volume one

232 nisTOET or the ceusades.
Scarcely had the coiint of Flanders ceased speaking, than
all the other leaders gave him the warmest praise for his
prudence and good feelings. Most of them even thought of
offering him the honour he had declined, for he who in such
circumstances refuses a crown, always appears to be the
most worthy of it ; but Eobert had expressed himself with
frankness and good faith ; he longed to return to Eiu'ope,
and was satisfied with the honour of bearing the title of
"the Son of St. Greorge," which his exploits in the holy war
had obtained for him.
Among the leaders who could be called upon to reign
over Jerusalem, we must place in the first rank G-odirey,
Raymond, the duke of Xormandy, and Tancred. The only
object of Tancred was glory in arms, and he placed the title
of kniglit far above that of king. The duke of Xormandy,
like^Nise, had e^-inced more bravery than ambition ; after
having disdained the kingdom of England, he was not likely
to be anxious to srain that of Jerusalem. If we mav believe
an En2:lish historian.* he misfht have obtained the suffras^es
but he refused the throne of David from
of his companions ;
indolence, which so irritated God against him, says the same
author, that nothing afterwards prospered with him during
the remainder of his life. The count of Thoulouse had
taken an oath never to return to Europe, but his companions
dreaded his obstinate and ambitious character ; and although
several authors have said that he refused to ascend the
throne on account of his great age, evei'}i:hing leads us to
believe that the Clmstians feared to have him for king.
The opinions of the leaders and the army were various
and uncertain. The clergy insisted that a patriarch should
be named before they elected a king ; the princes were not
at all agreed among themselves, and of the bodv of the
Crusaders, some would liave wished to choose him whom
* The English historian Brompton expresses himself thus whilst re-
lating the misfortunes that Robert afterwards experienced :— Sic reddidit
Dominus vicem pro vice duci Roberto, quia cum gloriosum in actibus
Jerosohmitantis eura Dominus redderet, regnum Jerosolimitantum sibi
oblatum renuit, magis eligeus quieti et desidiae in Xormania deservTre
quam regi regum in sancta civitate militare. Damnavit igitur eum Deus
desidia perenni et carcere sempitemo.— See the Histories Anglica
Scripiores, torn. i. p. 1002.