Again there was great joy in the army; again the sick rose from their beds, and the lame threw away there crutches, that they might go without hindrance on this great journey.  Again did the army come almost in sight of the Holy City; again were all things ready for the assault.  And then once more the more skilful and prudent of the leaders hindered the matter.  It was not well, they said to run into such danger.  It might well be that if they should assail the city they would not take it; it was well-nigh certain that even if they should take it, they could not hold it to any good purpose.  And so it came to pass that King Richard and the army having once more come to Beitenoble, once more departed, leaving their task unaccomplished.

When the leaders had taken this resolve that they would turn back and the army was now about to depart, there came to King Richard a certain man-at-arms, who was well acquainted with the country, for indeed, he had travelled on foot as a pilgrim from the coast to Jerusalem, and this not once only but twice or thrice.  This man said, “My lord King, if you are minded to see the Holy City, you can do so at little pains.  If you will ride a mile or so you will come to a hill from whence you can see the walls, and the hill on which the temple was built and other of the Holy places.”  But the King answered, “I thank you much, nor, indeed, is there any sight in the whole world on which I would more gladly look with my eyes, but I am not worthy of so great a favour.  If it had been the will of God that I should see His city, I do not doubt that I had done so, not as one who looks upon some spectacle from far, but as the conqueror in some great battle looks upon the thing that he has won.  But of this grace I, by reason I doubt not of my sins, have been judged unworthy.”  And when he had so spoken he turned his horse’s head to the west, as being minded to return yet again to the sea-coast.  And this he did.

I have spoken of the King’s courage and skill in arms and wisdom in leadership, nor need I say these things again.  But one thing I will add, namely, that of all the men that came to this land from the West none left behind him so great a fame as did King Richard.  So if a mother was minded to make a crying child hold his peace, she would say, “Hush, child, or King Richard shall have thee”; or if a horse started unaware, his rider would say, “Dost see King Richard in the bush?”

On the 9th day of October, 1192, did King Richard set sail to return to his own country.  But it fared ill with him on his journey.  For it fell out that he was separated from all his friends, and that when he was in this case a certain duke, with whom he had had a strife, laid hands upon him, and laid him in prison.  There he remained for the space of a year and more, fretting much, I doubt not, against his condition, for never surely was a man more impatient of bonds.  But he could not escape, nor did his friends so much as know where he was.  And when this was discovered by some strange chance, there was yet much delay, nor indeed was he set free till there had been paid for him a ransom of many thousands of gold pieces.  Not many years after he was slain by a chance arrow shot from the walls of a certain castle which he was besieging, being then in the forty-second year of his age.