Manuscript: Faustina B. IX

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Quoniam indignum est scilencio preterire qualiter orbis terre iuue
nis ualidissimus gloriosus Christi miles Edduuardus a\d/iuuante
illum altissimo liberauit se ne interimeretur a quodam Sarraceno for
tissiimo dignum est ut stilus iterum recurrat ad ipsum. Sperans igitur quedam pars
gentis perfide Sarracenorum qui propius Acconiam erant habitantes quod dominus Eddu
uardus esset unus ex cunctis militibus Christianis prefortissimus mittit ad illum
quendam admiraldum diuitiis & potestate lucupletem ualde qui cum ue
nisset ad eum dolose legacionis, nuncius solempnis sed secretus existens preter
illa que ante quam ad ipsum tunc uenerat premisit ▬▬ multa preciosa donatiua
nunc donat ei eque preciosa uel preciosiora munera petens obnixe ab eo ut parui
tatem suam que erat magna licet ei sic loqueretur ad gratiam amicicie &
fidelitatis dignetur admittere, quoniam ut aiebat illi habuit secretum anime sue aperi
re ei quod nullo modo uoluit ostendere nisi pacem suam & gratiam sibi prius uoluis
set concedere iurauit ergo ei per Deum1 quod salus anime sue in manu sua erat, unde
ait, Obsecro te ne sinas me perire, cui cum resspondit ▬▬ Eduuardus nullam habens
in fraudem in consciencia quod multo magis mallet ipsum & omnes Sarracenos
de mundo saluari quam perire quo audito simulator callidus procidit ad genua af
fabiliter sibi colloquentis deosculans ea similiter osculabatur pedes ⁊ manus2 asserens
se feliciorem iam factum esse quam unquam fuerat ante qui tam gloriosi principis filium prome
ruit uidere cuius principis preconia multipliciter extollens pariter ⁊ filii aiebat ei
non talem in uniuerso orbe fore alterum iuuenem qui tam viriliter egerat in hasti
ludiis ⁊ tam egregie de suis inimicis trihumpharat in bellis appellans ipsum proin
de non solum florem Christianitatis sed & tocius orbis victorem futurum si inquit
ad illum ad te placeret Christianitatis immens[e]3 multitudini fideliter confluere contra
Sarracenitatem nostrum, Christianorum itaque laudes multipharie multisque modis efferens
locutus est ei in aure quod uellet Christianus effici pro eo inquid quod fides Christianorum
excellit omnem fidem miraculis gloriosis, quibus uerbis alter benigne nimirum exhilla
ratus ait illi feliciter natus fuisti si feceris te cito baptizari, quoniam fides nostra est
quod omnis homo qui baptizatus non fuerit in eternum cum dyabolo peribit, & ideo si uis
saluari festina baptizari, quoniam ignoras diem mortis tue, cui respondit
felix sit consilium tuum nam et ego uolo babtizari sed habeo uxorem legittimam
& plures uxores filios quoque & filias cognatos & propinquos quos desidero una mecum
 
\eius/

Notes

1 JRD: -uit ergo ei per Deum written over an erasure.
2 JRD: Read pedes ⁊ manus eius.
3 JRD: Partly erased and altered, but alteration left incomplete.
Since it would be improper to pass over in silence the way in which Edward, that most valiant youth in the world, that renowned soldier of Christ, saved himself by the aid of the Most High from being slain by a formidable Saracen: it is fitting that my pen should hurry back to him once again. A certain section of the treacherous Saracen people who dwelt near Acre, assuming that the lord Edward was one of the most mighty of all Christian soldiers, despatched a wealthy and powerful emir to him, a man well endowed with lands. When he had come to him under the pretence of a diplomatic mission, being an official but secret messenger, besides ▬▬ those things which he had sent ahead before coming to him, he then presented many expensive gifts, earnestly seeking from him gifts equally precious or even more precious: that he would allow his insignificant self (really great, though he spoke like this) to be admitted to the favour of his friendship and confidence. For he wanted to tell him that he had a secret of his soul to disclose to him; something which he by no means wished to disclose unless Edward should have first consented to grant his peace and favour to him. He therefore swore to him by God that the salvation of his soul was in his hands, and added, ‘I beg of you, do not let me perish’. Edward, who with had no in guile in his heart, ▬▬ replied that he would much rather that he and all the Saracens in the world be saved than be lost. On hearing this, the crafty deceiver fell down at his knees, kissing them as he spoke graciously to him, and similarly kissing * feet and hands, declaring that he had now been made more happy than he had ever been before as he had been deemed worthy to meet the son of so glorious a prince. As he extolled the manifold praises of the king and his son in equal measure, he told Edward that there would not be such another youth in the whole world who had performed in tournaments with such manly strength and had triumphed in so distinguished a manner over his enemies in wars. He called him in like manner not only ‘the flower of Christendom’, but also told him he would be victor of the whole world, ‘if it pleased the immense multitude of Christendom to combine with you against our Saracen country.’ And so, as he proclaimed the many and varied praises of the Christians in numerous ways, he whispered to him that he wished to become a Christian: ‘Because,’ he said, ‘the faith of the Christians surpasses every faith in the glory of its miracles.’ Edward was certainly delighted at these words, and said to him, ‘If you have yourself baptised without delay, then your birth was a happy one: since it is our belief that every person who has not been baptised shall perish in eternity with the devil. For this reason, if you wish to be saved, be quick to be baptised, for you do not know the day of your death.’ He replied, ‘Blessings on your advice, for I indeed wish to be baptised; but I have a lawful wife, indeed many wives, sons as well as daughters, cousins and relatives, for whom it is my desire that they should receive
*his

Notes