to the tower of David, over which he had claimed rights of conquest, and so long as he lived was a loyal supporter of the kingdom which he had so nearly obtained for himself. But Ascalon remained untaken, a thorn in the sides of the conquerors for many years to follow, and" a standing reminder of the necessity of concord. The army returned to Jerusalem singing hymns of triumph, and entered the city with sound of clarion and display of their victorious banners. The grand standard and the sword of Afdhal were deposited in the Church of the Sepulchre ; and a great service of thanksgiving was held for their deliverance from the Egyptians. And then the princes began to think of going home again. They had now been four years away. Their vow was fulfilled. Jerusalem was freed from the yoke of the Mussulman, and they could no longer be restrained. Three hundred knights and two thousand foot-soldiers alone resolved to stay with Godfrey and share his fortunes. Among them was Tancred, almost as great a Christian hero as Godfrey himself. " Forget not," those who remained cried with tears—these knights were not ashamed to show their emotion—to those who went away, " forget not your brethren whom you leave in exile ; when you get back to Europe, fill all Christians with the desire of visiting those sacred places which we have delivered ; exhort the warriors to come and fight the infidels by our side." So went back the Crusaders, bearing each a palm-branch from Jericho, in proof of the accomplishment of their pilgrimage. It was but a small and miserable remnant which returned of those mighty hosts which, four years before, had left the West. There was not a noble family of France but had lost its sons in the great war ; there was not a woman who had not some one near and dear to her lying dead upon the plains of Syria ; not even a monk who had not to mourn a brother in the flesh or a brother of the convent. Great, then, must have been the rejoicing over