THE EMPEROR MANUEL'S LETTER a.d. 



Imperiall highnesse, by reason of the straightnesse and 

 difficultie of the way, being stretched ten miles in length ; 

 and the first not being able to helpe the last, nor yet 

 contrarywise the last to rescue the first, it came to passe 

 that they were very farre distant asunder. And in 

 very deed the foremost troupes were much separated 

 from the guard of our imperiall person, who forgetting 

 their fellowes behind, would not stay any whit for them. 

 Because therefore the Turkish bands knew full well 

 by their former conflicts that it was bootlesse for them 

 to assaile the forefront of our battell, and perceiving the 

 narownesse of the place to be a great advantage, they 

 determined to set upon our rereward, and did so. 

 Wherefore our passage being very straight, and the 

 infidels assayling us upon the right hand and upon the 

 left, and on all sides, and discharging their weapons as 

 thicke as hailestones against us, slew divers of our men 

 and horses. Hereupon, the slaughter of our people 

 still encreasing our majestic imperiall deemed it requisite 

 to stay behind, and to succour our bands in the 

 rereward, and so expecting them we sustained the 

 fierce encounter of many thousand Persians. What 

 exploits our Imperiall person atchieved in the same 

 skirmish, I hold it needlesse at this time to recount : 

 your majestie may perhaps understand more of this 

 matter by them which were there present. Howbeit 

 our Imperiall highnesse being in the middest of this 

 conflict, and enduring the fight with so great danger, 

 all our hindermost troups, both Greekes, Latines, and 

 other nations, retiring themselves close together, and 

 not being able to suffer the violence of their enemies 

 weapons, pressed on so hard, and were caried with such 

 maine force, that hastening to ascend the next hill for 

 their better safegard, they urged on them which went 

 before, whether they would or no. Whereupon, much 

 dust being raised, which stopped our eyes and utterly 

 deprived us of sight, and our men and horses pressing 

 so sore one upon the necke of another, plunged them- 



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