The Devil's Horsemen

 The Devil's Horsemen

“Among their (Mongol) many raids, this year's (1238) incursions were thought to have been conducted with particular savagery. As a result, the men of Gotland and Friesland, fearing the Tartars' attacks, did not make the voyage to England, to fish for herring off Yarmouth as was their normal practice. Consequently there was a glut of herring in England that year.

Anyway the noble Saracen (Muslim ambassador who was sent to the king of France to report these things on behalf of all the men of the East, and to seek help from the men of the West, that the Tartars might be pushed back the more effectively, in turn sent an envoy to King Henry III of England, to say that unless the Saracens (Muslims) were able to withstand the attack, the inevitable sequel would be that the invaders (Mongol) would fall upon the West. He sought assistance, therefore, so that the Saracens (Muslims), with Christian help, might hurl back such assault.

The bishop of Winchester, who happened to be present, and who had taken the Cross, replied in jest: 'Let us leave these dogs to devour each other until they perish. Then when we set out against the enemy of Christ who still remain, we shall slay them and cleanse the face of the earth, so that the whole world shall be brought under the Catholic Church, and, in the words of St John's Gospel, 'there will be one flock, one shepherd'.

Chronicles of the Age of Chivalry

General Editor Elizabeth Hallam

Phoebe Philips Editions 1987