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ROGER OF WENDOVER Flowers of history. The history of England from the descent of the saxons to A.D. 1235. vol.1
page 455
Of the virtues ani premature death of duke Godfi cy.
The same year died pope Urban, and was succeeded by Paschal, who sat eighteen years in the Roman see. The same year Godfrey, king of Jerusalem, at the instance of some of his barons, crossed the river Jordan, and, having collected a great booty of sheep and oxen in the country of the Ammorites, then inhabited by the Arabs, returned home in triumph. The news of this attack aroused a distinguished Arabian prince, a powerful and warlike potentate, who, having first obtained permission and peace by sending a herald, came to visit Godfrey with a noble retinue of his countrymen ; for he had heard by report of the power and magnificence of the king and people of the west, who had far and wide subdued so large a territory of the east ; wherefore, burning with desire to see him, he was introduced into his presence and respectfully saluted him. When he had for some time admired the king's constitution of body, he requested of him with much earnestness to show his strength, by using his sword on a camel which he had brought with him for that purpose. The king, not by way of bravado,
but to strike terror into those barbarians, drew his sword, and at one blow cut off the camel's head, as if it had been a thread. The Arab was astonished at the sight, but in his own mind ascribed it to the sharpness of the sword; and having requested permission to speak, asked the king if he could do the same with- another person's sword. The king smiling, asked the prince to lend him his own sword, and with it cut off the head of another camel on the spot, and without the least difficulty. Thus the Arab, finding that the reports of the king's strength were true, gave him many presents in gold and silver, horses, and other valuables ; and having secured his friendship, returned to his own people, and told every body of the wonderful strength of the king. After this, the glorious king was seized in the month of July with an incurable disease, and, having received the viaticum of salvation, breathed his last, confessing the name of Christ, to enjoy everlasting happiness with the angels in heaven. He died on the 18th of July of this present year, and was buried in the church of our Lord's sepulchre, under Mount Calvary, where his successors also have a place appointed
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