A.D. 1192.] CONQUESTS OF KING RICHARD. „ 115 authority of the king of tlic French, been appointed leader and commander-in-chief; to this duke, king Richard hail at the preceding festival, given thirty thousand bezants, on condition of his faithfully standing by him in attacking the enemies of Christ, and, at a council held by them, they determined to go without fail to Jerusalem. When king Richard, with all his army, had reached Castle-Frnald and Bethonople, near Kmaus, some Bedouins, who were under obligations to the king, brought him news that a large company of merchants were on their way from Babylon to Jerusalem, with seven thousand camels, laden with merchandize of various kinds, and that this company was under the convoy of some of the bravest picked troops of Saladin's army. The king marched with a few soldiers to meet this company, and near the Red Well he surprised them all, and carrying oil' the camels with their burdens, he liberally distributed his prize amongst his army, lie afterwards returned to the before mentioned camp, and prudently placed armed garrisons in each city and castle.* Of a certain woman who was friendly to the Christians, especially to kiny Richard. King Richard returned victoriously with all his spoil to Castle-Frnald, which is three miles distant from Jerusalem, and earnestly exhorted each of the chiefs to march and lay • " About this time, the duke of Austria came to discharge his vow of pilgrimage by servili;; in the Christian army, and to adore the placca where our Saviour had trodden. When his marshals had engaged a lodging for him, and made the necessary preparations, a Norman knight, of king Hichnrd's household, came in haste, and beginning foolishly to bluster after the manner of his nation, asserted that he had the greatest right to lhose quarters, by having them assigned to him as tirst comer. The quarrel began, and the noise reached the ears of Ihe king, who, showing himself favourable to the Norman, was inflamed with anger against the duke*s men, and not heeding our Lord's admonition to go and see how matters were, gave hasty and unbecoming orders that the duke's Hag, which had been erected over his lodgings, should he thrown into a ditch. The duke thus deprived of a lodging, went, amid the taunts of the Normans, to complain of it to the king, but he gained nothing but sneers for bis pains : and thus, being slighted by the king, be with tears invoked the King of kings to avenge his wrong, nccording as it is written, * Vengeance is mine, I will repay,saith the Lord.' The dnke soon after this, returned in confusion to his own country, an.I king Richard afterwards blushed with shame at the deed." I 2