by the true cross, rode off to Ascalon, where they shut themselves up in the town. Saladin's army soon made its appearance, and pitched its tents outside. Secure, as they thought, of the little band of warriors, the Moslems dispersed, and ravaged the territory round Ascalon. They burnt Lidda and Ramla, and proceeded towards the Holy City itself.

The whole of Judæa was in dismay at the approach of Saladin. The blood of the first Crusaders still flowed in the veins of that handful of gallant knights shut up in Ascalon, and they determined to die rather than remain inactive spectators. Favoured by a high sandbank that concealed them on their march, they reached Saladin and his troop, and ranged their little band in front of his tent. The Infidels had not seen them approach, and were taken by surprise. The trumpets were blown, and Saladin rallied his Mamlooks around him; but all in vain. Baldwin and his knights were victorious, and the day was theirs. The Moslems fled in every direction, pursued by the victorious Christians, while Saladin escaped alone, mounted on a swift dromedary that carried him across the desert. Loaded with spoil, the young king and his knights returned to the Holy City in triumph. As the fortifications of Jerusalem were decaying, the Latins built a fort near the Ford of Jacob, on the river Jordan. When

it was finished, the Knights Templars took charge of it. It was intended to defend Galilee, which was always being attacked by the Saracens. The hopes of the Latins were also raised by the arrival of another large band of pilgrims of noble birth from Europe, among them Henry of Troyes, Sir Peter de Courtenay, brother of the King of France, and others of equally high pretensions; but their coming did not prevent Saladin from sending troops to attack the fort at the Ford of Jacob, which he took and razed to the ground.

The young king and his knights had hurried to the assistance of the Templars; but the defeat was complete, the king saved with difficulty, and several knights taken prisoners. Among them was Odo de St. Amand, grand master of the Templars. He was said to be a 'godless man;' but there was heroism in his answer to Saladin after the battle, when asked if he would have his liberty in exchange for that of a Moslem prisoner. 'God forbid!' cried Odo. 'It were an ill example; for then others would let themselves be captured if they hoped to be ransomed. A Templar should give nothing for his ransom but his scarf or his sword.' He died in prison.

Another knight, Hugh of Tiberias, who had been taken prisoner, agreed to be ransomed, but told

Saladin neither his estate nor his income would suffice to pay one hundred thousand byzants, the price demanded.

'Surely,' replied his captor, 'every good man and true will give something towards delivering you.'

'I know no one,' replied Hugh, among the Christians better than yourself; so, perhaps, you will excuse my begging you to contribute first.'

Pleased with the joke, the generous Saladin gave him fifty thousand byzants, and his Emirs, not to be totally eclipsed in generosity, gave so largely, that ten thousand byzants more than the ransom were raised.

Hugh went off, as you may believe, in good spirits ; and, to cap the noble gift, Saladin set free eleven Christians, whom he led back to Jerusalem. A byzant was worth fifteen pounds of our money, and was a gold piece, so called because it was coined at Byzantium, a city on the Bosphorus; so that Saladin was liberal as well as generous. His friends must have been delighted to see him back; for, during the Crusades, long absences and unexpected returns home were not uncommon. Sometimes it happened that the master of some castle in Normandy or England, or elsewhere, would return when all whom he had loved believed him dead. It would then