As the army advanced, Saladin fell back towards Jerusalem, ROUBRT DE and the vanguard of the Templars was pushed on to the small. SD.UU92. a town of Raraleh. At midnight of the festival of the Holy Innocents, a party of them sallied out of the camp in company with some Hospitallers on a foraging expedition ; they scoured the mountains in the direction of Jerusalem, and at morning's dawn returned to Itanileh with more than two hundred oxen.* When the christian army went into winter quarters, the Templars established themselves at Gaza, and King Richard and his army were stationed in the neighbouring town of Asealon, the walls and houses of which were rebuilt by the English monarch during the winter. Whilst the christian forces were reposing in winter quarters, an arrangement was made between the Templars, King Richard, and Guy de Lusignan, " the king without a kingdom," for the cession to the latter of the island of Cyprus, previously sold by Richard to the order of the Temple, by virtue of which arrangement, Guy de Lusignan took possession of the island and ruled the country by the magnificent title of emperor.t When the winter rains had subsided, the christian forces were again put in motion, but both the Templars and Hospitallers strongly advised Cœur de Lion not to march upon Jerusalem, and the latter appears to have had no strong inclination to undertake the siege of the holy city, having manifestly no chance of success. The English monarch declared that he would be guided by the advice of the Templars and Hospitallers, who were acquainted with the country, and were desirous of recovering their ancient inheritances. The array, however, advanced within a day's journey of the holy city, and then a council was called * VihUttuf, cap. xxxii. p. 369. + lb. cap. xxxra. p. 392. Cwtm, Hitt. Bell, Star, apud Alartene, v. col. 633. ι 2