ButI，faircomrade，wellIwotAnancientsaw，ofpregnantwit，Dothbiduskeepwhatwehavegot，AndtrothImeantofollowit。“
　　Thisbeingthegeneralfeeling，itisnottobewonderedatthatLouisIX。wasoccupiedfullythreeyearsinorganizinghisforces，andinmakingthenecessarypreparationsforhisdeparture。WhenallwasreadyhesetsailforCyprus，accompaniedbyhisQueen，histwobrothers，theCountsd’Anjouandd’Artois，andalongtrainofthenoblestchivalryofFrance。Histhirdbrother，theCountdePoitiers，remainedbehindtocollectanothercorpsofcrusaders，andfollowedhiminafewmonthsafterwards。ThearmyunitedatCyprus，andamountedtofiftythousandmen，exclusiveoftheEnglishcrusadersunderWilliamLongsword。Again，apestilentialdiseasemadeitsappearance，towhichmanyhundredsfellvictims。ItwasinconsequencefoundnecessarytoremaininCyprusuntilthespring。LouisthenembarkedforEgyptwithhiswholehost；butaviolenttempestseparatedhisfleet，andhearrivedbeforeDamiettawithonlyafewthousandmen。Theywere，however，impetuousandfullofhope；andalthoughtheSultanMelickShahwasdrawnupontheshorewithaforceinfinitelysuperior，itwasresolvedtoattemptalandingwithoutwaitingthearrivaloftherestofthearmy。Louishimselfinwildimpatiencesprangfromhisboat，andwadedonshore；whilehisarmy，inspiredbyhisenthusiasticbravery，followed，shoutingtheoldwar-cryofthefirstcrusaders，Dieuleveut！Dieuleveut！ApanicseizedtheTurks。Abodyoftheircavalryattemptedtobeardownuponthecrusaders，buttheknightsfixedtheirlargeshieldsdeepinthesandsoftheshore。andrestedtheirlancesuponthem，sothattheyprojectedabove，andformedabarriersoimposing，thattheTurks，afraidtobreastit，turnedroundandfairlytooktoflight。Atthemomentofthispanic，afalsereportwasspreadintheSaracenhost，thattheSultanhadbeenslain。Theconfusionimmediatelybecamegeneral——thederoutewascomplete:Damiettaitselfwasabandoned，andthesamenightthevictoriouscrusadersfixedtheirheadquartersinthatcity。Thesoldierswhohadbeenseparatedfromtheirchiefbythetempest，arrivedshortlyafterwards；andLouiswasinapositiontojustifythehope，notonlyoftheconquestofPalestine，butofEgyptitself。
　　Buttoomuchconfidenceprovedthebaneofhisarmy。Theythought，astheyhadaccomplishedsomuch，thatnothingmoreremainedtobedone，andgavethemselvesuptoeaseandluxury。When，bythecommandofLouis，theymarchedtowardsCairo，theywerenolongerthesamemen；success，insteadofinspiring，hadunnervedthem；debaucheryhadbroughtondisease，anddiseasewasaggravatedbytheheatofaclimatetowhichnoneofthemwereaccustomed。TheirprogresstowardsMassoura，ontheroadtoCairo，wascheckedbytheThanisiancanal，onthebanksofwhichtheSaracensweredrawnuptodisputethepassage。
　　Louisgaveordersthatabridgeshouldbethrownacross；andtheoperationscommencedundercoveroftwocat-castles，orhighmoveabletowers。TheSaracenssoondestroyedthembythrowingquantitiesofGreekfire，theartilleryofthatday，uponthem，andLouiswasforcedtothinkofsomeothermeansofeffectinghisdesign。Apeasantagreed，foraconsiderablebribe，topointoutafordwherethearmymightwadeacross，andtheCountd’Artoiswasdespatchedwithfourteenhundredmentoattemptit，whileLouisremainedtofacetheSaracenswiththemainbodyofthearmy。TheCountd’Artoisgotsafelyover，anddefeatedthedetachmentthathadbeensenttoopposehislanding。
　　Flushedwiththevictory，thebraveCountforgottheinferiorityofhisnumbers，andpursuedthepanic-strickenenemyintoMassoura。Hewasnowcompletelycutofffromtheaidofhisbrother-crusaders，whichtheMoslemsperceiving，tookcourageandreturneduponhim，withaforceswollenbythegarrisonofMassoura，andbyreinforcementsfromthesurroundingdistricts。Thebattlenowbecamehandtohand。
　　TheChristiansfoughtwiththeenergyofdesperatemen，butthecontinuallyincreasingnumbersofthefoesurroundedthemcompletely，andcutoffallhope，eitherofvictoryorescape。TheCountd’Artoiswasamongtheforemostoftheslain，andwhenLouisarrivedtotherescue，thebraveadvance-guardwasnearlycuttopieces。Ofthefourteenhundredbutthreehundredremained。Thefuryofthebattlewasnowincreasedthreefold。TheFrenchKingandhistroopsperformedprodigiesofvalour，andtheSaracens，underthecommandoftheEmirCeccidun，foughtasiftheyweredeterminedtoexterminate，inonelastdecisiveeffort，thenewEuropeanswarmthathadsettledupontheircoast。AtthefalloftheeveningdewstheChristiansweremastersofthefieldofMassoura，andflatteredthemselvesthattheywerethevictors。Self-lovewouldnotsufferthemtoconfessthattheSaracenshadwithdrawn，andnotretreated；buttheirleadersweretoowofullyconvincedthatthatfatalfieldhadcompletedthedisorganizationoftheChristianarmy，andthatallhopesoffutureconquestwereatanend。
　　Impressedwiththistruth，thecrusaderssuedforpeace。TheSultaninsistedupontheimmediateevacuationofDamietta，andthatLouishimselfshouldbedeliveredashostageforthefulfilmentofthecondition。Hisarmyatoncerefused，andthenegotiationswerebrokenoff。Itwasnowresolvedtoattemptaretreat；buttheagileSaracens，nowinthefrontandnowintherear，rendereditamatterofextremedifficulty，andcutoffthestragglersingreatnumbers。HundredsofthemweredrownedintheNile；andsicknessandfamineworkedsadravageuponthosewhoescapedallothercasualties。Louishimselfwassoweakenedbydisease，fatigue，anddiscouragementthathewashardlyabletosituponhishorse。Intheconfusionoftheflighthewasseparatedfromhisattendants，andleftatotalstrangeruponthesandsofEgypt，sick，weary，andalmostfriendless。Oneknight，GeffrydeSergines，aloneattendedhim，andledhimtoamiserablehutinasmallvillage，whereforseveraldayshelayinthehourlyexpectationofdeath。HewasatlastdiscoveredandtakenprisonerbytheSaracens，whotreatedhimwithallthehonourduetohisrankandallthepityduetohismisfortunes。Undertheircarehishealthrapidlyimproved，andthenextconsiderationwasthatofhisransom。
　　TheSaracensdemanded，besidesmoney，thecessionofAcre，Tripoli，andothercitiesofPalestine。Louisunhesitatinglyrefused，andconductedhimselfwithsomuchprideandcouragethattheSultandeclaredhewastheproudestinfidelhehadeverbeheld。Afteragooddealofhaggling，theSultanagreedtowaivetheseconditions，andatreatywasfinallyconcluded。ThecityofDamiettawasrestored；atruceoftenyearsagreedupon，andtenthousandgoldenbezantspaidforthereleaseofLouisandtheliberationofallthecaptives。LouisthenwithdrewtoJaffa，andspenttwoyearsinputtingthatcity，andCesarea，withtheotherpossessionsoftheChristiansinPalestine，intoaproperstateofdefence。Hethenreturnedtohisowncountry，withgreatreputationasasaint，butverylittleasasoldier。
　　MatthewParisinformsusthat，intheyear1250，whileLouiswasinEgypt，“thousandsoftheEnglishwereresolvedtogototheholywar，hadnottheKingstrictlyguardedhisportsandkepthispeoplefromrunningoutofdoors。“WhenthenewsarrivedofthereversesandcaptivityoftheFrenchKing，theirardourcooled；andtheCrusadewassungofonly，butnotspokenof。
　　InFrance，averydifferentfeelingwastheresult。ThenewsoftheKing’scapturespreadconsternationthroughthecountry。AfanaticmonkofCiteauxsuddenlyappearedinthevillages，preachingtothepeople，andannouncingthattheHolyVirgin，accompaniedbyawholearmyofsaintsandmartyrs，hadappearedtohim，andcommandedhimtostiruptheshepherdsandfarmlabourerstothedefenceoftheCross。
　　Tothemonlywashisdiscourseaddressed，andhiseloquencewassuchthatthousandsflockedaroundhim，readytofollowwhereverheshouldlead。Thepasturesandthecorn-fieldsweredeserted，andtheshepherds，orpastoureaux，astheyweretermed，becameatlastsonumerousastoamounttoupwardsoffiftythousand，——Millotsaysonehundredthousandmen。[Elemensdel’HistoiredeFrance。]TheQueenBlanche，whogovernedasRegentduringtheabsenceoftheKing，encouragedatfirstthearmiesofthepastoureaux；buttheysoongavewaytosuchvileexcessesthatthepeaceablydisposedweredriventoresistance。Robbery，murder，andviolationmarkedtheirpath；andallgoodmen，assistedbythegovernment，unitedinputtingthemdown。
　　Theywerefinallydispersed，butnotbeforethreethousandofthemhadbeenmassacred。Manyauthorssaythattheslaughterwasstillgreater。
　　Thetenyears’truceconcludedin1264，andSt。LouiswasurgedbytwopowerfulmotivestoundertakeasecondexpeditionforthereliefofPalestine。Thesewerefanaticismontheonehand，andadesireofretrievinghismilitaryfameontheother，whichhadsufferedmorethanhisparasiteslikedtoremindhimof。ThePope，ofcourse，encouragedhisdesign，andoncemorethechivalryofEuropebegantobestirthemselves。In1268，Edward，theheiroftheEnglishmonarchy，announcedhisdeterminationtojointheCrusade；andthePopeClementIV。wrotetotheprelatesandclergytoaidthecausebytheirpersuasionsandtheirrevenues。InEngland，theyagreedtocontributeatenthoftheirpossessions；andbyaparliamentaryorder，atwentiethwastakenfromthecornandmoveablesofallthelaityatMichaelmas。
　　Inspiteoftheremonstrancesofthefewclearheadedstatesmenwhosurroundedhim，urgingtheruinthatmightinconsequencefalluponhisthenprosperouskingdom，Louismadeeverypreparationforhisdeparture。Thewarlikenobilitywerenothingloth，andinthespringof1270，theKingsetsailwithanarmyofsixtythousandmen。HewasdrivenbystressofweatherintoSardinia，andwhilethere，achangeinhisplanstookplace。InsteadofproceedingtoAcre，asheoriginallyintended，heshapedhiscourseforTunis，ontheAfricancoast。TheKingofTunishadsometimepreviouslyexpressedhimselffavourablydisposedtowardstheChristiansandtheirreligion，andLouis，itappears，hadhopesofconvertinghim，andsecuringhisaidagainsttheSultanofEgypt。“Whathonourwouldbemine，“heusedtosay，“ifIcouldbecomegodfathertothisMussulmanKing。“FilledwiththisideahelandedinAfrica，nearthesiteofthecityofCarthage，butfoundthathehadreckonedwithouthishost。TheKingofTunishadnothoughtsofrenouncinghisreligion，norintentionofaidingtheCrusadersinanyway。Onthecontrary，heopposedtheirlandingwithalltheforcesthatcouldbecollectedonsosuddenanemergency。TheFrench，however，madegoodtheirfirstposition，anddefeatedtheMoslemswithconsiderableloss。Theyalsogainedsomeadvantageoverthereinforcementsthatweresenttoopposethem；butaninfectiousfluxappearedinthearmy，andputastoptoallfuturevictories。Thesoldiersdiedattherateofahundredinaday。Theenemy，atthesametime，madeasgreathavocastheplague。St。Louishimselfwasoneofthefirstattackedbythedisease。Hisconstitutionhadbeenweakenedbyfatigues，andevenbeforeheleftFrancehewasunabletobearthefullweightofhisarmour。Itwassoonevidenttohissorrowingsoldiersthattheirbelovedmonarchcouldnotlongsurvive。
　　Helingeredforsomedays，anddiedinCarthage，inthefifty-sixthyearofhisage，deeplyregrettedbyhisarmyandhissubjects，andleavingbehindhimoneofthemostsingularreputationsinhistory。Heisthemodel-kingofecclesiasticalwriters，inwhoseeyeshisverydefectsbecamevirtues，becausetheyweremanifestedinfurtheranceoftheircause。Moreunprejudicedhistorians，whiletheycondemnhisfanaticism，admitthathewasendowedwithmanyhighandrarequalities；thathewasinnoonepointbehindhisage，and，inmany，inadvanceofit。
　　Hisbrother，CharlesofAnjou，inconsequenceofarevolutioninSicily，hadbecomeKingofthatcountry。BeforeheheardofthedeathofLouis，hehadsailedfromMessinawithlargereinforcements。OnhislandingnearCarthage，headvancedattheheadofhisarmy，amidthemartialmusicofdrumsandtrumpets。Hewassooninformedhowinopportunewashisrejoicing，andshedtearsbeforehiswholearmy，suchasnowarriorwouldhavebeenashamedtoshed。ApeacewasspeedilyagreeduponwiththeKingofTunis，andthearmiesofFranceandSicilyreturnedtotheirhomes。