436 THE HOLY LAND. 
CHAR within the latter city; which position, although 
^ disputed by Reland ^ and other authors, not only 
seems to coincide with the testimony already 
given from the Alexiad of Anna Comnena, but 
also with the evidence afforded by Bernard the 
Monk, who mentions a monastery of St. George 
near to Ramula^. There is not a part of the 
Holi/ Land more fertile than the plain around 
Rama ; it resembles a continual garden ; but 
cultivation had been neglected at the time of 
our arrival, owing to the dreadful plague with 
which the whole country had been infested. 
Rama and Lydda were the two first cities of the 
Holy Land that fell into the hands of the Christians 
when the army of the Crusaders arrived. Rama 
was then in its greatest splendor; a fenced city, 
abounding in all the luxuries of the East. It 
was exceedingly populous, and was adorned 
with stately buildings, and well fortified with 
walls and towers. The Count of Flanders having 
been despatched by the princes and generals of 
the Christian army, with five hundred cavalry, to 
reconnoitre the place, and to summon the city 
to surrender, found the gates open : the inhabi- 
(1) *' Lyddam sive Diospolin intelligit, quae patria est S. Georgii 
non longfe a Ramol&." Re,U Pal. JRluit. torn. II. p. 963. Utr. 1T14. 
(3) See a former Note. 
