Microsoft Word richard of holy trinity inp

parties; and when their strength failed, lay about the fields and died. But
by the protection of God we did not lose a tenth, nor a hundredth part so
many as fell in the Turkish army. Oh the disasters of that day! Oh the trials
of the warriors! for the tribulations of the just are many. Oh mournful
calamity and bitter distress! How great must have been the blackness of
our sins to require so fiery an ordeal to purify it! for if we had striven to
overcome this urgent necessity by pious long-suffering, and without a
murmur, the sense of our obligations would have been deeper.
Chapter XX. Ñ How the admirable knight James dÕAvennes was slain in the
second encounter.
But we had to mourn greatly the loss of James dÕAvennes, who was
overpowered by the numbers of the Turks; for he was thrown by a
grievous fall of his horse, while bravely fighting; and the Turks, gathering

---

Itinerary
186
round him, after much labour, put him to death. But before breathing his
last, he slew fifteen of the Turks, according to the report of those who were
sent to bring his body to the camp, and who found so many Turkish
soldiers lying dead around him. There were also found dead along with
him three of his kinsmen, to whom some of our men did not give the.
assistance which they ought; but, shame to say, deserted them in their
struggle against the attack of the Turks, on which account the count of
Dreux and others who were present obtained the infamy and detestation
which they deserved. Alas for the manifold calamities of war! How loud
were the groans and sighs of our soldiers on that night for the absence of
James dÕAvennes, the excellent soldier and renowned warrior! for they
augured his fall, as they did not see him and his kinsmen with the rest, and
the whole army was afflicted by his irreparable loss. On the Saturday
before the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the aforesaid battle was
fought; and on the Sunday following, it was decreed that a search should
be made for the body, in order that it might be buried. Therefore, the
Hospitallers and knights of the Temple armed themselves, and took with
them many of the Turcopoli and others, and, on arriving on the field of
battle, they made anxious search, and at last found the body, its face
covered with clotted blood, so that it was difficult of recognition until it
was washed with water, for it was dyed in gore and swollen with wounds,
and very unlike his former self. Thus, having decently wrapped up the
body, they bore it back to Arsur, whence a great multitude of the soldiers
came forth to meet it; and all lamented the death of so great a man, for they
called to mind his prowess, bounty, and the many virtues that adorned
him, and King Richard and King Guy assisted at his funeral, where a
solemn mass was celebrated, with large offerings, in the church of our
Lady the Queen of Heaven, whose nativity it was. After the mass, the
funeral rites were solemnly performed, and the nobles, taking his body in
their arms, buried it in a grave, erecting a mound thereon; and there was
great wailing, weeping, and lamentation for his death. When the obsequies
were ended, the clergy solemnly performed the service for the day, being
that of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

---

Itinerary
187
Chapter XXI. Ñ Of the rout of the Turks, who first turned their backs and then
fled, and how they left all their baggage about the fields a prey to the Christians.
Now the emirs and nobles of the Saracens, to whom Saladin had
given great territories and riches, had been induced, by his deceitful words
and high-flown language, to believe, that on that day, with the aid of
Mahomet, he would utterly extirpate the Christians; but the oracle of
Mahomet deceived them, and their insolent boasting was repressed. For
according to the report of those who saw it, you might trace the flight of
the Turks through the mountains, on the day of battle, by the booty that
was thrown aside, the dead horses and camels lying along the way, as they
had fallen, and laden with heavy baggage; for the Turkish bowmen had
fled from the face of the Christians, and retreated with all that was left
them; and on the day of battle, the more anxiously they hastened their
flight, the more surely they failed, and perished, leaving behind them an
immense quantity of spoil. Such was the vigour of our menÕs last attack,
that if the enemy had remained a little longer, and had not taken to flight,
they would never again have been in fighting order, and the land would
have been left for the Christians to occupy.
Chapter XXII. Ñ Saladin reproaches and derides his men, who excuse themselves