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Itinerary
260
seen the distracted state of the townspeople, who offered the bravest
resistance, though they were overwhelmed with a thousand cares at once
in the defence of their city. The petrari¾ and mangonels played without
intermission; though the latter instruments were worked the most
successfully. At last, by the exertions of the Turks, the gate leading to
Jerusalem was broken open on the Friday by the frequent strokes of their
petrari¾, and the wall on the right-hand side was shattered, about two
poles in width. The conflict was then fierce, whilst the besieged resisted the
entrance of the Turks, who at length, however, became so reinforced by
numbers, that the Christians were driven back, and followed even as far as
the citadel of the fortress. What a terrific slaughter then took place! The
Turks put to death without mercy all those whom they found in the houses
sick and lying in their beds. Some of our people fled down to the seashore
and escaped; whilst the enemy plundered every thing; and knocking out
the heads of the casks which they found in the houses, let the wine run
about the streets. Some of them, however, attacked the principal tower of
the fortress; and others pursued those who fled down to the seaside.
Numbers of the hindmost were cut off; and Alberic of Rheims, whose duty
it was to defend the town, fled on board ship to escape being slain; but his
companions reproaching him for his cowardice, recalled him to a sense of
duty, and absolutely forced him into one of the towers; where, seeing
nothing but danger on every side surrounding him, he exclaimed, ÒHere
then we shall devote our lives to GodÕs service;Ó for it was the only thing
that remained for him to do. The Turks now fiercely assaulted the tower,
and the arrows flew like hail, so as to darken the sky: the besieged knew
not which part first to defend, and so the attack lasted the whole day; and
the besieged would certainly have at length yielded to its violence, if by
GodÕs good pleasure the newly-elected patriarch had not been present: and
he proved himself, at that moment, a man whom no fear of death could
vanquish, nor any danger terrify. This man, instigated by the necessity of
the case, proposed to Saladin and his brother to grant them a respite from
the attack until the next day, on condition, that if before three oÕclock, they
should not receive assistance, each of those who were in the tower, should
pay Saladin ten bezants of gold, every woman five, and every child three

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Itinerary
261
bezants, in return for the respite which he had granted them; and that the
patriarch, with others of the nobles, should be given up to Saladin to be
kept in chains as hostages until the hour agreed on should arrive. Saladin
assented; and when the guarantee was completed for observing the
conditions of the truce, the following hostages were given over to Saladin:
the patriarch, Alberic of Rheims, Theobald of Tr•ves, Augustin of London,
Osbert Waldin, and Henry de St. John, besides others, whose names we do
not remember, all of whom were carried off prisoners to Damascus; for the
besieged had now conceived hopes of obtaining succour from the king, for
which, indeed, they had already sent, the moment they first saw Saladin
approaching.
Chapter XIV. Ñ How King Richard, though on the point of embarking to return
home, and refused aid by the French, no sooner heard of the message from Joppa,
than he proceeded thither immediately by sea, having first sent on his troops by
land.
Meanwhile, King Richard was busily engaged in preparing to leave
Acre for his own country, and his ships were all but ready: he had also
obtained consent and a blessing from the Templars and Hospitallers, and
had sent forward seven of his galleys, with troops to dislodge the enemy
from Baruth, by which he would pass; and the expedition had succeeded,
for the enemy fled in alarm. The king was in big tent, talking with his
officers about embarking for their homes on the morrow, when, lo! the
messengers from Joppa entered, and tearing their garments, related to the
king how the enemy had taken Joppa, all but the citadel, in which the
remnant were besieged, and unless he should render them speedy
assistance, they would all be involved in one common fate, according to the
conditions which had been entered into with Saladin. The king hearing of
the danger to which the besieged were exposed, and pitying their
condition, interrupted the messengers: ÒAs God lives,Ó said he, ÒI will be
with them, and give them all the assistance in my power!Ó The words were
hardly out of his mouth, before a proclamation was made that the army
should be got ready. But the French would not vouchsafe even to honour
the king with an answer, exclaiming proudly that they should never again

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