ABEY. I.]

ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM.

55

tians, he and his troops. Do not refuse me the onlything I ask, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Irenounce all the rest, and go home ; for -what youused to call my iron health is at length broken, andI feel sick. Whatever state that church be in, 1accept it with gratitude.” 1

All the soldan’s emirs desired him to accede tothe offer. “Your nephew,”replied Saladin, “shallbeko me like one of my own children. I give it toyou; it is the chief church in Jerusalem, and wecall it of the Resurrection. The country to bedivided; to you the coast, to me the mountains.But Ascalon and Daroum must be razed. I willgive no fortresses.” 2 King Richard immediatelysent to thank Saladin, with also two falcons as apresent, but insisted on Ascalon and Daroum asthey stood. “ The king only asks them to contentthe Franks. What are two such insignificantplaces to the potent soldan ? ” 3 So it was agreedon ; yet some trifle extinguished the whole.

From Ascalon, Richard had frequently advancedtowards Jerusalem, while Saladin was within itswalls with expert engineers, adding to its fortifi-cations, and Moslem troops devastating all theenvirons; and in an action near the fountain of

1 Arab. Chron., 346.

2 Id., 347.