The Knights Templars.

town , retired with the garrison into tbe citade l and from thence despatched messengers to her husband , imploring immediate aid . The rest of the town was fired and reduced to ashes . The news of the advance of Saladin struck

terror into the hearts of the Christians , and the bravest leaders doubted whether a successful head could be made against the vast hordes which surrounded the Infidel standard . Scarcely able to bear the weight of his armour , weak from the loss

of blood , the valiant De Ridefort , no sooner heard of the advance of the enemy , than he sprang from his sick bed . His soul burned within to bo

revenged upon the Infidels , for the defeat which the Order had sustained at their hands ; the spirits of the slaughtered Do Maillie and his brethren called aloud for vengeance , ancl the disgrace which sullied the proud folds of the Beauseant , coulcl only

be washed out in the blood of the scum of the false prophet . By his advice a council was held at Jerusalem , to consult regarding the measures to be adopted for the preservation of tho Holy Land . The king , the Count of Tripoli , and the

barons of tlie kingdom , were present . This council was divided by opposing factions . The Count of Tripoli proposed sending messengers to Saladin to treat for peace ; but Gerard de Ridefort , suspicious of the good faith of the Count , urged tbe Barons to prepare for immediate war . This advice was approved of by the majority of

the assembly , to the chagrin of the Count . An order was issued commanding the three military Orders , the garrisons of the cities , with all Christians capable of bearing arms , to assemble on the plain of Sephouri . At the same time , Do

Ridefort offered to employ the money sent b } r Henry II . of England , and which was in his keeping as Grand Master of the Templars , to the prosecution of tho war . This offer was gladly accepted ; and it was furthermore determined , to encourage

the Christians , that the true Cross , which had so often animated them iu battle , should be carried at tho head of tlio army . The Templars and Hospitallers came with a large force ; the Count of Tripoli , too , brought his men of Galileo and Tripoli into tho field ; Prince Reginald of Mont Royal made his appearance at the head of a fine

body of light horse ; the Lord Dalian of Naplous came with his retainers ; while Reginald , Lord of Siclon , brought with him the men of the sea coast . An army of fifty thousand fighting men , the flower of the Christian soldiers of the East , were

assembled on the plain of Sephouri to do battle with Saladin . Gerard de Ridefort , as he had promised , brought with him the money sent by Henry , and which , in the impoverished state of the treasury , was most acceptable , the funds of the Christians having been almost completely exhausted . Thus fiir tlie Grand Master succeeded in the

measures which he had proposed for the protection of the Holy Land ; but while encamped at Sephouri , the Count of Tripoli had an opportunity of stultifying the whole of his schemes , and blasting , before the enemy was in sight , all chances of success . He

had again resumed his correspondence with Saladin , ancl resolved at all hazards to assist his ally . For this purpose he prevailed upon Guy de Lusignan to remain encamped at Sephouri , while Saladin took up position after position , and

occupied the passes in the mountains , which alone could , had they been garrisoned by the Christians , have prevented his march upon Jerusalem . Gerard de Ridefort in vain implored the king to set out

on his march , pointed out to bun the necessity of stopping the advance of Saladin , ancl implored him not to permit the opportunity to slip through his fingers of turning the tide of victory . To all his arguments the feeble king turned a deaf ear .

The homage paid him by the wily Count of Tripoli flattered his vanity , and he abode by the counsels of the one who could only rise through his fall , and forgot the advice of the other , whose interests were bound up with the king ' s own . But from

this inaction the Christians were speedily and painfully aroused . The messenger arrived from Tiberias with tidings of its fail . The Christian leaders awoke from their lethargy , but , like the shorn Sampson , when it was too late .

A council was convened on the evening of the 2 nd July , 1187 , in the royal tent , at which were present , Gerard de Ridefort , the newly elected Grand Master of the Hospitallers , the Archbishop of Tyre , the Count of Tripoli , Dalian d'lbelin ,

ancl nearly all the bishops aud barons of Palestine . Tiie assembled barons at once declared for a march against Saladin ; but the Count of Tripoli rose ancl said—¦ " I am about to lay before you advice which will surprise you ; but I offer it with the

greater confidence from its being opposed to my personal interests . My desolated country , my subjects ready to submit to death or slavery , my wife exposed to the insults of the Musselmen , all implore instant succour from mo ancl you ; but it is my duty to think of the safety of Christian .