The History of the Holy War, Book 4 · Chapter 8
Chap. 8. Richard Earl of Cornwall saileth to the Holy land; His performance there, and the censure thereof.
*Matth. Paris, pag. 670.FIfteen dayes after the departure of Theobald,1240 Richard Earl of Cornwall,Octo. 11. brother to Henry the third then King of England, landed at Ptolemais. This Prince was our English Crassus, or Croesus; Cornwall was his Indies, where he turned tinne into gold and silver. So well-moneyed he was, that for ten yeares together he might for every day expend an *Camden, in Cornwall.hundred marks: So that England never since had together a poorer King and a richer Subject.
Before he began his voyage he craved a subsidie of prayers from the Monks of S. Albanes: Yea, scarce was there any Covent appearing for piety, to whose devotions he recommended not himself; counting that ship to sail the surest which is driven with the breath of godly mens prayers. Theodoricus Lord Prior of the English Hospitallers, with many other Barons and brave souldiers attending him, passed through France, and was there honourably entertained by King Lewis.
Being come to the Mediterranean sea, the Popes Legate brought him a flat countermand, that he must go no further, but instantly return. Richard at first was astonished hereat: but quickly his anger got the mastery of his amazement, and he fell on fuming; *Matth. Paris. in Hen. 3. pag. 719.Was this Christs Vicar? Unlike was he to him, who was thus unlike to himself, who would say and unsay, solemnly summon, then suddenly cashier his Holy souldiers. This was deluding of peoples devotions with false alarms, to make them put their armour on to put it off again. As for his own self, he had vowed this voyage, his honour and treasure was ingaged therein, and the Pope should not blast his settled resolutions with a breath: his ships were manned, victualled, and sailing forward; and in such great actions the setting forth is more then half the journey.
All know his Holinesse to be too wary an archer to shoot away his arrows at nothing. He had a mark herein, a plot in this restraint, but that too deep for others to fathom. It could not be this, To make this rich Earl (a fish worth angling for) to commute his voyage into money, and to buy a dispensation of his Holinesse to stay at home, as formerly he had served many meaner Pilgrimes. Surely though the Popes covetousnesse might have prompted, his wisdome would have disswaded him from a project spunne with so course a threed.
On saileth Earl Richard, and safely arriveth at Ptolemais; where he is well welcomed, especially by the Clergie, solemnly singing, *Idem, pag. 729.Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. He proclaimed, No Christian should depart for want of pay; for he would entertain any, and give them good wages that would do work in this warre. But he found the Christians there shivered into severall factions, and the two great Orders, Hospitallers and Templars, two great confusions of the Holy cause. Of these the Hospitallers were the seniors in standing, their originall being dated eighteen yeares before the Templars; and therefore challenged superiority. But that which made the younger brother so brisk, was, that he was his fathers darling. The Templars in all their broils had support from the Pope, because the others were suspected to have a smack of the Imperiall faction. This made them active, daring, offering of affronts: And what countrey-men soever the Templars were, they were alwayes Italians, that is, true to the Triple Crown. These being madded with ambition, were the more outragious for their …igh fare (their great revenues) and deserved to be dieted with a poorer pittance, except they would have used their strength better. Our Earl knew, to please one side would certainly displease the other, and to please both would probably please neither. Wherefore he managed his matters entirely to himself, without relating to either of the parties, taking no ground of their giving, but bowling at the publick good by the aim of his own eye.
The Sultans in Syria (for the Turkish power there was divided into severall Sultanies, as those of Damascus, *Called anciently Arabia Petraea, Tyrius, lib. 21. cap. 5.Cracci, Seisser, but Babylon the chiefest) hearing of Richards preparations, profered peace unto him. But whilest as yet the conditions were in suspense, Richard fortified Askelon (in all the bunch there was not a better key, or harbour of more importance) not onelyonly to strength but state, with marble pillars and statues; though the silent ruines thereof at this day confesse not to the beholders that any such cost was ever bestowed there. He also caused the corpses of the Christians killed at the late battel at Gaza, and hitherto unburied, decently to be interred; and appointed an annuall salarie to a Priest to pray for their souls. Hereby he had the happinesse with little cost to purchase much credit; and the living being much taken with kindnesse to the dead, this burying of those Christians, with pious persons wonne him as much repute as if he killed so many Turks.
At last the truce for ten yeares was concluded with the Sultan;1241 all Christian captives were discharged and set free, many forts of them restored, and matters for the main reduced to the same estate they were at the first peace with Frederick the Emperour: and Richard returning through Sicily and by Rome, where he visited his Holinesse, safely came home to England: Where he was welcomed with bad news, that a discontented Cornish man, banished for his misdemeanours, had found out tinne-mines in *Matth. Paris, pag. 765.Bohemia; which afterwards more asswaged the swelling of this Earls bags then all his voyage to Palestine: For till that time that metall was onelyonly fetched from England, which afforded meat to some forrein countreys, and dishes to all.
His voyage was variously censured: The Templars which consented not to the peace, flouted thereat, as if all this while he had laboured about a difficult nothing, and as good never a whit as never the better, for the agreement would never hold long. Others thought he had abundantly satisfied any rationall expectation: For he *Camden, in Cornwall.compelled, saith one, the Saracens to truce, (a strange compulsion without violence, except the shewing of a scabbard) he restored many to the life of their life, their liberty; which alone was worth all his pains; the peace he concluded was honourable; and a cheap Olive-branch is better then deare Bayes.
Two of our English Richards were at Palestine; one famous for drawing his sword, the other his purse. He was also remarkable herein, that he brought all his men and ships safe home (next of kin to a miracle) and none will deny, but that in such dangerous adventures a saver is a gainer. One good he got hereby, This journey brought him into play amongst forrein Princes; henceforward the beyond-sea-world took notice of him, and he of it. Never would he have had the face to have courted the Crown Imperiall, if these his travels had not put boldnesse and audacity into him, which made him afterwards a stiff rivall to bid for the Empire of Germany.