GZRAKD n« " ]iow beautiful an ornament is the blood of the infidels sprinkled Α. η. 1187. over the followers of the faith and the true religion !" If the Mussulmen displayed a becoming zeal in the decapitation and annihilation of the infidel Templars, these last manifested a no less praiseworthy eagerness for martyrdom by the swords of the unbelieving Moslems. The Knight Templar, Brother Nicolas, strove vigorously, we are told, with his companions to be the first to suffer, and with great difficulty accomplished his purpose.* It was believed by the Christians, in accordance with the superstitious ideas of those times, that heaven testified its approbation by a visible sign, and that for three nights, during which the bodies of the Templars remained nnburied on the field, celestial rays of light played around the corpses of those holy martyrs.+ The government of the order of the Temple, in consequence of the captivity of the Grand Master, devolved upon the Grand Preceptor of the kingdom of Jerusalem, who addressed letters to all the brethren in the West, imploring instant aid and assistance. One of these letters was duly received by Brother Geoffrey, Master of the Temple at London, as follows :— " Brother Terric, Grand Preceptor of the poor house of "the Temple, and every poor brother, and the whole convent, now, alas ! almost annihilated, to all the preceptors and brothers of the Temple to whom these letters may come, salvation through him to whom our fervent aspirations are addressed, through him who causeth the sun and the moon to reign marvellous." •iene, toro. v. col. 553 to 559. Bohadm, p. 70. Jac. de Vur. cap. xeiv, OvU, Neu&r. spud Heame, torn. i. lib. iti. cap. 17,13. Chron. Gemuti, apod X. script, col. 1502. Abutfeda, cap. 27. Aiulpharag. Chror,. Syr. p. 399, 401, 402. Khmdetmr, Ben-Sehimah. * Geoffrey de Vnasavf apod Gale, script. Antio,. Anglic, p. 15, " Ο «lui fidei ! Ο fervor animi !" says that admiring historian, cap. xv. p. 251. Τ Geçffrep de Vînitarf, ut sup. cap. v. p. 25].