The History of the Holy War, Book 5 · Chapter 22 – Chapter 23
Chap. 22. The English and Italian service compared; Of the Spanish, Polish, Norvegian, Hungarian, Danish, and Swedish performance in this warre.
NExt in this race of honour follow England and Italie, being very even and hard-matched. England (it is no flatterie to affirm what envie cannot denie) spurreth up close for the prize; and though she had a great disadvantage in the starting (Italie being much nearer to Palestine) yet she quickly recovered it. Our countrey sent one King (Richard the first) and three Kings sonnes (Robert Courthois, Richard of Cornwall, and Prince Edward) to this warre. Yea, England was a dayly friend to this action: and besides these great and grosse summes of visible adventurers, she dropped and cast in privily many a Pilgrime of good qualitie; so that there was scarce any remarkable battel or memorable siege done through the warre wherein there were not some English of eminent desert.
Yet Italy cometh not any whit behind, if the atchievements of her severall States, Venetians, Genoans, Pisans, Sicilians, Florentines, were made and moulded up together: Yea, for sea-service and engineers in this warre, they bear the bell away from all other nations. But these things allay the Italian service: 1. It was not so abstracted from the dregs of mercinarinesse as that of other countreys (whose adventurers counted their very work herein sufficient wages) but before they would yeeld their assistance they indented and covenanted with the King of Jerusalem to have such and such profits, pensions, and priviledges in all places they took, to them and their posteritie; not as an honorarie reward freely conferred on them, but in nature of wages ex pacto contracted for aforehand: as the Genoans had in Ptolemais, and the Venetians in Tyre. 2. These Italians stopped two gaps with one bush:Tyrius, lib. 10. cap. 28. & lib. 12. cap. 25. they were Merchant-Pilgrimes, & together applied themselves to profit and pietie. Here in Tyre they had their banks, and did drive a sweet trade of spices and other Eastern commodities. 3. Lastly, As at first they gave good milk, so they kicked it down with their heel, and by their mutuall discord caused the losse of all they helped to gain in Syria.
Spain was exercised all the time of this warre in defending her self against the Moores and Saracens in her own bowels: Yet such was her charitie, that whilest her own house was on burning, she threw some buckets of water to quench her neighbours: and as other nations cast their superfluitie, she her widows mite into the treasurie of this action; and produceth two Theobalds Kings of Navarre, and Alphonse King of Castile, that undertook expeditions to Palestine.
Hungary sheweth one King, Andrew; who washed himself in Jordan, and then shrinking in the wetting returned presently home again. But this countrey, though it self did go little, yet was much gone through to the Holy warre (being the rode to Syria for all land-armies) and merited well in this action, in giving peaceable passage and courteous entertainment to Pilgrimes; as to Duke Godfrey, and Frederick Barbarossa, with all their souldiers as they travelled through it. Had the Kings of Hungarie had the same principle of basenesse in their souls as the Emperours of Grecia, they had had the same cause of jealousie against the Christians that passed this way; yet they used them most kindly, and disdained all dishonourable suspicions. True it is, at the first voyage, King Coloman, not out of crueltie but carefulnesse and necessarie securitie, did use his sword against some unruly and disorderly Pilgrimes: but none were there abused which first abused not themselves. But what-ever Hungarie was in that age, it is at this day Christendomes best land-bulwark against the Turks: Where this prettie custome is used, That the men wear so many feathers as they have killed Turks; which if observed elsewhere, either feathers would be lesse, or valour more in fashion.
Poland could not stirre in this warre, as lying constant perdue of Christendome against the Tartarian;1147 yet we find *Munst. Cosmog. in Polon.Boleslaus Crispus Duke or King thereof (waiting on, shall I say? or) accompanying Conrade the Emperour in his voyage to Palestine; and having defraid all his and his armies costs and charges towards Constantinople, he returned home, as not to be spared in his own countrey. But if by King Davids *1. Sam. 30.24.statute, the keepers of the baggage are to be sharers in the spoil with the fighters of the battel, then surely Poland and such other countreys may entitle themselves to the honour of the warre in Palestine; which in the mean time kept home, had an eye to the main chance, and defended Europe against forrein invaders.
Norway (in that age the sprucest of the three Kingdomes of Scandia, and best tricked up with shipping; though at this day the case is altered with her, and she turned from taking to paying of tribute) sent her fleet of tall souldiers to Syria: who like good fellows, asked nothing for their work but their victuals, and valiantly wonne the citie of Sidon for the King of Jerusalem. And it is considerable, that Syria (but a step or stride from Italie) was a long race from Norway; so that their Pilgrimes went not onelyonly into another countrey but into another world.
Denmark was also partner in the foresaid service.1145 Also afterwards, Ericus *Vide Calvisium in anno 1145. & Io. Magnum, Hist Goth. lib. 19. cap. 10.her King, though he went not quite through to the Holy land, yet behaved himself bravely in Spain, and there assisted the winning of Lisbon from the Infidels. His successour *Baronius, in anno 1189.Canutus anno 1189, had provided his navie, but was prevented by death: his ships neverthelesse came to Syria.
Of Sweden in this grand-jurie of nations I heare no Vous avez; but her default of appearance hath been excused *Lib. 1. cap. 13.before.
Chap. 23. Of the Scottish, Welsh, and Irish, their severall adventures.
THere remain behind the Scottish, Welsh, and Irish. It may occasion suspicion, that these nations either did neglect or are neglected in this Holy warre, because clean through this Historie there is no mention of them or their atchievements. True it is, these countreys can boast of no King of their own sent to Syria, nor of any great appearing service by them alone performed. It seemeth then they did not so much play the game themselves, as bet on the hands of others: and haply the Scottish service is accounted to the French; the Welsh and Irish, to the English.
That Scotland was no ciphre in this warre, plainly appeareth; 1. In that *Buchan. in Guilielmo Seniore.David, Earl of Huntington, and younger brother to William the Elder King of Scotland, went along with our Richard the first; no doubt suitably attended with souldiers. This David was by a tempest cast into Egypt, taken captive by the Turks, bought by a Venetian, brought to Constantinople, there known and redeemed by an English merchant, and at last safely arrived at *Hect. Boeth.Alectum in Scotland; which Alectum he in memorie and gratitude of his return called Dundee, or Dei donum, Gods gift. 2. By the plentifull provision which there was made for the Templars and Hospitallers: Who here enjoyed great priviledges; this amongst many others,Third book of Majest. cap. 18. (Take the Scottish law in its pure naturals) That the Master of the Knicts of the Temple and cheefe Priors of the Hospitall of Jerusalem (wha were keepers of strangers to the Haly grave) sould be receaved themselves personally in any suit without entertaining a procuratour for them. Nor must we here forget a Saint, William a Scot, of Perth by birth, by trade a baker, in charitie so abundant that he gave his tenth loaf to the poore, in zeal so fervent that he vowed to visit the Holy land. But in his journey, as he passed through Kent,Lambert, Peramb. Kent. he was slain by his servant, buried at Rochester; afterwards Sainted, and shewed many miracles.
Neither may we think, whilest all other nations were at this Martiall school, that Wales the while truanted at home. The Welsh, saith my *W. Malms. lib. 4. pag. 133.Authour, left their forrests; and now with them no sport to the hunting of Turks: especially after that *Camden, in Pembr.Wizo and Walter his sonne, had founded the fair Commandrie for Hospitallers at Slebach in Pembroke-shire, and endowed it with rich revenues.
Ireland also putteth in for her portion of honour in this service. Indeed, for the first fourescore yeares in the Holy warre, Ireland did little there, or in any other countrey. It was divided into many pettie Kingdomes; so that her peoples valour had no progressive motion in length, to make any impression in forrein parts, but onelyonly moved round in a circle at home, their pettie Reguli spending themselves against themselves, till our Henry the second conquered them all. After which time the Irish began to look abroad into Palestine: witnesse many houses for Templars, and the stately Priorie of Kilmainam nigh Dublin for Hospitallers; the last Lord Prior whereof at the dissolution, was Sir John Rawson. Yea, we may well think, that all the consort of Christendome in this warre could have made no musick if the Irish Harp had been wanting.