The Talisman

Holy Land, Richard wa

ere more successful. He became convalescent, and the first symptom of his recovery was a violent longing for por

e let the thief be slain, Opened, and his skin off flayn; And sodden full hastily, With powder and with spicery, And with saffron of good colour. When the king feels thereof savour, Out of ague if he be went, He shall have thereto good talent. When he has a good taste, And eaten well a good repast, And supped of the BREWIS [Broth] a sup, Slept after and swet a drop, Through Goddis help and my counsail, Soon he shall be fresh and hail.’ The sooth to say, at wordes few, Slain and sodden was the heathen shrew. Before the king it was forth brought: Quod hi

by Richard in person, the consequence o

) ‘For feeble I am, and faint and mad. Of mine evil now I am fear; Serve me therewith at my soupere!’ Quod the cook, ‘That head I ne have.’ Then said the king, ‘So God me save, But I see the h

be struck with horror at the recollection of the dreadful banquet

wode. ‘What! is Saracen’s flesh thus good? That never erst I nought wist! By God’s death and his uprist, Shall we never die for default, While we may in any assault, Slee Saracens

were delivered to the victors, together with the further ransom of one hundred thousand bezants. After this capitulation, the following extraord

istinction, that monarch, at the solicitation of their friends, dispatched an embassy to King Richard with magnificent presents, which he offered for the ransom of the captives. The ambassadors were persons the most respectable from their age, their rank, and their eloquence. They delivered their message in terms of the utmost hu

barge, More gold and silver with me, Than has your lord, and swilke three. To his treasure have I no need! But for my love I you bid, To mea

after carefully noting their names on a roll of parchment, cause their heads to be instantly struck off; that these heads should be delivered to the cook, with instructions to clear away the hair, and, a

yed withall, Eat thereof fast I shall; As it were

the usual distances, but neither bread, wine, nor water. The ambassadors, rather surprised at this omission, but still free from apprehension, awaited in silence the arrival of the dinner, which was announced by the sound of pipes, trumpets, and tabours; and beheld, with horror and dismay, the unnatural banquet introduc

id, ‘This is the devil’s brother, Th

ce, anticipating their own fate in that of their countrymen; while their ferocious entertainer, with fury in his eyes, but with courtesy on his lips, insulted them by frequent invitations to merriment. At length this first course was removed, and its place supplied by venison, cranes, and other dainties, accompanied by t

h, salmon, and conger; Of us none shall die with hunger, While we may wenden to fight, And slay the Saracens downright, Wash the flesh, and roast the head. With OO [One] Saracen I may well feed Well a nine or a ten Of my good Christian men. King Richard shall warrant, There is no flesh so nourissant Unto an English man, Partridge, plover, heron, ne sw

of Early English

hich imputed cannibalism to the King of England should have found its way into his history. Mr. James

ession to be without money. They walked barefoot, carried no arms, and even preceded the beasts of burd

URS (which Guibert translates TRUDENTES), and were beheld with great horror from the general persuasion that they fed on the dead bodies of their enemies; a report which was occasionally justified, and which the king of the Thafurs took care to encourage. This respectable monarch was frequently in the habit of stopping his follower

nd tribute; working the machines in the sieges; and, above all, spreading consternation among the Turks, who feared death from the lan

ated in the historical accounts of the Holy Wars, has ascribed their practices and propensities to the M

D, 1st Ju

ype="