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Itinerary
233
night, King Richard caused his men to keep guard over the Turks who still
survived in the tower, until the morning, and on the Whitsuntide eve he
ordered them to come down therefrom, having their hands tied behind
their backs with thongs, so that their limbs became stiff. Their number
amounted to 300, besides boys and women. Thus King Richard, with his
own soldiers, gained possession of the fort of Darum with great credit,
after assaulting it for four days; for our men were very desirous of
accomplishing this without the French, in order that they might gain the
greater glory.
Chapter XI. Ñ How King Richard gave Count Henry the fort of Darum on his
arrival there, and returned to Furbia.
Thus Darum was taken; but meanwhile Count Henry, with the
French, and the Duke of Burgundy, were coming in great haste, that they
might be present at its capture, but it was already taken. The king received
the count on his arrival with special manifestations of joy; and leading him
to the fort, gave it over to him, in the presence of all, as the first fruits of the
kingdom, which he was to obtain, with the appurtenances thereof, present
and future. All remained in the fort of Darum on the great day of the feast
of Pentecost. On the Monday after, they placed some of the countÕs men as
guards in the fort, and set out for Ascalon, passing through the midst of
Gaza, till they came to Furbia. Here the king tarried three days, but the rest
set out for Ascalon, where the French solemnized the festival of Pentecost.
Chapter XII. Ñ How King Richard, on hearing that Caisac, the admiral, was
fortifying the castle of Figs With 1,000 Turks, went thither to storm it, and how
the enemy fled at his approach.
One of the kingÕs spies, in returning to Furbia, from the direction of
the castle of Figs, reported that a thousand Saracens, or more, were with
the chieftain, Caisac, posted in that fort, and were actively engaged in
fortifying it against the Christians, in case they should come to attack it. On
hearing this, King Richard started thither immediately, and the army
followed him. At nightfall, they stopped at the fort of Reeds, or the ÒCane-

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Itinerary
234
brake of starlingsÓ (cannetum sturnellorum), and at dawn of day set out for
the castle of Figs, as they had proposed, but they found no one there save
two Turks, whom they took away captive with them, for the Turks had
levelled the gates of the fort to the ground, and fled rapidly away on
hearing of the approach of King Richard and his army. They were also not
a little frightened at the capture of the fort, and the men who were found
therein; and mindful of their loss, took precautions lest they should
themselves fall into a like predicament. Our men, therefore, finding the fort
deserted, mounted the highest of the battlements, and took a survey
around, to see if any enemy was in sight, that they might attack him; but
not finding any one to fight with, they returned to the house of starlings to
spend the night.
Chapter XIII. Ñ How on hearing the news of the disturbed state of his kingdom,
through the intrigues of Earl John, his brother, King Richard was much moved,
and declared his wish to return home.
While Richard was at this place, there arrived a messenger from
England, a clergyman, by name John de Alen•on, to inform the king of the
disturbed state of England, owing to Earl John, his brother, who would not
listen to the persuasions of his mother the queen, nor to those of any other
person, but was led on by his own will, and the frequent solicitations of the
king of France; and he assured the king that unless the infamous treason
was put a stop to by some means or other, England stood in danger of
being alienated from the dominion of King Richard. The king was troubled
at hearing this news, and reflected in his mind, for a long time, what would
be the best course to adopt; at last he confessed that he must return home,
if he would not have his native land, and the kingdom of his fathers,
wrested from him. As the report of the kingÕs intention was not made
public, some said he was going away; others said that he would remain,
and not allow uncertain reports to call him away from the accomplishment
of so pious an undertaking; an act which would neither promote the
recovery of the Holy Land, nor redound to his own honour.

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