The emperor Frederic, and the hinge of France and England, assume the cross. A.D. 1188. Frederic, emperor of the Romane, assumed the cross, being urged by the preaching of Henry, bishop of Albany, and legate of the Apostolic See, who was sent by pope Clement for this object. The same year,. Philip, king of France, and Henry, king of England, came to a conference, having for its object the relief of the Holy Land, in Normandy, between Trippe and Gisors, and after a long discussion, in the presence of Philip, count of Flanders, they agreed together in this, that having assumed the cross, they would undertake the expedition to Jerusalem in company. Therefore, the king of England first received the cross at the hands of the archbishop of Rheims, and William of Tyre. After him, the king of France, and Philip, count of Flanders, and many other counts and barons, and a very great number of nobles, archbishops, and bishops, and of common people an absolutely countless multitude. About those days, the emperor Frederic wrote an elegant letter to Saladin, which, however, was couched in threatening language ; and Saladin, not being at all alarmed, wrote back one in a similar tone. In that letter there was contained a defiance and a declaration of war. This year, Guy, king of Jerusalem, having been detained in chains at Damascus for a year, in the prison of Saladin, was compelled to renounce the kingdom of Jerusalem, and scarcely escaped with his life. About this time, Raymond, count of Tripoli, died, who, when at the point of death, from the alienation of his mind, did not receive the viaticum of salvation. But the valiant sovereign, Guy, when released from prison, as if awakening from a heavy slumber, as no one else had taken upon himself the task of holding the reins of his oppressed kingdom, broke his disgraceful oath, resumed his spirits, and girded himself for the contest, and taking the helm of the vessel which was now nearly sunk by the violence of the storm, he summoned his dispersed followers to unite, and associating with himself the Templars, and Hospitallers, and Venetians, and Genoese, and all thé noble pilgrims who had as yet arrived, having a good hope of the arrival of more allies, laid siege to Acre, to the deliverance of which Saladin, without any alarm, came in haste, and after a fierce battle had continued for three days, lo ! they beheld an innumerable fleet of Danes and Frieslanders