Page:A History of the Knights of Malta, or the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.djvu/65

Rh their fleet, they determined on a sortie in force. On the following morning they sallied forth in great strength, trusting to deliver such a blow as should compel the Christians to raise the siege. The action lasted the entire day with varying success. The Templars, anxious to atone for their previous misconduct, threw themselves upon the enemy with the most reckless impetuosity, and were ably supported by Baldwin and the Hospitallers. At length the Saracens gave way, and being closely pressed the retreat was speedily converted into a total rout—a large proportion of the garrison fell, and only a very slender remnant regained the shelter of their walls. On the following day they offered terms of capitulation, which having been accepted, Baldwin entered the town on the 12th August, 1154. A strong garrison was placed therein, and the Moslem inhabitants were transported to Lana, a town on the borders of the desert.

This conquest had a most beneficial effect on the position of the kingdom of Jerusalem. Instead of the constant alarms and incursions from which they had formerly suffered whilst Ascalon had been in the hands of the Turks, their frontier was now comparatively secure. Its new holders, supported as they were by the garrisons of Beersheba and Gaza, were able to drive back the Moslems into the heart of Egypt. The greatest joy was displayed throughout Europe at this timely acquisition, the glory of which was by universal consent awarded to the Hospitallers and their chief Raymond, who, when all else were proposing to abandon the siege in despair, had succeeded in causing it to be prosecuted to a successful termination. Pope Anastasius IV. was so strongly impressed in their favour on the occasion that he issued a new bull confirming and extending the privileges which his predecessors had already granted to them.

The publication of this bull created the greatest jealousy amongst the regular clergy of Palestine, who could not brook the exemption from all external ecclesiastical supervision thus conceded. Numerous complaints of the arrogance and malpractices of the fraternity, some of which were doubtless true enough, but many simply jealous fabrications, were forwarded to the papal chair by the clergy, with the patriarch of Jerusalem at their head. Amongst other grievances it was specified that the