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Chap. 13.
The pleasurable voyages of King Baldwine, and his death.
AFter the tempest of a long warre a calm came at last, and King Baldwine had a five years vacation of peace in his old age: In which time he disported himself with many voy∣ages for pleasure:* 1.1 as, one to the Red-sea, not so called from the rednesse of the water, or sand, as some without any co∣lour have conceited; but from the neighbouring Edomites whom the Grecians called Erytheans, or re•• men, truly tran∣slating the Hebrew name of Edomites: they had their name of rednesse from their father† 1.2 Edom. And here Baldwine surveyed the countrey,* 1.3 with the nature and strength thereof. Another journey he took afterwards into† 1.4 Egypt, as concei∣ving himself ingaged in honour to make one inrod•• into that countrey, in part of paiment of those many excursions the Egy∣ptians had made into his Kingdome. He took the city of† 1.5 Pha∣ramia, anciently called Rameses, and gave the spoil thereof to his souldiers. This work being done, he began his play, and en∣tertained the time with viewing that riddle of Nature, the river of Nilus, whose stream is the confluence of so many wonders: first, for its indiscoverable fountain; though some late Geogra∣phers, because they would be held more intelligent then others, have found the head of Nilus in their own brains, and make it to flow from a fountain they fansie in the mountains of the moon, in the south of Africa: then, for the strange creatures bred therein; as river-bulls, horses, and crocodiles: But the chiefest wonder is the yearly increasing thereof from the† 1.6 17. of June to the midst of September, overflowing all Egypt, and the banks of all humane judgement to give the true reason thereof.
Much time Baldwine spent in beholding this river, wherein he took many fishes, and his death in eating them: for a new surfet revived the grief of an old wound, which he many years before received at the siege of Ptolemais. His sicknesse put him in mind of his sinnes, conscience speaking loudest when men begin to grow speechlesse: And especially he grieved, that ha∣ving another wife alive, he had married the Countesse of Sicilie, the relict of Earl Roger: But now heartily sorrowfull for his fault, he sent away this his last wife; yet we reade not that he received his former again. Other faults he would have amend∣ed, but was prevented by death. And no doubt where the deed