342 THE HISTORY OF THE ORDER OF [book i.

that in each case life was offered on turning Moslem,hut Renaud preferred death, and the others too;so his head rolled at the king’s feet, which set himtrembling; but Saladin told him not to be afraid,for that his life should be spared. So was also thatof the Grand Master of the Temple; certainlybecause to his advice the victory is to be ascribed.As to the rest of his knights and their likes, thesoldan had them all beheaded. Nor his own pri-soners alone; but knowing the avarice of his sol-diers, and that they would conceal them for theransom, he had it published by a regular order ofthe day, that he would purchase, at the rate of fiftypieces of gold each, whatever Templars or Hospi-tallers were brought to him, which produced twohundred of them, and they, in like manner, wereslain. “ For,” said he, “ since they like homicide somuch when it favours their own religion, it is butjustice to let them taste a little of it themselves.”He looked upon them as at permanent war withIslam; and, in that same spirit, wrote to his lieu-tenant at Damascus to put to death all such knightsthere, whether belonging to private individuals ornot, which command was executed. But, besidesall slain, there were immense quantities of Christianprisoners, which reduced their price so much, that