134 THE HISTORY OE THE ORDER OF [book ii.

from tlie sultan to the Pope in 1246 is given; theletter was very respectful, did words suffice. “To thehighly great, highly venerable, thirteenth of theApostles, mouth and guide of the adorers of Christ.God loves who desire peace and seek it. We veneratethe Holy Scriptures, and love them. We have heardyour messenger, who has spoken to us of the Christwhom we praise, and of whom we know more thanyou do, and honour him more. You say that youwish for tranquillity and repose, and that you havemotives for calling the nations to peace. We areas desirous of it as you; we have always desiredand wished it; but being bound by a treaty ofamity to the emperor, we send to have his opinion.The same ambassador will afterwards visit you;and when we know what both think, we mean toanswer and decide. We will do nothing which isnot beneficial to all parties, and agreeable to Al-mighty Allah! ” 1

The reason the sultan wrote in that tenor, andthat no Mussulmen dared to defile the Holy Sepul-chre, when they mercilessly sacked the rest of Jeru-salem is (according to some chroniclers), that “theMahometans believe firmly that Jesus Christ wasborn of the Virgin Mary; that he lived without ever

1 Zanfleit Chron.—Bib. Crois., i. 337.