436 ROGΕΚ OF WF.XDOVKR. [Α.η. 122-2. duke of Bavaria, the templars and hospitallers, with manv others, amounting to about a thousand crusaders and five thousand other knights with forty thousand foot-soldiers, had all gone on an expedition towards Babylon, against the wish of the king of .Jerusalem, as was said, having set out on the feast of St. Peter ad rincula; that they had been now absent on that expedition three weeks or more, and were about half way between Damietta and Babylon. The sultan of Babylon and his brother Coradin, then came with all the forces they could muster, and often attacked our people, and often lost sonic of their own men ; and when our people wished to return to Damietta, the river became swollen, and for several days overflowed its banks, and our people were between two branches of the river; the Saracens then made a canal from one branch to the other in the rear of our army, whilst the river increased soin height, that our people were in water up to their legs and waists, to their great misery and suffering, and thus might have been either slain or taken prisoners if the sultan of Babylon wished it. In this condition our people agreed to a truce for eight years with the sultan, on the condition that they should give up Damietta and all the prisoners whom they held in captivity. For the due observance of this truce, the king of .Jerusalem, the legate, the duke of Bavaria, and other influential people, remained as hostages; and the sultan had given twentv hostages for the due observance of the truce on his part. When we heard these reports we were much grieved, as all Christians must need be; we therefore thought it best, as we did not wish to be present at the surrender of Damietta. to make our way to Acre, where wc arrived on the day after the Nativity of the Virgin Mary; on the day following Damietta was given up to the sultan, and he binisi •If set free all the prisoners in it. I have also to inform you that his majesty the king of Jerusalem is about to go to your country ; therefore I beg of vou that yon afford him assistance according to promises inaile towards the king and other nobles, for it is difficult to describe his great and admirable merits." Another letter about the snwc matters. " Brother P. dc Montacnte, bumble master of the knights of the temple, to his wcll-belovcd brother in Christ, A.