58 THE KBIOHTS TBMPLABS. PKIUP of " with this money levied a great body of troops, which he 0 tnea or^er an 88 n'nt 'e Hthfm Py °^^ fancy was entirely taken up with flattering hopes of conquest, he drew by his indiscreet liberalities a great number of volunteers into hie service, who like him shared already in imagination all the riches of Egypt." It was in the first year of the government of Philip of Naplous (A . D . 1168) that the king of Jerusalem and the Hospitallers marched forth upon their memorable and unfortunate expedition. The Egyptians were taken completely by surprise; the city of Belbeis was carried by assault, and the defenceless inhabitants were barbarously massacred ; " they spared," says De Vertot, " neither old men nor women, nor children at the breast," after which the desolated city was delivered up to the brethren of the Hospital of 8t. John. They held it, however, for a very brief period ; the immorality, the cruelty, and the injustice of the Christians, speedily met with condign punishment. The king of Jerusalem was driven back into Palestine; Belbeis was abandoned with precipitation ; and the Hospitallers Med before the infidels in sorrow and disappointment to Jerusalem. There they vented their indignation and chagrin upon the unfortunate Gilbert d'Assalii, their superior, who had got the order into debt to the extent of 100,000 pieces of gold ; they compelled him to resign his authority, and the unfortunate guardian of the hospital fled from Palestine to England, and was drowned in the Channel.* From this period, however, the character of the order of the Hospital of St. John was entirely changed; the Hospitallers Will. Tyr. lib. il. cap. fi. Htxedm in Hen. 2, p. 622: Da VtrM, Hilt, de* Chevalier» de Malte, lit. ii. p. li* lo 161, ed. 1726.