boarded. The Christians, however, were compelled to make a hasty flight. Richard then ordered his galleys, with long sharp points, to be formed in a line with their heads towards the enemy, when, giving? signal, the rowers exerted all their strength, and the beaks perforated the sides of the Turkish ship, which immediately filled and sank, with her crew of six hundred and eighty men, provisions, supplies of Greek fire, and venemous serpents, with which she was freighted for the use of the Saracen army.

MANNER OF CONDUCTING THE HOLY WAR.

A truce having been agreed upon after the capture of Acre, frequent messages passed between Richard and Saladin. The former finding Saladin unwilling to perform his engagements, declared that in case of his refusal certain hostages should forfeit their lives.

The next day was fixed for the final reply, and the prisoners were led to the summit of a hill, where, in sight of the infidel host, the Christians murdered two thousand seven hundred persons in cold blood. The dead bodies were abandoned to the soldiers, who cut them open to discover precious stones which the victims were reported to have swallowed.

We must remember that the object of these butchers was the recovery from the infidels of the sacred spot where our Saviour had been buried; and that the crusading armies should be reminded of their purpose, these words, "The Holy Sepulchre," were proclaimed thrice every evening by the voice of a herald throughout the camp.

PEACE OF Jafya.

The Christian army having retired from Bethany, fell back upon Jaffa, and the Saracens were as much elated as the Europeans were cast down. The Turks had invested the city of Jaffa, and Richard felt so desirous of proving that his army was not yet vanquished, that, contrary to the advice of his councillors, he determined to fall at once upon the infidels. Hearing that the garrison still held out, the King exclaimed, "Then cursed be the man who refuses to follow me.' He plunged into the sea, followed by some knights, and the Saracens were so awed by the courage of the King, that they retired. Having cleared the city of the enemy, he disdained to be confined within its walls, and chose five knights and two thousand infantry, with whom he boldly encamped before one of the gates. Early in the morning he formed his little army into a compact phalanx, which the Saracen host vainly strove to penetrate. At length the assailants fell into some confusion, which, being observed by Richard, he ordered an immediate advance. The brother of the Sultan during the conflict sent a message entreating from the English King the honour of knighthood, and Richard having performed the ceremony, was presented by his enemy with two Arabian horses, on one of which he continued to fight until nightfall.

Richard's wondrous courage so awed the Saracens that Saladin raised the siege, and a truce for three years having been concluded, this crusade was brought to a termination.

RICHARD AND SALADIN.

At the battle of Jaffa, Richard's horse, Faunelle, was killed, and Saladin observing his enemy fighting on foot, immediately sent him a splendid Arab charger, on which Richard, doubtful of such generosity, mounted one of his knights. The animal no sooner felt the spur than he galloped off to the Saracen camp. Saladin, distressed that his present, made in all good faith, should have created suspicion, sent the knight back on a more carefully broken steed, which Richard accepted, and rode all through the remainder of the campaign.

When the truce was concluded in 1192, the royal leaders met in friendly tournament, and Richard is said to have declared that he would rather be the friend of that honest pagan, than the ally of the crafty Philip Augustus or the brutal Leopold."

ROMANTIC ADVENTURES OF KING RICHARD.

Courageous and warlike to a degree of absurdity, Richard, instead of pursuing the usual course, and sailing down the Mediterranean on his return voyage, resolved to traverse Europe. Being wrecked off the coast of Austria, he determined to make his way through that country, which was the dukedom of his bitterest foe.

For some time he was unrecognised, but after enduring the pangs of hunger, he sent a page into a village for some food. The boy was seized, and being put to the torture, betrayed the rank and the hidingplace of his master.

The inn which harboured Richard was searched, and the host on being asked if such a person were his guest, said "No; there is none here like him you seek, unless he be the poor Templar in the kitchen, now turning the fowls which are roasting for dinner." Leopold's officers went to the kitchen, and there saw a Templar turning the spit.

The Austrian officer recognised in him the King of England, and turning to his followers exclaimed, "There he is, seize him." Richard fought for his liberty, but in vain; he was overpowered, taken prisoner, and immured in a strong castle called Tenebreuse.

For a time the Lion-heart seemed to have mysteriously disappeared from the face of the earth.

His Queen, Berengaria, pursued her voyage and arrived safely at Rome. Vague reports of her husband's shipwreck reached the ears of the royal lady, and her worst fears were confirmed in consequence of seeing a rich belt of jewels offered for sale which she knew to have been the property of her husband.

There is very little doubt that Richard was treated with the greatest indignity, and that he was thrust into a loathsome dungeon, where it

was the intention of his cruel enemy he should waste away the re

mainder of his days.

Shipwrecked with him, on the Istrian coast, was one Blondel, a knight and troubadour, faithfully attached to his master, but who in the confusion was separated from his side. This gentleman travelled in the garb of a wandering minstrel through the towns of Austria, and when he arrived beneath the walls of a castle, he invariably sang a stave of a tenson which he and the King had jointly composed. Almost wearied with his search, and despairing of success, he arrived beneath the gloomy walls of Tenebreuse, and scarcely had he sung the first verse, when, to his infinite joy, he was answered by the voice of his beloved master. He hurried off immediately to the Queen-mother, who lost no time in taking measures for the release of her son.

RICHARD I. IN

PRISON.

She addressed the most imploring letters to the. Pope, entreating his interference; finding this strain impotent, she taunted Celestine that he did not launch the thunders of the Church against the recreant Duke of Austria, who had so treacherously raised his hand against the Lord's Anointed.

At length she sent two Abbots to Germany to agree on measures of release. These holy fathers met Richard, who, in charge of a strong guard, was proceeding to the Diet of the empire, about to hold its session at Worms.

He spoke kindly and cheerfully, enquired after all his friends and subjects, and on being told that his ungrateful brother John had taker advantage of his bonds to foment rebellion in England, observed, "M brother John was never made for conquering kingdoms."

Richard was called before the assembled Princes of Germany, and pleaded his cause with such eloquence that tears fell from the eyes of his hearers, and their mediation induced the Emperor to name a ransom, which he fixed at one hundred and fifty thousand marks of silver.

A great portion of the money having been subscribed, Queen Eleanor set out for Germany, and William of Winchester being left in pawn for the payment of the balance, Cœur de Lion was released, and after an absence of upwards of four years, landed at Sandwich, amidst the congratulations of all classes of his peope.

RICHARD AND HIS BROTHER JOHN.

On his return the King made a royal progress through his dominions, and while in Normandy his repellious brother was introduced to him. Kneeling at his feet John implored his paraon. With characteristic generosity Richard raisea him saying, “I forgive you, John; and I wish I could as easuv forget your offence as you will my pardon."

RICHARD AND THE BISHOP.

At the institution of a newly-appointed prelate, it was customary to offer a present to the King, and St. Hugh having being presented to the bishopric of Lincoln, was informed that a fur mantle would be deemed an acceptable gift. St. Hugh replied that he was no judge of such vanities, and sent the King one thousand marks. The King pocketed the money, and some time afterwards sent also for the mantle. To remonstrate against this extortion the Bishop immediately set out for Normandy, much against the wish of his advisers, who, knowing the wilfulness of the royal temper, prognosticated the most ruinous results.

St. Hugh, however, said "I fear him not," and entered the chapel where Richard was hearing mass.

"Give me the embrace of peace, my son," the Bishop said.

"That you have not deserved," replied the King.

"Indeed I have," St. Hugh observed, "for I have made a long journey on purpose to see you."

Withdrawing to a recess they entered into a long conversation, the result of which was that Richard exclaimed, "Were all our prelates like Hugh of Lincoln, both King and Barons must submit to their righteous rebukes.”

RICHARD AND A DIFFERENT SORT OF BISHOP.

The Bishop of Beauvais, at the head of his retainers, took the field against Richard, and proved himself both a bold and doughty warrior. But being at length taken prisoner, he was thrown into a dungeon at Rouen, and loaded with fetters of iron as heavy as his strength would support. In despair of softening the heart of the King, he appealed to the Pope, who was, after some difficulty, induced to write a letter desiring Richard to "pity his dear son the Bishop of Beauvais." Richard, in reply, sent to the Pope the coat of mail which the Bishop had worn, with the following words written on a scroll, "Look and say if this be the coat of thy son or not." "No," replied the Pontiff, "it is the coat of a son of Mars. Let Mars deliver him if he can." The Bishop remained in captivity until Richard's death.

DEATH OF RICHARD CŒUR DE LION.

A peasant conveyed to the King a report that Vidomar, lord of Chaluz, had discovered a trap-door in his grounds, which led into a cave containing a fabulous amount of treasure.

When Richard heard this improbable story, he sent a messenger to Vidomar claiming his share as Sovereign of the country. It was in vain that the castellan declared that nothing but a lot of Roman coins had been found, which the King was welcome to have; for Richard's petuant and romantic nature would not permit him to listen to reason, and so he advanced with his troops to lay siege to this enchanted castle.

As he was riding in the vicinity of the walls, he was struck by a quarrel from a cross-bow, aimed at him by one Bertrand de Gordon.

The wound, though slight, was rendered mortal by the unskilfulness of the surgeon, and as the death agony was stealing over the King, news was brought that the castle had surrendered, and that he who had shot the fatal bolt was a prisoner.

Richard, lying on a fur robe, commanded Gordon to be brought into his presence, and asked him, "What harm have I done to you that hath provoked you to attempt my death ?"

"You have killed," replied the dauntless man, "both my father and brother with your own hand, and designed to put me to an ignominious death. I am, therefore, ready to suffer the greatest_torments you can invent with joy, since I have been so happy as to kill one who hath been the to mankind."

RICHARD I. WOUNDed.

author of so many miseries

Notwithstanding this bold avowal of the regicide, Richard ordered him to be set at liberty; but no sooner was the King dead than the hired general, a Fleming, caused Gordon to be flayed alive, and, as an instance of the ruthless character of the middle-age warriors, it is recorded that the mercenary officer caused the skin of the victim to be tanned into leather, with which he caused his saddle to be covered.

Richard was eulogised by a contemporary historian in the most fulsome manner. He was compared to Ulysses for his policy; to Nestor for his eloquence; to Hector, Achilles, and Alexander, for his military talents.

In his conversation he was facetious and pleasant; qualities which did not forsake him even at the approach of death; for, when the Archbishop of Rouen told him it was high time to part with his three favourite daughters, his pride, avarice, and luxury, "I am resolved," replied he, "to dispose of these in marriage without delay; the first to the Templars, the second to the Monks, and the third to the Prelates, because I know they love them dearly, and will treat them kindly."

The

Richard's Queen, the loving and long-suffering Berengaria, was bequeathed an ample revenue by her royal but erratic husband. Queen-dowager had much difficulty to obtain her revenues from King John. She made various journeys to England, and was even compelled to demand the interference of the Pope to induce the avaricious John to respect the last wishes of his brother with regard to his widow. Berengaria retired to the city of Mans, where she founded a stately abbey; and about the year 1230, she took up her residence within its walls. She ended her blameless life in her happy retirement many years afterwards.

1898