ENGLISH GUARD AT CONSTANTINOPLE ad. 



1177. 

 quas tollebant, cum Imperator ex oratorio spectandum se 

 exhibebat, Anglice vitam diuturnam secures suas col- 

 lidentes ut sonitum ederent, comprecabantur. 



The same in English. 



FRom this time forward the kingdome of England was 

 reputed amongst the most flourishing estates of 

 Christendome, no lesse in chivalrie then humanitie. So 

 farforth that the English men were sent for to be the 

 guarders of the persons of the Emperours of Constanti- 

 nople. For John the sonne of Alexius Comnenus, as our 

 countreyman William of Malmesburie reporteth, highly- 

 esteeming their fidelity, used them very nere about him, 

 recommending them over to his sonne : so that long time 

 afterwards the guard of those Emperours were English 

 halberdiers, called by Nicetas Choniata, Inglini Bipen- 

 niferi, and by Curopolata, Barangi, which alwayes accom- 

 panied the Emperour with their halberds on their 

 shoulders, which they held up when the Emperour com- 

 ming from his Oratorie shewed himselfe to the people; 

 and clashing their halberds together to make a terrible 

 sound, they in the English tongue wished unto him long 

 life. 



A great supply of money to the Holy land by [n. i. i^ 

 Henry the 2. 



IHe same yeere King Henry the second being at 

 Waltham, assigned an aide to the maintenance of 

 the Christian souldiers in the Holy lande, That is 

 to wit, two and fortie thousand markes of silver, and fivt 

 hundred markes of golde. Matth. Paris, and Holens. 

 pag. 105. 



[A letter 

 3^1 



