The Voyage of Prince Edward the sonne of king Henry
the third into Asia in the yeere 1270.
ABOUT the yeere of our Lord, 1267. Octobonus the Popes
Legate being in England, prince Edward the sonne of
king Henry, and divers other Noble men of England
tooke upon them the crosse upon S. John Baptists day,
by the sayd Legates hands at Northampton
, to the reliefe
of the Holy land, and the subversion of the enemies of
the crosse of Christ. For which purpose, and for the
better furnishing of the prince towards the journey, there
was granted him a subsidie throughout all the realme,
and in the moneth of May, in the yeere of our Lord 1270.
he began to set forward.
At
Michaelmas following he with his company came
to Eguemortes, which is from Marsilia eight leagues
Westward, and there taking ship againe (having a mery
and prosperous wind) within ten dayes arrived at Tunez
,
where he was with great joy welcommed, and entertained
of the Christian princes that there were to this purpose
assembled, as of Philip the French King, whose father
Lodovicus died a litle before, of Carolus the king of
Sicilia
, and the two kings of Navarre
and Arragon, and
as this lord Edward came thither for his father the king
of England, thither came also Henry the sonne of the
king of Almaine for his father, who at his returne from
the voyage was slaine in a chappell at
Viterbium.
When prince Edward demanded of these kings and
princes what was to be done, they answered him againe,
and sayd, the prince of this citie and the province adjoyning to the same hath bene accustomed to pay tribute
unto the king of Sicily
every yere: and now for that the
same hath bene for the space of seven yeeres unpaied
and more, therefore we thought good to make invasion
upon him. But the king knowing the same tribute to
be but justly demaunded, had now according to our owne
desire satisfied for the time past, and also paled his
tribute before hand.
Then sayd he, My Lords, what is this to the purpose?
are we not here all assembled, & have taken upon us
the Lords Character to fight against the infidels & enemies
of Christ? What meane you then to conclude a peace
with them? God forbid we should do so, for now the
land is plaine and hard, so that we may approch to ye
holy city Jerusalem. Then said they, now have we made
a league with them, neither is it lawful for us to breake
the same. But let us returne againe to Sicilia
, and when
the winter is past we may well take shipping to Acra.
But this counsel nothing at all liked him, neither did he
shew himselfe wel pleased therewith: but after hee had
made them a princely banket, he went into his closet or
privy chamber from amongst them, neither would be
partaker of any of that wicked money which they had
taken. They notwithstanding continuing their purpose,
at the next mery wind tooke shipping, and for want of
ships left 200. of their men a shore, crying out, and
pitiously lamenting for the peril and hazard of death that
they were in: wherewith prince Edward being somewhat
mooved to compassion, came backe againe to the land,
and received and stowed them in his owne ships, being
the last that went aboord.
Within seven dayes after, they arrived in the kingdom
of Sicilia
, over agaynst the Citie Trapes, casting their
ankers a league from thence within the sea, for that their
shippes were of great burden, and throughly fraught:
and from the haven of the citie they sent out barges and
boates to receive and bring such of the Nobilitie to land
as would, but their horses for the most part, and all their
armour they kept still within boord.
At length towards the evening the sea began to be
rough, & increased to a great tempest and a mightie:
insomuch that their ships were beaten one against
anothers sides, and drowned there was of them at that
tempest lying at anker more then 120. with all their
armour and munition, with innumerable soules besides,
and that wicked money also which they had taken before,
likewise perished, and was lost.
But the tempest hurt not so much as one ship of prince
Edwards, who had in number 13. nor yet had one man
lost thereby, for that (as it may be presupposed) he
consented not to the wicked counsell of the rest.
When in the morning the princes and kings came to
the sea side, and saw all their ships drowned, and saw
their men and horses in great number cast upon the land
drowned, they had full heavie hearts, as well they might,
for of all their ships and mariners, which were in number
1500. besides the common souldiers, there was no more
saved then the mariners of one onely ship, and they in
this wise.
There was in that ship a good & wise Matrone, a
Countesse or an Erles wife, who perceiving the tempest
to grow, & fearing her selfe, called to her the M. of the
ship, & asked him whether in attempting to the shoare
it were not possible to save themselves: he answered,
that to save the ship it was impossible: howbeit the men
that were therein by Gods helpe he doubted not. Then
sayd the countesse, for the ship force no whit, save the
soules therein, and have to thee double the value of the
shippe: who immediatly hoising the sailes with all force,
ran the shippe aground so nere the shore as was possible,
so that with the vehemency of the weather & force he
came withall, be brast the ship and saved all that was
within the same, as he had shewed, and sayd before.
Then the kings and princes (altering their purpose
after this so great a shipwracke) returned home againe
every one unto their owne lands: onely Edward the sonne
of the king of England, remained behinde with his men
and ships, which the Lord had saved and preserved.
Then prince Edward renovating his purpose, tooke
shipping againe, and within fifteene daies after Easter
arrived he at Acra, and went aland, taking with him a
thousand of the best souldiers and most expert, and taried
there a whole moneth, refreshing both his men and horses,
and that in this space he might learne and know the
secrets of the land. After this he tooke with him sixe
or seven thousand souldiers, and marched forward twenty
miles from Acra, and tooke Nazareth
, and those that he
found there he slew, and afterward returned againe to
Acra. But their enemies following after them, thinking
to have set upon them at some streit or other advantage,
were espied by the prince, and returning againe upon
them gave a charge, and slew many of them, and the
rest they put to flight.
After this, about Midsummer, when the prince had
understanding that the Saracens began to gather at
Cakow which was forty miles from Acra, he marching
thither, set upon them very earely in the morning, and
slew of them more then a thousand, the rest he put to
flight, and tooke rich spoiles, marching forward till they
came to a castle named Castrum peregrinorum, situate
upon the sea coast, and taried there that night, and the
next day they returned againe toward Acra.
In the meane season the king of Jerusalem sent unto
the noble men of Cyprus
, desiring them to come with
speed to ayd the Christians, but they would not come,
saying they would keepe their owne land, and go no
further. Then prince Edward sent unto them, desiring
that at his request they would come and joyne in ayd
with him: who immediatly thereupon came unto him
with great preparation & furniture for the warres, saying,
that at his commandement they were bound to do no
lesse, for that his predecessors were sometimes the governors of that their land, and that they ought alwayes to
shew their fidelity to the kings of England.
Then the Christians being herewith animated, made
a third voyage or road, and came as farre as the fort
called Vincula sancti Petri, and to S. Georgius, and when
they had slain certaine there, not finding any to make
resistance against them, they retired againe from whence
they came: when thus the fame of prince Edward grew
amongst his enemies, and that they began to stand in
doubt of him, they devised among themselves how by
some pollicy they might circumvent him, and betray him.
Whereupon the prince and admirall of Joppa
sent unto
him, faining himselfe under great deceit willing to
become a Christian, and that he would draw with him
a great number besides, so that they might be honorably
entertained and used of the Christians. This talke
pleased the prince well, and perswaded him to finish the
thing he had so well begun by writing againe, who also
by the same messenger sent and wrote backe unto him
divers times about the same matter, whereby no mistrust
should spring.
This messenger (sayth mine author) was one ex caute
nutritis, one of the stony hearted, that neither feared God
nor dreaded death.
The fift time when this messenger came, and was of the
princes servants searched according to the maner and
custome what weapon and armour he had about him, as
also his purse, that not so much as a knife could be seene
about him, he was had up into the princes chamber, and
after his reverence done, he pulled out certaine letters,
which he delivered the prince from his lord, as he had
done others before. This was about eight dayes after
Whitsuntide, upon a Tuesday, somewhat before night, at
which time the prince was layed upon his bed bare headed,
in his jerkin, for the great heat and intemperature of the
weather.
When the prince had read the letters, it appeared by
them, that upon the Saturday next following, his lord
would be there ready to accomplish all that he had
written and promised. The report of these newes by the
prince to the standers by, liked them well, who drew
somewhat backe to consult thereof amongst themselves.
In the meane time, the messenger kneeling, and making
his obeisance to the prince (questioning further with him)
put his hand to his belt, as though he would have pulled
out some secret letters, and suddenly he pulled out an
invenomed knife, thinking to have stroken the prince into
the belly therewith as he lay: but the prince lifting up his
hand to defend the blow, was striken a great wound into
the arme, and being about to fetch another stroke at him,
the prince againe with his foot tooke him such a blow,
that he feld him to the ground: with that the prince gate
him by the hand, and with such violence wrasted the knife
from him, that he hurt himselfe therewith on the forehead, and immediatly thrust the same into the belly of the
messenger and striker, and slew him.
The princes servants being in the next chamber not
farre off, hearing the busling, came with great haste
running in, and finding the messenger lying dead in the
floore, one of them tooke up a stoole, and beat out his
braines : whereat the prince was wroth for that he stroke
a dead man, and one that was killed before.
But the rumour of this accident, as it was strange, so it
went soone thorowout all the Court, and from thence
among the common people, for which they were very
heavy, and greatly discouraged. To him came also the
Captaine of the Temple, and brought him a costly and
precious drinke against poison, least the venime of the
knife should penetrate the lively blood, and in blaming
wise sayd unto him: did I not tell your Grace before of
the deceit and subtilty of this people? Notwithstanding,
sayd he, let your Grace take a good heart, you shall not
die of this wound, my life for yours. But straight way
the Surgions and Physicians were sent for, and the prince
was dressed, and within few dayes after, the wound began
to putrifie, and the flesh to looke dead and blacke: wherupon they that were about the prince began to mutter
among themselves, and were very sad and heavy.
Which thing he himself perceiving, said unto them: why
mutter you thus among your selves? what see you in me,
can I not be healed? tell me the trueth, be ye not afrayd.
Whereupon one sayd unto him, and it like your Grace you
may be healed, we mistrust not, but yet it will be very
painfull for you to suffer. May suffering (sayd he againe)
restore health? yea sayth the other, on paine of losing
my head. Then sayd the prince, I commit my selfe unto
you, doe with me what you thinke good.
Then sayd one of the Physicians, is there any of your
Nobles in whom your Grace reposeth special trust? to
whom the prince answered Yea, naming certeine of
the Noble men that stood about him. Then sayd the
Physician to the two, whom the prince first named, the
Lord Edmund, and the lord John Voisie, And doe
you also faithfully love your Lord and Prince? Who
answered both, Yea undoubtedly. Then sayth he, take
you away this gentlewoman and lady (meaning his wife)
and let her not see her lord and husband, till such time
as I will you thereunto. Whereupon they tooke her from
the princes presence, crying out, and wringing her hands.
Then sayd they unto her, Be you contented good Lady &
Madame, it is better that one woman should weepe a little
while, then that all the
realme of England should weepe a
great season.
Then on the morrow they cut out all the dead and
invenimed flesh out of the princes arme, and threw it
from them, and sayd unto him: how cheereth your Grace,
we promise you within these fifteene dayes you shall shew
your selfe abroad (if God permit) upon your horsebacke,
whole and well as ever you were. And according to the
promise he made the prince, it came to passe, to the no
little comfort and admiration of all his subjects.
When the great Souldan heard hereof, and that the
prince was yet alive, he could scarsely beleeve the same,
and sending unto him three of his Nobles and Princes,
excused himselfe by them, calling his God to witnesse that
the same was done neither by him nor his consent.
Which princes and messengers standing aloofe off from
the kings sonne, worshipping him, fell flat upon the
ground: you (sayd the prince) do reverence me, but yet
you love me not. But they understood him not, because
he spake in
English unto them, speaking by an Interpreter: neverthelesse he honourably entertained them,
and sent them away in peace.
Thus when prince Edward had beene eighteene moneths
in Acra, he tooke shipping about the Assumption of our
Lady, as we call it, returning homeward, and after seven
weekes he arrived in Sicilia
at
Trapes, and from thence
travailed thorow the middes of Apulia
, till he came to
Rome, where he was of the Pope honorably entertained.
From thence he came into France, whose fame and
noble prowesse was there much bruted among the common
people, and envied of the Nobility, especially of the earle
of Chalons, who thought to have intrapped him and his
company, as may appeare in the story: but Prince Edward
continued foorth his journey to Paris
, and was there of
the French king honourably entertained: and after certaine dayes he went thence into Gascoine, where he taried
till that he heard of the death of the king his father, at
which time he came home, and was crowned king of
England, in the yere of our Lord 1274.
