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Itinerary
192
he was the Òmelech,Ó i.e. the king; and the Turks, believing what he said,
led him off captive to their own army. In this skirmish were slain Regnier
de Marum, a brave knight, but almost unarmed, his nephew Walter, and
Alan and Luke du Stable. At the news of this action our army was alarmed,
and seizing their arms, came at full gallop to find the king, and when they
met him returning safe, he faced about and with them pursued the Turks,
who had carried off William de Pratelles, thinking they had got the king.
They could not, however, overtake the fugitives, and King Richard,
reserved by the divine hand for greater things, returned to the camp, to the
great joy of his soldiers, who thanked God for his preservation, but grieved
for William de Pratelles, who loyally redeemed the king at the price of his
own liberty. Some of the kingÕs friends now reproved him for his temerity,
and entreated him not to wander abroad alone, and expose himself to be
taken by the ambuscades of the Turks, who were especially eager to make
him prisoner; but on all occasions to take with him some brave soldiers,
and not to trust to his own strength against such numbers. But,
notwithstanding these admonitions on the part of his best friends, the
kingÕs nature still broke out; in all expeditions he was the first to advance,
and the last to retreat, and he never failed, either by his own valour or the
divine aid, to bring back numbers of motives, or if they resisted, to put
them to the sword.
Chapter XXIX. Ñ King Richard and his army rebuild the forts of Plans and
Maen, and repel the Turks who attack them.
The army seemed now by rest to have recovered their rigour, and a
royal order was issued for them to march and rebuild the fortress of Plans,
which was necessary for the safety of the pilgrims who passed that way.
The king therefore left a garrison in Joppa, with orders that none should
leave it besides merchants bringing provisions. The care of the town was
deputed to the bishop of Evreux, the count of Chalons, Hugh Ribole, and
others. On Wednesday, the feast of All Saints, King Richard was riding in
the plains of Ramula, and seeing by chance some Turkish scouts, he
attacked them bravely, and put them all to the rout, slaying some of them,

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Itinerary
193
and cutting off the head of a noble Turkish admiral: the rest took to flight.
The next day was the eve of All Saints, and the army, after a short march,
encamped between the forts of Plans and Maen. The Turkish army was
then at Ramula, whence they frequently sallied to attack us. The army
remained fifteen days or more where they were, during which time the
king repaired the fort of Maen, and the Templars rebuilt the fort of Plans,
notwithstanding the attacks of the Turks, who one day assailed them with
an immense multitude of foot and a thousand cavalry; but the king
mounting his horse in haste, and the whole army being roused, the Turks
fled, losing twenty in slain, and sixteen taken prisoners. All the kingÕs
attempts to overtake the others were ineffectual; he pursued them till he
came in sight of Ramula, and then led back his troops to the camp.
Chapter XXX. Ñ Of the wonderful victory of King Richard and his men, in
defending their men-at-arms who were foraging.
On the sixth day after the feast of All Saints, namely, on the day of St.
LeonardÕs, the esquires and men-at-arms went out to get fodder for their
horses and beasts of burthen. The Templars were guarding the esquires
whilst they dispersed to find fresh herbage, a duty which sometimes cost
them dear, when they acted without much caution. Whilst the Templars
were thus engaged, about four thousand Turkish cavalry rushed upon
them from Bombrac, in four divisions, and in an instant the Templars were
surrounded by a multitude of Turks, which was continually increasing.
Acting with promptitude according to the emergency, they dismounted,
and, standing back to back with their faces to the enemy, defended
themselves bravely. Three of them were slain in a moment, but they still
fought bravely, and a fierce conflict ensued, as the Turks assailed them
with the utmost fierceness, and tried to take them all prisoners. On a
sudden, news of what was going on having been conveyed to the camp,
Andrew de Chamgui galloped up to the rescue with fifteen knights in his
train, and, attacking the Turks, liberated the Templars from their
dangerous position. Andrew bore himself like a brave knight on that day,
as well as his companions bore witness: but the Turks were continually

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