Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

being confined by his Disorder, so that he could not keep the Appointment, fent to excufe himself to the following effect: Do not think I put off our meeting for what the vulgar Report fays. The Reins are delivered into my Hands, and I am fubject to no control: but I am very fick and cannot tir out. It being the custom for Kings to make each other Prefents when they treat together, I have fuch a one for the Soltân as will please him, and I hope he will accept of it; but it confifts of rare Birds of Prey from beyond Sea, that are very fickly and in ill cafe, fo that it would not be amiss if you fent us fome Poultry to feed them with, that they may be in a condition to be prefented to the Soltân. Al-malec Al-adel turned this to ridicule. What, fays he, the King is fick himself, and wants fome Chickens for bis own ufe, and would come over us with that fetch. Then turning the difcourfe, Go to, fays he, to the Ambaffador, let us bear what have to offer, you are the Suitors, not we. And thus this Embaffy or Meffage broke

off.

you

BUT all these advances towards Peace were of no manner of eafe to Ptolemais; their Walls were continually battered with fearful ruin, and they themselves funk under the immenfe burthen of their ceafelefs Duty; being conftantly employed by the Befiegers, who were numerous and fresh, relieving each other by turns. It was come to that pafs with them now, that they were rather ftormed than befieged, the Enemy making their utmost efforts to poffefs themselves of the Breaches they had made, and pour into the Town. This, when it was carried to the Soltan's ears, by the urgent Beat of the City-Drums, he inftantly thundered down upon the Chriftian Camp, and it may be truly faid, that a dreadful

conflict

conflict enfued; the Soltán every now and then, cafting a forrowful Look upon the diftreffed Ptolemais, roufed up the Spirits of his Army to the most obftinate pitch of Intrepidity, and the more eager he beheld the Christians on the befieged, the more and more did burn to relieve them.

THE next Morning, again, by Day-break, the Soltan renewed his efforts; for the befieged had contrived to let him know, the day before, that it was impoffible for them to hold out any longer if he did not fomething very notable in their behalf. This news pierced the very Hearts of all true Moflems; for Ptolemais was the grand Magazine of Phenicia, Palestine, Syria, Egypt, in fhort of the whole Ilamitic Empire; not to fpeak of the very great Perfonages and Commanders within its Walls. The Soltán himself was affected almost to death, with the profpect of this immenfe Lofs: but ftill he trusted he had God to Friend; and therefore resolved upon a defperate course. Accordingly he did all that Man could do; but this day his Army acted not up to his wifhes, and he fell fhort of his purpofe. The Franks, on the contrary, were fired with fuch a Zeal, that every one acted as if the fate of the day had depended on his fingle Arm. Two inftances of this we find in our Author. A Frank ftood upon the Walls or Retrenchments of their Camp, and pelted the Moslems with Stones that were handed to him; and although he was ftruck above fifty times with Darts and Stones, he never ftirred, till a Fire-pot was thrown at him, and burnt him. A Woman alfo. was found within the Camp, a lovel Perfon to look at, clad in Green, and beg armed with Bow and Arrow, dealt deftraction about

I 2

her

her, with prodigious dexterity; nor defifted till fhe fell by the Hands of Numbers that furrounded her. Her Bow was prefented to the Soltan, who was quite aftonished at the story

of it.

THE City was now at her laft gafp, the Franks had with incredible difficulty poffeffed themselves of what we may call the Out-works, and the befieged but ftruggled for Life. Their Governour therefore went out to the King of France to treat for their Lives; remonftrating that the Moflems had always granted terms to the Franks, when asked, and had religiously adhered to them. The King answered, That the Princes they had overcome, and they themfelves, were his Slaves and Vaffals, and that he would confult what was to be done.The Governour then plucked up his Spirits and replied: You shall cut off the last Man of us ere we will furrender to you, and not one of us will fall but with the death of fifty of your Chiefs; and fo went,

away.

THE Soltán had due notice of this Tranfaction, and determined thereupon as became him; but his Army was quite tired out and jaded. So that, in good time it was, that three Ambaffadors came out from the King of England to demand Refreshments, Fruit and Snow; with Affurances, that the Grand-Master of the Knights Hofpitallers, would come out of the Camp the next day, with Conditions of Peace. Thefe were honourably difmiffed with what they wanted The fame day, however, there was an Imprion made upon the Chriftian Camp, a bold Arempt, and well conducted, but of no, mportano The fame day alfo the Soltan was recruited by fresh Army that joined him.

As

As the Franks held the Town in clofe confinement, fonow they themselves were hemmed round by the Soltan; and upon the tenth of this fame Month they were observed to fall off somewhat from the ufual vigour of their Affaults. The Moflems ftood to their Arms, all night expecting the befieged would make a defperate effort to evacuate the place by force, while they favoured them in the attempt. Thus it had been concerted, but this Project was fruftrated by the extraordinary precaution and vigilance of the Franks, who had received intelligence of it by fome Deferters. The next day three Ambaffadors or Commiffioners came out to treat with Al-malec Al-adel, but nothing was done, and the Moslems ftood to their Arms as before.

THE next day the Franks gave themselves fuch Motions, that it was thought their defign was to fall upon the Molem Army; but instead. of that, about forty of them advanced, and calling out to fome of the Mamluks, afked for Adl-Al-Zebdán, the Governour of Sidon and the Soltan's Freedman. He ftept out to them, and fome difcourfe they had concerning the Garrifon of Ptolemais; but their Demands and Pretenfions were fo exorbitant, that there was no hearkning to them.

THE next day, came Letters from the Town. to this effect: We have entered into a folemn Engagement to bold out to the last Man. The City we will not deliver up alive. Do you contrive to divert the Enemy, and give us as much refpite as you can that way. Far be it from you to truckle to this Enemy, or befpeak them fair. As for us, our Fate is determined. Such was their then Refolution, and they acted in ftrict conformity there

13

to2

to, to ward off the Franks, while the Soltan's Army was again recruited by fresh Numbers.

NEVERTHELESS the Franks ftill refused the Garrison quarter, upon any other Conditions, than a general exchange of Prifoners on the Soltan's part, and full Reftitution of the Maritime Territory he had taken from them. The City and all that was in it was offered on the other fide, provided the Garrison and Inhabitans were fecured in their Lives; but this was rejected; and tho' the very Crofs of the Crucifixion was alfo thrown into the Scale, it would not do: fuch was their Arrogance and Cruelty, according to our Hiftorian.

A few days afterwards, a Diver came with Letters from the befieged to the Soltán, to this purpofe. All is in ruin with us, and the Garrifon, confidering that their Lives must be cut short, and every thing belonging to them become a prey, if they are carried by force, have ftipulated to furrender the Town and the Fleet, and all their warlike Stores; moreover, to pay 200,000 Crowns of Gold; releafe fifteen hundred Prisoners of obfcure name, and one hundred others of principal note, whom the Enemy is to nominate and make choice of: and furthermore, to deliver up the Crofs of the Crucifixion; provided we may march out alive with our Goods and Wives and Children. To the Marquis, Lord of Tyre, now returned to the Camp, and reconciled, they have also agreed to pay 10,000 Crowns of Gold, and 4000 to his Men, in confideration that he has acted as Mediator be

tween us.

THE Soltán could not bear the perufal of thefe Stipulations, and in hafte fummoned his Counsel to demand their advice, and the refult

was,

« ZurückWeiter »