainteined most deadly feod and hostility against G.o.ds enemies the Persians, seeing them so to triumph ouer Christians, to exalt themselues against the Name of G.o.d, and to vsurpe ouer Christian kingdomes. For which cause our imperial highnesse hath in some sort encountered them heretofore, and did as it pleased G.o.d to giue vs grace. And we suppose that your Maiestie is not ignorant, what our imperiall highnesse hath often performed for their ruine and subversion.

For euen now, being vrged thereunto, we haue determined to leade a mighty army against them, and to wage warre against all Persia. And albeit our forces be not so great as we could wish they were, yet haue we according to the time, and the present state of things strongly inuaded them. Wherefore our Maiestie imperiall hath gathered our armies together: but because we had in our armie sundry carts laden with armour, engines and other instruments for the a.s.sault of cities, to an exceeding weight we could not make any great speed in our iourney. Moreouer while our imperiall highnesse was yet marching in our owne dominions, before any barbarous enemy had fought against vs: our people were visited with the most grieuous disease of the fluxe, which being dispersed in our troups destroyed and slew great numbers, more then the sword of the enemy would haue done, which mischiefe so preuailing, did woonderfully abate our forces. But after we had inuaded the Turkish frontiers, we had at the first very often and hot skirmishes, and the Turks came swarming to fight against our imperiall troups. Howbeit by G.o.ds a.s.sistance those miscreants were altogether scattered and put to flight by our souldiers. But as we approched vnto that strait pa.s.sage which is called by the Persians Cibrilcimam, so many bands of Persian footemen and hors.e.m.e.n (most whereof came from the innermost parts of Persia, to succour their Allies) encountred our army, as were almost superiour vnto vs in number. Wherefore the army of our Imperiall highnesse, by reason of the straightnesse and difficultie of the way, being stretched ten miles in length; and the first not being able to helpe the last, nor yet contrarywise the last to rescue the first, it came to pa.s.se that they were very farre distant asunder. And in very deed the foremost troupes were much separated from the guard of our imperiall person, who forgetting their fellowes behind, would not stay any whit for them. Because therefore the Turkish bands knew full well by their former conflicts that it was bootlesse for them to a.s.saile the forefront of our battell, and perceiuing the narownesse of the place to be a great aduantage, they determined to set vpon our rereward, and did so. Wherefore our pa.s.sage being very straight, and the infidels a.s.sayling vs upon the right hand and vpon the left, and on all sides, and discharging their weapons as thicke as hailestones against vs, slew diuers of our men and horses. Hereupon, the slaughter of our people still encreasing, our maiestie imperiall deemed it requisite to stay behind, and to succour our bands in the rereward, and so expecting them we sustained the fierce encounter of many thousand Persians. What exploits our Imperiall person atchieued in the same skirmish, I hold it needlesse at this time to recount: your maiestie may perhaps vnderstand more of this matter by them which were there present Howbeit our Imperiall highnesse being in the middest of this conflict, and enduring the fight with so great danger, all our hindermost troups, both Greekes, Latines, and other nations, retiring themselues close together, and not being able to suffer the violence of their enemies weapons, pressed on so hard, and were caried with such maine force, that hastening to ascend the next hill for their better safegard, they vrged on them which went before, whether they would or no. Wherevpon, much dust being raised, which stopped our eyes and vtterly depriued vs of sight, and our men and horses pressing so sore one vpon the necke of another, plunged themselues on the sudden into such a steepe and dangerous valley, that treading one vpon another, they quelled to death not onely a mult.i.tude of the common souldiours, but diuers most honourable personages, and some of our neere kinsmen. For who could restraine the irresistable throng of so huge a mult.i.tude? Howbeit our Imperiall highnesse being enuironed with such swarmes of Infidels, and giuing and receiuing wounds (insomuch that the miscreants were greatly dismaied at our constancie) we gaue not ouer, but by G.o.ds a.s.sistance wonne the field. Neither did we permit the enemie to ascend vnto that place, from whence we skirmished with him. Neither yet spurred wee on our horse any faster for all their a.s.saults. But marshalling air our troupes together, and deliuering them out of danger, we disposed them about our Imperial person; and so we ouertooke the foremost, and marched in good order with our whole army. Nowe the Soldan perceiuing that notwithstanding the great damages which we had sustained, our Imperial hignes prouided to giue him a fresh encounter, humbly submitting himselfe vnto vs, and vsing submissive speaches, made suite to haue peace at our hands, and promised to fulfill the pleasure of our maiestie Imperiall, to doe vs seruice against all commers, to release all our subiects which were captiues in his realme, and to rest wholy at our commaund. [Sidenote: The citie of Iconium intended to haue bene besieged.] Here therefore we remained two dayes with great authoritie; and considering that wee could attempt nought against the citie of Iconium, hauing lost all our warrelike engines, both for defence and for batterie, for that the oxen which drew them were slaine with the enemies weapons, falling as thicke as hailestones: and also for because all our beasts in a maner were most grieuously diseased; our maiestie Imperial accepted of the Soldans pet.i.tion, league, and oath being made and taken vnder our ensignes, and granted our peace vnto him. Then returned we into our owne dominions, being greatly grieued for the losse of our deere kinsmen, and yeelding vnto G.o.d most humble thanks, who of his goodnesse had euen now giuen vs the victory. [Sidenote: Certaine n.o.blemen of the king of England were with the Emperor in his battell against the Soldan of Iconium.] We are right glad likewise that some of your maiesties princes and n.o.bles accompanied vs in this action, who are able to report vnto you all things which haue happened. And albeit we were exceedingly grieued for the losse of our people; yet thought it we expedient to signifie vnto you the successe of our affaires, as vnto our welbeloued friend, and one who is very neerely allied vnto our highnesse Imperial, by reason of the consanguitie of our children Farewell. Giuen in the moneth of Nouember, and vpon the tenth Indiction.

The life and trauailes of Baldwinus Deuonius, sometime Archbishop of Canterbury.

Baldwinus Deuonius, tenui loco Excestrire natus, vir ore facundus, exactus Philosophus, et de omne studiorum genus per illos dies aptissimus inueniebatur. Scholarum rector primum erat, tum postea Archidiaconus, eruditione ac sapientia in omni negotio celebris: fuit praeterea Cisterciensis Monachus, et Abbas Fordensis Coen.o.bij, magnus suorum testimatione, ar vniuiersae eorum societati quasi Antesigna.n.u.s: fuit deinde Wigorniensis praesul, fuit et mortuo demum Richardo Cantuariorum Archiepiscopus, ac totius Angliae Primas. Cui muneri Baldwinus sollicite inuigilans, egregium se pastorem exhibuit, dominic.u.m s.e.m.e.n, quantum patiebatur eius temporis, iniquitas, vbique locorum spargens. Richardus Anglorum rex, acceptis tunc regni insignijs, summo studio cla.s.sem, ac omnia ad Hierosolymitanum bellum gerendum necessaria parauit. Secutus est illico regem in Syriam, et Palestinam vsque Baldwinus, vt esset in tam Sancto (vt ipse putabat) itinere laborum, dolorum, ac periculorum particeps. Praefuit Cantuariensi Ecclesiae fere 6 annis, et Richardum regem in Syriam secutus, anno Salutis nostrae 1190. Tyri vitam finiuit, vbi et sepultus est.

The same in English.

Baldwine a Deuons.h.i.+re man borne in Exceter of mean parentage, was a very eloquent man, an exact Philosopher, and in those dayes very excellent in all kind of studies. He was first of all a Schoolemaster: afterwards he became an Archdeacon, very famous for his learning and wisedom in all his doings. He was also a Cistercian Monke and Abbot of Foord Monasterie, and the chiefe of all those that were of his order: he grew after this to be bishop of Worcester, and at last after the death of Archb. Richard he was promoted and made Archbishop of Canterbury, and Primate of all England. In the discharge of which place he being very vigilant, shewed, himself a worthy Pastor, sowing the seed of G.o.ds word in euery place as farre foorth as the iniquitie of that time permitted. In his time king Richard with all indeauour prepared a Fleet and all things necessary for waging of warre against the Infidels at lerasalem, taking with him the standerd and ensignes of the kingdome. This Baldwme eftsoones folowed the king into Syria and Palestina, as one desirous to be partaker of his trauailes, paines, and perils in so holy a voyage. Hee was Archbishop of Canterburie almost sixe yeres: but hauing followed the king into Syria, in the yeere 1190. he died at Tyre, where he was also buried.

An annotation concerning the trauailes of the sayd Baldwirie, taken out of Giraldus Cambrensis, in his Itinerarium Cambrise, lib, a. Cap. 14. Fol 229.