efeat of
the French, for they believed that a better fortune would crown their
own efforts. Such, however, to their surprise and mortification, was not
the case. When their preparations were completed they attacked with
splendid bravery. They were fighting under the eyes of their king and in
sight of the French army, who had a few days before been baffled; and if
bravery and devotion could have carried the walls of Acre, assuredly
King Richard's army would have accomplished the task.

It was, however, too great for them, and with vast loss the army fell
back to its camp, King Richard raging like a wounded lion. Many of his
barons had been killed in the assault, and the pikemen and men-at-arms
had suffered heavily. The Earl of Evesham had been wounded; Cuthbert had
taken no part in the assault, for the earl, knowing his bravery, had
forbidden his doing so, as he foresaw the struggle would be of the most
desperate character; and as it was not usual for pages to accompany
their lords on the battlefield, Cuthbert could not complain of his being
forbidden to take part in the fight.

The earl, however, permitted him to accompany Cnut and the bowmen, who
did great service by the accuracy of their aim, preventing by their
storm of arrows the men on the battlements from taking steady aim and
working their machines, and so saved the Earl of Evesham's troop and
those fighting near him from suffering nearly as heavy loss as some of
those engaged in other quarters.

But while successful in beating off all assaults, the defenders of Acre
were now nearly at the end of their resources. The Emperor Saladin,
although he had collected an army of two hundred thousand men, yet
feared to advance and give battle to the Crusaders in their own
lines--for they had thrown up round their camp strong intrenchments to
prevent the progress of the siege being disturbed by forces from
without.

The people of Acre seeing the time pass and no sign of a rescuing force,
their provisions being utterly exhausted, and pestilence and fever
making frightful ravages in the city, at last determined to surrender.

For over two years they had made a resistance of the most valiant
description, and now, despairing of success or rescue, and seeing the
hosts of their besiegers increasing day by day, they hoisted a flag upon
the walls and sent a deputation to the kings, asking for terms if they
submitted. They would have done well had they submitted upon the arriva