Austrian dispatch

^ The man who had taken the letter into the Arsenal came back in a quarter of an hour, and told us that the eflendi was over at the Marine, a building adjacent. I sent it in by a messenger, who presently returned, and said that Sali Pacha wished to see me. I was accordingly ushered in, the ceremony of taking off my shoes being dispensed with, and found this gentleman, who has an important post in the Turkish navy, sitting on a divan at the end of a large room, looking on to the Golden Horn, and swinging the string of beads, to which 1 have before alluded. To my delight he spoke Bnglish perfectly, and was well acquainted with our metropolis. We had an agreeable chat for a few minutes, on comparison between London and Stamboul ; and then lie took charge of my hitter, telling me that the Effie was at Smyrna, but that lie would take my address, and I might calculate on its being safely delivered.

So the document was at last, to a certain extent, on its right mission; which, but for this gentleman’s courtesy, I do not suppose it would ever have been. The trouble I had in getting rid of it may show the difficulty of presenting a Turkish letter of introduction. Stampa subsequently told me that it was.a wonder how anything in the way of publicity or correspondence at Constantinople was managed at all, with streets having no names, and hundreds of people the same. lie said that a post delivery was unknown. If the people did not go after their letters they never got them; but that sometimes, even under these circumstances, they got somebody else’s, which appeared to answer just as well. Amongst the Franks this is all excellently managed. There is a letter-box, both for the Austrian and French mails; besides our own steamers. I believe the Austrian dispatch is the quickest, but the police in that empire have an ugly knack of opening all the letters that go through their hands.

An honest English dinner

That evening, a few of my kind English friends, resident at Constantinople, collected in a snug little house, on the bold hill beyond the large burying ground at Peru, and gave me a dinner — an honest English dinner, of joint and pudding, and goodly beer. It was a pleasant meeting, so far from home. It was capital to hear make the headlands over the Holden Horn echo again, through the open windows, with a tine old English sea-ballad, and thaugh with such heartiness, at the latest London jokes, that his amiable wife told me afterwards she had never known him so inclined to leave the East and return again; so much had wo stirred up his old home feelings by songs and stories. Even “Jeannette and Jeannot,” and “When other lips,” came out bran spick-and-span new; and a scene from “Box and Cox,” played extempore, with dreadful interpolations and deficiencies, was pronounced so fine a thing, that L wonder, upon the strength of the applause, the performers did not, from that moment, renounce all other pursuits but the drama.

Then we had small speeches, and homely toasts; not dismal conventional affairs, but little heartfelt bits, that came well into such companionship; and be sure that there were many in England to whose health and happiness we drank that night, three thousand miles away. And when another guest arrived late, and told us daily ephesus tours, on diplomatic authority, that the Sultan had determined not give up the poor Hungarian people who had come to him for shelter, there was such a thorough-bred British cheer, that I think that if the Emperor of Russia had heard it, it would have knocked him completely over, powerful gentleman as he is.

Our lanterns glimmered along the street of Pera that evening at an unwonted hour, quite astonishing the -watchmen; and as wo crossed the great burying ground, the dogs were sleeping about it so thickly, that they looked collecting like a flock of sheep. But they did not annoy us; onH|ie contrary, one poor animal followed us, in a most humble manner, as far as the circus; when, probably reflecting that he would overpass hig own boundaries if he came further, he gave a dismal howl of parting salutation, and was immediately lost in the darkness.

Beards assumed a most venerable appearance

It was very hot, and the road was very dusty—indeed, the whole country about appeared parched up to the last degree of drought. We put up the windows, but the dust still got in, and, before long, our beards assumed a most venerable appearance. We stopped to bait at a little wine-shed, half-way on the road, where there was a well, and where one or two Albanians, lounging about under a rude trellis of grapes, made an effective “bit.” Here we had some iced lemonade, which appeared to be all the establishment afforded, with some lumps of Turkish sweetmeat; and then we dragged on again for another half-hour, in the heat and dust, until we were deposited at the door of the Hotel d’Qrient — a fine house, furnished in the English fashion, and formerly a palace, as the toutcr had informed us. Demetri now told us that he let horses, with English saddles, to travellers; and that, if wo wished to see all the “ lions,” we must hire some, otherwise there would not bo time to do so. So we had up some stumbling ponies from the town, for which we were to pay a dollar each; and then started to visit the wonders, and be back to dinner by five o’clock.

“ Athens in six hours” is rather quick work to be sure; however, after I had been taken the round of the usual sights, I should have been sorry to have remained there much longer. But the exceeding beauty of the ruins can scarcely be overpraised; albeit, the degree of enthusiasm, real or conventional, with which one regards them, must depend entirely upon such early classical training as the traveller may have been fortunate enough to have

undergone. Yet I doubt whether I could have gazed upon those of graceful remains with greater delight than I did on this occasion, had I gone through any further preparation to visit them, than had been afforded by an ordinary public school education. Apart from their histories and their associations — their lovely symmetry, the effect of their clean sandstone color against the bright blue sky, their admirable position, and the horizon of finely swelling purple hills almost surrounding them, broken to the south-west by the silver harbor of the Piraeus, were quite sufficient to call up the most vivid sensations of delight. Their beauty, also, was enhanced by the picturesque people who idled about them — all was so artistic, so sunny, so admirably thrown together, that whichever way the eye was turned, it appeared to rest on the reality of some exquisite drop-scene.

Elgin marbles

Guardians are stationed where there is anything to knock off and carry away more portable than the Elgin marbles. The interior of the temple of Theseus is used as a museum; and the fragments arc of greater interest, oven to the most ordinary traveller, than such as he may elsewhere encounter. Here we made a luncheon from some singularly fine grapes and fresh figs, with bread, spread on part of a column, and then proceeded to the Acropolis, which Demetri had properly kept for the last visit. From hence the view was most superb, but it wanted the relief of green. Everything, for miles round, was baked up.

The channel of the Ilyssus was without water, and the barley which covers the undulating ground had all been cut, leaving only the naked hot reddish tracts of land rose festival tour. The guardians had a sort of habitation below the Propykea, and cultivated a few vegetables in small artificial gardens, the leaves of which looked quite refreshing. Amongst the masses of marble ruins which the Turks had tumbled down from the Parthenon, to make cannon-balls from, or grind up for mortar, several wild plants trailed and flourished. One of these bore a green fruit, which, being ripe, burst, into dust the instant it was touched, however gently, by the foot; and the guides appeared more anxious to call the attention of the visitors to this fact, than to the solemn glories of the Acropolis.

The superintendence of the monks

From the church, we traversed the court, in which were many fine goats; and a boy with a light iron collar round his neck—merely to show that he was a culprit—was at work, under the superintendence of the monks. This appeared to me to be a far better road to reform than the prison at Constantinople. Then we went up stairs and along an open gallery, into which the cells opened. One of these had a divan round three sides of it, with a wooden press on the other : and this was all the furniture. The walls and ceiling were of wood, and none of it was painted. The windows commanded beautiful views of the entire island, or nearly so—the sea of Marmora, and the opposite coast of Scutari; but it must have been a sad lonely and exposed place in winter.

We took our seats on the divan, concerning which article, by the way, I may just allude to an odd contradiction in our language. We call a couch to sit or lie upon, a sofa; and by a divan wc generally mean a room appropriated to smoking; now, by a sofa the Turks mean a particular room, and their divan is a long soft settle to recline on. In a little time an elderly woman brought up some rakee and preserved quince; and afterwards coffee. Pipes were also offered to the guests; and then, contributing a trifle each to the box of the convent, we took our leave.

Different to that of the scowling priests

I am sure these monks were good creatures. They were evidently very poor indeed; but there was a cheerful courtesy about them, very pleasing; and the mild intelligence of their faces was very different to that of the scowling priests who haunt the Italian cities. This convent was their world: they seldom left it, and the casual arrival of strangers was possibly their greatest excitement; for, in reality, their position was far more lonely than that of the Great St. Bernard monks, who see as much and as varied company, during the “ season,” as a Rhine hotel-keeper. Europe had been rent by convulsions, and was still in the throes of fresh troubles, hut Prince’s Island was too much out of the way for any one to disturb its tranquillity ; and so the inmates of the old convents lived on, calmly enough, waiting for death, and if they knew no great joys, they had but few sorrows.

We had great excitement all the way down the hill. The descent was on smooth grass, and our saddles were not of a first-rate description, but kept slipping on to the donkeys’ necks ; and then we all went down together. This happened to each of us three or four times. The stirrups also were fastened to the same strap, which played loosely through the saddle; so that if you made too great an inclination on one side, without counteracting it, you came over that way. I never tumbled about so much as on that short journey; hut the grass was soft, and it made fun enough city tours istanbul.

We went to another convent, close to which was a covered wooden platform, like a steward’s stand at the races, only much lower. Here three or four handsome girls were dancing a polka to their own voices, and an old monk was looking on. As they saw us approach, they stopped, and flew off, like startled deer, into the adjoining woods. We sat with the priest a little time, and made him a present of some sweetmeats, which a travelling vendor passed with at that minute. He told us that the girls had come up from the village, and that it did him good to see them dancing.

I do not wonder at this.

Calling back their pretty faces,

I do not think there are many who would not also have felt considerably better from a glimpse of them.

We spent a pleasant idle day in the woods, and got back to the village between four and five, when its most novel and characteristic feature presented itself. The whole population had turned out, to walk about in their finest clothes, up and down the promenade in front of the wooden coffee-houses. All the seats and narghiles were engaged, as well in the cafes as on the sea-view platform opposite. Some of the people had evidently taken up their positions at an early hour, to have a good place: others formed little groups in the porticos; others flitted and vended about from one party to the other.

Bailiffs dispossess

“ From henceforth we command that our provosts am I bailiffs dispossess no man from the season which he hold; without full enquiry, or Our own especial order; and that they impose upon Our people no new exactions, taxes an imposts; and that they compel no one to come forth to d service in arms, for the purpose of exacting money from him for We order that none who owes Us service in arms shall b summoned to join the host without sufficient cause, and that those who would desire to come to the host in person should not be compelled to purchase exemption by money Daymen “ Moreover, we forbid Our bailiffs and provosts forever com, wine and other merchandise from being taken out c Our kingdom, save for sufficient cause; and when it is convenient that these goods should not be taken out of the kingdom, the ordinance shall be made publicly, in the council of worthy and competent elders, and without suspicion of fraud or misdoing.

“ Similarly We ordain that all bailiffs, viscounts, provosts, me mayors do remain, after they have left office, for the pace of forty days in the land where such office has been exercised remaining there in person, or by deputy so that . hey may answer to the new bailiffs in respect of any wrong one to such as may wish to bring a complaint against them.”

By these ordinances the king did much to improve the condition of the kingdom.

REFORM OF THE PROVOSTSHIP OF PARIS

The provostship of Paris was at that time sold to the citizens of Paris, or indeed to any one; and those who bought he office upheld their children and nephews in wrongdoing; nd the young folk relied in their misdoings on those who copied the provostship. For which reason the mean people were greatly downtrodden; nor could they obtain entice against the rich, because of the great presents and if its that the latter made to the provosts tour bulgaria.

Whenever at that time any one spoke the truth before the roost, and wished to keep his oath, refusing to perjure himself regarding any debt, or other matter on which he was found to give evidence, then the provost levied a fine upon hat person, and he was punished. And because of the great justice that was done, and the great robberies perpetrated 1 the provostship, the mean people did not dare to sojourn I the king’s land, but went and sojourned in other provost- lips and other lordships. And the king’s land was so departed that when the provost held his court, no more than ender twelve people came thereto.

With all this there were so many malefactors and thieves 1 Paris and the country adjoining that all the land was full f them. The king, who was very diligent to enquire how are mean people were governed and protected, soon knew he truth of this matter. So he forbade that the office of provost in Paris should be sold; and he gave great and good ages to those who henceforward should hold the said office, aid he abolished all the evil customs harmful to the people; nd be caused enquiry to be made throughout the kingdom o find men who would execute good and strict justice, and 0t spare the rich any more than the poor.

Colt’s Crossing

On the following day the host lay at a place called the “ Colt’s Crossing,” where the water is very good, and there with they water the plants from which sugar comes. When we were encamped, one of my knights came to me and said: “ Lord, I have lodged you in a fairer place than you were lodged in yesterday.” “mother knight, who had chosen my yesterday’s camping-ground, sprang upon him in wrath, and cried: “ You are over-bold in speaking of any thing I may have done! ” And he sprang upon him and took him by the hair. Then I sprang upon him in turn, and hit him with my fist between the two shoulders, and he let go. And I said to him: “ Quick, out of my quarters, for, so help me God, you shall never again be follower of mine.”

The knight went away, showing great dole and sorrow, and brought to me my Lord Giles le Bran, the Constable of France; and for the great repentance that my Lord Giles saw in the knight on account of the folly he had wrought, he besought me, as instantly as he could, to take him back into my household. And I replied that I would not take him back unless the legate released me from my oath. To the legate they went, and told him of the matter; and the legate answered that he had not power to release me, because the oath was reasonable; for the knight had well deserved his punishment. And these things I relate to you so that you may keep from taking any oath which in reason it were not convenient to take; for, as the wise man says, “ Who swears lightly, lightly forswears himself.”

EXPEDITION AGAINST BELINAS AND JOINVILLE IN ERIL

On the following day the king went and encamped before the city of Assur, which in the Bible is called Tyre. There the king called together the men of note in the host, and asked them if it would be well to go and rake the city of Belinas before he went to Sayette. We all thought it would be well if the king sent his people thither; but no one advised that he should go thither himself; and with great difficulty was he dissuaded therefrom. Finally it was decided that the Count of Eu should go, and mv Lord Philip of Montfort, the Lord of Assur, my Lord Giles le Bran, Constable of trainee, my Lord Peter the Chamberlain, the Master of the temple and his brethren, and the Master of the Hospital and is bretliren also.

Emir presented his letters of credence

The king told the emir to say what was his will; and the emir presented his letters of credence, and spoke thus: “ My lord sends me to ask if you know him ? ” And the Kir answered that he did not know him, for he had never him; but that he had often heard tell of him. “ And senex that you have heard tell of my lord,” said the emir, “ marvel greatly that you have not sent him so much of you substance as would keep him for your friend like as Emperor of Germany, the King of Hungary, the Soldan Babylon, and the rest do year by year, because they of a certainty that they can only keep their lives as long ; my lord pleases. And if it does not suit you to do this, cause him to be acquitted of the tribute that he owes to tl Hospital and to the Temple, and he will cry quits with you (Now at that time the Old Man of the Mountain paid a tribe to the Temple and to the Hospital, for the Templars are Hospitallers stood in no fear of the Assassins, seeing that the Old Man had nothing to gain by the death of the Master , the Temple or of the Hospital, inasmuch as he knew well that if he caused one to be killed, another, equally goo would be put in his place. Wherefore he had no wish 1 sacrifice his Assassins in a service where there was nothing be gained.)

The king answered the emir that he would see him again the afternoon.

When the emir returned, he found the king seated so that le Master of the Hospital was on the one side of him and le Master of the Temple on the other. Then the king told emir to say again what he had said in the morning. And le emir replied he had no intention of repeating what he id said save in the presence of those who had been with the ng in the morning. Then the two masters said: “We you to repeat what you said.” And he answered late as they commanded it he would do so. Then the two asters caused him to be told, in the Saracen tongue, that he told come on the morrow and speak to them at the hospital.

When he came to them on the morrow the two masters I used him to be told that his lord was very rash in daring address such rude words to the king: and they caused n to ne told further, that if it were not for the king’s moor, to whom they had come as envoys, they should have drowned in the foul sea of Acre, in their lord’s despite. And we command you to return to your lord, and to come ick here within fifteen days, bringing to the king, on the of your lord, such letters, and such jewels, that the king ay hold himself appeased, and have you in his good grace.”

DEATH JOINVILLE REJOINS

INTERVIEW BETWEEN JOINVILLE AND THE ADMIRAL OF THE GALLEYS THE SICK PUT TO DEATH JOINVILLE REJOINS THE OTHER PRISONERS AT MANSOURAH

The chief emir of the galleys sent for me and asked me if I were cousin to the king; and I said “No,” and told him how and why the mariner had said I was the king’s cousin. And he said I had acted wisely, for otherwise we should all have been put to death. And he asked me if I was in any manner of the lineage of the Emperor Frederic of Germany, who was then living. I replied that I thought my lady mother was the emperor’s cousin-german. And he said that he loved me the more for it.

Citizen of Paris

While we were at meat, he caused a citizen of Paris to be brought before us. When the citizen came in, he said to me: “ Lord, what are you doing? ” “ Why, what am I doing? ” said I. “ In God’s name,” said he, “ you are eating flesh on a Friday! ” When I heard that, I put my bowl behind me. And the emir asked my Saracen why I had done so, and he told him. And the emir replied that God would not take what I had done amiss, seeing I did it unwittingly. And you must know that this same reply was given to me by the Legate after we were out of prison; and yet, notwithstanding, I did not afterwards forbear to fast on bread and water, every Friday in Lent; wherefore the legate was very wroth with me, seeing that I was the only man of substance that had remained with the king.

On the Sunday after, the emir caused me, and all the other prisoners taken on the water, to be landed on the bank of the river. While they were taking my Lord John, my good priest, out of the hold of the galley, he fainted, and they killed him and threw him into the river. His clerk fainted also, by reason of the sickness of the host that was upon him, and they threw a mortar on his head, so that he died, and they threw him into the river.

While the other sick people were being disembarked from the galleys in which they had been kept prisoners, there were Saracens standing by, with naked swords, who killed those that fell, and cast them all into the river. I caused them to be told, through my Saracen, that it seemed to me his was not well done; for it was against the teachings of paladin, who said you ought never to kill a man after he taken of your bread and of your salt. And the emir, answered that the men in question were of no account, seeing hey were helpless because of the sickness they had upon hem.

IN FRONT OF THE SARACENS

THE CRUSADERS DISEMBARK IN FRONT OF THE SARACENS

My Lord Baldwin of Rheims, a right good man, who had come to land, requested me, by his squire, to wait for him; and I let him know I should do so willingly, for that a right good man such as he ought surely to be waited for in like case of need, whereby I had his favour all the time that he lived. With him came to us a thousand knights; and you may be assured that, when I landed, I had neither squire, nor knight, nor varlet that I had brought with me from my own country, and yet God never left me without such as I needed.

At our left hand landed the Count of Jaffa, who was cousin-german to the Count of Montbeliard, and of the lineage of Joinville. It was he who landed in greatest pride, for his galley came all painted, within and without, with escutcheons of his arms, which arms are or with a cross of gules patee. He had at least three hundred rowers in his galley, and for each rower there was a targe with the count’s arms thereon, and to each targe was a pennon attached with his arms wrought in gold.

While he was coming it seemed as if his galley flew, so did the rowers urge it forward with their sweeps; and it seemed as if the lightning were falling from the skies at the sound that the pennants made, and the cymbals, and the drums, and the Saracenic horns that were in his galley. So soon as the galley had been driven into the sand as far up as they could drive it, both he and his knights leapt from the galley, well armed and well equipped, and came and arrayed themselves beside us.

I had forgotten to tell you that when the Count of Jaffa landed he immediately caused Ids tents and pavilions to be pitched; and so soon as the. Saracens saw them pitched, they all came and gathered before us, and then came on again, spurring hotly, as if to run in upon us. But when they saw that we should not fly, they shortly turned and went back again.

On our right hand, at about a long-crossbow-shot’s distance, landed the galley that bore the ensign of St. Denis. And there was a Saracen who, when they had landed, came and charged in among them, either because he could not hold in his horse, or because he thought the other Saracens would follow him; but he was hacked in pieces.

ST. LEWIS TAKES POSSESSION OF DAMIETTA

When the king heard tell that the ensign of St. Denis was on shore he went across his ship with large steps; and maigre the legate who was with him he would not leave from following the ensign, but leapt into the sea, which was up to his armpits. So he went, with his shield hung to his neck, and his helmet on his head, and his lance in his hand, till he came to his people who were on the shore customised private istanbul tour. When he reached the land, and looked upon the Saracens, he asked what people they were, and they told him they were Saracens; and he put his lance to his shoulder, and his shield before him, and would have run in upon the Saracens if the right worthy men who were about him would have suffered it.

The Saracens sent thrice to the Soldan, by carrier-pigeons, to say that the king had landed, but never received any message in return, because the Soldan’s sickness was upon him. Wherefore they thought that the Soldan was dead, and abandoned Damietta. The king sent a knight forward to know if it was sooth that Damietta was so abandoned. The

knight returned to the king and said it was sooth and that he had been into the houses of the Soldan. Then the king sent for the legate and all the pi elates of the host, and all chanted with a loud voice  Deumlaudamtts. Afterwards the king mounted his horse, and we all likewise, and we went and encamped before Damietta.

Very unadvisedly did the Turks leave Damietta, in that they did not cut the bridge of boats, for that would have been a great hindrance to us; but they wrought us very much hurt in setting fire to the bazaar, where all the merchandise is collected, and everything that is sold by weight. The damage that followed from this was as great as if which God forbid! some one were, to-morrow, to set fire to the Petit-Pont in Paris.

Now let us declare that God Almighty was very gracious to us when He preserved us from death and peril on our dis-embarkation, seeing that we landed on foot and affronted our enemies who were mounted. Great grace did our Lord also show us when He delivered Damietta into our hands, for otherwise we could only have taken it by famine, and of this we may be fully assured, for it was by famine that King John had taken it in the days of our fathers (in 1219).

JOHANNIZZA CONTINUES RAVAGES

JOHANNIZZA CONTINUES HIS CONQUESTS AND RAVAGES

Near there was another city called Panedor, which sur-rendered to him; and he caused it to be utterly destroyed, and the people to be led captive to Wallachia like the people of Rodosto. Afterwards he rode to the city of Heraclea, that lay by a good seaport, and belonged to the Venetians, who had left in it but a weak garrison; so he assaulted it, and took it by force. There again was a mighty slaughter, and the remnant that escaped the slaughter he caused to be led captive to Wallachia, while the city itself he destroyed, as he had destroyed the others.

Thence he marched to the city of Daonium, which was very strong and fine; and the people did not dare to defend it. So he caused it to he destroyed and rased to the ground. Then he marched to the city of Tzurulum, which had already surrendered to him, and caused it to be destroyed and rased to the ground, and the people to be led away captive. And thus he dealt with every castle and city that surrendered; even though he had promised them safety, he caused the buildings to be destroyed, and the men and women to be led away captive; and no covenant that he made did he ever keep, ~

Then the Comans and Wallachians scoured the land up to che gates of Constantinople, where Henry the Regent then was, with as many men as he could command; and very dolorous was he and very wroth, because he could not get men enough to defend his land. So the Comans seized the cattle off the land, and took captive men, women, and children, and destroyed the cities and castles, and caused such ruin and desolation that never has man heard tell of greater.

So they came to a city called Athyra, which was twelve leagues from Constantinople, and had been given to Payen of Orleans by Henry, the emperor’s brother. This city held a very great number of people, for the dwellers in the country round about had fled thither; and the Comans assaulted it, and took it by force. There the slaughter was so great, that there had been none such in any city where they had been. And you must know that all the castles and all the cities that surrendered to Johannizza under promise of safety were destroyed and rased to the ground, and the people led away captive to Wallachia in such manner as you have heard guided istanbul tour.

And you must know that within five days’ journey from Constantinople there remained nothing to destroy save only the city of Bizye, and the city of Salymbria, which were garrisoned by the French. And in Bizye abode Anseau of Cayeux, with six score knights, and in Salymbria abode Macaire of Sainte-Menehould with fifty knights; and Henry the brother of the Emperor Baldwin remained in Constanti nople with the remainder of the host. And you may know that their fortunes were at the lowest, seeing that outside of Constantinople they had kept possession of no more than these two cities.

THE GREEKS ARE RECONCILED TO THE CRUSADERS JOHANNIZZA BESIEGES DEMOTICA

When the Greeks who were in the host with Johannizza the same who had yielded themselves up to him, and rebelled against the Franks- -when they saw how he destroyed their castles and cities, and kept.no covenant with them, theyTield themselves to be but dead men, and betrayed. They spoke one to another, and said that as Johannizza had dealt with other cities, so would he deal with Adrianople and Demotica, when he returned thither, and that if these two cities were destroyed, then was Roumania for ever lost.

So the}’ took messengers privily, and sent them to Vernas in Constantinople. And they besought Vernas to cry for pity to Henry, the brother of the Emperor Baldwin, and to the Venetians, so that they might make peace with them; and they themselves, in turn, would restore Adrianople and Demotica to the Franks; and the Greeks would all turn to Henry; and the Greeks and Franks dwell together in good accord.

So a council was held, and many words were spoken this way and that, but in the end it was settled that Adrianople and Demotica, with all their appurtenances, should be be stowed on Vernas and the empress his wife, who was sister to the King Philip of France, and that they should do service therefor to the emperor and to the empire. Such was the convention made and concluded, and so was peace established between the Greeks and the Franks.

BALDWIN COUNT OF FLANDERS ELECTED EMPEROR

Then a parliament assembled, and the commons of the host declared that an emperor must be elected, as had been settled aforetime. And they parliament so long that the matter was adjourned to another day, and on that day would they choose the twelve electors who were to make the election. Nor was it possible that there should be lack of candidates, or of men covetous, seeing that so great an honour was in question as the imperial throne of Constanti nople. But the greatest discord that arose was the discord concerning Count Baldwin of Flanders and Hainault and the Marquis Boniface of Montferrat; for all the people said that either of those two should be elected.

And when the chief men of the host saw that all held either for Count Baldwin or for the Marquis of Montferrat, they conferred together and said: “ Lords, if we elect one of these two great men, the other will be so filled with envy that he will take away with him all his people. And then the land that we have won may be lost, just as the land of Jerusalem came nigh to be lost when, after it had been con quered, Godfrey of Bouillon was elected king, and the Count of St. Giles became so fulfilled with envy that he enticed the other barons, and whomsoever he could, to abandon the host.

God had not sustained them

Then did many people depart, and there remained so few that, if God had not sustained them, the land of Jerusalem ‘ would have been lost. Let us therefore beware lest the same mischance befall us also, and rather bethink ourselves how we may keep both these lords in the host. Let the one on whom God shall bestow the empire so devise that the other is well content; let him grant to that other all the land on the further side of the straits, towards Turkey, and the Isle of Greece, and that other shall be his liegeman. Thus shall we keep both lords in the host.”

As had been proposed, so was it settled, and both con sented right willingly. Then came the day for the parliament, and the parliament assembled. And the twelve electors were chosen, six on one side and six on the other; and they swore on holy relics to elect, duly, and in good faith, whomsoever would best meet the needs of the host, and bear rule over the empire most worthily.

p” twelve electors met at a rich palace, one of the fairest in the world, where the Doge of Venice had his quarters, Great and marvellous was die concourse, for every one wished to see who should be elected. Then were the twelve electors called, and set in a very rich chapel within the palace, and the door was shut, so that no one remained with them. The barons and knights stayed without in a great palace.

Quite close to the walls of Constantinople

They went thus quite close to the walls of Constantinople and showed the youth to the people of the Greeks, and said, Memoirs of the Crusades”?

“ Behold your natural lord; and be it known to you that we have not come to do you harm, but have come to guard and defend you, if so be that you return to your duty. For he whom you now obey’ as your lord holds rule by wrong and wickedness, against God and reason. And you know full well that he has dealt treasonably with him who is your lord and his brother, that he has blinded his eyes and left from him his empire by wrong and wickedness. Now behold the rightful heir. If you hold with him, you will be doing as you ought; and if not we will do to you the very worst that we can.” But for fear and terror of the Emperor Alexius, not one person on the land or in the city made show as if he held for the prince. So all went back to the host, and each sought his quarters.

On the morrow, when they had heard mass, they assembled in parliament, and the parliament was held on horseback in the midst of the fields. There might you have seen many a fine war-horse, and many a good knight thereon. And the council was held to discuss the order of the battalions, how many they should have, and of what strength. Many were the words said on one side and the other. But in the end it was settled that the advanced guard should be given to Baldwin of Flanders, because he had a very great number of good men, end archers and crossbowmen, more than any other chief that was in the host.

Matthew of Walincourt

And after, it was settled that Henry his brother, and Matthew of Walincourt, and Baldwin of Beauvoir, and many other good knights of their land and country, should form the second division.

The third division was formed by Count Hugh of St. Paul, Peter of Amiens his nephew, Eustace of Canteleu, Anselm of Cayeux, and many good knights of their land and country.

The fourth division was formed by Count Lewis of Blois and Chartres, and was very’ numerous and rich and redoubt able; for he had placed therein a great number of good knights and men of worth.

The fifth division was formed by Matthew of Montmorency and the men of Champagne. Geoffry the Marshal of Cham pagne formed part of it, and Oger of Saint-Ch6ron, Manasses of l’lsle, Miles the Brebant, Macaire of Sainte-Menehould, John Foisnons, Guy of Chappes, Cleremband his nephew, Robert of Ronsoi: all these people formed part of the fifth division. Be it known to you that there was many a good knight therein.

Gluttonous spirit creeps

It is often thus, that when we begin with good intentions in the eyes of God, a secret tagalong yen for the praise of our fellow men comes along, waylaying our intentions from the side of the road. We take food, for example, out of necessity, but while we are eating, a gluttonous spirit creeps in and we begin to take delight in the eating for its own sake. So often it happens that what began as nourishment to protect our health ends by becoming a pretext for our pleasures.

As commentator

But I think it’s worthwhile for me to reveal unhesitatingly here to the ears of my brothers everything I secretly revile in myself. As commentator, I have not hidden what I felt, and as confessor, I have not hidden what I suffer. In my commentary I reveal the gifts of God, and in my confession I uncover my wounds. In this vast human race there are always little ones who need to be instructed by my words, and there are always great ones who can take pity on my weakness once they know of it. Thus with commentary and confession I offer my help to some of my brethren (as much as I can), and I seek the help of others. . . . I have not withheld medicine from the ones I can help, but I have not hidden my wounds and lacerations from the others. So I ask that whoever reads this should pour out the consolation of prayer before the strict judge above for me, so that he may wash away with tears every sordid thing he finds in me. When I balance the power of my commentary and the power of prayer, I see that my reader will have more than paid me back if for what he hears from me, he offers his tears for me.

That extraordinary self-mistrust epitomizes his description of the ideal life of the Christian in the world. “Our life is all a temptation” (Job 7.1). Trial, temptation, travail: that is human life in this world for Gregory. Job’s story is not merely a story, not merely a case study, but an archetype. The world is not evil, but the world is a testing ground, shaped by man’s sin into a place imperfect in many ways, where death and suffering have power over human life and human hope. Augustine never took his innovative theory of original sin this distressingly far.