Asitwereatenderchick，Toseehowtheotherswilllike。’
　　Thishorribleorderwaspunctuallyexecuted。Atnoontheguestsweresummonedtowashbythemusicofthewaits；thekingtookhisseat，attendedbytheprincipalofficersofhiscourt，atthehightable，andtherestofthecompanyweremarshalledatalongtablebelowhim。Ontheclothwereplacedportionsofsaltattheusualdistances，butneitherbread，wine，norwater。Theambassadors，rathersurprisedatthisomission，butstillfreefromapprehension，awaitedinsilencethearrivalofthedinner，whichwasannouncedbythesoundsofpipes，trumpets，andtabours；andbeheld，withhorroranddismay，theunnaturalbanquetintroducedbythestewardandhisofficers。Yettheirsentimentsofdisgustandabhorrence，andeventheirfears，wereforatimesuspendedbytheircuriosity。Theireyeswerefixedontheking，who，withouttheslightestchangeofcountenance，swallowedthemorselsasfastastheycouldbesuppliedbytheknightwhocarvedthem。
　　`Everymanthenpokedother；
　　Theysaid，`Thisisthedevil’sbrother，Thatslaysourmen，andthushemeats！’
　　Theirattentionwastheninvoluntarilyfixedonthesmokingheadsbeforethem；theytracedintheswollenanddistortedfeaturestheresemblanceofafriendornearrelation，andreceivedfromthefatalscrollwhichaccompaniedeachdishthesadassurancethatthisresemblancewasnotimaginary。Theysatintorpidsilence，anticipatingtheirownfateinthatoftheircountrymen，whiletheirferociousentertainer，withfuryinhiseyes，butwithcourtesyonhislips，insultedthembyfrequentinvitationstomerriment。Atlengththisfirstcoursewasremoved，anditsplacesuppliedbyvenison，cranes，andotherdainties，accompaniedbytherichestwines。
　　Thekingthenapologisedtothemforwhathadpassed，whichheattributedtohisignoranceoftheirtaste；andassuredthemofhisreligiousrespectfortheircharacterasambassadors，andofhisreadinesstograntthemasafe-conductfortheirreturn。Thisboonwasallthattheynowwishedtoclaim；andKingRichardspaketoanoldman，`WendeshometoyourSoudan！
　　Hismelancholythatyeabate；
　　Andsayesthatyecametoolate。
　　Tooslowlywasyourtimey-guessed；
　　Ereyecamethefleshwasdressed，Thatmenshouldenservewithme，Thusatnoon，andmymeynie。
　　Sayhim，itshallhimnoughtavail，Thoughhefor-barusourvitail，Bread，wine，fish，flesh，salmon，anconger；
　　Ofusnoneshalldiewithhunger，Whilewemaywendentofight，AndslaytheSaracensdownright，Washtheflesh，androastthehead。
　　WithooSaracenImaywellfeed*OneWellanineoratenOfmygoodChristianmen。
　　KingRichardshallwarrant，ThereisnofleshsonourissantUntoanEnglishman，Partridge，plover，heron，neswan，Cowneox，sheepneswine，AstheheadofaSarazyn。
　　Thereheisfat，andtheretotender，Andmymenbeleanandslender。
　　WhileanySaracenquickbe，LivandnowinthisSyrie，Formeatwillwenothingcare。
　　Aboutenfastweshallfare，AndeverydayweshalleatAllsomanyaswemayget。
　　ToEnglandwillwenoughtgon，Tilltheybeeateneveryone。’’’
　　Ellis’s_SpecimensofEarlyEnglishMetricalRomances，_vol。ii。p。236。
　　ThereadermaybecurioustoknowowingtowhatcircumstancessoextraordinaryaninventionasthatwhichimputedcannibalismtotheKingofEngland，shouldhavefounditswayintohishistory。Mr。James，towhomweowesomuchthatiscurious，seemstohavetracedtheoriginofthisextraordinaryrumour。
　　Withthearmyofthecrossalsowasamultitudeofmen，’’thesameauthordeclares，whomadeitaprofessiontobewithoutmoney；theywalkedbarefoot，carriednoarms，andevenprecededthebeastsofburdenintheirmarch，livinguponrootsandherbs，andpresentingaspectaclebothdisgustingandpitiable。
　　ANorman，who，accordingtoallaccounts，wasofnoblebirth，butwho，havinglosthishorse，continuedtofollowasafootsoldier，tookthestrangeresolutionofputtinghimselfattheheadofthisraceofvagabonds，whowillinglyreceivedhimastheirking。AmongsttheSaracensthesemenbecamewellknownunderthenameof_Thafurs_whichGuiberttranslates_Trudentes_，andwerebeheldwithgreathorror，fromthegeneralpersuasionthattheyfedonthedeadbodiesoftheirenemies；areportwhichwasoccasionallyjustified，andwhichtheKingoftheThafurstookcaretoencourage。
　　Thisrespectablemonarchwasfrequentlyinthehabitofstoppinghisfollowers，onebyone，inanarrowdefile，andofcausingthemtobesearchedcarefully，lestthepossessionoftheleastsumofmoneyshouldrenderthemunworthyofthenameofhissubjects。Ifeventwosouswerefounduponanyone，hewasinstantlyexpelledthesocietyofhistribe，thekingbiddinghimcontemptuouslybuyarmsandfight。
　　Thistroop，sofarfrombeingcumbersometothearmy，wasinfinitelyserviceable，carryingburdens，bringinginforage，provisions，andtribute；
　　workingthemachinesinthesieges，and，aboveall，spreadingconsternationamongtheTurks，whofeareddeathfromthelancesoftheknightslessthanthatfartherconsummationtheyheardofundertheteethoftheThafurs。’’
　　*James’s_HistoryofChivalry，_p。178。
　　Itiseasytoconceive，thatanignorantminstrel，findingthetasteandferocityoftheThafurscommemoratedinthehistoricalaccountsoftheHolyWars，hasascribedtheirpracticesandpropensitiestotheMonarchofEngland，whoseferocitywasconsideredasanobjectofexaggerationaslegitimateashisvalour。
　　NoteA-LordofGilsland。
　　Hewasahistoricalhero，faithfullyattached，asishereexpressed，toKingRichard，andisnoticedwithdistinctionintheromancementionedintheIntroduction。Atthebeginningoftheromance，mentionismadeofatournament，inwhichthekingreturnsthreetimeswithafreshsuitofarmour，whichactedasadisguise；andateachappearance，someknightofgreatprowesshadasharpencounterwithhim。WhenRichardreturnedthesecondtime，thefollowingisMr。Ellis’saccountofhisproceedings:-
　　Henowmountedabayhorse，assumedasuitofarmourpaintedred，andahelmet，thecrestofwhichwasaredhound，withalongtailwhichreachedtotheearth；anemblemintendedtoconveyhisindignationagainsttheheathenhoundswhodefiledtheHolyLand，andhisdeterminationtoattempttheirdestruction。Havingsufficientlysignalisedhimselfinhisnewdisguise，herodeintotheranksforthepurposeofselectingamoreformidableadversary；and，deliveringhisspeartohissquire，tookhismace，andassaultedSirThomasdeMulton，aknightwhoseprowesswasdeservedlyheldinthehighestestimation。SirThomas，apparentlynotatalldisorderedbyablowwhichwouldhavefelledacommonadversary，calmlyadvisedhimtogoandamusehimselfelsewhere；butRichard，havingaimedathimasecondandmoreviolentstroke，bywhichhishelmetwasnearlycrushed，hereturneditwithsuchvigourthatthekinglosthisstirrups，and，recoveringhimselfwithsomedifficulty，rodeoffwithallspeedintotheforest。’’-Ellis’s_Specimens，_pp。193，194。
　　NoteB-DeathofGrandMasteroftheTemplars。
　　ThemannerofthedeathofthesupposedGrandMasteroftheTemplarswastakenfromtherealtragedyenactedbySaladin，uponthepersonofArnoldorReginalddeChatillon。Thisperson，asoldieroffortune，hadseizedacastleonthevergeofthedesert，fromwhencehemadeplunderingexcursions，andinsultedandabusedthepilgrimswhowereontheirjourneytoMecca。ItwaschieflyonhisaccountthatSaladindeclaredwaragainstGuydeLusignan，thelastLatinKingoftheHolyLand。TheChristianmonarchwasdefeatedbySaladinwiththelossofthirtythousandmen，andhavingbeenmadeprisoner，withChatillonandothers，wasconductedbeforetheSoldan。Thevictorpresentedtohisexhaustedcaptiveacupofsherbet，cooledinsnow。Lusignanhavingdrunk，wasabouttohandthecuptoChatillon，whentheSultaninterfered。Yourperson，’’hesaid，myroyalprisoner，issacred，butthecupofSaladinmustnotbeprofanedbyablasphemousrobberandruffian。’’Sosaying，heslewthecaptiveknightbyablowofhisscimitar-SeeGibbon’s_History。_