AD. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1253. 



favour at his hands, as to bring our letters unto the 

 sight of his Lord. I excused my selfe also, that I was 

 a Monke, not having, nor receiving, nor using any 

 golde, or silver, or any other precious thing, save 

 onely our bookes, and the vestiments wherein wee 

 served God : and that this was the cause why I 

 brought no present unto him, nor unto his Lord. For 

 I that had abandoned mine owne goods, could not be 

 a transporter of things for other men. Then hee 

 answered very courteously, that being a Monke, and so 

 doing, I did well : for so I should observe my vowe : 

 neither did himselfe stand in neede of ought that we 

 had, but rather was readie to bestow upon us such things 

 as we our selves stood in neede of: and he caused 

 us to sit downe, and to drinke of his milke. And 

 presently after he requested us to say our devotions 

 for him : and we did so. He enquired also who was 

 the greatest Prince among the Franckes ? And I saide, 

 the Emperour, if he could injoy his owne dominions 

 in quiet. No (quoth he) but the king of France. For 

 he had heard of your Highnes by lord Baldwine of 

 Henault. I found there also one of the Knights of the 

 Temple, who had bene in Cyprus, and had made report 

 of all things which he sawe there. Then returned wee 

 unto our lodging. And on the morow we sent him a 

 flagon of Muscadel wine (which had lasted very wel 

 in so long a journey) and a boxe full of bisket, which 

 was most acceptable unto him. And he kept our 

 servants with him for that evening. The next morning 

 he commanded me to come unto the Court, and to 

 bring the kings letters and my vestimentes, and bookes 

 with me : because his Lorde was desirous to see them. 

 Which we did accordingly, lading one cart with our 

 bookes and vestiments, and another with bisket, wine, 

 and fruites. Then he caused all our bookes and vesti- 

 ments to bee laide forth. And there stoode round 

 about us many Tartars, Christians and Saracens on 

 horseback. At the sight whereof, he demanded whether 



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