He was put up at a house," says Joinville, "and laid, almost dead, upon the lap of a tradeswoman from Paris; and it was believed that he would not last till evening." With his consent, one of his lieges entered into parley with one of the Mussulman chiefs; a truce was about to be concluded, and the Mussulman was taking off his ring from his finger as a pledge that he would observe it.

"But during this," says Joinville, "there took place a great mishap.

A traitor of a sergeant, whose name was Marcel, began calling to our people, 'Sirs knights, surrender, for such is the king's command: cause not the king's death.' All thought that it was the king's command; and they gave up their swords to the Saracens." Being forthwith declared prisoners, the king and all the rear-guard were removed to Mansourah; the king by boat; and his two brothers, the Counts of Anjou and Poitiers, and all the other crusaders, drawn up in a body and shackled, followed on foot on the river bank.

The advance-guard, and all the rest of the army, soon met the same fate.
Ten thousand prisoners--this was all that remained of the crusade that had started eighteen months before from Aigues-Mortes.

Nevertheless the lofty bearing and the piety of the king still inspired the Mussulmans with great respect.