Those taken captive were put ashore near Mansourah. My good priest Jean fainted while being led from the hold so they killed him and threw his body in the Nile. His cleric also fainted because of sickness. He too was murdered, the corpse tossed overboard. Saracens with drawn swords watched us, prepared to kill any who fell and could not get up. I protested to the emir that I thought this very wrong, contrary to the teaching of Saladin who said one does not kill a man after sharing bread and salt with him. The emir replied that those too feeble to help themselves were unimportant. He brought forth my crew, assembling them in front of me, and said every one had renounced the Christian faith. I said he should not trust them, since as quickly as they renounced our Lord, just as quickly would they renounce Islam. He admitted this was true, for as Saladin observed, never did a good Christian make a good Saracen, nor vice versa.
I was given a palfrey to ride and traveled with the emir. We crossed a bridge constructed of boats and presently got to Mansourah. Scribes at the entrance to a pavilion took down my name. And here the courageous infidel who saved my life, who translated for me, who befriended me, explained that he could not go any further. He advised me to keep hold of the hand of a boy who accompanied us, otherwise the child would be taken away. This was Ami de Montbéliard’s bastard son.
When my name had been inscribed the emir led me to a pavilion where the barons were held, along with thousands of captive knights and sergeants. The barons exclaimed because they thought I was lost. After some time the principals among us were led to a different enclosure. What happened to the knights and sergeants I did not find out until later. One by one they were asked if they abjured Christianity. If not, their heads were lopped off.
The sultan’s counselors came to speak with us, accompanied by dragomen, which is to say, men who could interpret. Since we had appointed Comte Pierre de Bretagne to speak on our behalf, they addressed their questions to him. My lord, said they, the sultan inquires if you wish to obtain deliverance. If so, what are you prepared to give? Lord Pierre responded that we would give whatever we could, provided it seemed reasonable. Would you give, said they, any castles belonging to the barons of Outremer? Lord Pierre answered that he held no jurisdiction over these. Then, said they, would you give castles of the Temple or the Hospital? This could not be done, said he, for the castellans of such fellowships have sworn on holy relics that they will not give up the castles to procure any man’s freedom. Then, said they, if we had no wish to be delivered they would let soldiers play games with our heads. Having said as much, they departed.
Straightway into the enclosure came a horde of young infidels with drawn swords and a little old man leaning on a crutch who had a long beard and white hair. They said he was one of their holiest men and he wished to question us. Was it true that we believed in a God who was put to death on our behalf, who came back to life? That is true, we said. Then, said he, we should not mislike our persecution considering that we had yet to die for him as he had died for us. And if our God had strength enough to lift himself out of the grave, most certainly would he be able to deliver us. With that he took leave and the crowd of young soldiers as well, which relieved us beyond words.
Presently we were told that King Louis had negotiated ransom. Baudouin d’Ibelin, Guy d’Ibelin, Jean de Valéry, and Philippe de Montfort went to learn the conditions. Very much that we had not known was made clear when they returned. Muslim counselors had approached his majesty as they approached us, to find out if he would give up castles belonging to the Templars or Hospitalers or to the barons of Outremer. His majesty replied as we replied. They threatened him. They vowed to place him in the bernicle, which is a cruel method of torture. Two lengths of wood notched with teeth are bound together with oxhide straps and they put a man’s legs inside these jaws and pile weight on top until the bone is crushed. After three days the legs are red as a crab so they put him in the bernicle again and again crush the bone. King Louis responded to this threat by saying he was their captive and they might do as they wished.
When they found out they could not intimidate his majesty they demanded to know what he would pay for his deliverance and if he would give up Damietta. He replied that if the sultan would accept a fair amount he would advertise his consort Queen Marguerite to levy it. They asked why the king himself did not guarantee ransom, to which he answered that Queen Marguerite was mistress of herself.
Now they conferred with Turanshah who had returned from Syria and became sultan after his father’s death. Turanshah set a price of one million gold bezants, which is to say half a million French livres. King Louis agreed to this in exchange for the release of his people. And he agreed to surrender Damietta in exchange for his own release, since it would be inappropriate for one of his rank to purchase freedom with money. Then the king’s brothers visited Sultan Turanshah to receive his oath and a truce of ten years was proclaimed.
When last I saw his majesty on Tuesday after the octave of Easter he looked near
