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April 22. Acre. Frater Thomas de ordine Predicatorum, bishop of Bethlehem (episcopus Bethleemitanus), Apostolicae Sedis legatus; the archbishops of Tyre, Nicosia, Caesarea and Nazareth (Nagarenus), the bishops of Beirut and Jubayl (Bibliensis), the masters of the Hospitallers, Templars and Teutonic Knights, Goffridus de Sarginis, regni Jerosolymitani bajulus et senescalcus; John lord of Haifa the marshal, with all the barons, knights and people address comes Provincie and Anjou (et Andegavie). They describe how the people are forced to seek refuge on the arrival of the Mongols (Tartari), who have swiftly conquered Baghdad (Baldach) within seven days and Aleppo (Alappia). together with Hamah (Haman) and Homs (Chamelia). The sultan of Damascus has fled with his army to the region of Gaza, but on being denied entry to Egypt has disappeared into the desert. Few remain of the Turkomen (Turchomanni), Changerini and Cesurini who joined him. The Mongols have occupied Damascus and the Saracens (Sarraceni) have sought refuge in Christian territories. Antioch, afflicted by the Turkomen (Turquemanni) for a long time, is reduced to servitude. At the orders of Hollaun, the prince of the Mongols, a schismatic Greek patriarch, who had been expelled by the Latin patriarch, has now been installed in Antioch. The prince of Antioch, with the whole county of Tripoli, broken with fear, and with many men in various casalia killed and almost all the livestock plundered has had subjection forced on him. Only Tyre and Acre, and the castles of the Orders of the Knights Templar; the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem and the Hospital of St Mary of the Germans prepare to resist. They are appealing for help: arms, milites, pedites, victuals and cash are needed quickly. They hope that with the defeat of the Muslims they may be able to recover the whole of the Kingdom of Jerusalem provided they can make a good resistance to the Mongols (Tartars). They ask that their letter be read to the barons and magnates of the land.