The Knights Templars.

and drew his sword . His valour had attracted the admiration of the enemy . They Avere filled with compassion for him , and called repeatedly and earnestly upon him to surrender , promising him both life and liberty . De Maillie turned a

deaf ear to their proposals . He felt he had one paramount duty to perform as Grand Jlarshal , to die on the field ivhere so many of his brethren had fallen in the cause of Christ . The enemy seeing his determination , and afraid to approach

him , overwhelmed him from a distance ivith a flight of javelins , stones , and lances , and rather than wounded , he was crushed to death , and his soul fled triumphantly to the heavenly kingdom bearing the palm of martyrdom . His death , says

Vinisauf , ivas indeed rendered glorious , since by his single sAvord so large a circle of dead bodies had been heaped around him . It was sweet for a man to die thus , himself in the centre , surrounded by the unbelievers Avhom his brave arm had slaughtered .

Coggleshale compares the fury and anger of the Templar , as he looked around the plain and saw it covered with the bodies of his brethren , to the wrath of the lioness who has lost her cubs ; and his jDOsition and demeanour in the midst of the

throng of Infidels , to that of the wild boar when surrounded by dogs ivhom he is tearing with his tusks . " Every MOAA ' , " says the Abbot , " of this furious Knight despatched an Infidel to hell . " De Maillie , who had been mounted on a Avhite

horse , clad in translucent armour , witli the Avhite cloak of the Order streaming from his shoulders , the ruddy cross of martyrdom npon his breast , and from his dauntless courage , was taken by the Infidel for Saint George ; for Vinisauf writes that

they believed the saint often appeared in battle in the front rank of the Christians , ancl fought bravely in their behalf . Their delight was excessive at having slain the patron saint of and bulwark of the Christians . There ivas in the place

of the conflict some stubble , ivhich the reapers had left a short time before , after the ears had been cut off , but the Infidel had rushed over it in such multitudes , and this single champion had held out so long against them that tho field in

which they stood was Avholly trampled to dust , ancl sIiOAved no signs of a crop of corn ever haA'ing been grown there . After the battle the Grand Master of the Hospitallers ivas found dead under a heap of Turks and Saracens , whom he had slain ivith his own hand , while similar heaps pointed

out the spot Avhere each Templar had fallen . The Saracens dreiv near the body of De Maillie , slain with a thousand wounds , with great respect . They wiped off the blood , and shared the rags of his clothes and the fragments of his arms , and covered ,

him Avith dust , ivhich they sprinkled on their heads ,, expecting thereby to obtain a share of his matchless courage . Vinisauf relates that one , in the . moment of excitement , excelled his companionsiu his belief in the power of the body of the

Templar even Avhen dead , but modesty forbids us transcribing it in this history ; and in the Latin History of Jerusalem ive read , " Quidam vero , ut fama ferebat , ardentius ca 3 teris movebatur , et abscissis viri genitalibus , ea tanquam in usum .

gignendi reseivare deposuit ut vel mortua membra , si fieri posset , virtutis tanta ) suscitarent han-edem . " The Musselmen then severed the heads of the Christians from their bodies , aud fixing , them on the points of their lances , marched away in the direction of Tiberias .

This battle took place on Friday , the 1 st of May ,, being the feast of St . James and St . Philip . In that beautiful season of the year , when the inhabitants of Nazareth were ivont to seek the rose and the violet in the fields , they only found the sad

traces of carnage , and the lifeless bodies of their slaughtered brethren . YVith mourning and with , lamentation , they carried them into the burialground of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Nazareth , cryiug aloud— " Daughters of Galilee ! put on

your garments of mourning ; and j'ou , daughters of Zion ! iveep over the ills that threaten the . kings of Judah . "

Ihe Lord Balian d lbehn , while the battle AA'as being fought , ivas journeying with another body of Templars to Nazareth , there to join the Grand Master . When they had travelled tivo miles , they came to the city of Sebaste . It was a lovely

morning , and they determined to march no further until they should hear mass . They accordingly turned toivards the house of the bishop and Avoke him up , and informed him that the day Avas break - ing . The bishop thereupon ordered an old

chaplain to put ou his clothes and say mass ; after . which they hurried forward . Then they came to the Castle of La Feue , and found outside the AA'alls the tents of the Knights of La Foco pitched , but . no one there to explain ivhafc it meant . A varlet .

Avas sent into the castle to inquire , but he found no one within but two sick people , AVIIO Avere . unable to speak . They then inarched on to Naza-