Turks challenged us to battle.
The Pisans, admiring the glory and magnificence of King Richard,
came before him and did him homage, and took the oath of allegiance that
they submitted voluntarily to his authority and service. But the cunning
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Turks envied the honour paid him, and some of them, either to feign the
assumption of fresh boldness on his arrival, or to provoke a speedy
encounter, one Sunday morning exposed themselves to attack outside our
camp, wandering up and down as if for the sake of exercise, and throwing
their darts at random; and at times they seemed to threaten to cross the
ditch in numbers, and annoyed our men, irritating them to a contest
unceasingly.
Chapter IV. Ñ Of the gifts of the two kings to their needy soldiers, and of the
sickness of King Richard.
By the conjunction of the retinues of the two kings, an immense army
of Christians was formed: with the king of France, who had arrived on the
octaves of Easter, there came the count of Flanders, the count of St. Paul,
William de Garlande, William des Barres, Drogo dÕAmiens, William de
Mirle, and the count of Perche; and with them also came the marquis, of
whom we have before spoken, and who aspired to be king of Jerusalem.
But why should we enumerate them singly? There was not a man of
influence or renown in France who came not, then or afterwards, to the
siege of Acre. And on the following day of Pentecost, King Richard arrived
with an army, the flower of war, and upon learning that the king of France
had gained the good-will and favour of all, by giving to each of his soldiers
three aurei a month, Ñ not to be outdone or equalled in generosity, he
proclaimed by mouth of herald, that whosoever was in his service, no
matter of what nation, should receive four statute aurei a month for his pay.
By these means, his generosity was extolled by all, for he outshone every
one else in merit and favours, as he outdid them in gifts and magnificence.
ÒWhen,Ó exclaimed they, Òwill the first attack take place, by a man whom
we have expected so long and anxiously? A man, by far the first of kings,
and the most skilled in war throughout Christendom? Now let the will of
God be done, for the hope of all rests on King Richard.Ó But after some
daysÕ sojourn, the king was afflicted with a severe illness, to which the
common people gave the name of Arnoldia, which is produced by change
of climate working on the constitution. But for all that, he caused petrari¾
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and mangonels to be raised, and a fort in front of the city gates; and spared
no pains to expedite the construction of machines.
Chapter V. Ñ How, while King Richard was sick, the king of France assaulted
Acre vigorously; and how the Turks, upon Saladin attacking our trenches without,
made a vigorous resistance, and set the kingÕs machines on fire, upon which the
king fell sick.
The king of France, not liking the delay in commencing the attack,
sent word to King Richard, that a favourable opportunity now offered
itself; and he also warned, by voice of herald, the army to prepare for an
assault. But King Richard had signified his inability hitherto to attend to his
duty, both on account of indisposition, and because his men were not yet
come; though he hoped that they would arrive in the next fleet of ships,
and would bring with them materials for the construction of machines. The
king of France not thinking fit to desist, on that account, from his purpose,
commanded an assault to be proclaimed, by voice of herald, throughout
the army. Therefore, on the Monday after the feast of the Nativity of St.
John the Baptist, the king of France, having erected his machines, gave
orders to his men to arm. Then might have been seen a countless multitude
of armed men, worthily equipped; and so many coats of scale armour,
gleaming helmets, and noble chargers: with petitions and banners of
various workmanship, and soldiers of tried valour and courage, as never
had been seen before. Having placed men to defend the trenches against
the threatened attack of Saladin from without, the army approached the
walls of the city, and commenced a most vigorous assault, by casting darts
and stones from arbalests and machines, without ceasing. When the Turks
who were shut up in the city saw this, they raised a tumultuous clamour,
and shouted to the skies; so that it resembled the crash in the air caused by
thunder and lightning; for some had this sole duty Ñ to beat basins and
platters; to strike timbrels; and by other means, to make signal to Saladin
and the army without; in order that they might come to their succour,
according to agreement. And when the Turks from without saw and heard
this, they gathered in a body; and collecting every material within their
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