A.D. 1104.] ESCAPE OF BALDWIN. 457 he attacked the enemy with hardly two hundred knights, who, being no match for so great a multitude of the heathen, were most of them slain : the rest took to flight : those who escaped fled to the town of Ramula. Both the counts named Stephen, who had recently arrived, fell in this battle, besides many other nobles, whose names are all written in the book of life. The king had not much reliance in the strength of Ramula, but nevertheless took refuge there to save his life, and the next day was in expectation of being besieged by the enemy ; when behold ! in the silence of the dark night, the Arabian prince, to whose wife the king, as we have before related, shewed so much courtesy when she was in labour, approached the town, and in a low voice said to the guards who were on the wall, " I have a secret message for the king; let me be introduced to his presence." When he was brought before Baldwin, he promised to conduct him to a place of safety, if he would leave the town with a small guard only, and without making any noise, for that the Arabs had determined to attack the town the next day. At length the king was persuaded to leave the town, and, conducted by his friend, fled to the mountains. The Arab chief, as he left him, promised at the first convenient opportunity to give him his submission, and the king with only two companions escaped through the midst of the enemies to Assur, where he was joyfully received by his people, and took refreshment after the fatigue which he had experienced. The next day the victorious Arabs besieged Ramula, took the town and killed or enslaved all the garrison. In the meantime Hugh de St. Omer, to whom the king had given the city of Tiberias, joined him at Assur with eighty knights. Thus reinforced, Baldwin took with him the men of Joppa with ninety knights, and with great confidence of success marched to meet the enemy, and repay them with interest for the harm they had done him. They were about three thousand in number, and the king's troops, as if endued with power from on high, assaulted them furiously, broke them, and slaying a large number, put the rest to flight : the army of the faithful then returned to the enemy's camp, where they made spoil of asses, camels, pavilions, tents, and provisions, after which they remained in tranquillity about seven months. About the same time the lord Tancred besieged and took