A.D. 



1249. 



The cowardly 

 flight of Ear le 

 Robert. 



The valiant 

 ende of Wil- 

 liam Longespe. 



THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



inclosing them round about, that none should escape, 

 had with them a cruell fight. 



Then the earle began to repent him of his heady 

 rashnes, but it was too late, who then seeing William 

 the English knight doughtily fighting in the chiefe brunt 

 of the enemies, cried unto him most cowardly to flie, 

 seeing God (saith he) doth fight against us : To whom 

 the Knight answering againe, God forbid (sayth he) that 

 my fathers sonne should runne away from the face of 

 a Saracene. The Earle then turning his horse, fled 

 away, thinking to avoid by the swiftnes of his horse, 

 and so taking the river Thafnis, oppressed with harnesse, 

 was there sunken and drowned. 



Thus the Earle being gone, the Frenchmen began to 

 dispaire and scatter. Then William de Longespe bear- 

 ing all the force of the enemies, stoode against them as 

 long as he could, wounding and slaying many a Saracen, 

 till at length his horse being killed, and his legges 

 maymed, he could no longer stande, who yet notwith- 

 standing as he was downe, mangled their feete and legges, 

 and did the Saracens much sorrow, till at last after many 

 blowes and wounds, being stoned of the Saracens, he 

 yeelded his life. And after the death of him, the Sara- 

 cens setting upon the residue of the armie, whom they 

 had compassed on every side, devoured and destroyed 

 them all, insomuch that scarce one man remained alive, 

 saving two Templaries, one Hospitaler, and one poore 

 rascall souldier, which brought tidings, hereof to the 

 King. 



And thus by the imprudent and foolish hardines of 

 that French Earle, the Frenchmen were discomfited, and 

 that valiant English Knight overmatched, to the griefe 

 of all Christian people, the glory of the Saracens, and 

 the utter destruction and ruine of the whole French, 

 armie, as afterwards it appeared. 



358 



