204 THE HISTORY OF THE ORDER OF [book ii.

repeated, ‘ I am of the sultan’s opinion,’ and Icited an article of the treaty, which said, £ IfChristians from the West come with evil designsagainst the Mahometans, the magistrates of Acre areto repress them.’ I added that ‘in the present case themagistrates ought to have prevented the murder, orat least have punished it; which, if they were with-out the power of doing, they ought to have de-nounced it themselves to us, that we might try toremedy it.’ At these words the sultan rubbed hishands, unable to contain his joy, and forthwith hebegan his preparations.’’ 1

Yet it was no fault of the government of Acre;but most of the scum sent by his Holiness assoldiers, were adventurers, ready for every crime,as our own chroniclers avow; yet if the Saracenhad the appearance, he had not the substance ofright, and the cit} T was an innocent victim. Theruffianly injurers took to their galleys and absconded,and left the injured inhabitants to be cut to pieces.So it was then; and so shall often be.

Nor had Kelaoun’s spies not informed him of thegreat war breaking out between France and ourKing Edward, nor of the Pontiff’s pusillanimity;and that, though it was reported the French mo-

1 Makrisi: Yie de Kelaoim.