The Knights Templars.

encumber the sea shore , verifying the words of Scripture , " Ascalon shall not be inhabited . " The news ofthe advancing destruction of Ascalon was brought to Richard while lying at Joppa , and he was advised at once to march upon it , to arrest

its demolition . This advice was overruled by the French who loved better the pleasures of J oppa than battles with the Saracens ; another grave mistake , for possession of Ascalon would have routed the enemy from that part of the country .

The Templars were engaged rebuilding plans , when the Saracens attacked them with a thousand cavalry and an innumerable host of foot , but the King coming to their aid easily put them to flight . On another clay , while the esquires and men at

arms were out foraging guarded by a small body of Templars , four thousand Turkish cavalry suddenly attacked them . Undismayed by this surprise , the Templars dismounted , and standing back to back with their faces to the enemy ,

defended themselves bravely . Three of them were in an instant slain , and a fierce combat ensued , as the Turks assailed them with the utmost fury and attempted to take them captive . Notice of this attack was conveyed to the camp , and Andrew de

Chamgui gallopped up to the rescue with fifteen Knights in his train , and , attacking the Turks , liberated tbe Templars from their dangerous position . King Richard fohWing with some troops , completely routed the enemy . *

Richard about this time , wrote Saladin proposing peace , upon the Christians being put in possession of Jerusalem and the True Cross . These terms , as might have easily been foreseen , were rejected by Saladin , and Richard ordered preparations for

the march to be resumed upon Jerusalem , which the Sultan had strongly fortified . In the middle of the night of the Holy Innocents , the Templars left the camp on a foraging expedition , and , in the morning returned with two hundred oxen , which they had driven off from the mountains near Jerusalem .

if they did succeed in capturing the Holy City , they would require to place some of their bravest troops in garrison there , which could hardly be done from the eagernesss of the people to complete the crusade , and to return home to

Europe . For these reasons they advised the siege to be delayed and the army kept together , but this advice was spurned . The Templars , however , succeeded in delaying the march till Ascalon was slightly fortified , so as to hold the Saracens in

check . The Duke of Burgundy and the French disgusted , retired to Joppa , forsaking the standard of Richard , and abandoned themselves to pleasures . Other Crusaders joined the rebellious Conrad at Tyre . The Templars , single minded ,

remained with the King , and aided him powerfully against the Turks . Conrad having thrown for the crown , with but indifferent success , resolved to be King of Jerusalem at any price , and intrigued with Saladin for

the throne , offering to make war upon Richard , to attack Acre , and join his troops to Saladin . Richard to withdraw him from this league , had

him named King of Jerusalem , a dignity which he did not enjoy long , for being at Tyre he went to dine with his friend the Bishop of Tyre . * IPassing through a narrow street , two assassins having watched their opportunity approached him . The

one presented a petition , ancl while Conrad was perusing it , both plunged their daggers into his breast exclaiming , " Thou shalt neither be King nor marquis ! " One of them was instantly cut down by Conrad ' s attendants , but the other

sought refuge in a neighbouring church , whither the wounded marquis was carried . Here the surviving assassin rushed upon him and stabbed him anew . Conrad was carried home and lived lonp-O enough to receive the sacrament , and give his last

instructions to his wife . These assassins who were both youths had been for some time in Tyre , some say six months , before they had an opportunity of despatching the marquis . They had feigned a conversion to Christianity , and one entered

Conrad ' s service , the other Balian . d'Ibelin . Richard has been accused of prompting this murder , but such an accusation could only be made b y one ignorant of the King ' s character . To enter into

The Crusaders were impatient to be led against Jerusalem , the preparations for the advance being complete , but the Templars and others experienced in the Saracens strongly deprecated such a course . They pointed out that while besieging Jerusalem , the Saracens gathering upon the mountain hei ghts , would place them between two dangers , and , even