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Itinerary
284
afterwards to complain that the pilgrims had done little good in the land of
Jerusalem, because they had not freed the city; but they did not know what
they were saying, for they were inquiring about things of which they have
no personal knowledge or experience. We, however, who have seen, and
who know all of it by our own eye-sight, claim to be believed in our
accounts of the tribulations and miseries which those men endured.
Wherefore, we state confidently, in the hearing of those also who were
present, that 100,000 Christians perished in that pilgrimage, for the sole
reason that, in the hope of divine reward, they had separated themselves
from women, deeming it wicked by sacrificing their purity to obtain bodily
health and thus they opposed patience even to the corruption of the flesh,
that the purity of their minds might remain unimpaired. We know also, for
certain, that by sickness and famine combined, there died more than
300,000, in the siege of Acre, and afterwards, in the same city. Who,
however, can doubt of the salvation of the souls of such noble and excellent
men, who daily heard divine service from the lips of their own chaplains?
These surely may be supposed to have gone to heaven.
Chapter XXXVI. Ñ How the king, before setting sail for home, exchanged ten
noble Turkish captives for William de Pratelles, who had suffered himself to be
captured to save the king, saying that himself was Melech.
Meanwhile King RichardÕs ship was made ready, and every thing
necessary, both in arms and provisions, prepared for the voyage. The king
then, out of mere liberality, and impelled by his nobleness of mind alone,
23
redeemed William de Pratelles, who, as we have before related, suffered
himself to be captured to save the king, by exchanging for him ten of the
most noble Turks, though they would gladly have given a large sum of
23Such may be the opinion of Geoffrey de Vinsauf, a narrow-minded priest of the
twelfth century; but every liberal-minded and enlightened man will believe, and
probably no one knew it better than the noble King Richard, that his escutcheon would
have been for ever dishonoured, if he had left the Holy Land without redeeming from
slavery the noble knight who had sacrificed himself for his sovereign. Ñ See Book ii. c.
20.

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Itinerary
285
money to retain him; but the kingÕs generosity would not condescend in
any way to be tarnished.
Chapter XXXVII. Ñ How King Richard set sail to return home, and of the
misfortunes which he met with.
Every thing was now settled, and the king was already on the point
of embarking, when determining before he went, to leave nothing behind
him that might detract from his honour, he ordered proclamation to be
made that all who had claims on him should come forward, and that all his
debts should be paid fully, and more than fully, to avoid all occasion
afterwards of detraction or complaint. What sighs and tears were there
when the royal fleet weighed anchor! A blessing was invoked on the kingÕs
many acts of benevolence, his virtues and his largesses were set forth, and
the numerous excellences combined in one man. How then did the
lamentations of all resound as they exclaimed, ÒO Jerusalem, bereft now of
every succour! How hast thou lost thy defender! Who will protect thee,
should the truce be broken, now that King Richard is departed?Ó Such were
the words of each, when the king, whose health was not yet fully re-
established, and who was the subject of all their anxious wishes, went on
board and set sail. All night the ship ran on her way by the light of the
stars, and when morning dawned, the king looked back with yearning eyes
upon the land which he had left, and after long meditation, he prayed
aloud, in the hearing of several, in these words, ÒO holy land, I commend
thee to God, and if his heavenly grace shall grant me so long to live, that I
may, in his good pleasure, afford thee assistance, I hope, as I propose, to be
able to be some day a succour to thee.Ó With these words he urged the
sailors to spread their canvass to the winds, that they might the sooner
cross over the expanse of sea that lay before them; ignorant indeed of the
tribulations and sorrows that awaited him, and the calamities that he was
to suffer from the treachery that had long before been transmitted to
France, by which it was contrived that he should be wickedly thrown into
prison, though he justly suspected no such evil in the service of God, and in
so laborious a pilgrimage. O how unequally was he recompensed for his

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