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Page 431
Richard's shouts ran to wake the knights and captains closest. Ten knights, half armed, ill horsed on whatever animals they could seize, rode down toward the seashore to take the first shock while the captains roused the men. It was their faith in the King, Simon thought, that brought them, most unarmed, some without even breeches on, to form the shield wall. One footman to hold the shield, another footman to wind the archer's discharged crossbow while the archer aimed and loosed the wound one.
Incredibly, against that first attack as the sun rose, the line held. The missiles of the bowmen wreaked havoc on the close-packed enemy without much need to aim, which was as well in the early light. A brief hesitation in the face of that shower of death gave time for lances to be lowered to receive a second brutal onslaught. Riding the line of men with the King to bolster any weak spot, Simon knew they could not hold against much more. Richard knew it, too. Late in the morning, Saladin's men withdrew a little to regroup. The King, seeing opportunity, led a charge right into the enemy's center.
Whatever Saladin's army expected, that offensive in the face of overwhelming numbers was not it. The surprise and ferocity of Richard's charge broke the center apart, but this time Simon did not laugh when heads rolled. When opposition ended, they wheeled their horses to fight their way back. Simon cursed when he saw Leicester was down, fighting afoot. He spurred ahead, separating from Richard who had gone to Leicester's aid. He had seen a riderless horse and he slid his sword between his thigh and his saddle to free a hand to catch it. By the mercy of God he was not attacked and was able to draw the horse forward. Then he had cause to laugh. Under his hauberk, Leicester was naked as a babea fact blatantly apparent when he lifted his foot to the stirrup.
There was more comedy in the midst of impending disaster. Ralph de Mauleon's horse also was killed,

 
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