THE EARL OF SALISBURY ajd. 



1249. 



the Temple answered againe for him and his fellowes, 

 bidding him display his ensigne when he would, and 

 where he durst, they were as ready to follow him, as 

 he to goe before them. Then began William de 

 Longespe the worthy knight to speake, desiring the 

 earle to give eare to those men of experience, who had 

 better knowledge of those countreyes and people then 

 had he, commending also their counsell to be discreet 

 and wholesome, and so turning to the master of the 

 Temple, began with gentle wordes to mittigate him like- 

 wise. The knight had not halfe ended his talke, when 

 the Earle taking his wordes out of his mouth, began 

 to fume and sweare, crying out of those cowardly 

 Englishmen with tailes : What a pure armie (sayde he) 

 should we have here, if these tailes and tailed people 

 were purged from it, with other like words of villany, 

 and much disdaine : whereunto the English knight T'he worthy 

 answering againe, well, Earle Robert (said he) where- ^^-^/J^l^^ _ 

 soever you dare set your foote, my step shall go as ^.^ ^^ ^^^^^ 

 farre as yours, and (as I beleeve) we goe this day where Robert. 

 vou shall not dare to come neere the taile of my horse, 

 as in deede in the event it prooved true : for Earle 

 Robert would needes set forward, weening to get all 

 the glory to himselfe before the comming of the hoste, 

 and first invaded a litle village or castle, which was not 

 farre off, called Mansor. The countrey Boores and 

 Pagans in the villages, seeing the Christians comming, 

 ranne out with such a maine cry and shout, that it 

 came to the Soldans hearing, who was neerer then our 

 men did thinke. In the meane time, the Christians in- 

 vading and entring into the munition incircumspectly, 

 were pelted and pashed with stones by them which stood 

 above, whereby a great number of our men were lost, 

 and the armie sore maymed, and almost in despaire. 



Then immediatly upon the same, commeth the Sol- 

 dan v/ith all his maine power, which seeing the Christian 

 armie to be devided, and the brother separated from the 

 brother, had that v/hich he long wished for, and so 



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