The Knights Templars.

army , and in a night assault upon his camp , compelled him to flee without arms and half clothed from the field . While Baldwin was in the midst of his successes over jSTouredclin , he ' was poisoned by a Syrian

doctor , and becoming sensible of his danger , the king set out for Jerusalem , but died on the Avay at the city of Beyrout . He had proved himself a worthy opponent of the great Noureddin , and his death cast a gbom over the Avhole Christians in

the East , AVIIO Avere plunged into the greatest fear at a loss occurring to them at such a momentous crisis . The body of the dead king Avas transported to the Holy City , the clergy coming out to meet it , while the people of the mountains descended to swell the funeral train . Robert of the Mount tells

how that Noureddin Avas afflicted at the neAvs of his antagonist's death , and on some of his councillors advising him to take advantage of the loss the Christians had sustained , and the grief into which they Avere plunged , to make an inroad into

Palestine , replied , nobly and generously , " God forbid that I should disturb the proper grief of a people who are weeping for the loss of so good a king , or fix upon such an opportunity to attack a kingdom which I have no reason to fear . "

BaldAvin III . was succeeded in the sovereignty of Jerusalem by his brother Almaric , Count o f Jaffa and Ascalon , an unprincipled and avaricious prince , who , unrestrained by honour , justice , or even the precepts of religion , in the execution of

his projects , did much to foment the disturbances of the Holy Land , and add to the difficulties of the Christians in the East .

Bertrand de Blanchefort was subsequently liberated from captivity by Noureddin , on the intercession of Manuel Comnenus , the Emperor of Constantinople . Thereafter , he Avrote several letters to Louis VII ., King of France , describing

to him the precarious and distressed state of the Holy Land , the increasing boldness and insolence of the infidel , and the damage done to the country by an earthquake , adding that the persecutors of the Church , hastening to avail themselves of the

misfortunes of the Christians , had gathered together from the ends of the earth , and came forth as one man to sack the sanctuary of God . In one of these letters , De Blanchefort relates to the king the circumstances attending an incursion which

the Order made under his leadershi p into Egypt , when they succeeded in capturing the populous and important city of Belbeis , the Pelusium of the

ancients . During their absence upon this expedition , Noureddin invaded the Holy Land for the purpose of punishing this temerity of the Templars . The Knights Avho had been left in charge of the castles of the Order and to defend the country ,

fleAv to arms . At the head of their Turcopoles or light horse and the serving brethren they marched forth to attack him . A battle ensued , in which they were defeated with immense slaughter , the whole of the Turcopoles and serving brethren , Avith

sixty Knights , being left dead on the field . The neAvs of this disaster recalled the Templars from Egypt to the Holy Land , where their presence was most anxiously desired and looked for .

Flushed Avith this victory , jSTourecldin continued his attacks upon the cities of the Holy Land , and the danger grew at length so imminent , that King Almeric Avrote " to his dear friend and father / ' ' Louis the Seventh , king of France , asking the

good services of that sovereign in behalf of the Christians in the Holy Land . Above all , he eaimestly entreated the king to constantly extend , to the very utmost , his favour and regard to the Templars , who continually rendered up their lives

for God and the faith , and through whom , he added , " " we do , indeed , the little that we are able to effect , for in them , after God , is placed the entire reliance of all those in the eastern regions who tread in the right path . "

The character of the Crusaders began now to degenerate in virtue , and from being animated only by a love of God , and a desire to free the Holy Land from the presence of the infidel , they became greedy of plunderbroken up into parties

, by ' political questions , and plunged into the greatest excesses and debaucheries . The churchmen were > no better than the laity , and the highest episcopal dignitaries carried about with them their

concubines ; and William of Tyre writes in his day , that he did not believe there was one chaste woman to be found in Jerusalem . The Queen of Jerusalem , the widoAv of BaldAvin III ., kept up a criminal correspondence Avith Andronicus , who

afterAvards ascended the throne of Constantinople , and became infamous from his cruelties ; and after-Avards she sought an abode among the Saracens with the companions of her debaucheries . Bohemond , Prince of Antioch , repudiated his Avife , Erina , to

espouse a courtesan . The Patriarch , disgusted Avith such a scandal , excommunicated Bohemond ,, and placed an interdict upon his estates , and hisguilty amour spread despair and desolation among .