THE EMPEROR MANUEL'S LETTER ad. 



II77- 

 Ibidem ergo per duos dies integros, in omni potestate 

 morati sumus, & cognito quod nihil poterat fieri contra 

 civitatem Iconii, perditis testudinibus dz machinis bellicis, 

 eo quod boves cecidissent a telis in modo pluviae jactis, 

 qui eas trahebant : Simul autem eo quod & universa 

 animalia nostra irruente in ilia difficillima aegritudine 

 laborabant, suscepit Soltani depraecationem & foedera 

 & juramenta peracta sub vexillis nostris, & pacem suam 

 ei dedit. Inde ingressum imperium nostrum in regionem 

 suam regreditur, tribulationem habens non mediocrem 

 super his quos perdidit consanguineis, maximas tamen 

 Deo gratias agens, qui per suam bonitatem & nunc 

 ipsum honoravit : Gratum autem habuimus, quod quos- 

 dam nobilitatis tuae principes accidit interesse nobiscum, 

 qui narrabunt de omnibus quae acciderant, tuae voluntati 

 seriem. Caeterum autem, licet contristati simus propter 

 illos qui ceciderunt : oportunum tamen duximus, de 

 omnibus quae acciderant, declarare tibi, ut dilecto amico 

 nostro, & ut permultum conjuncto imperio nostro, per 

 puerorum nostrorum intimam consanguinitatem. Vale. 

 Data mense Novembris, indictione tertia. 



The same in English. 



IN the yeere 1177, Manuel the emperour of Constanti- 

 nople having fought a field with the Soldan of 

 Iconium, and vanquished him, wrote unto Henry the 

 second king of England in maner following. 



Manuel Comnenus in Christ the everliving God a 

 faithful emperour, descended of the linage of Porphyrie, 

 crowned by Gods grace, high, puissant, mighty, alwayes 

 most sovereigne, and governour of the Romans ; unto 

 Henry the most famous king of England, his most deare 

 friend, greeting and all good successe. Whereas our 

 imperiall highnesse thinketh it expedient to advertise 

 you our welbeloved friend of all our affaires : We 

 thought it not amisse to signifie unto your royall 

 Majestie certaine exploits at this present atchieved by 

 us. From the beginning therefore of our inauguration 



315 



