THE MARCH TOWARDS JERUSALEM. 83 'given to sloth and pleasure, and ill-living at Acre.' So a stricter discipline was enforced, and the king kept in the rear of the army to check the Turks. A gallant sight was this army, the bright armour and shining helmets, the pennons with glittering blazonry, and banners with various bearings, while the royal standard, huge as the mast of a ship, set on a four-wheeled carriage, and surrounded by a chosen guard of Normans and English, led the way. 'The army marched along the sea shore, 'which was on its right, and the Turks watched its movements 'from the heights on the left.' Thus they went forward, exposed to the constant attacks of the enemy, and Bohadin, who watched their march, describes them as steadfastly holding on, while 'I 'saw, with my own eyes, several who had not one, or two, but 'ten darts sticking in their backs, protected by their thickly'lined surcoats, and yet they marched onward with calm and 'cheerful step.' The long grass, the tangled thickets, in which lurked venomous creatures, especially the 'tarrentos,' (probably scorpions,) greatly impeded their progress; but released from the profligate society of Acre, the Croises seem to have recovered their earlier character for valour and discipline. Nor was a rude but heartfelt spirit of devotion wanting. 'It was the custom of the army each night, before lying down to rest, to depute some one to stand in the middle of the camp, and to cry out with a loud voice, 'Help, help, for the Holy Sepulchre!' The rest of the army then took it up, and repeated the words; and stretching their hands to heaven with profusion of tears, prayed for the mercy and aid of God in this cause. Then the herald himself repeated the words in a loud voice, 'Help, help, for the Holy Sepulchre!' and every one repeated it after him a second time, and so likewise a third time, with contrition of heart, and abundant weeping. For who would not weep at such a moment, when the very mention of it would draw tears from the hearers? The army seemed to be much refreshed by crying out in this manner.' But Richard was never to reach the holy sepulchre, though he pressed onward through dangers, and difficulties, and constant hard fighting. Beside the forest of Assur,' the Croises were compelled to give battle to the Turks, so Richard with right good will marshalled his troops. Ten thousand paynims were poured down upon them 'mingling their voices in one 'horrible yell. Then followed after an infernal race of men, of 'black colour, and with them the Saracens of the desert, called 'Bedouins; they are savage, blacker than soot; they fight on 'foot, and carry bow, quiver, and round shield, and are a light 'and active race.' Vinesauf also describes the 'horrible noise and clamour' produced by their drums, cymbals, and 'timbrels.' a G2 Indeed, it appears to us not unlikely, that the drum may have been one of our importations from the East, for we are not aware of its taking its place among our military instruments until the fourteenth century. O how useful to us on that day were our arbalesters and bowmen,' says Vinesauf. The Turks were also skilful with the bow, so the fight grew keen when the king 'flew 'rapidly on his steed at full speed through the Hospitallers, who 'had led the charge, and broke into the Turkish infantry, who 'were astonished at his blows, and gave way to the right and left." O how different are the speculations of those who meditate in 'the cloister from the fearful deeds of actual war,' says Vinesauf, truly. But Richard, on his 'bay Cyprian steed, which had not ' its match,' pressed still onward, with only fifteen companions, crying, 'Aid us, O God, and the holy sepulchre!" and this moving cry rallied the discomfited troops, and at length the victory was gained. 'Malek Ric' was now the terror of the paynim far and near; so he strengthened the strongholds, and prepared to march onward to Jerusalem, 'at which they all rejoiced, and began to brighten up their arms, their helmets, and their swords, lest a 'single spot should soil their brightness;' but the Templars and Hospitallers were opposed to it, fearing that a portion of Saladin's enormous army in the rear 'might attack our men by surprise, 'and so place them between the assaults of the garrison from 'within, and theirs from without.' This was prudent council, though we have little doubt that it was the beginning of that hostility on the part of the populace toward these military orders, which gradually gathered strength during the next century. Meanwhile, Safadin, Saladin's brother, obtained a truce, and also an interview with the famed 'Malek Ric,' sending him 'seven camels and a rich tent;' but he 'beguiled the too credu'lous king, for he received Safadin's gifts,' and his friends blamed him for contracting friendship with a heathen. Richard, however, although he seems to have been much pleased with his paynim acquaintance, soon proved, on the expiration of the truce, that his zeal as a Christian knight had not slackened, by bringing in each day 'numbers of Turkish heads.' 'On Palm 'Sunday, however, King Richard, amid much splendour, 'girded the son of Safadin, who had been sent to him for that 'purpose, with the belt of knighthood.' Difficulties arose as the summer drew on, with the French army, and Richard received, too, an account from the prior of Hereford, of the disturbances consequent on the maladministration of Longchamp, in his native land. But although compelled to return, he made one more effort to march to Jerusalem, and THE RETURN OF THE ARMY.-RICHARD AT JOPPA. , 85 'caused it to be proclaimed that he would not leave until 'the following Easter, and that all should equip themselves 'according to their means, and prepare for the siege of Jeru'salem.' • When the army heard the words of the herald, they were as glad as a bird at dawn of day, and all immediately set themselves in readiness preparing for the march. Then, with hands uplifted to heaven, they prayed thus: 'O God! we adore and thank thee that we shall soon see thy city of Jerusalem, in which the Turks have dwelt so long! O how joyful are our expectations after this long delay-how deserved our sufferings and trials! but the longed-for sight of thy city will repay us for all.' Moreover the crowd of the lower class, made active by hope, took the provision baggage on their shoulders, asserting that they were fully able to carry a month's supply, so eager were they to protect Jerusalem.' .... Thus they set out from Ascalon on the Sunday after Trinity; and Vinesauf gives a vivid picture of the proud array of the army, 'the crests brilliant with jewels, and shields emblazoned with lions, or flying dragons in gold;' so they pressed forward, while the garrison at Jerusalem were terror-stricken at the news, and all that the sultan demanded was his swiftest charger,' that he might flee away from the dreaded King Richard. But ere long, 'the common people' with whom the army was burdened, began to draw back, while the more enthusiastic pressed onward; so the matter was referred to twenty counsellors, and they decreed to return, 'seeing that water was already 'scarce, and that the Turks had so blocked up all the cisterns, 'that not a drop of drinkable water could be found within two 'miles of the city.' Thus the army returned to Acre with a 'heavy heart.' Saladin next attacked Joppa; so Richard, who was now preparing to return, summoned the Templars and Hospitallers together, with many valiant men, and proceeded there in his galleys. While doubting how he should proceed, 6 'He looked round thoughtfully, and saw a priest plunge into the water, and swim toward the royal galley. Most noble king,' said he, 'the remnant of our people waiting for you, are like sheep about to be slain, unless divine grace bring you to their rescue.' ' Are any of them still alive?" said the king. There are some still alive,' said the priest, but hemmed in, and in greatest extremity, in front of yonder tower.' 'Please God,' said the king, 'by whose guidance we have come, we will die with our brave brothers, and a curse light on him who hesitates.' The word was forthwith given, the galleys pushed to land, the king dashed forward into the waves, with his legs unprotected by armour, and up to his middle in water, and soon gained footing on the dry strand. The Turks stood to defend the shore, but the king, with a cross-bow, drove them back right and left. Then the king brandished his fierce sword, which allowed them no time to resist.' And first was he to enter the town, from whence the Turks were driven with great slaughter. Soon after, having escaped being surprised and taken during the night, his last great battle was fought, in which Safadin, who evidently greatly admired him, 'sent two noble horses, earnestly requesting him to accept 'them, and make use of them; and if he returned safe and sound out of that battle, to remember the gift, and recompense it as 'he pleased. The king readily received the present, and after'wards nobly recompensed the giver.' This battle lasted from dawn to sunset, so no wonder Richard soon after fell sick, and was unable to follow up his successes; he, therefore, by the aid of Safadin, concluded an honourable truce for three years, expressly stipulating that pilgrims should have free access to the holy sepulchre, and most of his soldiers set forth to visit it, but he was too deeply mortified to go thither. He now prepared for his departure, after causing proclamation to be made, that all his debts should be fully paid; and then, amid the lamentations of all, he went on board his galley. 'All night the ship ran on her way by the light of the stars, and when morning dawned, the king looked back with yearning eyes upon the land which he had left, and after long meditation, he prayed aloud, in the hearing of several, in these words. O, holy land! I commend thee to God, and if his heavenly Grace grant me so long to live, that I may, by his good pleasure, afford thee aid, I hope, I intend some day to be a succour to thee.' With these words, he urged his sailors to spread their canvas, that they might sooner cross over the expanse of the sea that lay before them, ignorant truly of the tribulations that awaited him, and the calamities he was to suffer.' Thus ended the third crusade, and with it the valiant exploits both of Richard and Saladin. Richard's sad after-fate is well known; Saladin survived only a few months, closing his career at Damascus in the following March. There is something very touching in his last act-his proud war-banner torn down by his express order, when he felt death heavy upon him, and the winding-sheet hung up in its stead, with the solemn proclamation, This is all that remains to the mighty Saladin! We have had some difficulty in selecting our extracts from Vinesauf, for his Itinerary so abounds with characteristic traits. A very good translation, however, has lately been published in Bohn's Antiquarian Library,' and to this we refer the reader. The following years, were years of strife and confusion, both among the successors of Saladin and the feeble princes of Syria. A fourth crusade was preached, but it was not extensively re GEOFFREY VILLEHARDOUIN'S CHRONICLE. 87 sponded to; the leaders were chiefly German, and their defeat before Thoron, and the capture of Joppa by Safadin, and his massacre of 20,000 Christians, resulted in a truce of six years. This was in 1197, but 'In the year of our Lord Jesus Christ, '1198,' as Villehardouin says, 'there was in France a holy man, whose name was Fulke of Neuilly,' and he, by command of Pope Innocent III., preached a new crusade, offering the benefit, 'that 'all who for the space of one year should take the cross, and the 'service of our Lord in the Holy Land, should be assoiled from all 'the sins which they had committed, and confessed." The story of this crusade is very interesting, for it is related, not by a monkish chronicler, and in choice Latin, but by a valiant Croise, who himself took part in the strife; and not in the language of the cloister, but in the very tongue that cheered his men onward on the battle-field-the quaint and venerable 'langue Romaine.' A delightful fragment is the chronicle of Geoffrey de Villehardouin, Marshal of Champagne, the earliest known literary production of a layman, the narrative, too, of an intelligent and conscientious man, who, although trammelled by the superstition of his age-could he be otherwise? - seems to have been actuated by a strength of principle, not often to be met with in later times. The chronicle opens simply enough, as we have seen, and then he goes on to enumerate the noble men who took the cross with himself; one lady is mentioned among them-Mary, Countess of Flanders-and how a parliament was held, and six envoys were chosen to proceed to Venice, to negociate for vessels. Henry Dandolo, 'blind old Dandolo,' was then Doge, and he received them with much courtesy, and appointed them to meet the council. 'They waited to the fourth day, and then repaired to the palace, which was wonderfully splendid and magnificent, and having found the duke and his council in the hall, they delivered their message thus:- Sir, we are come to thee from the most potent barons of France, who have put on the sign of the Cross to avenge the wrongs of Jesus Christ, and to recover Jerusalem, if such be God's will; and because we know that no nation has the power of you, and of your people; they implore you, in God's name, to look with pity on the holy land, and by supplying them with ships and means of passage thither, to join with them in avenging the shame of our Redeemer.' 'On what conditions?" said the duke. On any,' replied the envoys, 'which you may think proper to impose, if within our power." The doge conferred with the council, and engaged to furnish palanders for 4,500 horses, and for more than 30,000 troops; supplying provisions, also, for which 85,000 marks were to be paid;-a sum, at the most moderate calculation, amounting to full |