A.D. 1188.] FREDERIC'S LETTER TO SALADIN*. Land, over which we, hy the authority of the Eternal King, bear rule, as guardian of Judo?, Samaria, and Palestine, solicitude for our imperial office admonishes us to proceed with due rigour against such presumptuous and criminal audacity. Wherefore, unless, before all things, you restore the land which you have seized, and give due satisfaction, to be adjudged according to the holy constitutions, for such nefarious excesses, that we may not appear to wage unlawful war against you, we give you from the first of November, a period of twelve months, after which you shall try the fortune of war, in the field of Zoan,* by the virtue of the vivifying cross, and in the name of the true Joseph. For we can scarcely believe that you are ignorant of that which all antiquity and the writings of the aneients testify. Do you pretend not to know that both the JEthiopias, Mauritania, Persia, Scythia, Parthia, where our general Marcus Crassus met with a premature death, Judea, Samaria, Arabia, Maritima, and Chahhea, Egypt, where, [shame to say ! a Roman citizen, Antony, a man endowed with signal virtues, passing the bounds of temperance, and acting otherwise than as became a soldier sent from so great a state, submitted to the unchaste love of Cleopatra ; do you pretend not to know that] Armenia, and other innumerable countries, are subject to our sway ? This is well known to those kings in whose blood the Roman sword has been so often steeped ; and you, God willing, shall learn by experience the might of our victorious eagles, and be made acquainted with our troops of many nations—the anger of Germany— the untamed head of the Rhine—the youth from the banks of the Danube, who know not how to flee—the towering Bavarian—the cunning Snabian—the cautious Franconian— Saxony, that sports with the sword—Thuringia—Westphalia —the active Rrabantine—the Lorrainer, unused to peace— the fiery Rurgundian—the nimble mountaineer of the Alps —the Frison with his javelin and thong—the Bohemian ever ready to brave death—Polonia, fiercer than her own fierce beasts—Austria— Styria — Ruwenuia— Istria— Rocumphia — lllyria—Lombard}-—Tuscany—the march of Ancona—the resolute Venetian and the Pisan sailor—and lastly, also, you * The allusion is to Psalm Ixxviii. 1-, The emperor seems to mean that he will attack .Saladin in Egypt VOI.. II. F