ciiap. i.]

ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM.

101

ate two fowls on it, to make good their oath, de-vouring the fowls as hungry dogs do bread. Andthe battle began, and in a twinkling—it was theday of the decollation of St. John the Baptist—who wanted companions, observes the chronicler,and here they were, fifty Templars, thirty Teutonics,thirty-two Hospitallers, the Chamberlain of theKing of France, and that nobleman’s son, severalcounts and princes, eighty knights, and five thou-sand men of different nations . 1 Unwillingly hadBrienne set out from Damietta, disapproving totallyof that unmilitary excursion, headlong, withoutany preparatives; and wished, at least, to wait forthe succours promised by the emperor. ButPelagius treated his worldly misgivings with utterdisdain, and arrogated to himself the supreme com-mand, saying it was a Papal army, since composedin part of Italians, and under the Pope’s protection . 2And, although some Roman princes ran away atthe first of the action, that was not very wonderful;and if, on another morning, a Spaniard was caughtselling a piece of bread to two Saracens, thetraitors—not Spaniards, but Saracens—were tiedto a horse’s tail, and dragged all through theChristian camp; no trifle, its extent being of ten

1 Potestats di Ecggio.—Bib. Crois., ii. 603.

2 Oliveri: Hist. Damatiana.—Bib. Crois., iii 155.