Emir presented his letters of credence

The king told the emir to say what was his will; and the emir presented his letters of credence, and spoke thus: “ My lord sends me to ask if you know him ? ” And the Kir answered that he did not know him, for he had never him; but that he had often heard tell of him. “ And senex that you have heard tell of my lord,” said the emir, “ marvel greatly that you have not sent him so much of you substance as would keep him for your friend like as Emperor of Germany, the King of Hungary, the Soldan Babylon, and the rest do year by year, because they of a certainty that they can only keep their lives as long ; my lord pleases. And if it does not suit you to do this, cause him to be acquitted of the tribute that he owes to tl Hospital and to the Temple, and he will cry quits with you (Now at that time the Old Man of the Mountain paid a tribe to the Temple and to the Hospital, for the Templars are Hospitallers stood in no fear of the Assassins, seeing that the Old Man had nothing to gain by the death of the Master , the Temple or of the Hospital, inasmuch as he knew well that if he caused one to be killed, another, equally goo would be put in his place. Wherefore he had no wish 1 sacrifice his Assassins in a service where there was nothing be gained.)

The king answered the emir that he would see him again the afternoon.

When the emir returned, he found the king seated so that le Master of the Hospital was on the one side of him and le Master of the Temple on the other. Then the king told emir to say again what he had said in the morning. And le emir replied he had no intention of repeating what he id said save in the presence of those who had been with the ng in the morning. Then the two masters said: “We you to repeat what you said.” And he answered late as they commanded it he would do so. Then the two asters caused him to be told, in the Saracen tongue, that he told come on the morrow and speak to them at the hospital.

When he came to them on the morrow the two masters I used him to be told that his lord was very rash in daring address such rude words to the king: and they caused n to ne told further, that if it were not for the king’s moor, to whom they had come as envoys, they should have drowned in the foul sea of Acre, in their lord’s despite. And we command you to return to your lord, and to come ick here within fifteen days, bringing to the king, on the of your lord, such letters, and such jewels, that the king ay hold himself appeased, and have you in his good grace.”