A.D. 1187. LETTER OF THE GRAND MASTER TERRICTCS. 69 forces of our nation against them, -we ventured, before the octave of the Apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paul, to attack them ; and for that purpose ventured to direct our march towards Tiberias, -which, leaving their camp unprotected, they had taken by storm. After repulsing us among some most dangerous rocks, they attacked us with such vehemence, that after they had captured the Holy Cross and our king, and a whole multitude of us had been slain, and after two hundred and thirty of our brethren, as we verily believe, had been taken by them and beheaded, (besides those sixty who had been slain on the first of May), with great difficulty, the lord the earl of Tripolis, the lord Reginald of Sidon, the lord Ballovius, and ourselves, were enabled to make our escape from that dreadful field. After this, the Pagans, revelling in the blood of us Christians, did not delay to press on with all their hosts towards the city of Tyre ; and, taking it by storm, spread themselves over nearly the whole of the land, Jerusalem, Tyre, Ascalon, and Berytus being alone now left to us and to Christendom. These cities also, as nearly all the citizens have been slain, we shaU not be at all able to retain in our hands, unless we speedily receive the Divine assistance, and aid from yourselves. Por at the present moment they are besieging Tyre with all their might, and cease not to assault it either night or day, while so vast are their numbers, that they have covered the whole face of the land from Tyre, as far as Jerusalem and Gaza, just like swarms of ants. Deign, therefore, with all possible speed, to bring succour to ourselves and to Christianity, all but ruined in the East, that so through the aid of God and the exalted merits of your brotherhood, supported by your assistance, we may be enabled to save the remainder of those cities. Farewell." In the same battle in which Guido, king of Jerusalem, was made prisoner, Boger de Mowbray was also taken ; whom in the following year the brethren of the Hospital and the Temple ransomed from the hands of the Pagans ; shortly after which he died. In the same battle also, Hugh de Beauchamp was slain. Di the same year, the king of England gave Constance, countess of Brittany, the mother of Arthur, in marriage to Banulph, earl of Chester. In this year also, Baldwin, archbishop of Canterbury, erected new buildings and a church64 near the walls of the city of Canterbury, and assigned thereto prebends in the churches of the monks at Canterbury ; but 6* Akington, or Hackington, in the suburbs of Canterbury.