The historie of the holy vvarre by Thomas Fuller ...

Chap. 13.

The wise preparations of the Egyptians; The va∣lour of the French at their landing; Damiata wonn••.

BUt he stood so long in aiming, that the bird saw him, and had leisure to flie away, and Meladine the Egyptian King to provide himself to make resistance. Last time (some thirty years before) when the Christians under John Bren invaded Egypt, they were not impeached in their arrivall, but suffered to land with∣out any opposition. But Meladine now was sensible of the dis∣commodity in permitting his ••oes safely to come on shore: For first, they wasted and spoiled the countrey & the provision about them: Secondly, opportunity was given to male contents and ill-disposed persons to flie to the enemy: Lastly, he found it most policy to keep the enemy off at arms end, and to close at the last; and not to adventure his Kingdome on the single die of a battel, but rather to set it on a chance, that so he might have the more play for it. Wherefore he resolved to strengthen his maritime places, and not suffer them to land; though also here∣in he met with many difficulties. For as nothing was more cer∣tain then that Lewis would set on Egypt, so nothing more un∣certain; and because it was unknown at what time or place he would come, all times and places were provided for. This ex∣hausted a masse of treasure to keep in pay so many souldiers for many moneths together. But it is no time to dispute about un∣necessary thirft, when a whole Kingdome is brought into questi∣on to be subdued.

And because the landing-places in Egypt are of great disad∣vantage

to the defendants, yielding them no shelter from the fu∣ry of their enemies artillery, being all open places and plain (the shores there being not shod against the sea with huge high rocks, as they are in some other countreys, because the land is low and level) Meladine was forced to fortifie welnigh an hundred and eighty miles along the sea-side; and what Nature had left bare, Art put the more clothes on; and by using of great industry (such as by Tully is fitly termed horribilis industria) in short space all that part of Egypt was fenced which respecteth the sea.

Winter being past, Robert Duke of Burgundie, and Alphonse King Lewis his brother arrived in Cyprus with a new army; and hereupon they concluded to set forward for Egypt, and at∣tempted to land near Damiata.* 1.1 But the governour thereof with a band of valiant souldiers stoutly resisted them. Here was a doubtfull fight: The Egyptians standing on the firm ground, were thereby enabled to improve and* 1.2 inforce their darts to the utmost, whilest the French in their ticklish boats durst not make the best of their own strength. Besides, those on land threw their weapons downwards from the forts they had erected, so that the declivity and downfall did naturally second the violent impression of their darts. How-ever, the Infidels at last were here beaten with what commonly was their own weapon, I mean, multitude; so that they fled into the town,* 1.3 leaving behind them their governour and five hundred of their best souldiers dead on the shore.

Damiata was a strong city, the taking whereof was accounted the good task of an army for a yeare. But now the Egyptians within were presented afresh with the memory of the miseries they indured in the last long siege by the Christians; and fearing lest that tragedy should be acted over again, set fire on their houses, and in the night saved themselves by flight. The French issuing in quenched the fire,* 1.4 and rescued much corn and other rich spoil from the teeth of the flame.

Meladine much troubled with this losse, to purchase peace * 1.5 offered the Christians all Jerusalem in as ample a manner as ever formerly they had enjoyed it; all prisoners to be restored, with a great summe of money to defray their charges, and many other good conditions: So that we may much wonder at his profusenesse in these profers, and more at the Christians indis∣cretion in their refusall. For though some advised to make much of so frank a chapman, and not through covetousnesse to out∣stand their market; yet the Popes Legate and Robert Earl of Artois,* 1.6 heightened with pride that they could not see their pro∣fit, and measuring their future victories by the largenesse of their first footing in Egypt, would make no bargain except A∣lexandria, the best port in Egypt were also cast in for vantage, to

make the conditions down-weight: And King Lewis, whose nature was onely bad because it was so good, would in no wise crosse his brother in what he desired. Whereupon the Turks seeing themselves in so desperate condition, their swords being sharpened on extremity, provided to defend their countrey to the utmost.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Iune 4.
• * 1.2

  P. Aemyl. pag. 216.
• * 1.3

  5.
• * 1.4

  9.
• * 1.5

  Matth. Pa∣ris, pag. 1047.
• * 1.6

  Knolls, Turk. Hist.