required to his owne vse a table of gold conteining twelue foot in
length, and one foot and a halfe in breadth, & two tressels of gold to
beare vp the same table, with 24. siluer cups, and as manie dishes of
siluer, with a tent of silke of such largenesse that two hundred knights
might sit at meat within it: also fortie thousand measures of wheat,
with as manie of barlie, and as manie of wine, beside one hundred armed
gallies, with all furniture and vittels sufficient to serue the
gallie-men in the same for the terme of two yeares. These things he
demanded as due to him being heire to his father king Henrie,
accordinglie as was deuised by king William in his last will and
testament, which demands seemed intollerable to the said Tancred: so
that if he could haue shifted the matter, he was loth to haue heard
thereof.

Moreouer, bicause pope Clement in right of the church pretended a title
to the realme of Sicile, now that king William was dead without heires,
he doubted of some practise that might be made against him betwixt king
Richard and the pope. Wherevpon he thought to prouide against all
attempts that might be made, fortifieng his townes & castels with strong
garisons, and tooke counsell with the citizens of Messina, by what
meanes he might soonest dispatch his countrie of that present danger,
and procure K. Richard to get him forward on his iournie.

Whilest these things were in hand, there was ministred to the English
men occasion of displeasure: for as it oftentimes chanceth (where an
armie is) certeine of the vnrulie souldiers within Messina vsed
themselues somewhat riotouslie, wherevpon the citizens offended
therewith, got them to armour, and chased all the souldiers out of the
citie. King Richard who laie in campe without the walles néere to the
citie, was so highlie displeased herewith, that he caused his men to