he miferably flaughtered in one place. Our Hiftorian afterwards tells us, it was given out, that this horrid Butchery was done by way of Retaliation; or because the King of England refolving to march for Afcalon, thought it unfafe to leave fuch numbers of Molems in the City behind him. The Soltan's People beheld this Slaughter, but could not distinctly perceive what was going forwards; they could only report, that the Enemy was in motion, which gave an Alarm, and brought on a warm difpute, wherein both fides fuffered a great lofs of Blood: But with the firft Light of the next Morning the Moflems faw what had been tranfacted the Afternoon before; and mourned the Fate of their three thoufand Martyrs, as they called them.

THE Fortifications of Ptolemais were throughly repaired, and the King of England marched away for Afcalon; leaving a ftrong Garrifon behind him. He was encouraged to this Expedition, by information he had from two Scenite Arabs, who reported the Soltan's Forces to be inconfiderable; but being convinced of quite the reverfe, by frequent inftances in his march, he ordered the two Arabs to be put to Ideath as Traitors.

THIS march was truly a very troublefom one to Richard, and no General could do more than the Soltán did to prevent it; and had not a very exact Difcipline been obferved in the Chriftian Army, and had they not been armed, at all points, in a very extraordinary manner, it had been impoffible for them to proceed at all.

AT laft, tired out, they fent Embaffadors to expoftulate with the Soltán "That the " War

"War was spun out to an unreasonable 66 length, that the braveft of each fide were "continually falling; that they were come

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only to affift the Franks of Jerufalem; "that it would be but just and prudent in the "Soltán to make Peace with them, that the "Armies might return each to their home." Thus it was expoftulated with Al-Malec Al-Adel` the Soltan's Brother, who went to hear what the Ambaffadors had to say.

over,

THE Soltan was not fond of hearkning to this, knowing the Turkmans to be on the point of joining him. However, it was fo ordered, that the King of England and Al-Malec AlAdel met to discourse this matter each of them proudly and potently guarded. The Converfation was fo managed, that the King of England was the firft that made mention of Peace. To which Al-Adel returned, "That a bare mention of Peace was nothing, "that he should be glad to know the Condi"tions expected, that he might be able to "act as a Mediator with the Soltan towards

bringing it to a Conclufion." The King of England then faid, that, in a word, their demand was a general Reftitution of all, and that the Soltan fhould march home with all his Army. This was rejected by Al-Adel, with great fcorn, and high words arose, and they parted.

THE Soltán upon this refolved to come to action with the Franks; and the Battle of Arfuf, as our Hiftorian calls it, enfued; wherein he received a total overthrow, highly to his mortification, nor had he ever feen fo black a day before. This, and the lofs of Ptolemais fo little a time before, made him determine,

to be before-hand with the Franks, by demolifhing the City of Afcalon, whither they were now bending their march; that it might prove of no use to them towards the recovery of Ferufalem, or enable them to obftruct the Communication with Egypt. Upon these Confiderations, therefore he ordered it to be demolifhed, to his infinite regret, it being a lovely Place, and very ftrong; and demolished it was, with the utmost precipitation, amidst the general confufion and outcries of the Inhabitants, who lamented, that they should be driven to fo fore a neceffity. The Work was hurried on the more, that it might not be interrupted by the Franks; from whom, in the midft of it, a Propofal of Peace came; but no less than the whole Kingdom of Jerufalem was demanded. The Soltan was glad to understand they were grown fick of the War, and ordered some shew of Compliance to be made; but finding that the demolition went on heavily, and that he was unable to remove what was treasured up in the Place, he fet fire thereto, to the unfpeakable loss of Provifions, Stores, Houfhold Furniture, &c. But the Fortifications and Towers were fo folidly built, that it proved a Work of great difficulty to make an end of the Destruction. that was begun; while Al-Malec Al-Adel kept the Enemy from fufpecting what was going forward, by amufing them with a talk of Peace.

A few days afterwards, the Soltán visited Lydda and Ramlah; and obferving the Church of the former, and the Castle of the latter, to be firm Buildings, he levelled them both with the ground. While this Work was in hand, he went privately to Jerufalem to take a Survey

of

of that Holy City; and before he departed thence, which was in two or three days, he faw every thing put into good order, and duly provided.

ABOUT this time, the Marquifs of Tyre offered to make a feparate Peace with the Soltán, on condition Sidon and Berytus were put into his hands; in return for which, he engaged to break with his Brethren in Faith, and to reduce Ptolemais to his Obedience again. The Soltan wanted fome Earneft of his Sincerity; and the King of England understanding the Motion, marched back to Ptolemais, to fruftrate the Marquifs's Project, and bring him to a better Mind.

THE Enemy, therefore, being retired to, that distance, the Soltán thought he might fafely fend his Bother to Jerufalem to direct Affairs there; from whence he in a few days returned again to the Army.

WE cannot pass over unobferved, that, here, we are told, the Soltán had lifted a regular Band of Arabian Banditti, to be continually pilfering and ftealing what they could from the Franks, whether Money, Horfes, or even living Perfons. They were used to furprize them in their Sleep, and wake them with a drawn Dagger at their Throats, and commanding them Silence upon pain of Death, took them out of their Tents, and carried them of Prisoners; and many that attempted to cry out, paid for it with their Lives.

UPON the 26th of this fame Month, the King of England defired Al-Malec Al-Adel would fend an Ambaffador to him; and what the King had to fay amounted to this, as it was communicated to the Soltán: The Moslems

and the Franks both perish; their Countries are defolated, and their Wealth and Strength are unmeafurably confumed. We have both done our Duty in this Contest and Holy War. Nothing remains to be difputed but the Holy City, the Cross, and our Boundaries. As for the Holy City, which is the very Source of our Religion, we cannot forgo our Claim to that, tho' we were all to die in the Profecution thereof. As for the Country, restore to us, all on this fide Jordan. And as for the Crofs, which, in your esteem, is of no manner of Value, but with us of the highest Veneration, the Soltân hall give us that; that fo, concluding a Peace, we may reft from our Labour.

THE Soltan called a Council to deliberate upon this, and the following Answer was returned. The Holy City is of the fame concern to us, as to you; nay, of greater and more noble concern; for thence did our Prophet take his Night-Journey to Heaven, and there are the Angels wont to bold their folemn Affemblies. Do not therefore fo much as let it enter into your thoughts that we will abandon it. We cannot be fo careless or neglectful of our own Concerns, or anfwer it to the reft of our Faith. As for the Countries, they originally and of right belong to us, which you fubdued to your felves, taking advantage of the weakness of the Moflems in thofe days. Lastly, The Cross is a fcandal with us, and a great dishonour of the Deity, of which it becomes us to be mindful; unless the delivery of it may in a very remarkable degree redound to the Advantage of Islamism.

THREE days after this, Al-Malec Al-Adel called our Hiftorian and four others of chief note, and gave them the following Meffage to the Soltan. The King of England defires that Al-Malec Al-Adel may take his Sifter in Mar

riage i