their soules. &c. And thys the king once, twise, and thrise, desired of the Emperour. But he proudly aunsweryng agayne, MarginaliaThe disdainefull & proud aunswere of Isakius to kyng Richard.sent the kyng word, that he neither woulde let the captiues goe, nor render the goods of them which were drowned. &c.

When kyng Richard heard this, how light the Emperour Isakius made of his so humble and honest petition, and how nothing there coulde be gotten without violent force, MarginaliaK. Richard exhorteth his men to fight agaynst Isakius.eftsoones giueth commaundement through all hys hoast, to put themselues in armour and to follow hym, to reuenge such iniuries receaued of that proude and cruell kyng of Cyprus, wylling them to put their trust in God, and not to misdoubt but the Lord would stand with them, and giue them the victory. The Emperour in the meane tyme with hys people stode warding the Sea coastes where the Englishmen should ariue, wyth swordes, billes, and lances, and such other weapons as they had, settyng boardes, stooles and chestes before them instead of a walle. Howbeit but few of them were harnessed, and for the most part all vnexpert, and vnskilful in the feates of warre. MarginaliaK. Rich. setteth vpon Isakius king of Cyprus.Thē kyng Richard with his souldiours issuing out of their ships, first set his bowmen before, who with their shotte made away for other to follow. MarginaliaThe battayle betwene the Emperour of Cyprus and king Rich.The Englishmen thus winnyng the land vpon them, so fiercely pressed vpon the Griffones, that after long fighting, and many blowes, MarginaliaIsakius Emperour of the Griffones put to flight.at last the Emperour was put to flight, whom kyng Richard valiantly pursued, and slue many, and diuers he tooke alyue, and had gone neare also to haue the Emperour, had not the nyght come on and parted the battayle. And thus kyng Richard with much spoyle and great victorie returning to þ^e Port towne of Lymeszem, which the townesmen had lefte for feare, found there great aboundance of corne, wyne, oyle, and vitayles.

MarginaliaThe towne of Lymeszin taken by king Richard.The same day after the victorie got, Ioane the kinges sister and Bernegera the mayden, entred the Port and towne of Lymeszem, wyth L. great shippes, and xiiij. Galliots: So that all the whole nauye there meeting together were CCLiiij. talle shippes, and aboue lx. Galliots. Thē Isakius the Emperour seeing no way for him to escape by the Sea, the same night pitched his tentes v. myles of from the Englishe army, swearing that the third day after he would sure giue battayle to kyng Richard. But he preuentyng hym before, sodenly the same mornyng before the day of battayle should be, setteth vpon the tentes of the Griffones early, they being vnwares and a sleepe, & made of them a great slaughter, MarginaliaThe kyng of Cyprus agayne put to flight.in so much that the Emperour was fayne naked to runne away, leauyng hys tentes and pauilions to the Englishmen full of horses, and rich treasure, also wyth the Imperiall standard, the lower part whereof with a costly stremer was couered and wrought all with golde. Kyng Richard then returnyng with victory and triumph to hys sister and Bernegera, MarginaliaKyng Richard marieth Bernegira, daughter of the king of Nauarre. in the Isle of Cyprus.shortly after in the moneth of May next following, and the 12. day of the sayd moneth, maried the sayd Bernegera daughter of Rācon king of Nauarre in the Isle of Cyprus, at Lymeszen.MarginaliaIsakius king of Cyprus yeldeth hymselfe to kyng Richard.

The kyng of Cyprus seyng himselfe ouermatched, was driuen at length to yeld hymselfe, with conditions, to geue kyng Richard xx. thousand Markes in golde, for amendes of such spoyles as he had gotten of them that were drowned: Also to restore all his captiues agayne to the kyng: And furthermore he in his owne person to attende vpon the king to the land of Hierusalem, in Gods seruice and his, with CCCC. horsemen, and v. hundreth footemen: in pledge wherof he would geue to hys handes hys Castels, and his onely daughter, and would hold his kingdome of him. This done, and the Emperour swearing fidelitie to kyng Richard, before Guido kyng of Hierusalē, and the Prince of Antioche (who were come thether to kyng Richard, a litle before) peace was taken and Isakius committed to the warde of certeyne keepers. MarginaliaThe king of Cyprus breaketh conditions wyth Kyng Richard.Notwithstanding shortly after he breaking from his keepers, was agayne at defiance with the kyng. Wherupō king Richard besetting the Ileland of Cyprus round about with ships and Galleys, did in such sort preuayle, that the subiectes of the land were constrayned to yeld themselues to þ^e king, and at lēgth the daughter also of the Emperour and Marginaliaking of Cyprus againe submitteth himselfe, & was kept in golden fetters.at last the Emperour himselfe, whom kyng Richard caused to be kept in fetters of siluer and gold, and to be sent to the Citie of Tripolis.

These thynges thus done, and all set in order touchyng the possession of the Isle of Cyprus, the keepyng whereof he committed to Radulfe sonne of Godfrey Lord Chamberlayne, being then the first day of Iune, vpon the v. of the sayd moneth, MarginaliaK. Rich. taketh his iourney to Achon.kyng Richard departed from the Isle of Cyprus with his Shyppes and Galleys toward the siege of Achō, and on the next morow came to Tyrus, where by pro-curement of þ^e French kyng he was restrayned by the citizens to enter. The next day after, which was the vj. day of Iune, crossyng the Seas, MarginaliaA thousand & fiue hundreth Saracens sent to the rescue of Achon, vanquished on the sea by K. Richard.he mette with a great Barke fraught with souldiours and men of warre to the number of a thousand and fiue hundreth, whiche pretendyng to be Frenchmē, and settyng forth their flagge with the French armes, were in deede Saracens secretly sent with wild fire and certeine barels of vnknowen Serpentes, to the defence of the towne of Achon. Which kyng Richard at length perceauyng, eftsoones set vpon them, and so vanquished them, of whom the most were drowned, & some takē aliue. Which beyng once knowen in the Citie of Achon, as it was a great discomfort to them, so it was a great helpe to the Christiās for wynnyng the Citie. The next day after, which was the vij. of Iune, kyng Richard came to Achon, whiche at that tyme had bene long besieged of the Christians. After whose cōmyng it was not long, but the Paganes within the Citie, seyng their walles to be vndermined and towers ouerthrowen, were driuen by compositiō to escape with lyfe and lymme, MarginaliaThe Citie of Achon yelded to the Christians.to surrender the Citie to the two kynges. An other great helpe to the Christians in winnyng the Citite was this. In the sayd Citie of Achon there was a secret Christian among the Saracens, who in tyme of the siege therof vsed at sondry tymes to cast ouer the walles into the campe of the Christiās certaine billes written in Hebrue, Greeke, and Latine, wherin he disclosed to the Christians, frō tyme to tyme, the doynges and counsels of the enemyes, aduertising them how and what way they should worke, and what to beware. MarginaliaAn honest part of a secret Christiā in the Citie of Achon.And alwayes his letters began thus: In nomine patris & filij, & spiritus sancti. Amen. By reason wherof the Christians were much aduauntaged in their procedynges. But this was a great heauynes vnto them, that neither he would vtter his name, nor when the Citie was got they could euer vnderstand who he was. Ex Chronico manuscripto, De gestis Richardi.

To make of a long siege a short narration, vpon the xij. day of Iuly the yeare aforesayd, the Princes and captaines of the Paganes vpon agreement resorted to the tente of the Templaries, to common with the two kynges touchyng peace, and giuyng vp of their citie: the forme of which peace was thys: MarginaliaThe forme of peace concluded betwene the kynges & the Princes of Achon.That the kynges should haue the Citie of Achon freely and fully deliuered to them with all which was therin, and fiue hundreth captiues of the Christians should be restored to them, which were in Achon. Also the holy Crosse should be to them rendered, & a thousand Christian captiues, with two hūdreth horsemen, who soeuer they thē selues would chuse out of all thē which were in the power of Saladine. Ouer & besides, they should giue to the kynges CC. thousand Bysāts, so that they themselues would remaine as pledges in the kyngs handes, for the performance hereof, that if in xl. dayes these foresayd conuenaunces were not accomplished, they would abyde the kynges mercy touchyng life and lymme. MarginaliaCouenaunce made in giuing by the Citie of Achō.These couenaunces beyng agreed vpon, the kynges sent their souldiours and seruauntes into the Citie, to take a C. of the richest and best of the Citie, to close them vp in towers vnder strong keepyng, and the residue they committed to be kept in houses and in streetes, ministryng to them accordyng to their necessities: to whom notwithstandyng this they permitted, that so many of them as would be baptised and receaue the faith of Christ, should be free to go whether they would. Whereupon many there were of the Paganes, which for feare of death, pretended to be Baptised, but afterward so soone as they could, reuolted agayne to the Saladine. MarginaliaReligion would be taught and not coacted.For the whiche it was afterward commaunded by the kynges, that none of them should be Baptised agaynst their willes.

MarginaliaThe two kings diuide the Citie of Achon, with all the spoyle therof betwene them selues.The 13. day of the sayd moneth of Iuly, kyng Phillip of Fraunce, and kyng Richard, after they had obtained the possession of Achon, diuided betwene them all thynges therin conteined, as well the people as gold and siluer, with all other furniture whatsoeuer was remainyng in the Citie: who in diuidyng the spoyle were so good caruers to thēselues, that many Knightes and Barons with other souldiours, who had there susteined the whole trauaile ij. yeares together about that siege, seyng the kynges to take all to themselues and their part to be but litle, MarginaliaCommonly seene, who so taketh most paynes, their part to be the least.retracted themselues without the vttermost trench, and there after consultatiō had together, sent word to the kings that they would leaue and forsake them, but vnlesse they were made partakers also of the gaynes for the which they had so long trauayled. To whom aunswere was sent agayne by the kynges, that their willes should be satisfied. MarginaliaMany of the Christiā souldiours for neede were constrayned to depart from Achon.Howbeit because of long differryng of their promise, many constrained by pouertie departed from them.

The xx. day of Iuly kyng Richard speakyng with the French kyng, desired him that they two with their armyes