Microsoft Word richard of holy trinity inp

Itinerary
94
Therefore in the same year, after the death of his father, Richard,
count of Poitou, having arranged his affairs in Normandy, in about two
months crossed over to England, and on St. GilesÕs day he was received at
Westminster, with a ceremonious procession; and three days afterwards,
viz., on the 3rd of September, the day of the ordination of St. Gregory the
pope, which was a Sunday, he was solemnly anointed king by the
imposition of hands, by Archbishop Baldwin, in virtue of his office, who
performed the service, assisted by many of his suffragans. At his
coronation were present his brother John, and his mother Eleanor, who,
after the death of King Henry, had been, by the command of her son
Richard, the new king, released from prison, where she had been ten years;
and there were also present counts and barons, and an immense crowd of
men and soldiers; and the kingdom was confirmed to the hands of King
Richard. On the 3rd day of September, in the year of our Lord 1189,
Richard was anointed king, on a Sunday, with the dominical letter A., viz.,
in the year after leap year. Many were the conjectures made, because the
day above that was marked unlucky in the calendar; and in truth it was
unlucky, and very much so to the Jews of London, who were destroyed
that day, and likewise the Jews settled in other parts of England endured
many hardships. Having therefore celebrated the occasion by a festival of
three days, and entertained his guests in the royal palace of Westminster,
King Richard gratified all, by distributing money, without count or
number, to all according to their ranks, thus manifesting his liberality and
his great excellence. His generosity, and his virtuous endowments, the
ruler of the world should have given to the ancient times; for in this period
of the world, as it waxes old, such feelings rarely exhibit themselves, and
when they do, they are subjects of wonder and astonishment. He had the
valour of Hector, the magnanimity of Achilles, and was equal to
Alexander, and not inferior to Roland in valour; nay, he outshone many
illustrious characters of our own times. The liberality of a Titus was his,
and, which is so rarely found in a soldier, he was gifted with the eloquence
of Nestor and the prudence of Ulysses; and he shewed himself pre-eminent
in the conclusion and transaction of business, as one whose knowledge was
not without active good-will to aid it, nor his good-will wanting in

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Itinerary
95
knowledge. Who, if Richard were accused of presumption, would not
readily excuse him, knowing him for a man who never knew defeat,
impatient of an injury, and impelled irresistibly to vindicate his rights,
though all he did was characterized by innate nobleness of mind. Success
made him better fitted for action; fortune ever favours the bold, and
though she works her pleasure on whom she will, Richard was never to be
overwhelmed with adversity. He was tall of stature, graceful in figure; his
hair between red and auburn; his limbs were straight and flexible; his arms
rather long, and not to be matched for wielding the sword or for striking
with it; and his long legs suited the rest of his frame; while his appearance
was commanding, and his manners and habits suitable; and he gained the
greatest celebrity, not more from his high birth than from the virtues that
adorned him. But why need we take much labour in extolling the fame of
so great a man? He needs no superfluous commendation, for he has a
sufficient meed of praise, which is the sure companion of great actions. He
was far superior to all others both in moral goodness, and in strength, and
memorable for prowess in battles, and his mighty deeds outshone the most
brilliant description we could give of them. Happy, in truth, might he have
been deemed had he been without rivals who envied his glorious actions,
and whose only cause of enmity was his magnificence, and his being the
searcher after virtue rather than the slave of vice.
Chapter VI. Ñ How King Richard, having arranged the affairs of his kingdom,