The Knights Templar.

appeared sensible of danger , every soldier would conquer or die . But as the infidels were far more numerous than the christians , at last , but few of the latter remained for the defence of that post , and the Marshal of the Hospitallers , a knight of consummate valour , falling under several wounds , the Grand Master of the Templars addressed the Grand Master of the Hosjiitallers in these words , " We can hold out no longer , and the city is lost , if you do not immediatel y fall upon the enemy ' s camp , and find means to make a diversion that may cool his ardour , and allow us time to fortify the post we are defend in o- . "

The Grand Master of the Hospitallers , taking with him such knights as were still able to mount a horse , parted that moment , and , sallying out of a gate on the opposite side to that of the attack , flattered himself with the hopes of surprising- the enemy ' s camp , but they were upon the alert . The Sultan , during the assault , had made all the cavalry mount . Tho Grand Master , who had not five hundred horse , was immediately attacked and compelled to retire ,

and , as he was entering the gates , he received the mortifying news that the Grand Master of the Temjilars was just killed by a poisoned arrow , that most of the Templars were cut to pieces , and that the enemy was master of the city , and destroying all with fire and sword . As nothing now remained but to save his troops , he made for the port , although pursued by the enemy , ancl throwing a considerable number of cross-bowmen into some barks , under shelter of showers of arrows , with which they were galling the Sultan ' s cavalry , he and

his Hospitallers embarked on board a carrack belonging to the Order , and sailed for Cyprus . Three hundred Templars who had escaped the fury of the infidels , endeavouring to gain the port , were intercepted . Those gallant soldiers of Jesus Christ ; having tried in vain to cut their way through the multitude of Egyptians that filled all the streets , threw themselves into the Old Tower of the Temple , resolving , rather than be takento be buried iu the ruins . Many

, women had already taken refuge there . The Templars immediately barricaded the place and held out for some days . But the Sultan caused the tower to be undermined , and the Templars , finding it impossible to hold ont , and actuated by a desire to save so many women from death and dishonour , agreed to quit

the place on condition they would leave them a free passage to the port , to facilitate their embarkation , and preserve the honour of the women . The articles being signed , they opened the gates ; but no sooner had the foremost soldiers of the Saracens entered than they offered violence to the unfortunate females . The Templars , enraged at their brutality and breach of faith , fell , sword in hand , upon the barbarians , cut them to pieces , and shut the gates ,

and resigning themselves to inevitable destruction , refused to listen to any further conditions . The infidels , sword in one hand , and a scaling ladder in the other , advanced to scale the tower . The walls were , in an instant , covered with soldiers endeavouring to mount , but , being undermined and the props by which this old building was supported , giving way , the tower fell with a terrible crash , burying Templars , women , and infidels under its ruins .

At the sacking of this unfortunate city a whole convent of Nuns of St . Clare set an examjile of heroic resolution worthy of being recorded . Those holy virgins disfigured themselves with more care than modern fashionable ladies do to set themselves off with rouge and . cascarilla . Some cut off their noses , others made large gashes in their cheeks , and all had their faces besmeared with blood . The infidelsentering the cloisterand seeing them in

, , this frightful condition , objects fitter to inspire horror rather than to satisfy impure desires , massacred them all without mercy , and thus removed those chaste spouses of the Saviour of the world out of the reach of Saracen brutality . ( To be continued . )