UNPUBI.ISIIHl) NOTICES UK TllH TI.MKS «il' KDWAIM) I. 1'J

made of the attaclinicnt which the fatlicr of tlie latter had always shown towards the Christians. Edward conipliments him on his laudable intention of arming against the Soldan of Babylon, in aid of the Holy Land, and of the Christian faith ; thanks him for the offer of horses and other necessaries for his army, whenever he shall reach the Holy Land ; and assures him, that as soon as he can obtain the assent of the Roman Pontiif to the passage of himself and his army beyond sea, he will take care to certify him thereof through his own envoys, by whom he will also send him some ger- falcons and " other jewels of our land," as Arghun had requested of him. Although in this letter Edward expresses his wish to undertake another crusade, and it is certain he was under a solemn engagement to do so, which Pope Nicholas was now constantly urging him to fulfil,^ it may be doubted if his professions were sincere ; but whatever his views in that respect, he was sud<lenly and entirely diverted from them by the question which almost immediately arose of the succession to the Scottish throne, and the circumstances attending it, wdiich offered him a nearer, and long desired, field for the employment of his arms and money. It appears, however, that Edw^ard kept his word, and actually sent envoys to the INFoghul sovereign soon after the departure of Buscarelli ; they joined the latter at Genoa, and travelled thence with him, his nephew Conrad, and Percival de Gisolfi to the Persian court ; the name of the English ambassador was Geoffrey de Langley, who w^as attended by two esquires, one of whom was Nicholas de Chartres. I w^rite w^ith extracts before me from the original roll of their Itinerary, kindly communicated by my friend, Mr. Burtt, of the Chapter-house, Westminster, modi, et ea que dictus vester nuiicius ex tarn dispoiiemus nostros gressus, adjiitorio parte vcstra nobis exposuit efficaciter Jhesu Christi, quod faciendi liahcmiis perstuiierilis adiniplere. Ceteruni pro utique magnum velle, quamcito possiimis; equitatura et aliis exercitui nostro neces- et hoc vobis faciemus constare ])(>r nostros sariis, que per eundeni vestrum nuneium, proprios nuncios, per quos vobis mittemus cum nos a;^redi contigerit terram sanetam, de nostris Girofalcis et aliis joealibus nobis liberaliter leeistis ofi'erri, non nullas nostra ten-e, prout inde nos requisivit vobis grates referiums iterato, vosii;norare vestra regia cclsitudo. In predicto laiida- nolentt'S quod quamcicius poterinius sane- bili vestro jjroposito vos conservet gratie tissinii in Cbristo patris sancte Roniane summus dator." Rot. Claus. 18 Edw. 1. ecclesie summi pontificis super nostro m. (5, in dor^o. nostrique excercitus transitu ultra mare " New Rymer, vol. i. i)t. ii.. |ip. 74-1, et optinere consensimi, vos inde reddore seq. curabimus cerciores, et ad teirani predic- VOL. VIII. H