King Richard accepted these offers, and so the king of Cypres came in and sware fealtie to king Richard, in presence of the king of Jerusalem, the prince of Antioch, and other barons, and promised vpon his oth then receiued, not to depart till all things couenanted on his part were performed. Then king Richard assigned tents for him and his to lodge in, and appointed certeine knights and other men of warre to haue the custodie of him. But the same day after dinner vpon repentance of that which he had doone, he deceiued his keepers and stale awaie, sending knowledge backe to the king that he would not stand to the couenants, which were concluded vpon betwixt them.
King Richard seemed to like the matter well enough, and foorthwith deliuered a part of his armie vnto the king of Jerusalem and to the prince of Antioch, appointing them to persue the king of Cypres by land, whilest he with one part of his gallies and Robert de Turneham with the other might search about the coast by sea, to prohibit his passage by water. In euerie place where they came, such ships and gallies as they found they seized into their hands, and no resistance was made against them, by reason the people fled to the woods and mountains, leauing the cities, townes and castels void in all stéeds, where the king or the Robert de Turneham. said sir Robert de Turneham with their vessels began to appéere. When they had taken their pleasure thus alongst the coasts, they returned againe vnto Limezun. The king of Jerusalem and the other that went foorth by land, when they could not spéed of their purpose, returned also, in which meane time a great number of Cypriots came in, and submitting themselues to king Richard, were receiued as his subiects.
On the 12. daie of Maie, the ladie Berengaria daughter to the king of The king of England marieth the ladie Berengaria. She is crowned quéene. Nauarre was maried according to a precontract vnto king Richard at Limezun aforesaid in the Ile of Cypres, one of the kings chaplins executing the order of the marriage. The same daie also she was crowned by the bishop of Eureux, the archbishops of Apamea and Aux, with the bishop of Baion ministring vnto him. After the solemnitie of this marriage and coronation ended, king Richard set forward with his armie into the countrie of Cypres, and first wan (by surrender) the citie of Nichosia, and after the strong castell of Cherin, within the which was the daughter of the king of Cypres, which ladie humblie yeelded hir selfe vnto K. Richard, (who counting it reproach to be extreme with such as submit themselues, and speciallie the female sex, according to the old saieng,
Pacere subiectis nobilis scit ira leonis)
had pitie of hir case, and sent hir to his wife the new quéene, willing that she might be honorablie vsed. From thence passing forward, these Castels deliuered to the king of England. castels were deliuered into his hands, Baffes and Buffeuent, Den, Amur, Candace, and afterwards all the other castels and cities, townes and places of strength within that Ile one after an other. Finallie, hearing The king of Cyprus again submitteth himselfe to the king of England. that the king of Cypres was inclosed in an abbie called Cap S. Andrew, he marched thitherwards: but when the king of Cypres heard of his approch, he came foorth and submitted himselfe wholie into his hands. The king first appointed him to the kéeping of his chamberlaine Rafe Rafe Fitz Geffrey. Fitz Geffrey, and after sent him into the citie of Tripoli, there to be kept in close prison. Who when he heard he should be committed to close prison, and remaine in fetters, said, "that if he laie in irons, he should shortlie end his life." Wherevnto king Richard when he heard of it, answered: "He saith well, and therefore bicause he is a noble man, and our mind is not to haue him dead, but onelie to be kept safe from starting anie more awaie, and dooing new hurt, let him be chained in giues and fetters made of siluer," and so he was.
But to procéed. After the king had set the countrie of Cypres in good staie, he deliuered the keeping thereof vnto Richard de Camuille and He arriued there on the saturdaie in Whitsunwéek, being the saturdaie also next before the feast of S. Barnabie. Galfridus. Vinsant. Robert de Turneham. This doone vpon the wednesdaie in the Whitsunwéeke he tooke the sea againe, and passed ouer to the citie of Acres, which as then was besieged by the christian armie, as ye may read in the description of the holie land, onelie giuing you to vnderstand, that such was the valiancie of king Richard shewed in manfull constreining of the citie, that his praise was greatlie bruted both amongst the christians and also the Saracens.
Howbeit the secret enimitie betwixt him and the French king eftsoones reuiued, by occasion of such discord as chanced betwixt Guido king of Jerusalem, and Conrade the marques of Tire, so that parties were taken, and whereas both the Pisans and Geneuois did offer their seruice vnto king Richard, yet bicause the Geneuois were confederat with the French king, who tooke part with the marques, he refused them, and receiued the Pisans and Geneuois. Pisans, ioining himselfe with king Guido to support him against his enimies.
Here is to be remembred, that before king Richard arriued at the siege, he incountred on the sea a mightie great ship called a Drommond, which Matt. Paris. Nic. Triuet. Saphaldine the brother of Saladine. one Saphaldine the brother of Saladine a prince of the Saracens had sent, to refresh them with vittels. This ship king Richard caused féercelie to be assailed with his gallies, and at length bowged hir with all the vittels and prouision within the same, as wild-fire, barels of firie serpents, armour and weapons of sundrie sorts, besides all the mariners and men of warre, except such as were taken to mercie and saued aliue, being about 200 in the whole, whereas there were aboord the same Matth. Paris. N. Triuet. ship 500 men of warre, as some write, though other haue but 800.
¶ But now to other accidents that chanced this yere. On Midsummer eeue there was such an eclipse of the sunne, the moone being the same time 27 An eclipse of the sunne. daies old, that for the space of thrée houres (for so long it lasted) such darkness came ouer the face of the earth, that euen in the daie The seuenth houre of the daie saith Matth. Paris. time (for this eclipse began about nine of the clocke in the morning) the stars appeared plainelie in the element.
In the same moneth of June, Richard de Camuille, whome the king had left (as ye haue heard) gouernour in Cypres, chanced to fall sicke, and Richard de Camuille deceasseth. comming without licence to the siege of Acres, there died. After whose death the Cypriots and those called Griffones and Ermians reuolted from the English obedience, and chose to them a king, one that was a moonke of the familie of Isachus their former king: but Robert de Turneham, who after the deceasse of Richard Camuille remained sole gouernour of the Ile, gathered a power of men togither, and giuing battell to the new king (whom Houeden nameth also emperour) vanquished him with his complices, tooke him prisoner, and hanged him on a paire of galowes. The same moneth also died Rafe Fitz Geffrey, who had the other king Isac in custodie, and then king Richard deliuered him to the knights of the hospitall, who sent him to the castell of Margant, there safelie to be kept as prisoner to the vse of the king of England.