e European adventurers, the result
of superstition, but of policy, The advantage indeed of science,
moderation, humanity, was at that time entirely on the side of the
Saracens; and this gallant emperor, in particular, displayed, during
the course of the war, a spirit and generosity, which even his bigoted
enemies were obliged to acknowledge and admire. Richard, equally martial
and brave, carried with him more of the barbarian character, and
was guilty of acts of ferocity which threw a stain on his celebrated
victories. When Saladin refused to ratify the capitulation of Acre,
the king of England ordered all his prisoners, to the number of five
thousand, to be butchered; and the Saracens found themselves obliged to
retaliate upon the Christians by a like cruelty.[*]

[* Hoveden, p. 697. Benedict Abbas, p. 673. M.
Paris, p. 115. Vinisauf, p. 846. W. Heming. p. 531.]

Saladin died at Damascus soon after concluding this truce with the
princes of the crusade; it is memorable that, before he expired, he
ordered his winding-sheet to be carried as a standard through every
street of the city; while a crier went before, and proclaimed with
a loud voice, "This is all that remains to the mighty Saladin, the
conqueror of the East." By his last will, he ordered charities to be
distributed to the poor, without distinction of Jew, Christian, or
Mahometan.

There remained, after the truce, no business of importance to detain
Richard in Palestine; and the intelligence which he received, concerning
the intrigues of his brother John, and those of the king of France,
made him sensible that his presence was necessary in Europe. As he
dared not to pass through France, he sailed to the Adriatic; and being
ship-wrecked near Aquileia, he put on the disguise of a pilgrim, with a
purpose of taking his journey secretly through Germany. Pursued by the
governor of Istria, he was forced out of the direct road to England,
and was obliged to pass by Vienna, where his expenses and liberalities
betrayed the monarch in the habit of the pilgrim; and he was arrested by
orders of Leopold, duke of Austria. This prince had served under Richard
at the siege of Acre; but being disgusted by some insult of that haughty
monarch, he was so ungenerous as to seize the present opportunity of
gratifying at once his avarice and revenge; and he threw the king into
prison. {1193.} The emperor, Henry VI., who also considered Richard as
an enemy, on account of the