THE   FALL   OF  THE   HOLY   CITY	103
the country to arms, and a great Christian army gathered
at the well of Sepphoris, near Nazareth. Every part of
the Latin states united in this crisis. From Antioch came
fifty knights 5 Raymond of Tripoli, sinking his differences
with the king, led over a hundred knights to the royal army $
the fortresses of the Temple and the Hospital reduced their
garrisons to a minimum to release men. The army consisted
of over twelve hundred knights, eight thousand foot soldiers,
and about fifteen thousand Turcoples—the largest force which
the Latin states had ever put in the field. Money was not
lacking. Henry II of England, hoping to visit the Holy
Land, had sent treasure to the Temple to be retained until
his arrival, and Gerard de Ridefort surrendered this money
to meet the expenses of the expedition.
On July ist the council was called to deliberate upon the
position. Either the Franks could go to the release of the
castle of Tiberias or they could await an attack by Saladin.
Raymond of Tripoli emphasised the rashness of marching
across the waterless plain to Tiberias, and it was agreed that
the Franks should let Saladin take the offensive. Gerard de
Ridefort, however, was determined that Raymond's advice
should not be folio wed 5 and after the council the Master
went to the king. Bernard the Treasurer reports that Gerard
pleaded with Guy: " c Sire, do you believe the advice of that
traitor? He wishes to shame you. You have only recently
been made king, and no king of this country has ever had
so large an army within so short a time. If you allow a
city only five miles away to be lost, you will be disgraced.
The Templars will throw off their white mantles and sell
all that they have rather than not take their revenge upon
the Saracens. Sire, let the order be given for every man to
take up his post and, with the sacred cross carried at our head,
let us advance ' ". Guy allowed himself to be persuaded.
Next morning, the wood of the true cross was carried at the
head of the army by the Bishops of Acre and Lydda, the.,