volume one

222 HISTOET OF THE CKUSADES.
and swords of the Crusaders. Godfrey, preceded by the .
two brothers Lethalde and Engelbert of Toumai, and followed
by Baldwin du Bouro^, Eustace, Eeimbault Creton,*
Grunher, Bernard de St. Yallier, and Amenjou d'Albret,
rushes upon the enemy, pursues them, and upon the track
of their footsteps enters Jerusalem. All the brave men
who fought with him on the platform of the tower, followed
their intrepid chief, penetrated with him into the streets,
and massacred all they met in their passage. At the same
time a report was spread in the Christian army that the
holr pontiif Adhemar, and several Crusaders who had fallen
during the siege, had appeared at the head of the assailants,
and had imfurled the standard of the Cross upon the towers
of Jerusalem. Tancred and the two Eoberts, animated by
this account, made fresh efforts, and at last threw themselves
into the place, accompanied by Hugh de St. Paul,
Gerard de Eoussillon, Louis de Mouson, Conon and Lambert
de Montaisru. and Gaston de Beam. A crowd of heroes
followed them closely ; some entering by a half-opened
breach ; others scaling the walls with ladders ; and many
• Oderic Vital attributes to Reimbault Creton of Cambresis the glory
of having first entered Jerusalem. Other historians only name him among
those who followed most closely the steps of the brothers Lethalde and
Engelbert of Toumai. This is the text of Orderic Vital :—Reimboldus
Creton qui primus in expugnatione Jerusalem ingressus est, &c. The
descendants of Reimbolt Creton bore indifferently up to the sixteenth
century the names of Creton and Estourmel. This family preserved as
its device these words, '^Vaillant svr la Crete C^ and La Moriiere, the
historian of 1 icardy under Louis XIIL, speaks of them in these terms :
" It adds not a little to the lustre of this family, that it is acknowledged
that they owe the origin of their arms to the first crusade which the
Christians made for the recovery of the Holy Land, bestowed by the band
of Godfrey of Bouillon, king of Jerusalem, who, to do honour to the
valour of the sieur d'Estourmei, whom he had seen bear himself so
valiantly at the taking of that city, made him a present of a crenated
cross of silver, in which was enchased a piece of the true cross." This
precious reliquan* was passed down from generation to generation to the
eldest sons of this house. In the reign of Louis XIIL the marquis
d'Hautefort having espoused the only daughter of Antoine d'Estourmei,
cordon bleu, and first equerry to madame la duchesse d'Orleans, pretended
that this piece of the true cross made a part of the inheritance.
This discussion was submitted to the arbitration of the president of
Mesmes, who decided that the cross was to revert to the branch of the
house of Estourmel, which possesses it to this day.