He was lofty in stature, of a shapely build, with hair halfway between red and yellow. His limbs were straight and flexible, his arms somewhat long, and for this very reason better fitted than those of most folk to draw or wield the sword. Moreover he had long legs, matching the character of his whole frame. His features showed the ruler, while his manners and his bearing added not a little to his general presence.

So much of Richard's career gathers around the Third Crusade that the remaining selections are drawn from that episode in his life.

the crusade

Meanwhile the king of England set out for Gascony, and, 105. Richard besieging William de Chisi's castle, took it. William himself, prepares for the lord of the castle, he hanged, because he had robbed the pilgrims to St. James [of Campostella] and other folk passing through his land. Then came the king of England to Chinon, in Anjou, where he appointed Gerard, archbishop of Auch, Bernard, bishop of Bayonne, Robert de Sablun, Richard de Camville, and William de Forz of Oleron leaders and constables of his whole fleet that was about to set sail for the land of Syria. And he gave them his charter as follows:

for the cru

sading fleet

Richard, by the grace of God king of England, duke of Regulations Normandy and Aquitaine, and count of Anjou, to all his men who are about to journey to Jerusalem by sea, greeting. Know that with the common counsel of approved men we have had the following regulations drawn up. Whoever on board ship shall slay another is himself to be cast into the sea, lashed to the dead man; if he have slain him ashore, he is to be buried in the same way. If any one be proved by worthy witnesses to have drawn a knife for the purpose of striking another, or to have wounded another so as to draw blood, let him lose his hand; but if he strike another with his hand and draw no blood, let him be dipped three times in the sea. If any one cast any reproach or bad word against another, or invoke God's curse on him, let him for every offense pay an ounce of silver. Let a convicted thief be shorn like a hired champion; after which let boiling pitch be poured on his head and a feather pillow

106. The

Richard

(1190)

be shaken over it, so as to make him a laughing stock. Then let him be put ashore at the first land where the ships touch. Witness, myself at Chinon.

Moreover the same king in another writ enjoined all his men who were going to sea to yield obedience to the words and ordinances of the aforesaid justiciars of his fleet. Then the king went to Tours, where he received the pilgrim's staff and wallet from the hand of William, archbishop of Tours. And when the king leaned on the staff it broke.

The sudden contrition and humble penance of Richard, described in the following passage, are characteristic of his hot-blooded race and of the sentiment of the twelfth century, as well as of his own emotional character. His humiliation is not unlike his father's at Canterbury.

In the same year Richard, king of England, inspired by the penance of divine grace, called to mind the foulness of his past life, and` after contrition of heart gathered together the bishops and archbishops, who were with him at Messina, in Reginald de Moyac's chapel. Then, falling naked at their feet, he did not blush to confess the foulness of his life to God, in their presence. For the thorns of his evil lusts had grown higher than his head, and there was no hand to root them up. Yet did God, the father of mercies, who willeth not the death of a sinner but that he may be converted and live, turn on him once more the eyes of his mercy, giving him a penitent heart and calling him to repentance. For he in his own person received penance from the aforesaid bishops; and from that hour once more became a man fearing God, shunning ill and doing good. Happy he who so falls only to rise up stronger. Happy he who, after repentance, has not slipped back into sin. In the same year Richard, king of England, hearing by common fame and the report of many that there was in Calabria a certain monk named Joachim, a Cistercian, and abbot of Corazzo, sent for him and willingly listened to the words of his prophecy, his wisdom, and his teaching. For this Joachim had the spirit of prophecy and used to foretell what was going

Religious interests of Richard

to happen. Moreover he was a man learned in the divine scriptures and used to set forth the meaning of St. John's visions,those visions which St. John narrates in the Apocalypse and wrote with his own hand. In hearing his words the king of England and his followers took much pleasure.

We get some idea of the experiences of King Richard and his followers after reaching the Holy Land, from the following account.

of the crusaders in

On the appointed day the host armed early and ranged 107. A battle itself in proper order. At the very rear went the king, to guard against the Turks who hung threateningly near. That day's the Holy journey was but short. From the very moment this accursed Land (1191) race saw our army on the move, like mountain torrents they began to rush down the heights in many separate bands: here maybe by twenties, there by thirties, and so on. And being so scattered they took every opportunity of doing our army what damage they could, for they grieved sorely at the death of their relatives, whose mangled bodies they had seen; wherefore they harassed our army more keenly, constantly following it up and annoying it by every means in their power. But by the divine grace our army crossed the river of Acre unharmed, pitched on the other side not far beyond the river, and waited there till the whole army should be collected, on Friday, the August 23, eve of St. Bartholomew. On the following Monday two full 1191 years had passed since the Christians began to besiege Acre.

So, on Sunday, the morrow of St. Bartholomew, at early morn the army was ranged in battalions for its march along the seashore. King Richard led the vanguard. The Normans stood like a wall round the standard. . . . The duke of Burgundy and his French, who were in the rear, followed at less speed, and, thanks to their delay, came near to suffering a most terrible loss. The army was marching, having the sea on its right, whilst from the mountain heights on the left the Turks kept a watch on all our movements. Suddenly there swelled up a black and dangerous cloud, and the air grew troubled. The army had now reached a narrow pass, along which the

Richard

comes to the

rescue of the rear guard

provision wagons had to go. Here, on account of the narrowness of the way, there was some confusion and disorder; the Saracens, noting this, swept down upon the pack horses and wagons, cutting off unwary men and steeds, plundering much of the baggage, breaking through and dispersing those who offered any resistance, and driving them in flight and slaughter to the brink of the sea. There both sides fought with manful courage for dear life. On this occasion, when a Turk had cut off the right hand of a certain Everard, one of the bishop of Salisbury's men, he, without changing countenance, seized his sword with the left hand and, closing with the Turks, stoutly defended himself against them all, brandishing his weapon.

The rear of the army was exceedingly perturbed at this onset till John Fitz-Luke, urging his horse forward at full speed, bore news of all that had happened to King Richard, who, coming back with a band of his own men, brought aid to the rear and thundered on against the Turks, slaying them right and left with his sword. Nor was there any loitering, but right and left, as of old the Philistines fled from the face of the Maccabee, so now did the Turks scatter and flee from the face of King Richard, till they gained the mountain heights, leaving, however, some of their number headless in our hands. In this conflict one of the French, William des Barres by name, who had formerly incurred Richard's displeasure, was now restored, thanks to his signal valor, to his former favor.

Saladin was not far off, with the flower of his army; but, after this repulse, the Turks, despairing of gaining any advantage, contented themselves with watching our movements from a distance. Accordingly our army, resuming its line of march, came to a great river and cisterns, which they found to be good. There, in a pleasant plain, they fixed their tents, for they saw indications that Saladin had pitched there before them, and, noting the way in which so wide a district was trodden down, judged his army to be very large.

V. THE REIGN OF JOHN

The two great crises of John's reign were the struggle with the church and the struggle with the barons,

culminating respectively in the interdict and the granting of Magna Carta. It is difficult now to realize how deeply the life of the people was affected by the imposition of an interdict, but some idea of this may be obtained from the details in the following account, taken from the annals of the abbey of Waverley.

dict of 1208

Finally, after many petitions were made, as well to the king 108. Account as to the bishops, and these were not listened to, it was enjoined of the interon the bishops of the whole kingdom by the authority of the 1213 lord pope that, unless the king should admit the archbishop and the monks, they should lay, throughout the whole English church, an interdict on all the holy offices, except the baptism of infants and the confession of the dying. William of London, Eustace of Ely, and Mauger of Worcester were made special executors of this command. When they had received this order they came again to the king, and on bended knees and with tears in their eyes begged that he would quietly allow Stephen, the archbishop of the Anglican church, to return to his church at Canterbury, showing to him several letters which had been sent to them by the lord pope and by the archbishop concerning this affair. But since his heart had become hardened and he would not hear them, they showed him the order of the lord pope for laying a general interdict on all the holy offices throughout the English church, unless he would admit the archbishop.

After the date for laying the interdict had been postponed The interdict several times for the king, since he persisted in his obstinacy, is laid (April, 1208) on the first day of the month beginning after the Sunday on which is sung "Isti sunt dies," to wit, the day before the Annunciation of the Lord, March 24, a general interdict was placed on all the holy offices, and the doors of the churches. were closed by the authority of the lord pope.

confiscates

When this edict was pronounced generally throughout The king in England the king was greatly disturbed, and ordered in the retaliation entire kingdom a general confiscation of the possessions of the property all bishops, clergy, and religious men, as well as of all other of the clergy ecclesiastical possessions, and sent throughout all the shires