2352

Oct. 6. Acre. E. Nicosiensis [archiepiscopus] domini patriarchae Jerosolymitani vicarius, H. Nazarensis archiepiscopus, R. Acconitidis episcopus, R. Liddensis episcopus, H. abbas Templi, G. Hospitalis sancti Johannis Jerosolymitani pauperum Christi custos, Arinaudus militiae Templi magister, comes Gualterus de Brena, O. de Monte-Beliardi conestabulus regni Jerosolymitani, B. dominus Sydoniensis and J. dominus Caesariae write to T. rex Navarrae et comes Campaniae, comes Nivernensis, comes Forensis, comes Montisfortis, dominus R. de Courtenay and dominus Drogo de Marlois. They give advice on the coming crusade. They encourage the crusaders to come quickly, because the Sarraceni are not holding to the present truce with the Christians. They suggest mustering at Marseille or Genoa and sailing to Limassol in Cyprus, where a conference can be held with the prelates, magistri and barones of the Holy Land on whether to sail for Syria, Damietta or Alexandria. They point out that Acre, Alexandria and Damietta are all the same distance from Limassol. In Cyprus, moreover, there are adequate provisions for the army. There is a general ban on the exportation of provisions from the Holy Land.