The History of the Holy War, Book 4 · Chapter 12
Chap. 12. Lewis arriveth in Cyprus; The conversion of the Tartarians hindred; The treachery of the Templars.
SAiling forward with a prosperous wind,Sept. 20. he safely arrived in Cyprus; where Alexius Lusignan King of the Island entertained him according to the stateliest hospitality. Here the pestilence (one of the ready attendants on great armies) began to rage: And though a French *P. Aemyl. in Ludov. 9. pag. 215.writer saith it was minax magis quàm funesta, yet we find in others, that two hundred and fourty Gentlemen of note died by force of the infection.
Hither came the Embassadours from a great Tartarian Prince (but surely not from Cham himself) invited by the fame of King Lewis his piety, professing to him, That he had renounced his Paganisme, and embraced Christianity; and that he intended to send messengers to Pope Innocent to be further instructed in his religion. But some Christians which were in Tartary disswaded him from so doing, left the Tartarians coming to Rome should behold the dissolutenesse of mens lives there, and so refuse to suck the milk of sweet doctrine from so sowre and bitter nipples, besmeared about with bad and scandalous conversation. Yea, never could the Christian religion be shewed to *P. Aemyl. ut pri…s.Pagans at any time on more disadvantages: Grecians and Latines were at deadly feud; amongst the Latines, Guelfes and Gibellines sought to ruine each other: Humility was every-where preached, and pride practised: They perswaded others to labour for heaven, and fell out about earth themselves: Their lives were contrary to their doctrines, and their doctrines one to another.
1249But as for these Embassadours, King Lewis received them very courteously, dismissing them with bounteous gifts. And by them he sent to their master a Tent, wherein the history of the Bible was as richly as curiously depicted in needle-work; hoping thus to catch his soul in his eyes, and both in that glorious present: Pictures being then accounted lay-mens books, though since of many condemned as full of errata's, and never set forth by authority from the King of heaven to be means or workers of faith.
Whilest Lewis stayed in Cyprus, the Templars in the Holy land began to have his greatnesse in suspicion. This Order (as both the other, of Hospitallers and Teutonicks) though mown down to the bare roots at the last unfortunate battel, yet now in three yeares space sprung up as populous as ever before; their other brethren which lived in their severall Covents and Commandries over all Europe, having now refurnished the houses in Palestine.
Now these Templars were loth King Lewis should come to Ptolemais, though they counterfeited he should be very welcome there. They formerly there had commanded in chief without controll, and were unwilling, having long sat in the saddle, now to dismount and hold the stirrup to another. Besides, they would not have so neat and cleanly a guest see their sluttish houses, fearing Lewis his piety would shame their dissolutenesse (being one so godly in his conversation, that by the preaching in his life he had converted many *P. Aemyl. pag. 216.Saracens) yea, perchance he being a strict Disciplinarian would punish their vitious manners. Wherefore they wrote to him out of Syria, to accept of a peace with the Sultan of Egypt now offered, and to proceed no further in warre against him.
The French King, whose heart was ever open to any fair agreement, and shut against any dishonourable suspicions, had entertained the motion, had not the King of Cyprus, being more studied in the Templars treacheries, better instructed him: For he told him, this was but a *Knolls, Turk. bist. pag. 102.trick of their great Master, who under-hand had sent to the Sultan, and procured him to profer this peace onelyonly for their own private ends, for to divert the King from coming amongst them. Lewis, though the mildest and most patient of Princes, yet not a drone which wanted the sting of anger, commanded the Master of the Templars upon the price of his head thenceforward to receive no Embassage, nor keep any intelligence with their enemy, and resolved with himself to invade Egypt.