When the spring of the yeare began to approach, prince Edward eftsoones tooke the sea, and finallie arriued at Acres with a thousand chosen men of warre, though there be writers that affirme, how there arriued with him of sundrie countries fiue thousand horsemen, and double the same number of footmen. But amongst those that went out of England with him, these we find as principall, Iohn de Britaine, Iohn de Vescie, Otes de Grantson, and Robert de Bruse, besides other. Of his noble chiualrie there atchiued, yée shall find a bréefe note in the description of the holie land, and therefore here we omit the same. Howbeit this is to be remembred, that whilest the lord Edward soiorned there in the citie of Acres, he was in great danger to haue béene slaine by treason: for a traitorous Saracen of that generation which are called Arsacidæ, and latelie reteined by the same lord Edward, and become verie familiar with him, found means one day as he sat in his chamber, to giue him thrée wounds, which suerlie had cost him his life, but that one of the princes chamberleins staied the traitors hand, and somewhat brake the strokes, till other seruants came to the rescue, and slue him there in the place. [Sidenote: Part Iapha.] [Sidenote: The generation of the Arsacide, or Assassins.] [Sidenote: An. Reg. 56] ¶ There be that write, how prince Edward himselfe, perceiuing the traitor to strike at his bellie, warded the blowe with his arme: and as the Saracen offered to haue striken againe, he thrust him backe to the ground with his foot, and catching him by the hand, wrested the knife from him, and thrusting him into the bellie, so killed him, though in strugling with him, he was hurt againe a little in the forhead: and his seruants withall comming to helpe him, one of them that was his musician, got vp a trestill and stroke out the braines of the traitor, as he laie dead on the ground, and was blamed of his master for striking him, after he saw him once dead before his face, as he might perceiue him to be. Some write, that this traitor was sent from the great admerall of Iapha, on message to the prince Edward, and had béene with him diuerse times before, & now making countenance to take forth letters, got foorth his knife, and attempted so to haue wrought his feat. Whatsoeuer the man was, the prince was in great danger, by reason of the enuenimed knife wherewith he was wounded, so that it was long yer he could be perfectlie whole. These Saracens called Arsacidæ, are a wicked generation of men, infected with such a superstitious opinion, that they beléeue heauenlie blisse is purchased of them, if they can by anie means slea one of the enimies of their religion, & suffer themselues for that fact the most cruell death that may be deuised. ¶ Prince Edward, after he was whole and recouered of his wounds, perceiuing that no such aid came into these parts out of christendome, as was looked for, tooke a truce with the enimies of our faith, and