CHAP. I.]

ST. JOHN OF JEKUSALEM.

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men were under one banner, so were the Karismiansand Egyptians. It was on the same spot whereDe Bar and Montfort, had been worsted a few yearsbefore; but that did not terrify the Christians.The Prince of Emessa counselled a retreat; buthere, as elsewhere, the fault is imputed to a priest,that the Franks refused Etnessa’s soldierly advice,and following one who knew nothing about what hedabbled in, decided for battle. It lasted from therising to the setting sun, and the most part of thesecond day, but, at last the Syrian Moslems werebroken, and though the left wing, where the Hos-pitallers fought, resisted most perseveringly forseveral hours, yet the end was most disastrous; atotal overthrow on our side, with the loss of thirtythousand, and of the military orders, only thirty-three Templars, twenty-six Hospitallers, and threeTeutonics, ever got back to any Christian town.Among the slain was Yillebride . 1 None of theHospitallers—nor, perhaps, of the Templars andTeutonics, only they are not named—seem to havebeen taken prisoners, but got into the citadel ofAscalon, and were rigorously besieged there by the

1 Seb. Paoli : Serie, i. 342. It seems to have been hoped atfirst that he had been only senseless, and so made prisoner.But true to his rule, he had ceased to be.

K 2