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Itinerary
270
with their right feet planted firm against the sand, and remained
immovable. Their lances formed a wall against the enemy, who would
assuredly have broken through, if our men had in the least degree given
way. The first line of the Turks, perceiving, as they advanced, that our men
stood immovable, recoiled a little, when our cross-bowmen plied them
with a shower of missiles, slaying large numbers of men and horses.
Another line of Turks at once came on in like manner, and were again
encountered and driven back. In this way the Turks came on like a
whirlwind, again and again, making the appearance of an attack, that our
men might be induced to give way, and when they were close up, they
turned their horses off in another direction. The king and his knights, who
were on horseback, perceiving this, put spurs to their horses, and charged
into the middle of the enemy, upsetting them right and left, and piercing a
large number through the body with their lances; at last they pulled up
their horses, because they found that they had penetrated entirely through
the Turkish lines. The king now looking about him, saw the noble earl of
Leicester fallen from his horse, and fighting bravely on foot. No sooner did
he see this than he rushed to his rescue, snatched him out of the hands of
the enemy, and replaced him on his horse. What a terrible combat was then
waged! a multitude of Turks advanced, and used every exertion to destroy
our small army: vexed at our success, they rushed towards the royal
standard of the lion, for they would rather have slain the king than a
thousand others. In the midst of the m•lŽe the king saw Ralph de Mauleon
dragged off prisoner by the Turks, and spurring his horse to speed, in a
moment released him from their hands, and restored him to the army; for
the king was a very giant in the battle, and was everywhere in the field, Ñ
now here, now there, wherever the attacks of the Turks raged the hottest.
So bravely did he fight, that there was no one, however gallant, that would
not readily and deservedly yield to him the pre-eminence. On that day he
performed the most gallant deeds on the furious army of the Turks, and
slew numbers with his sword, which shone like lightning; some of them
were cloven in two from their helmet to their teeth, whilst others lost their
heads, arms, and other members, which were lopped off at a single blow.
While the king was thus labouring with incredible exertions in the fight, a

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Itinerary
271
Turk advanced towards him, mounted on a foaming steed. He had been
sent by Saphadin of Archadia, brother to Saladin, a liberal and munificent
man, if he had not rejected the Christian faith. This man now sent to the
king, as a token of his well-known honourable character, two noble horses,
requesting him earnestly 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 in any manner he pleased. The king readily received the
present, and afterwards nobly recompensed the giver. Such is bravery,
cognizable even in an enemy; since a Turk who was our bitter foe, thus
honoured the king for his distinguished valour. The king, especially at such
a moment of need, protested that he would have taken any number of
horses equally good from any one, even more a foe than Saphadin, so
necessary were they to him at that moment. Fierce now raged the fight,
when such numbers attacked so few: the whole earth was covered with the
javelins and arrows of the unbelievers; they threw them several at a time
against our men, of whom many were wounded. Thus the weight of the
battle fell heavier upon us than before, and the galley-men withdrew in the
galleys which brought them, and so in their anxiety to be safe, they
sacrificed their character for bravery. Meanwhile a shout was raised by the
Turks, as they strove who should first occupy the town, hoping to slay
those of our men whom they should find within. The king, hearing the
clamour, taking with him only two knights and two cross-bow-men, met
three Turks, nobly caparisoned, in one of the principal streets. Rushing
bravely upon them, he slew the riders in his own royal fashion, and made
booty of two horses. The rest of the Turks who were found in the town,
were put to the rout in spite of their resistance, and dispersing in different
directions, sought to make their escape even where there was no regular
road. The king also commanded the parts of the walls which were broken
down to be made good, and placed sentinels to keep watch lest the town
should be again attacked.
Chapter XXIII. Ñ Of the wonderful acts of the king in battle, by which, with the