|
|
|
|
|
|
and Richard intended to go himself to discover who they were. Simon cursed under his breath and went. He was not a fearful man, but going armed aboard a small ship gave him a cold shivery feeling. Death came to all men, but Simon did not wish to meet his in cold water, weighted down by his armor so that he could not even struggle to help himself. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The danger was never put to the proof. The galleys were friendly emissaries from the Holy Land, carrying Guy de Lusignan, the deposed King of Jerusalem, and the Latin princes Bohemund III of Antioch and Count Raymond III of Tripoli. Richard greeted them with open arms. They were sent by God, he asserted, so that his wedding would be attended by suitably noble guests. Richard's mood filled Simon with alternate hope and despair. The King was very happy, verging, in fact, upon the exalted. Some of the elevation of spirit could be accounted for by the growing tale of wealth that was refilling Richard's coffers and promising a successful Crusade, but most of it, Simon suspected, came from Richard's feeling that he had conquered his base inclinations. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The King's expansive mood just suited Guy de Lusignan's personality and needs. He spun Richard a sad tale of conspiracy and treachery by which the loss of his kingdom had been engineered by Conrad of Montferrat, who was now close in the bosom of Philip of France. Richard assured him his losses would be made good. Lusignan deplored his penniless state; Richard gave him two thousand marks of Comnenus' silver and twenty cups from the Emperor's plate. The only thing neither Guy nor Bohemund nor Raymond could wring from the King was a promise that he would leave for the Holy Land at once. Richard intended to celebrate his nuptials with due leisure and he did not waver in his decision to make Cyprus his own. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The second determination had Simon's full concur- |
|
|
|
|
|