The Knights Templar.

The attacks were brisk and constant , neither day nor night did the infidels allow any repose to the besieged . They worked by sapping , and carried on their mines whilst they were battering the walls with their engines for casting huge stones ; and every other machine that was then in use . ° _ As the sea was open to the christians , they kept a great number of vessels 111 the portand most of the inhabitants

, , especially the rich , embarked with their affects . Some sought an asylum in Cyprus , ancl others in ports of Greece and Italy . There remained in the place only twelve thousand regulars , consisting chiefly of Templars , Hospitallers , Teutonics , and some seoulmsoldiers who fought under the banners of the three Orders , i f , rT ° . yP nis ' who liad assumed the title of king 0 f Jerusalem , landed at Acre with five hundred foot and two hundred horse

. This was but a . weak reinforcement against the formidable power of the Sultan ; besides , tlie christian prince had no great reputation for courage . The garrison , seeing it could not hold out long without a commander skilled in the art of waS elected by common consent for governor of the place , Brother Pierre dc BeanheuGrand Master of the lars of

, Temp , a general great experience , grown old in the command of armies . Necessity of state , the truest interpreter of merit compelled them to offer the command to him , and it was done even with the consent of the king of Cyprus , who , in a juncture of such importance and danger , was contented to forget his title of king , of . Tm-i 1 Sn . lPm

_ Ihe Sultan made offers of immense sums to the Grand Master to induce him fo give up the place , to which the Templar made no other answer than repeated sallies , m which he every day destroyed vast numbers of the infidels . ¦ But , notwithstanding tins vigorous resistance , the Sultan still advanced his nfW * T 4 ™ ™ n ailMn ln 8 t tW dowll > several towers , Nnonsst o hers that called the Cursed which

Tower , was regarded as the fortress of tlie cit y . Ihe infidels advanced immediately to the storm . The kino- of wW ? ' ii T"S P ? « 1 there , opposed them with his Cyprians , many of ™ t if ^ i ] n ? J dels WOnld Lave carl ' ied the Place , had not the night put an end to the assault . °

Hie king of Cyprus , seeing that he should the same enemies to eiuwe the next day m much greater numbers , desired the Teutonic Knights to occupy his post dnnng the night under pretence that his troops had need of rest after such a terrible attack , ancl promised that he would relieve them at day-break hirr ' f ! , '' , ^ 'I ^ the breaoL ' lle weut Erectly to the port , embarked , and made the best of his way home to C

yprus lnii mfiC ) el f n ailed not , BKt mornin S renew the assault . The Mamainwove * ^ . W , P *? the sword a 11 to oppose ! them , overpowered the Teutonic Knights , aud penetrated into the very heart of the city . flS ^ ? Tn « " ^^t1 ° ' wLen ' at tlle cla " ™* shouts of Pai i " f ' ° f tLe Hospit . Jle .-s of StJohnbthe

te ™ d K ^ ' . , y te and Masters orders , advances , charges them with resistless impetuosity , fn ? p £ ^'>™ TT' i S'ain tl , e treadh » are llewi 1 d ° wn and extended meSTJZ ^ fl ? ' ^ w the f 6 W wh 0 re 8 ' ain the taea <* ™ so closely W . + 1 J ii SP ! 1 lei ' S tiat some ' t 0 esca P e the fBJ T ° f the pursuers , jump hZth dTl aTC PIlSlled lleadl ° fl ' ° m tlle t 0 P ^ efeeach '

sent n fvirZ' ! / V ^ TOlue * loss ° few battalions , the next day nae or , ™ i T \ r atttt 0 k - ^ ever 1 Vas tijei ' moro ° ^ - nate engagement : the breach was carried and recovered several times ; night Ice Cod HI ° tf \ V nMels , discouraged at so brave a ' resiW ance , turned all their efforts towards the side next the gate of St . Anthony malTtR U tlle . ° ^ ^ t-ers , whose presence alone seemed to Z ^ Jt ^ S ^^ f \ , The fi S craWd a long' time with equal aidour and fury . The Mamalukes and Hospitallers engafed hand to lind , and seemed of a general battle to have made so rna ^ duels . Nobody