The Knights Templars.

WGodcn shaft Avas Avithdrawn , but a piece of the iron head z'ernaincth there to this day .- " Saladin finding' that no impression could be made upon the Avestern side , directed his operations against the north , aud caused the ramparts ,

which extended from the gate of Jehosophat to that of St . Stephen , to be undermined . He likewise employed his troops in constructing military engines , aud stationed teu thousand cavalry around ¦ the city to intercept fugitivesand prevent supplies

, being brought into it . The citizens , on their part , ' ¦ vera not idle . They concerted sorties , and endeavoured to destroj' the machines and Avorks of ¦ the besiegers , encouraging each other by repeating

-these words of Scripture , "A single one of us shall make ten infidels fly , and ten of us shall put to flight ten thousand . " Although they performed prodigies of A-alour , thoy could not interrupt the "progress of the siege . Repulsed by the Saracens ,

. and driven pell moll back into the city , their . appearance carried into it terror and discouragement . To prevent the garrison attempting to break the force of the battering ranis , Saladin constructed vast mangonels and machines , which cast enormous stones aud flaming beams of timber , . cOA'cred with pitch and naphtha , upon tlie

ramparts , and over the Avails , into the chy . On the IGtb October , tlie angle of the northern Avail , where ifc touches the valley Gehinnon , was thrown ¦ ¦ down with a tremendous crash , and the sound . carried dismay to tho hearts of the besieged . They

likewise destroyed , by their machines , a cross of stone , which , after the capture of Autioch , had been erected on the Avail in commemoration of the •deed . The towers and ramparts appeared now feady to fall at the first signal for a general

assault . Despair took possession of the inhabitants , who saw no means of defence Avitliin their power but tears and prayers . The soldiers crowded to the churches instead of flying to arms , and it was impossible to marshall a night guard on the

tottering ramparts . " With my own cars , " writes Sadolph of Cogglcshalo , " I heard it proclaimed , ' 'between the Avail and the counterscarp , by the patriarch and the chief men of the city , that if fifty strong and A'aliant foot soldiers Avould

undertake to guard , lor one night only , the angle AA'hich iiacl been overturned , they would receive fifty golden bezants ; bufc none could be found to undertake the duty . " Tlie clergy made processions through the streets , and cried upon Heaven for protection . Friends embraced one another in a

last adieu ; mothers clung * to their little ones , anticipating the dreadful moment when they should be torn asunder by the brutal infidel ¦ and the men , appalled aucl disheartened , gazed doAvn upon the ground in gloomy silence . Some struck

their breasts Avith stones , while others tore their bodies Avith haircloth , crying aloud for mercy . Young mothers carried their helpless infants to Mount Calvary , and placing tliem before the altars of the church of the Resurrection , thought that the

sweet innocents , by their presence there , could appease the Avrath of Heaven . Nothing Avas heard in Jerusalem but sobs and groans , " bufc our Lord Jesus Christ , " says an old chronicler , " could not hoar them , for the luxury ancl impurity that Avere

in the city Avould not allow either of orisons or prayers to ascend before him . " The despair of the inhabitants inspired them with the most contz-adictory projects . At one moment they resolved to issue forth in a body from the city , and seek a

glorious death amid the ranks of the infidel , Avhilsfc the next , they placed their last hope in the clemencA * of Saladin .

loadd to the difficulties of the defence , a conspiracy Avas discovered among the Syrian Christians to deliver up the city to Saladin . The principal citizens thereupon determined to demand a capitulation of Saladin , and , accompanied by Balian

d'Ibelin , they sought the presence of the Sultan . Saladin ' s only answer to their request AA'as , that he had sworn to take the city sword in hand , and to put eA'ery inhabitant to death , ancl he sent the deputies away Avithout giving them the slightest

hope . Balian returned several times to Saladin , bufc always found him to be inexorable . . On one occasion , the assault had commenced ere he readied the Sultan ' s tent , and the twelve banners

of the Prophet Avaved upon the Avails . The Sultan replied to Balian ' s offer to capitulate , on the conditions he had himself proposed afc the commence of the siege . "How can you ask me to grant conditions to a city Avhich is already

taken ? pointing at the same time to the Musselmen banners . Balian returned to the city . The refusal of the Sultan fired the Christians with the spirit of despair . The few Templars and Hospitallers maimed the breach ; a desperate combat

ensued ; the Musselmen Avere repulsed with great slaughter , and their standards hurled down from the Avails . Balian , animated by this success , returned to Saladin . " You see , " he said , " that Jerusalem is not Avithout defenders . It' we can