hym more apparent, for that the Christian prisoners were already deliuered. MarginaliaThe Christians refusing good offers could not haue them when they would.Hereupon the Soldan beyng in some better hope, and lesse feare, refused that which before he had offered to the Christians, albeit they with great instance afterward sued to the Soldan, and could not obteine it. MarginaliaA cruell proclamation of the Saracens against the Christiās.Thē the Soldā beyng wholy bent to try the matter by the sword, sent to the East partes for an infinite multitude of souldiours, giuyng out by Proclamation, that who soeuer could bryng in any Christen mans head, should haue x. talentes, besides hys standing wages. And whosoeuer brought his right hand, should haue, fiue. He that brought his foote, should haue two talentes for his reward.

After these thinges thus prepared on both sides to the necessitie of warre, the kyng commeth to the great Riuer Nilus, hauing gottē together many boates, thinkyng by them to passe ouer, as vpō a sure bridge. On the other side the Soldan pitched him selfe to withstād his comming ouer. In the meane time happened a certeine feast amongest the Saracēs, in which the Soldā was absēt, leauyng his tentes by the water side. Which beyng forsene before by a certeine Saracen lately cōuerted to Christ, seruyng with the Earle Robert the kyngs brother, and shewyng them withal a certein shalow foorde in the Riuer of Nilus, where they might more easely passe ouer, MarginaliaThe Earle of Artoys with the 2. part of the Christen army passeth ouer the riuer Nilus.the sayd Earle Robert and the Master of þ^e Temple with a great power, estemed to the thyrd part of the army, ishewed ouer the Riuer, MarginaliaW. Longspath.after whom also folowed William Longspath with his band of English souldiours. MarginaliaVictory of þ^e Christians against the Saracens.These beyng together ioyned on the other side of the water, encountered the same day with the Saracens remainyng in the tentes, and put them to the worse. After this victory gotten, the French Earle surprised with pride and triumph, as though he had cōquered the whole earth, would nedes forward, diuiding him selfe from the mayne host, thinkyng to wynne the spurres alone. MarginaliaGood counsell geuen but no followed.To whom certeine sage mē of the Temple, giuing contrary counsell aduised him not so to do, but rather to returne and take their whole company with them, and so should they be more sure agaynst all deceates and daūgers, which there might be layd priuely for them. The maner of that people (they sayd) they better knew, & had more experience therof then he: Alledging moreouer their weryed bodyes, their tyred horses, their famished souldiours, and the insufficiency also of their number, which was not able to withstād the multitude of þ^e enemies, especially at this present brūt, in which the aduersaries did well see the whole state of their dominiō now to cōsist either in winning al, or losing al: with other such like wordes of persuasiō. MarginaliaThe despitefull rebukes of Earle Robert to them that gaue him good counsell.Which whē the proude Earle did heare, beyng inflated with no lesse arrogance then ignoraūce, with opprobrious taūts reuiled them, callyng them cowardly dastardes, and betrayers of the whole countrey, obiecting vnto them the common report of many, which sayd, that the lād of the holy crosse might soone be wōne to Christēdome were it not for the rebellious Templaries, with the Hospitularies and their felowes. &c.

MarginaliaThe aunswere of the Templaries to Earle Robert.To these contumelious rebukes whē the Master of the Temple aūswered agayne for him and his felowes, byddyng him display his ensigne when he would, and where he durst, they were as ready to folow him, as he to go before them: then began William de Longspath the worthy Knight to speake, desiring the Earle to giue eare to those men of experience, who had better knowledge of those countreys and people, then had he, cōmendyng also their counsell to be discret and holsome: and so turnyng to the Master of the Tēple began with gētle wordes to mitigate him likewise. The Knight had not halfe ended his talke, whē the Earle taking his wordes out of his mouth begā to fume and swere, crying out of these cowardly English men with tayles. What a pure armey (sayd he) should we haue here, if these tayles, andtayled people were purged frō it? with other like words of great vilany, & much disdayne. Wherunto the English Knight aunsweryng agayne: MarginaliaThe worthy aunswere of an Englishe knight to Earle Robert the kinges brother.well Earle Robert (sayd he) where soeuer you dare set your foote, my step shall go as farre as yours: and as I beleue, we go this day where you shall not dare to come nere the tayle of my horse, as in the euent it proued true. Ibid. fol 236.

In this meane tyme, the French kyng intēdyng to aduaunce forward his army, thought best to send away such as were feeble and lacked armour, to Damiata by boates. MarginaliaA number of French souldiours sent to Damiata, drowned and slayne by the way.The Soldan hearyng therof prepared a great number of boates to bee caryed by wayne & carte to the water side, which meeting them by the way, drowned & destroyed by wildfire euery one, so þ^t of al the cōpany of our Christiās, of whō some were burned, some slayne, some drowned, not one escaped alyue, saue one onely English mā named Alexander Giffard, who although he was sore woūded in the chase in fiue places in his body, yet escaped to the Frēch campe, bringyng word to þ^e king what was done. And this was vpon the water.

MarginaliaThe village & castle of Mansor assaulted by the Frēchmē.Now vppon the land seyng Earle Robert would nedes set forward weenyng to get all the glory to him selfe before the commyng of the host: first they inuaded a litle village or castle, which was not farre of, called Mansor. The countrey boores and pagans in the villages by seyng the Christiās come, ranne out with such a mayne cry and shout, that it came to the Soldās hearyng, which was nerer then our men did thinke. MarginaliaThe Frēchmē discomfited at the siege of Mansor.In the meane while the Christiās inuadyng and entring into the munition incircumspectly, were pelted and pashed with stones by them which stode aboue, wherby a great number of our men were lost, & the army sore maymed & almost in despayre. MarginaliaEarle Roberts army inclosed by the Soldan of Babilon.Then immediatly vpon the same cōmeth the Soldā with all his mayne power, who seing the Christiā army to be diuided, and the brother separated from the brother, had that which he long wished for, and so 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 to late, who thē MarginaliaThe cowardly flying away of the Earle Robert.seing Williā þ^e English Knight dowghtely fighting in the chief brunt of the enemies, cryed vnto him, most cowardly to flye, seing God (said he) doth fight agaynst vs. To whō the Knight aūswering agayn, God forbid (sayd he) that my fathers sonne should runne away for the face of a Saracen. MarginaliaEarle Robert the kinges brother drowned.The Earle then turnyng his horse fled away, thinkyng to auoyde by the swiftnes of his horse, and so taking the riuer Thafnis, oppressed with harnes, was there sonken and drowned. Thus the Earle beyng gone, the French men began to dispayre & scatter. MarginaliaThe manly courage of W. Lōgspath.Thē William de Longaspatha bearyng all the force of the enemies, stode agaynst them as long as hee could, woundyng & slaying many a Saracen, til at lēgth his horse beyng killed, and his legges maymed, he could no longer stand: MarginaliaWilliam Longspath slayne in battayle.who yet notwithstandyng as he was down, mangled their feete and legges, and did the Saracens much sorrow, till at last after many blowes and woundes, beyng stoned of the Saracens he yelded his life. MarginaliaThe Frēchmē ouerthrowne.After the death of him, thē the Saracens settyng vppon the residue of the army, whom they had compassed on euery side deuoured and destroyed them all, in so much that scarse one man escaped alyue, sauyng ij. templaries, one Hospitular, and one poore rascall souldiour, which brought tydynges hereof to the kyng.

MarginaliaThe sorrow in the French campe for losse of their brethren.These thinges beyng knowen in the French camp to the kyng and his souldiours, first of their drownyng which were sent to Damiata, thē of the ruine & slaughter of the army, with the kinges brother, by the towne of Mansor, there was no litle sorow and heuynes on euery side, with great feare, & doubt in them selues, what was best to do. At last when they saw no remedy, but they must nedes stand māfully to reuenge the bloud of their brethren, then the king with his host past ouer the floud of Nilus, and cōming to the place where the bat-