The History of the Holy War, Book 4 · Chapter 13 – Chapter 14
Chap. 13. The wise preparations of the Egyptians; The valour of the French at their landing; Damiata wonne.
BUt he stood so long in aiming, that the bird saw him, and had leisure to flie away, and Meladine the Egyptian King to provide himself to make resistance. Last time (some thirty yeares before) whē the Christians under John Bren invaded Egypt, they were not impeached in their arrivall, but suffered to land without any opposition. But Meladine now was sensible of the discommodity in permitting his foes safely to come on shore: For first, they wasted & spoiled the countrey & the provision about them: Secondly, opportunity was given to male-contents and ill-disposed persons to flie to the enemie: Lastly, he found it most policie to keep the enemy off at arms end, and to close at the last; and not to adventure his Kingdome on the single die of a battel, but rather to set it on a chance, that so he might have the more play for it. Wherefore he resolved to strengthen his maritime places, and not suffer them to land; though also herein he met with many difficulties. For as nothing was more certain then that Lewis would set on Egypt, so nothing more uncertain; and because it was unknown at what time or place he would come, all times and places were provided for. This exhausted a masse of treasure to keep in pay so many souldiers for many moneths together. But it is no time to dispute about unnecessary thrift, when a whole Kingdome is brought into question to be subdued.
And because the landing-places in Egypt are of great disadvantage to the defendants, yeelding them no shelter from the fury of their enemies artillery, being all open places and plain (the shores there being not shod against the sea with huge high rocks, as they are in some other countreys, because the land is low and level) Meladine was forced to fortifie welnigh an hundred and eighty miles along the sea-side; and what Nature had left bare, Art put the more clothes on; and by using of great industry (such as by Tully is fitly termed horribilis industria) in short space all that part of Egypt was fenced which respecteth the sea.
Winter being past, Robert Duke of Burgundie and Alphonse King Lewis his brother arrived in Cyprus with a new armie; and hereupon they concluded to set forward for Egypt, and attempted to land neare Damiata.Iune 4. But the governour thereof with a band of valiant souldiers stoutly resisted them. Here was a doubtfull fight: The Egyptians standing on the firm ground, were thereby enabled to improve and *P. Aemyl. pag. 216.inforce their darts to the utmost, whilest the French in their ticklish boats durst not make the best of their own strength. Besides, those on land threw their weapons downwards from the forts they had erected, so that the declivity and downfall did naturally second the violent impression of their darts. How-ever, the Infidels at last were here beaten with what commonly was their own weapon, I mean multitude; so that they fled into the town, leaving behind them their governour and five hundred of their best souldiers dead on the shore.5.
Damiata was a strong city, the taking whereof was accounted the good task of an armie for a yeare. But now the Egyptians within were presented afresh with the memory of the miseries they indured in the last long siege by the Christians; and fearing lest that tragedy should be acted over again, set fire on their houses, and in the night saved themselves by flight. The French issuing in quenched the fire,9. and rescued much corn and other rich spoil from the teeth of the flame.
Meladine much troubled with this losse, to purchase peace *Matth. Paris, pag. 1047.offered the Christians all Jerusalem in as ample a manner as ever formerly they had enjoyed it; all prisoners to be restored, with a great summe of money to defray their charges, and many other good conditions: So that we may much wonder at his profusenesse in these profers, and more at the Christians indiscretion in their refusall. For though some advised to make much of so frank a chapman, and not through covetousnesse to outstand their market;Knolls, Turk. Hist. yet the Popes Legate and Robert Earl of Artois, heightened with pride that they could not see their profit, and measuring their future victories by the largenesse of their first footing in Egypt, would make no bargain except Alexandria the best port in Egypt were also cast in for vantage, to make the conditions down-weight: And King Lewis, whose nature was onelyonly bad because it was so good, would in no wise crosse his brother in what he desired. Whereupon the Turks seeing themselves in so desperate condition, their swords being sharpened on extremity, provided to defend their countrey to the utmost.
Chap. 14. Discords betwixt the French and English; The death & disposition of Meladine King of Egypt.
ABout this time brake out the dissensions betwixt the French and English. The cause whereof (as some say) was, for that the Earl of Sarisbury in sacking a fort got more spoil then the French. But surely the foundation of their discontents lay much lower, being an old enmity betwixt the two nations; and Robert Earl of Artois used Earl William and his men with much discourtesie.
This Robert stood much on the Royaltie of his descent, being brother to King Lewis, though nothing of kin in conditions being as bountifull to deal injuries and affronts as the other alms and charitable deeds. The English Earl, though he stood on the lower ground in point of birth, yet conceived himself to even him in valour and martiall knowledge. And though godly King Lewis used all his holy-water to quench these heart-burnings, his successe answered not his pains, much lesse his desires; onelyonly his cooling perswasions laid their enmities for the present fairly asleep.
Amidst these broils died Meladine the Egyptian King. A worthy Prince he was; though some write very coursely of him: as he must rise early, yea, not at all go to bed, who will have every ones good word. Let Christians speak of him as they found: whose courtesies to them when they were half-drowned in Egypt, if they will not confesse, they deserve to be wholly drowned for their ingratitude. In the latter end of his age he quite lost the good will of his subjects, and lived unloved, and died unlamented, though a deserving and fortunate man, which oftentimes covereth a multitude of faults. The chief reason whereof was, because they suspected him to be unsound in his religion, and offering to Christianity: Besides, having reigned above thirty yeares, his government became stale; and good things, if of long continuance, grow tedious, they being rather affected for their variety then true worth: Lastly, the rising sunne stole the adorers from the sunne setting; and Melechsala his sonne being an active and promising Prince, reigned before in mens desires over the Kingdome. To him now they all applied themselves; and having more wisdome in their generation then the Christians, instantly ceased their private dissensions. And now the Sultans of Damascus, Aleppo, and Babylon twisted themselves in a joynt agreement with Melechsala to defend their Mahometane religion.