ABBOT INGULF OF CROYLAND a.d. 



1064. 



now, but then Erie of Normandie, with a great troup 

 of followers and attendants came unto London, to 

 conferre with king Edward the Confessour his kinsman. ^.^. 105 1 

 Into whose company intruding my selfe, and proffering 

 my service for the performance of any speedy or weightie 

 affayres, in short time, after I had done many things with 

 good successe, I was knowen and most entirely beloved 

 by the victorious Erie himselfe, and with him I sayled 

 into Normandie. And there being made his secretarie, I 

 governed the Erles Court (albeit with the envie of some) 

 as my selfe pleased, yea whom I would I abased, and 

 preferred whom I thought good. When as therefore, 

 being carried with a youthfull heat and lustie humour, 

 I began to be wearie even of this place, wherein I was 

 advanced so high above my parentage, and with an 

 inconstant minde, and affection too too ambitious, most 

 vehemently aspired at all occasions to climbe higher: [II. i. 10.] 

 there went a report throughout all Normandie, that divers 

 Archbishops of the Empire, and secular princes were 

 desirous for their soules health, and for devotion sake, 

 to goe on pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Wherefore out of 

 the family of our lorde the Earle, sundry of us, both 

 gentlemen and clerkes (principall of whom was my selfe) 

 with the licence and good will of our sayd lord the earle, 

 sped us on that voiage, and travailing thirtie horses of 

 us into high Germanie, we joyned our selves unto the 

 Archbishop of Mentz. And being with the companies 

 of the Bishops seven thousand persons sufficiently pro- 

 vided for such an expedition, we passed prosperously 

 through many provinces, and at length attained unto 

 Constantinople. Where doing reverence unto the Em- 

 perour Alexius, we sawe the Church of Sancta Sophia, 

 and kissed divers sacred reliques. Departing thence 

 through Lycia, we fell into the hands of the Arabian 

 theeves : and after we had bene robbed of infinite 

 summes of money, and had lost many of our people, 

 hardly escaping with extreame danger of our lives, at 

 length wee joyfully entered into the most wished citie of 



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