Α. Τ». 1250.] IMPORTANT NEWS FROM FRANCE. 40.1 city came out in grand procession to meet him on the sea-shore, and received him with much joy. Soon after, the king sent for me, and expressly commanded me, as I valued his love, to comò and eat with him morning and evening, until he should determine whether to return to France or to remain there. I was lodged with the rector of Acre, for there the bishop had fixed my residence, and was most grievously ill. Of all my servants, there was but one that was not confined to his bed with sickness like myself ; nor had I any to comfort me, by once offering me something to drink. The more to enliven me, I saw daily pass my window twenty corpses for burial ; and when I heard tbe chant, u Libera me Domine," I shed floods of tears, and cried out to God that he would mercifully save me and my household from the pestilence that then raged. And this he did. Not long after the king's arrival at Acre he summoned his brothers, and all the other nobles, on a certain Sunday, and, when assembled, he addressed them: " My lords, I have called you together, to give you some news from France. In truth, my lady-mother, the queen, has sent for me, and it is necessary that I return with the utmost haste, for my kingdom is in great danger, inasmuch as there exists neither peace nor truce with the king of England. The people here wish to detain me, assuring me that if I depart their country will be destroyed, and insist on following me. I beg you will maturely consider what I have said, and give me your opinions within eight days." On the Sunday following, we all presented ourselves before the king to give him our opinions, as he had charged us, whether he should depart or stay. Sir Guion de Malvoisin was our spokesman, and said, u Sire, my lords your brothers, and the other nobles now preseut, have fully considered your situation, and they are of opinion, that you cannot remain longer in this country with honour to yourself or profit to your kingdom. For, in the first place, of all the knights whom you led to Cyprus, amounting to 2,800, not one hundred remain. Secondly, you have not any habitation in tbis country, nor have your army any money; for these reasons, which we have maturely weighed, we unanimously advise that you return to France to reinforce yourself with