continued the histories vnto these our dayes. The time of the Romans
affoordeth small matter. But after that they were called hence by forren
inuasions of their Empire, and the Saxons by degrees became lords in this
Iland, and shortly after receiued the Christian faith, they did not onely
trauell to Rome, but passed farther vnto Ierusalem, and therewith not
contented, Sigelmus bishop of Shireburne in Dorsetshire caried the almes of
king Alfred euen to the Sepulcher of S. Thomas in India, (which place at
this day is called Maliapor) and brought from thence most fragrant spices,
and rich iewels into England: Which iewels, as William of Malmesburie in
two sundry treatises writeth, were remaining in the aforsayd Cathedrall
Church to be seene euen in his time. And this most memorable voyage into
India is not onely mentioned by the aforesayd Malmesburie, but also by
Florentius Wigorniensis, a graue and woorthy Author which liued before him,
and by many others since, and euen by M. Foxe in his first volume of his
acts and Monuments in the life of king Alfred. To omit diuers other of the
Saxon nation, the trauels of Alured bishop of Worcester through Hungarie to
Constantinople, and so by Asia the lesse into Phoenicia and Syria, and the
like course of Ingulphus, not long afterward Abbot of Croiland, set downe
particularly by himselfe, are things in mine opinion right worthy of
memorie. After the comming in of the Normans, in the yeere 1096, in the
reigne of William Rufus, and so downward for the space of aboue 300 yeeres,
such was the ardent desire of our nation to visite the Holy land, and to
expell the Saracens and Mahumetans, that not only great numbers of Erles,
Bishops, Barons, and Knights, but euen Kings, Princes, and Peeres of the
blood Roiall, with incredible deuotion, courage and alacritie intruded
themselues into this glorious expedition. A sufficient proofe hereof are
the voiages of prince Edgar the nephew of Edmund Ironside, of Robert
Curtois brother of William Rufus, the great beneuolence of king Henry the
2. and his vowe to haue gone in person to the succour of Ierusalem, the
personall going into Palestina of his sonne king Richard the first, with