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people opposing it, he asked of Saladin a truce for three years, which was granted.
In the meantime the king began to be anxious about his health, and
after long reflection he sent for his relation Count Henry, with the

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Templars and Hospitallers, to whom he explained the enfeebled state of his
body, and protested that in consequence of the vitiated atmosphere, and
the bad state of the fortifications, he must immediately leave the place. He
then appointed some of them to go and take charge of Ascalon, and to
others to guard Joppa, whilst he went himself to Acre to be cured, as was
now absolutely necessary for him. To this proposition they all with one
heart and one voice made objection, saying, that they could not possibly
guard Joppa or any other fortress after he was gone; and persisting in this
refusal, they kept aloof, and no longer acted in concert with the king.
Richard was vexed and embarrassed by this conduct, and it gave him the
most bitter pain that none of them sympathized with his intentions or
wishes. He then began to waver as to what he should do, but in all his
deliberations he came only to the same conclusion, that there was none of
them to sympathize with his misfortunes. Seeing, then, that all left him,
and that none took the slightest interest in the common cause, he ordered
proclamation to be made, that whoever wished to receive the kingÕs pay
should come together to give him their help. At once two thousand
footmen and fifty knights came forward. But the kingÕs health now began
to get so bad, that he despaired of its being re-established; wherefore, in his
anxiety both for the others and for himself he thought it best, of all the
plans which suggested themselves, to ask a truce, rather than to leave the
land a prey to devastation, as many others had done, by sailing home in
numbers to their own country. Thus the king, perplexed and hesitating
what he had best do, requested Saphadin, the brother of Saladin, to
mediate between them, and obtain the most honourable terms of truce in
his power. Now Saphadin was a man of extraordinary liberality, who on
many occasions paid great honour to the king for his singular virtues; and
he now with great zeal procured for Richard a truce on the following
conditions; namely, that Ascalon which had always been a cause of
annoyance to SaladinÕs government, should be destroyed, and not rebuilt
for the space of at least three years, beginning at the following festival of
Easter; but at the end of that time, whoever could get possession of it might
fortify it; that the Christians should be allowed to inhabit Joppa without let
or molestation, together with all the adjoining country, both on the sea-

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coast and in the mountains; that peace should strictly be observed between
the Christians and Saracens, each having free leave to come and go
wherever they pleased; that pilgrims should have free access to the Holy
Sepulchre, without any payment or pecuniary exaction whatever, and with
leave to carry merchandise for sale through the whole ]and, and to practise
commercial pursuits without opposition. This treaty was presented in
writing to King Richard, who gave it his approbation, for in his weak
condition, and having so few troops about him, and that too within two
miles of the enemy, he did not think it in his power to secure more
favourable terms. Whoever entertains a different opinion concerning this
treaty, I would have him know that he will expose himself to the charge of
perversely deviating from the truth.
Chapter XXVIII. Ñ How the king and Saladin corresponded amicably with one