The History of the Holy War, Book 5 · Chapter 11
Chap. 11. The second grand errour in prosecuting the Holy warre, being the Christians notorious breaking their faith with Infidels.
NExt unto Superstition, which was deeply inlayed in the Holy warre, we may make the Christians Truce-breaking with the Infidels the second cause of their ill successe. Yet never but once did they break promise with the Turks; which was (as I may say) a constant and continued faith-breaking, never keeping their word. To omit severall straining of the sinews and unjoynting the bones of many a solemn peace, we will onelyonly instance where the neck thereof was clearly broken a sunder.
1. When Godfrey first won Jerusalem, pardon was proclaimed to all the Turks which yeelded themselves; yet three dayes after in cold bloud, they were all, without difference of age or sex, put to the sword.
2. Almerick the first swore, effectually to assist the Saracens in driving the Turks out of Egypt; and soon after invaded Egypt, and warred upon the Turks against his promise. I know something he pretended herein to defend himself, but of no validitie; and such plausible and curious wittie evasions to avoyd perjurie, are but the tying of a most artificiall knot in the halter, therewith to strangle ones own conscience.
3. There was a peace concluded for some time betwixt King Guy and Saladine; which non obstante, Reinold of Castile robbed Saladines own mother: Whereupon followed the miserable overthrow of the Christians, and taking of Jerusalem.
4. Our Richard, at his departure from Palestine, made a firm peace for five yeares with Saladine, and it stood yet in force when Henry Duke of Saxonie coming with a great armie of new adventurers invaded the Turkish dominions.
5. Frederick the second, Emperour, made a truce of ten yeares with the Sultan of Babylon; and yet in despite thereof, Theobald King of Navarre forraged the countrey of Gaza, to the just overthrow of him and his armie.
6. Reinold Vice-roy of Palestine, in the name of Frederick the Emperour, and after him our Richard Earl of Cornwall, drew up a firm peace with the said Sultan; which was instantly disturbed and interrupted by the turbulent Templars.
7. Lastly, the Venetians, in the name of all Christian Princes, concluded a five yeares peace with Alphir the Mammaluke Prince of Egypt; yet some voluntaries in Ptolemais pillaged and robbed many Saracen merchants about the citie. But pardon them this last fault, we will promise they shall never do so any more in Palestine, hereupon losing all they had left there.
And how could Safetie it self save this people, and blesse this project so blackly blasted with perjury! As it is observed of tyrants, Where one goeth, ten are sent to the grave; so where one truce concluded with the Turks did naturally expire and determine, many were violently broken off. A sinne so repugnant to all morall honestie, so injurious to the quiet & peace of the world, so odious in it self, so scandalous to all men, To dissolve a league when confirmed by Oath (the strongest bond of conscience, the end of particular strife, the soulder of publick peace, the sole assurance of amitie betwixt divers nations, made here below, but inrolled in his high court whose glorious name doth signe it;) a sinne, I say, so hainous, that God cannot but most severely punish it.Psal. 15. David asketh, Who shall rest upon thy holy hill? and answereth himself, He that sweareth to his neighbour, and disappointeth him not, though it were to his own hindrance. No wonder then, though the Christians had no longer abidance in the Holy hill of Palestine (though this, I confesse, is but the bark of the text) driving that trade wherewith none ever thrived, the breaking of promises: Wherewith one may for a while fairly spread his train, but he will moult his feathers soon after.