Chap. 1.

EIght dayes after Jerusalem was wonne,* they proceeded to the election of a King:* but they had so much choice that they had no choice at all; so many Princes there were, and so equally eminent, that Justice her self must suspend her verdict, not knowing which of them best deserved the Crown. Yet it was their pleasure to pitch on Robert the Normane as on the man of highest descent, being son to a King: for great Hugh of France was already returned home, pretending the colick; though some impute it to cowardlinesse, and make the disease not in his bow∣els, but his heart.

Robert refused this honourable profer;* whether because he had an eye to the Kingdome of England now void by the death of William Rufus, or because he accounted Jerusalem would be incumbred with continuall warre.* But he who would not take the Crown with the Crosse, was fain to take the Crosse without the Crown, and never thrived afterwards in any thing he undertook. Thus they who refuse what God fairly carveth for them, do never after cut well for themselves. He lived to see much misery, and felt more, having his eyes put out by King Henry his brother; and at last found rest (when buried) in the new Cathedrall Church of Glocester under a† wooden mo∣nument, bearing better proportion to his low fortunes then Page  44 high birth. And since, in the same quire he hath got the com∣pany of another Prince as unfortunate as himself, King Edward the second.

They go on to a second choice; and that they may know the natures of the Princes the better, their servants were examined on oath to confesse their masters faults. The* servants of God∣frey of Bouillon protested their masters onely fault was this, That when Mattens were done he would stay so long in the church, to know of the Priest the meaning of every image and picture, that dinner at home was spoiled by his long tarrying. All admired hereat, that this mans worst vice should be so great a virtue, and unanimously chose him their King. He accepted the place, but refused the solemnity thereof; and would not wear a crown of gold there, where the Saviour of mankind had worn a crown of thorns.

He was sonne to Eustace Duke of Bouillon, and Ida his wife, daughter and heir to Godfrey Duke of Lorrein; born, saith† Tyrius, at Bologne a town in Champaigne on the En∣glish sea, which he mistaketh for Bouillon up higher in the con∣tinent near the countrey of Lutzenburg. Such slips are incident to the penns of the best authours: yea, we may see Canterbury mistaken for Cambridge, not onely in† Munster, but even in all our own printed Statute-books in the 12. of Richard the† se∣cond. He was brought up in that school of valour, the court of Henry the 4. the Emperour. Whilest he lived there, there hap∣pened an intricate suit betwixt him and another Prince about title of land; and because Judges could not untie the knot, it was concluded the two Princes should cut it asunder with their sword in a combat. Godfrey was very† unwilling to fight, not that he was the worse souldier, but the better Christian: he made the demurre not in his courage, but in his conscience; as conceiving any private title for land not ground enough for a duell: Yea, we may observe generally, that they who long most to fight duels, are the first that surfet of them. Notwithstand∣ing, he yielded to the tyranny of custome, and after the fashion of the countrey entred the lists: when at the first encounter his sword brake, but he struck his adversary down with the hilt, yet so that he saved his life, and gained his own inheritance. Another parallel act of his valour was when, being standard-bea∣rer to the Emperour, he with the imperiall ensign killed Rodul∣phus the Duke of Saxony in single fight, and fed the Eagle on the bowels of that arch-rebell. His soul was enriched with ma∣ny virtues, but the most orient of all was his humility, which took all mens affections without resistance: And though one saith, Take away ambition, and you take away the spurs of a souldier; yet, Godfrey without those spurs rode on most triumphantly.