his search until he found him, and to him he made his claim and protest
about his uncle, the emperor, who, in order to disinherit him, had
disloyally taken a wife, which it was not right for him to do; for he
had sworn to his father that he would never marry in his life. And the
King says that with a fleet he will proceed to Constantinople, and that
he will fill a thousand ships with knights, and three thousand more with
men-at-arms, until no city or burg, town or castle, however strong or
however high, will be able to withstand their assault. Then Cliges did
not forget to thank the King for the aid he offered him. The King sends
out to seek and summon all the high barons of the land, and causes to be
requisitioned and equipped ships, war vessels, boats, and barks. He has
a hundred ships loaded and filled with shields, lances, bucklers, and
armour fit for knights. The King makes such great preparations for
the war that never did Caesar or Alexander make the like. He orders to
assemble at his summons all England, and all Flanders, Normandy, France,
and Brittany, and all the men as far as the Pyrenees. [243] Already they
were about to set sail, when messengers arrived from Greece who delayed
the embarkation and kept the King and his people back. Among the
messengers who came was John, that trusty man, for he would never be a
witness or messenger of any news which was not true, and which he did
not know for a certainty. The messengers were high born men of Greece,
who came in search for Cliges. They made inquiry and asked for him,
until they found him at the King's court, when they said to him: "God
save you, sire! Greece is made over to you, and Constantinople is given
to you by all those of your empire, because of the right you have to
them. Your uncle (but you know it not) is dead of the grief he felt
because he could not discover you. His grief was such that he lost
his mind; he would neither drink nor eat, but died like a man beside
himself. Fair sire, now come back again! For all your lords have sent
for you. Greatly they desire and long for you, wishing to make you their
emperor." Some there were that rejoiced at this; and others there were
who would have gladly seen their guests elsewhere, and the fleet make
sail for Greece. But the expedition is given up, and the King dismisses
his men, and the hosts depart to their homes again. And Cliges hurriedly
makes haste in his desire to return to Greece. He has no wish to t