For one shameful deed the English King must answer.  Of this deed I will now tell the story.  When the army had had sufficient rest—­and the King knew well that no army must have more than is sufficient, suffering more from excess than from defect in this matter—­and it was now time to advance, there arose a great question touching the agreement made when the town was given up.  There was much going to and fro of messengers and embassies between the English King and the Caliph Saladin, much debating, and many accusations bandied to and fro.  Even to this day no man can speak certainly of what was done or not done in this matter.  What I write, I write according to the best of my knowledge.  First, then, it is beyond all doubt that the Caliph did not send either the Holy Cross or the money which had been covenanted, or the prisoners whom he had promised to deliver up; but as to the cause wherefore he did not send them there is no agreement, the Christians affirming one thing, the followers of Mahomet another.  As to the Holy Cross, let that be put out of the account.  No man that I ever talked with—­and I have talked with many—­ever saw it.  ’Tis much to be doubted whether it was in being.  As to the money, that the Caliph had it, or a great portion of it, at hand, is certainly true.  It was seen and counted by King Richard’s own envoys.  As to the prisoners, it is hard to discover the truth.  For my part, I believe that the Caliph was ready to deliver up all that he had in his own hands or could find elsewhere, but that he had promised more in respect of this than he was able to perform.  Many of those whom he had covenanted to restore were dead, either of disease or by violence.  As for disease, it must be noted that a sick man was likely to fare worse in the hands of Turks; as for violence, there was not much diversity between the Christians and the followers of Mahomet.  But this may be said, that one who invades the land of others is like to suffer worse injury should he come into their power than he would have the disposition to inflict upon them.  Whatever, then, the cause, the Caliph had engaged in this matter far more than he was able to perform.  But he did not fail from want of good faith.  I take it that it was from the matter of the money that there came the breaking of the agreement.  To put it very shortly, the Caliph said, “Restore to me the hostages and you shall receive the gold”; King Richard said, “Send on the gold and you shall receive the hostages.”  And neither was the Caliph willing to trust the good faith of the King, nor the King the good faith of the Caliph.