SIEGE AND BATTLE OF JAFFA. 53 



charge the quarrils, and the other to quickly re-bend 

 the bow with the goat's foot. Thus posted, the king 

 passed through the ranks and exhorted them to fight 

 with intrepidity, '^ for/' said he, " if you be firm you 

 will surely remain victorious : besides," he continued, 

 " whither can one fly, when all the avenues are filled 

 with enemies ? to attempt it is to rush on certain death 

 without honour ; but if we be ordained to fall upon 

 this spot, let us accept the crown of martyrdom with 

 christian resignation, and we shall, before we fall, 

 avenge ourselves and glorify God, who has deigned to 

 accept our death in his cause !" 



Just then seven columns of Saracen horse, each one 

 thousand strong, came down — in the Arabian phrase — 

 as one man ; but grim and fierce the warriors awaited 

 the onset in silence, with lances fixed, and, says Boha- 

 eddin, '^ gnashing the teeth of war,'' On came the 

 enemy at a gallop, and flourishing their sabres almost 

 within thrust, they wheeled about in the true oriental 

 style, making room for other lines and succeeding 

 squadrons to repeat the same manoeuvre : in advancing 

 they threw their darts, but each corps, as they turned 

 their backs, was saluted with a volley of quarrils and 

 arrows, of which scarcely one could fail to hit. Though 

 Saladin had restored the discipline of his army, the 

 cause of the crescent had cooled. Successive bluster- 

 ing demonstrations paid the same price as the former, 

 and always left numerous horses and riders on the 

 ground. Richard, with great coolness, marked the 

 temper of the enemy, and at last resolved to bring the 

 contest to issue. Just as another charge of intimida- 

 tion was wheeling round, he and his nine associates 

 broke loose in pursuit, and drove the enemy headlong 

 upon his lines. Dashing into the middle of their 

 swarms, all became confusion : the king turns and 

 finds the earl of Leicester stricken down, and while he 

 protects his re-mounting, a host of enemies close all 

 round and aim in particular at his royal crest : yet 

 even then his eye has time to mark Ralph de Mauley 

 borne off a prisoner. Richard spurs his horse, breaks 



