[53] William of Tyre and other Latin historians call this city Malle Villa in the first place because they were ignorant of its proper name, and in the second because it was fatal to the Crusaders. All the French historians who have spoken of the crusades have translated Malle Villa by Malleville.—See Marsigli, Danubius Pannonico, Mysicus.
[54] Consult William of Tyre, or still better, Albert d’Aix, who, of all the historians of the crusades, enlarges most upon these first expeditions.
[55] Amongst this confused multitude were Thomas de Feü, Cleremhault de Vaudeuil, Guillaume Charpentier, Count Herman, &c.
[56] Fuit et aliud scelus detestabile in hâc congregatione pedestris populi stulti, et vesanæ levitatis, anserem quemdam divino spiritu asserebant afflatum, et capellam non minus eodem repletam, et has sibi duces secundæ viæ fecerant in Jerusalem, quos et nimium venerebantur et bestiali more his intendebant ex totâ animi intentione.—Alb. Aq. lib. i. cap. 31.
[57] The Mersbourg of the Crusaders is now called Ovar; in German Ungarisch-Altenburgh; in Sclavonic Stare-Hrady. It is situated in the marshes that the Leytha forms on its embouchure into the Danube. Its position is such that it is impossible to go from Austria into Hungary on that side without passing by it. ’See Busching, Geog.) The name of Mersbourg, which Albert d’Aix gives to this place, is no longer in use: but that of Altenburgh, which has succeeded it, and which signifies old city, indicates sufficiently clearly a more ancient name; and the name of Moisson, which other historians of the crusades give to the same place, is still found in the Latin and Hungarian name of the county of Wieselbourg, upon which this city depends; Mesony wanmgye, Mesoniensis Comitatus.
[58] There were in the army of Peter the Hermit, says Anna Comnena, ten thousand Normans, who committed horrible excesses in the neighbourhood of Nicea. They chopped children in pieces, stuck others upon spits, and exercised all sorts of cruelties against aged persons. ’See the Alexiad, book x.) We have no need to repeat our caution against the exaggeration of Anna Comnena, who is always pleased with an opportunity of accusing the Crusaders.
[59] This Rinaldo, of whom nothing else is known, except that he was an Italian, is the only personage so called who has any event of importance in the first crusade attached to his name. Tasso, who has taken most of his characters from history, has borrowed the person and character of Rinaldo, in the “Jerusalem Delivered,” entirely from his imagination.
[60] Instead of acknowledging his fault, says Anna Comnena, he laid it upon those who had disobeyed his orders and insisted upon doing as they pleased, calling them robbers and brigands, whom God had deemed unworthy of seeing and adoring the tomb of his Son.—Alexiad, lib. x. ch. 8.
[61] Godfrey of Bouillon was born at Baysy, a village of Wallon Brabant, now in the department of La Dyle, two leagues south-east of Nevilles, and not far from Fleurus. Aubert le Mire, and the Baron Leroy, in the geography of Brabant, report that in their time the remains of the castle in which Godfrey was brought up were to be seen.
[62] An anonymous historian of the crusades, when speaking of Godfrey, expresses himself thus: Tantum lenis, ut magis in se monachum quàm militem figuraret. Guibert further says: Cujus mira humilitas et monachis jam imitanda modestia.—See Bongars, p. 548.