The Knights Templars.

"By no means . " "Then , " added Theodoric , " why should so many men of such high rank , to the damnation of their own souls , bear testimony to such an assertion , and affix their seals to it , which are manifest pledges of their good faith ? "

These words silenced , if they * did not remove the doubts of the sceptical . The Comans , another fierce pastoral tribe of the Tartars , tempted by the rich spoil of Palestine , cut their way through Armenia into Antioch ,

ravaging the country and taking many prisoners . The King of Armenia and the Prince of Antioch sent to the Grand Masters of the Templars and Hospitallers for assistance . A large army was sent to their aid , aud a battle fought near the iron

bridge over the Orontes , when the Comans were overcome and slaughtered . The loss on both sides was considerable , and the Hospitallers lost their Grand Master , Bertrand de Comps , who was severely wounded in the battle , and died four days after . t St . Louis of Prance , who had assumed the

cross , had now arrived in the East , and in the month of June , 1249 , William de Sonnac , set sail from Acre with the Templars iu their galleys to join in his expedition against the Egyptians . J Upon the advance of the Christians against

Damietta , the first object of their attack , the inhabitants being informed of the death of the Sultan , abandoned the city , and the Crusaders marched through the gates without striking a blow , ancl took possession . Thereupon William de Sonnac

sent the following letter to England : — " Brother William de Sonnac , by the grace of God Master of the poor soldiery of the Temple , to his beloved brother in Christ , Robert de Sandford , Preceptor of the Order in England , health in the Lord . We

wish to declare to you happy and pleasing news in this present letter . Be it therefore known unto you that on the Friday next after Trinity , Louis , the illustrious King of the French , by the grace of God , came to land with his army at the

port of Dainietta- On the following Saturday the same Louis , with his soldiery occupied the land and the shores of the sea ; many of the Pagans were slain , but only one of the Christians . At nine o ' clock on the following Sunday the King's army took the city of Damietta , having

utterly routed the army of the Pagans . Damietta , therefore , was taken , not by our own merits , nor by force and the armed band , but by the agency of the Divine power ancl the Divine grace . Be it known to you , moreover , that our lord the King ,

by God's grace , purposes to direct his steps towards Alexandria or Babylon , to deliver our brothers and many others who are detained in captivity , and to restore the whole land to Christian worship , with the help of the Lord . Farewell . "

John , Lord de Joinville , High Senechal of Champagne , has in his memoirs of Louis IX ., left behind him a vivid picture of this Crusade . Joinville's memoirs are of exceeding value , although the worthy Lord is not inclined to hide his light

under a bushel , nor forgets to tell us of his own exceeding bravery , and most penetrating wit . All through ¦ his memoirs this egotistical vein runs , and while he does not fail to do justice to the heroism of others , he is sure to extol immediately after the valour of John , Lord de Joinville . *

The Christians after the seizure of Damietta , resolved to advance against Cairo as the chief city of Egypt . The Egyptians hearing of this intention , sent five hundred of their best mounted troops , with instructions to join the Christians as

pretended allies , but in reality to do everything iu their power to retard the march . Louis , without suspicion of treachery , received the troops gladly , and forbade any one to hurt or meddle with them . The order was given to mount and

proceed on their journey , the Templars leading the van . The Egyptians seeing the army in motion , and knowing the positive commands of the King , advanced in a body against the

Templars , who were unsuspicious of danger , till one of the infidels smote a Knight , in the first rank , so heavy a blow with his battle-axe , as felled him to the ground beneath the feet of the charger of Lord Reginald de Vichierius , the

Grand Marshal of the Order . The Grand Marshal , enraged at this treacherous action , cried out to his Knights , " Now brethren , attack them in the name of God ! for I cannot longer suffer this , " and so saying , he dashed his spurs into his

charger's sides , levelled his lance and shouting the Templar war cry , " Ita Beauseant , " charged down upon the Egyptians , closely followed by his Knights . The Egyptian horses were completely