volume one

422 nisTOEY OF the ceusades.
that coTered the plain, the flames surrounded their army,
and scorched the feet of both men and horses.
Disorder began to prevail in their ranks, but they fought
bravely still. Swords gleamed through the flames, and the
Christian knights, rushing from masses of smoke and fire,
precipitated themselves, lance in hand, upon their enemies.
In their despair, they endeavoured to pierce through the
battalions of the Saracens, but ever^-where met ^^'ith an invincible
resistance. Again and again they retiu-ned to the
charge, and as often were they repulsed. A prey to hunger
and a consuming thirst, they saw nothing around them but
burning rocks and the sparkling swords of their enemies.
The mountain of Ettin arose on their left, and in it they
endeavoured to find an asylum ; but, hotly pursued by the
Saracens, they were cast, some down precipices, and others
into narrow ra\-ines, where their bravery was of no avail.
The knights of the Temple and St. John performed pro-
digies of valour, and fought imtil the close of dav, rallvinfr
round the wood of the true cross. This sacred standard was
borne by the bishop of Ptolemais, M'ho was killed in the heat
of the battle. The bishop of Lidda, who took it up and endeavoured
to fly, was stopped, and taken prisoner. A cry
of despair arose from among the Franlis when they saw the
sign of their safety in the hands of the conqueror ; even the
most brave cast away their arms, and without attempting to
fly, rushed upon the swords of the infidels. The field of
battle became nothing but a scene of desolation; and the
Christian warriors who had not been able to save the cross
of Christ, no longer feared either death or slavery. The
king of Jerusalem was made prisoner with his brother
Geoftrey, the grand master of the Templars, Eenaud de
Chatillon, and all the most illustrious knights of Palestine.
Ea^-mond, who commanded the vanguard of the Christian
army, after ha^-ing fought valiantly, opened for himself a
passage through the Saracens, and fled to Tripoli,* where, a
* Many Christian historians accuse Raymond of having assisted the
cause of Saladin. No Mussulman historian is of this opinion ; indeed
several of them speak of him as the most cruel enemy of the Saracens.
The continuator of Tabary positively says that the count of Tripoli was
opposed to the marching of the Franks towards Tiberias. M. Marin, in
his History of Saladin, has discussed this point of history, and the proofs