I3S [Λ.η . 11!).', ηΟΓ.ΚΙί OK AVENDOVI.!!. strength tiy manoeuvring their horses in tlio ring, and thus ne more nimble anil practised fur battle against the enemies of the cross, or even against their neighbours. At this time, too, one Alexius, son of Manuel, formerly emperor of Constantinople, assembled an army, and having inaile prisoner Cursac the present emperor, who had attacked him. he deprived him of his eyesight, and at length, after having ei nsculated him, condemned him to perpetual imprisonment and seized on his empire. Ιίοπ lite king of the English laid a complaint liffare our lord the pope against the duke of Austria for imprisoning him. A.D . 1190. King Richard sent messengers to the apostolic sec with instructions to lay the following complaint before our lord the pope. " Holy father, our lord Richard king of the English salutes your excellency, anil asks for justice to be shown to him against the dnke of Austria, who made prisoner of him when on his return from a toilsome pilgrimage, harassed him in a way not becoming so great a prince, and afterwards sold him as though he were a bull or an ass, to the emperor, after which the two of them consumed the substance of his kingdom by demanding an intolerable sum for his ransom. Moreover thev, who were no strangers to the laws of Christianity, visited him with more severe judg ments in such a case, than even Saladin would have done, if by a similar misfortune he had fallen into the hands of that infidel himself, to light against whom the said king had travelled from his territories, leaving his lately iict|iiired kingdom, his country, relations, and friends. Ho would perhaps know how to pay respect to the nobleness, valour, or majesty of a king, whom that barbarous and still-necked generation did not know how to appreciate, but perhaps thev did this that the capture of such a great prince might be attributed as a praiseworthy victory to them, although they would never have dared to seek him in upon fight, had lie been surrounded by his valiant army. And let them not think that the dis grace of the king is to be imputed to them, but rather to the dispensation of God, at whose will the w liei 1 of fortune humbles one and exalts another, casts down one and raises up another, it also greatly vexes our lord the king, that, in