Hall feath CHAP. XII. EDWARD I. WHILE the unfortunate Henry was thus vainly struggling against the ungovernable spirit of his fubjects, his fon and fucceffor, Edward, was employed in the Holy wars, where he revived the glory of the English name, and made the enemies of Christianity tremble. He had arrived at the city of Acon in Palestine, just as the Saracens were fitting down to beVOL. II. B fiege fiege it. He foon relieved the place, followed the enemy, and obtained many victories, which, though fplendid, were not decifive. Such, however, were the enemies' terrors at the progress of his arms, that they refolved to destroy by treachery that valiant commander, whom they could not oppofe in the field. A tribe of Mahometan enthufiafts had long taken poffeffion of an inacceffible mountain in Syria, under the command of a petty prince, who went, in the Chriftian armies, under the name of the Old Man of the Mountain, and whose fubjects were called Affaffins; from whence we have fince borrowed the name to fignify a private stabber. These men, wholly devoted to their commander, and enflamed with a deteftable fuperftition, undertook to destroy any Christian prince or leader, who became obnoxious to their party. It was vain to threaten them with punishment; they knew the dangers that awaited them, but, refolute to destroy, they rufhed upon certain death. Some time before, the capital of this tribe had been taken by the Tartars, and the inhabitants put to the sword; yet there ftill remained numbers of them, that were educated in that gloomy fchool of fuperstition; and one of thofe undertook to murder the prince of England. In order to gain admit tance tance to Edward's prefence, he pretended to have letters to deliver from the governor of Joppa, propofing a negociation; and thus he was permitted to fee the prince, who converfed with him freely in the French language, which the affaffin underftocd. In this manner he continued to amufe him for fome time, being permitted to have free egrefs and regress from the royal apartments. It was on the Friday in Whitfun-week, that he found Edward fitting in his apartment alone, in a loose garment, the weather being extremely hot. This was the opportunity the infidel had fo long earnestly desired; and looking round to fee if there were any prefent to prevent him, and finding him alone, he drew a dagger from his breaft, and attempted to plunge it into the prince's bofom. Edward, had just time to perceive the murderer's intention, and, with great presence of mind, received the blow upon his arm. Perceiving the affaffin about to repeat his blow, he struck him at once to the ground with his foot; and wrefting the weapon from his hand, buried it inftantly in his bofom. The domeftics hearing a noife, quickly came into the room, and foon wreaked their refentment on the perfidious wretch's body, who had thus abused the laws of hofpitality. The wound the prince had received B 2 ceived was the more dangerous, as having been inflicted with a poifoned dagger; and it foon began to exhibit fome symptoms that appeared fatal. He therefore expected his fate with great intrepidity, and made his will, contented to die in a caufe which he was affured would procure him endless felicity. But his ufual good fortune prevailed; an English furgeon of extraordinary skill, by making deep incifions, and cutting away the mortified parts, completed the cure, and restored him to health in little more than a fortnight. A recovery fo unexpected, was confidered by the superstitious army as miraculous; nor were there wanting fome, who alledged that he owed. his fafety to the piety of Eleanora his wife, who fucked the poifon from the wound to fave his life, at the hazard of her own. However this be, it is probable that the perfonal danger he incurred by continuing the war in Palestine, might induce him more readily to listen to terms of accommodation, which were proposed foon after by the foldan of Babylon. He received that monarch's ambaffadors in a very honourable manner, and concluded a truce with him for ten years, ten weeks, and ten days. Having thus fettled the affairs of Paleftine, in the best manner they would admit of, |