Itinerary
117
RichardÕs mother to be carried to him, in order that he might marry her
before crossing the sea as he intended. All rejoiced at their coming.
Meanwhile the king of France, having made ready with all his equipment,
taking advantage of a favourable wind, set out with all his fleet, on the
Saturday after the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary; and King
Richard accompanied him some way in his galleys, with his noblest peers.
But he himself
was not ready to cross the sea, for he had not yet collected
all his transport-ships; and he thought that they were not sufficiently
provisioned: moreover, he had heard that his mother was coming with the
illustrious Berengaria. When, therefore, he had let the king of France go on
his voyage in peace, crossing past the Faro he came to Risa, where he heard
that the queen his mother and Berengaria were, and having taken them on
board
with great joy, he returned to Messina; where having stayed a short
time, he let his mother depart, and committed to her the care of his
kingdom, together with Walter, archbishop of Rouen, as we have said
before, a man of great virtue. And with them returned Guilbert de Gascuil,
by whose treachery the king of France afterwards gained possession of the
celebrated castle of Gisors, situated in a very strong position on the
confines
of France and Normandy, which had been committed to his
safekeeping. But King Richard retained with him the aforesaid damsel,
whom he was about to marry. Queen Eleanor returned by Bourges, and
thence to Salerna, and thus to Normandy. But King Richard, having
furnished himself with every thing necessary for the voyage, prepared,
according to agreement, to follow after the king of France as quickly as be
could; and appointed Robert de Torneham to conduct and take care of the
fleet.
He sent forward his betrothed, with his sister the dowager queen of
Sicily, in advance, in one of the ships which are commonly called dromons,
keeping a course direct to the east; he had also placed some knights on
board, and a numerous retinue of servants, for their comfort and
safekeeping. These kind of vessels are slower than others, on account of
their burthen, but of stronger make. The multitude of the galleys remained
immoveable, until the king, having dined,
on account of the annoyances
which had happened, bade farewell, with all his army, to the natives, and
was on the point of setting out and committing himself to favourable