A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels, Vol. 2 | Page 2

Edgar was nephew; Edgar travelled to Jerusalem in
1102, in company with Robert, the son of Godwin, most valiant knight.
Being present in Rama, when King Baldwin was there besieged by the
Turks, and not being able to endure the hardships of the siege, he was
delivered from that danger, and escaped through the midst of the hostile
camp, chiefly through the aid of Robert; who, going before him, made
a lane with his sword, slaying numbers of the Turks in his heroic

progress. Towards the close of this chivalric enterprize, and becoming
more fierce and eager as he advanced, Robert unfortunately dropt his
sword; and while stooping to recover his weapon, he was oppressed by
the multitude, who threw themselves upon him, and made him prisoner.
From thence, as some say, Robert was carried to Babylon in Egypt, or
Cairo; and refusing to renounce his faith in CHRIST, he was tied to a
stake in the market-place, and transpierced with arrows. Edgar, having
thus lost his valiant knight, returned towards Europe, and was much
honoured with many gifts by the emperors both of Greece and
Germany, both of whom would gladly have retained him at their courts,
on account of his high lineage; but he despised all things, from regard
to his native England, into which he returned: And, having been
subjected to many changes of fortune, as we have elsewhere related, he
now spends his extreme old age in private obscurity.
[1] Hakluyt. I. 44. W. Malmsb. III. 58.

SECTION III.
_Some Circumstances respecting the Siege of Joppa, about the year_
1102[1].
In the second year of Baldwin, king of Jerusalem, Joppa was besieged
by the Turks of Cairo; and Baldwin embarked from the town of Assur,
in a vessel called a buss, commanded by one Goderic an English
freebooter, intending to proceed to the relief of the besieged. Fixing the
royal banner aloft on a spear, that it might be seen of the Christians,
they sailed boldly towards Joppa, with but a small company of armed
men. The king knew that the Christians in Joppa were almost hopeless
of his life and safety, and he feared they might shamefully abandon the
defence of the place, or be constrained to surrender, unless revived by
his presence. On perceiving the approach of the royal banner of King
Baldwin, the naval forces of the Turks, to the number of twenty gallies
and thirteen ships, usually called Cazh, endeavoured to surround and
capture the single vessel in which he was embarked. But, by the aid of
GOD, the billows of the sea raged against them, while the kings ship
glided easily and swiftly through the waves, eluding the enemy, and
arrived in safety into the haven of Joppa, to the great joy of the
Christians, who had mourned him as if dead.
While the Saracens continued the siege of Joppa, 200 sail of Christian

vessels arrived there, with pilgrims who wished to perform their
devotions at Jerusalem. Of these, the chief leaders were Bernard
Witrazh of Galatia, Hardin of England, Otho of Roges, Haderwerck,
one of the principal nobles of Westphalia, and others. This power, by
the blessing of God, arrived to succour the distressed Christians then
besieged in Joppa, on the 3d of July 1102, in the second year of
Baldwin king of Jerusalem. When the numerous army of the Saracens
saw that the Christians, thus reinforced, boldly faced them without the
walls, they removed their tents, during the night, above a mile from the
town, that they might consider whether to retreat to Ascalon, or to
continue to harass the citizens of Joppa with frequent assaults. But they
confided in their numbers, and continued to annoy the Christians by
severe and repeated attacks.
Having allowed three days rest and refreshment to this powerful
reinforcement, Baldwin issued out from Joppa early in the morning of
the sixth of July, to the martial sound of trumpets and cornets, with a
strong force, both of foot and horse, marching directly toward the
Saracens, with loud shouts, and attacked their army with great spirit.
The land attack was assisted by the Christian navy, which approached
the shore, making a horrible noise, and distracting the attention of the
Saracens, who feared to be attacked in flank and rear. After a sharp
encounter, the Saracens fled towards Ascalon, many being slain in the
battle and pursuit, and others drowned, by leaping into the sea to avoid
being slain. In this battle 3000 of the Saracens perished, with a very
small loss on the side of the Christians; and the city of Joppa was
delivered from its enemies.
[1] Hakluyt, I.45. Chron. Hierosol. IX. ix. xi. xii.

SECTION IV.
_Of the Transactions of certain English, Danish, and Flemish Pilgrims
in the Holy Land, in 1107_[1].
In