CHAP. II.]

ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM.

155

pulling it down, but they were not executed, andit enabled the Moslem to persecute them close; yetthere were many most gallant actions, of whichFrance has good reason to be proud. To so bravea nation, the heroism of Artois is almost a counter-balance for his faults, and it was certainly mostmagnificent in Louis not to have escaped when hemight, but preferred sharing the lot of his soldiers;and valiant was his attempt to raise their spirits, not-withstanding all his own griefs, by appearing withouteither helmet or cuirass, but a sword in his hand,and on a fine Arabian . 1 Still all was vain; retreatto Damietta was cut off, and nothing remained butfor king and army to surrender at discretion. Soentire was the overthrow, that the Moslems sayonly two escaped ; nor even two, since they threwthemselves into the Nile and perished . 2 And inchains hand and foot, and his two brothers as well , 3he was dragged back to Mansourah, and his soldierstied with ropes, like so many cattle . 4 The newsultan had arrived; nor until then was his father’sdeath published—not even on Fakr-eddin’s; sosteady and wise was the illustrious sultana. Buther half son having been soon murdered by his

1 Michaud : Hist., iv. 236. 2 Arab. Chron., 463.

3 Michaud: Hist., iv. 241.

4 Michaud: Hist., iv. 245.—Arab. Chrou., 464.