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provisions.
The city of Ascalon lies on the coast of the Grecian sea, and, if it had a
good harbour, could hardly find an equal for its situation and the fertility
of the adjoining country. It has indeed a port, but one so difficult of access,
owing to the stormy weather in which the army reached it, that for eight
days no vessel could enter it; so that our troops and their horses, who were
greatly in want of provisions, could get nothing for eight days, except what
they had brought with them; for it was not safe, on account of the Turks, to
forage for provisions in the neighbouring country. At last, when the
weather became more favourable, some ships entered the harbour with
provisions: but the storm again came on, and the army began again to be in
want; for some barges and galleys, loaded with provisions, perished on the
voyage with all their crews: the snakes also, belonging to the king and
others, were broken by the storm; and the king made long vessels out of
their materials, vainly imagining that they would serve to cross the sea.

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Chapter V. Ñ Saladin, hearing of the return and dispersal of our army, sends his
men to their homes until May.
Saladin, hearing that our troops were dispersed along the sea-coast,
and in part broken up, dismissed his troops to return to their homes, and
attend to their domestic affairs, with orders to assemble again in the month
of May. The Turks, who had now for four years been serving laboriously in
the SultanÕs army, now gladly return to see their wives and families. There
their admirals and princes, men of renown, recapitulated their adventures,
and the disastrous campaigns which they had gone through: men who
before had always came off victorious, and got abundance of spoil from all
their former wars; but now, on the contrary, they had suffered both in their
own property and by the deaths of their relations slain in the battles which
they had fought. They, in particular, grieved for the fate of those princes,
admirals, and others, who had been slain by King Richard, as before
related, in the siege of Acre, when Saladin failed in his promise to redeem
them. For this reason they had conceived bitter anger against Saladin, and
now left his army for a time with groans and lamentations.
Chapter VI. Ñ King Richard persuades as many of the French as he can to return,
and, by common consent, they rebuild Ascalon.
The month of January was now ended, and the sky was becoming
brighter. The king, annoyed at the dispersal of the army, sent messengers
to persuade the French to return, and so strengthen the army that they
might be in a condition for further deliberations. ÒFor,Ó said he, Òit is
desirable that all the army should be together when we deliberate, for
division will only weaken us, and expose us to the attacks of our enemies.Ó
The French by these arguments were led to promise that they would rejoin
the army until Easter, on condition that they should have leave to depart,
and safe conduct at that time, if they should wish it. The king, seeing that it
was necessary to use forbearance, assented to these conditions, and the
army was thus reunited. It was now agreed by all to rebuild Ascalon; but

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the princes and nobles were so exhausted, that they found their means
insufficient for the purpose. They, nevertheless, began the work as well as
they could, and dividing it out amongst them, they dug to the foundations
of one of the chief gates, until they came to solid masonry, and removed
the rubbish that was lying on the top. All engaged in the work: princes,
nobles, knights, esquires, and retainers, might be seen tossing the stones
from hand to hand. There was no distinction made between clerks and
laymen; nobles and plebeians, princes and their attendants, all worked
alike, so that they were even themselves astonished at their own progress.
Masons were then brought, the work went on with double vigour, and the
walls rose rapidly. Fifty-three of the highest and strongest towers, besides
other smaller ones, had been levelled with the ground. Five of these towers
had received names from their founders; according to tradition, the first
and most powerful, was Ham, the son of Noah, who had thirty two sons:
these all reigned after him, and built Ascalon, with the help of the people
whom they invited together from all the country under their dominion;
and to gain their favour, and a lasting name to themselves, the females
built the tower which is called the tower of the Òmaidens.Ó In the same way
the soldiers built the tower of the Òshields:Ó the ÒBloody towerÓ was so
called because founded by certain criminals, who, by this work, are said to
have saved their lives from the punishment due to their crimes: the fourth
tower was erected by the admirals, and is therefore called the ÒAdmiralsÕ
tower:Ó the fifth, called the ÒBedouinsÕ tower,Ó was constructed by the race
of men bearing that name. Such are the five principal towers of Ascalon,
named from their founders. When skilful masons were employed upon it,
the work advanced more rapidly. The king, as in all other matters, was
conspicuous in promoting the work; and by joining therein with his own
hands, encouraging the men, and distributing to each their allotted tasks,
he rendered great service. For, at his exhortation, each of the nobles and
chiefs undertook the completion of his share in proportion to his means;
and if any one desisted from the work for want of money, the king, more
exalted still in heart than in outward dignity, gave to them from his own
purse as he knew each had need. And such was his approval and
encouragement of the workmen, such his diligence and expenditure, that

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three-fourths of the city of Ascalon were said to have been rebuilt by his
means.
Chapter VII. Ñ How King Richard rescued from the Turks at Darum 12,000
Christian captives, who were on their way to Babylon.
Meanwhile Saladin had made preparations for sending 12,000
Christians, French, and natives of the Holy Land, captives to Babylon; and
his servants had brought them as far as Darum, and were spending the
night there, with the intention of setting forward on their journey on the
morrow; when it happened, by the dispensation of God, that they were
rescued by King Richard from slavery. For one day the king chanced to be
out, with a chosen body of soldiers, reconnoitering the fortress of Darum,
to ascertain how he could take it; for there was a passage there too
convenient for the Turks, who brought provisions from Babylon to
Jerusalem. The Turks, who had arrived just before sunset, recognizing the
king by his banner, became frightened for their lives, and consulting their
own safety, let themselves quickly into the tower of the fort, leaving their
captives outside; and these persons, on seeing this, took refuge with all
speed in a church close by. The king, coming up, released them without a
momentÕs delay, and let them go away uninjured; whilst he and his men
slew many Turks, who happened to fall in their way. Then the king took
many valuable horses, and captured twenty of the Turkish chiefs alive.
Who can doubt but that the kingÕs coming, which turned out so
advantageous to those captives, was ordained of God? Had he not come
and rescued them, there is no doubt they would have been condemned to
perpetual slavery.
Chapter VIII. Ñ How King Richard sent an order to the marquis and was not
obeyed.
After performing these exploits, King Richard sent messengers to the
marquis, whom we have so often already mentioned, as he had done many
times before, bidding him coins to Ascalon to join in the campaign for the
kingdom to which he aspired; and this he charged him to do by the oath

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which he had taken to the king of France, who was a pledge for his fidelity;
but the base marquis replied, with a perverse sneer, that he would on no
account stir unless King Richard first gave him a meeting. They afterwards
held a conference by appointment at the fort of Ymbric.
Chapter IX. Ñ How the duke of Burgundy, who had been recalled by King
Richard to Ascalon, again left him, and retired to Acre, because the king would not
lend him money.
While, therefore, the king and his army were diligently engaged in
the restoration of the walls of Ascalon, a quarrel took place between King
Richard and the duke of Burgundy; for the provisions, being for the most