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"lem, allowing the Moflems a place therein "for their Devotion."

THIS opened a new Paffage to disputes, and Al-Malec Al-Adel would not meet the King, but upon condition of his agreeing to the Articles he was charged with, and ftiffly, and to very little purpose was the matter contested; wherefore Al-Adel returned again to the Saltán, having been able to make no progrefs in his Negotiation.

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THE Marquifs of Tyre, in the mean time preffed the Soltán to declare himself, and take part with him; but his Ambaffador was difmiffed with words only. The next Month, it was told the Soltán, by a Noble Moslem, who made his escape out of Ptolemais, That the King of England obferved a profound filence upon the subject of Peace, upon hearing there was fome disturbance arifen beyond the Euphrates, which might coft the Soltán no small trouble to quell. This fame Month the Tyrian Ambaffador returned, and the Soltan fearing, that if he did not declare himself in favour of him, the Marquifs might be tempted to join the turbulent Spirits a-cross the Euphrates, and thereby give him a diverfion from his HOLY WAR; he gave his affent to the Allyance, and difmiffed the Ambassador. But within a very few days, News came that the Marquifs had been affaffinated at the inftigation of the King of England.

The next Month there came an Ambaffador from Conftantinople, demanding, among other things, "the true Crofs; that the Church of the "Refurrection, and all the other Churches of "note in Jerufalem, fhould be delivered up ta "Greek Priefts; and that the Soltán would

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"make with them a League Offensive and De"fenfive, and join to reduce Cyprus." In two days this Ambaffador was difmiffed, and an Egyptian was fent to Conftantinople on the part of the Soltán, with a civil repulse; and was particularly ordered to remonftrate, "That

the King of Georgia had proferred two hun"dred thousand Pieces of Gold for the Cross, "to no purpose."

THE Franks flattering themfelves, that the Soltan's Affairs were more embroiled than they really were, and knowing, that his Army was in Quarters, befieged Darût, a place of indifferent Strength and Confequence, near Gaza, and easily carried it; and in other flight Attempts they began again to infeft the Soltán, but we have not room here to touch on the particulars.

THE Soltan therefore fummoned in his Army, and the next News he heard, was, that the Franks were on full march towards Jerufalem. A Council was called upon this, wherein it was refolved, That the Walls of that City fhould be divided among the Chiefs to be by them repaired, while the Soltan with the grofs of the Army kept the Field. Some skirmishes enfued between detached Parties and the Enemy's Convoys, wherein no great advantage was obtained on either fide. But on the 11th of this Month, the Soltán received an unexpected and heart-breaking blow, by the rout of the Egyptian Army and Caravan, which the King of England furprized, and thereby obtained a vast booty, taking three thousand Camels, and five hundred Prisoners, and as many Horfes; upon News of which, the Soltán was quite inconfolable.

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FLUSHED with this extraordinary piece of good fortune, Count Henry was fent from their Camp to Tyre, Tripoly, and Ptolemais, to prefs all the able Men there into the Service against Jerufalem, which they now determined to befiege in good earnest. Whereupon the Soltán fet all hands to work in preparing that City for an affault, and in destroying the Wells, and poifoning the Springs and Streams thereabouts, that there might remain nothing for them to drink, the Soil being quite rocky, and very improper for finking of Wells. At the fame time, he fent to all parts to gather his Army together.

THE War being revived to this pitch, the Soltan, who was now in Jerufalem, affembled his Princes and Captains; and our Historian, at the Soltan's Command, exhorted them in a very religious ftrain, to imitate their Holy Prophet Mohammed, by entring into a folemn Vow and Affociation to perfevere against the Dangers which threatened them, even to death itself. This was unanimously approved, and the Soltán paufing a while, as if he intended to speak, while all that were prefent expected what he would say, motionless and ftill, he thus at length began, after the ufual initial form. Know ye, That ye are this day the Safeguard of Inamifm, its Strength and Bulwark. Ye well know, that the Blood of the Moslems, their Wealth and future Good, are now in your bands; and that none bas dared to withstand and make head against this Enemy, but your felves. If now ye withdraw your felves, (which God forbid!) the Enemy will fold and roll up thefe Realms, as the Angel, who writes down human Actions, rolls and folds up bis Registers. But thefe Realms are recommended

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to your Faith and Piety; and ye are the Men, who have taken on you this Charge, and upon that account have been unfparingly supplied from the Treasury The Hopes and Wealth of the rest of the Moflemite: Provinces are centered in you. I bave spoken.

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To this: Seifo'ddin Mefhtub at once made an fwer, in the following emphatical, tho' fhort Expreffions. Our Lord, we are thy Slaves, and Bond-Servants Thou haft loaded us with thy Favours. Thou baft raised us to Dignity and Honour. Thou hast o'erwhelmed us with thy Mu nificence. We have nothing, properly, of our own but our Heads; and thofe are in thy hands, and at thy devotion By the Almighty! not one of us will facken bis hand, much less forsake thee, but as Death outs us off. In the fame manner the reft profelfed themselves. The Mamluks, however, arraigned this Conduct, and were for keeping the Field against the Enemy, and not fuffering themselves to be penned up be tween four Walls, and expofed to the dan ger of fuffering the Calamities, which were fo feverely felt by thofe who defended Piole mais, all which was frefh in mind. But to leave them the Soltán at this juncture was very grave and folemn, and the next day be ing Friday, performed a private and very decent Devotion prefcribed and fuggefted to him by our Hiftorian, refigning himself up to God, and imploring his Aid. The very next Morning news was brought, that a Diffenfion was arifen in the Chriftian Army; fome being for the Siege of Jerufalem, and others against it. Of the former were the French, who de clared they came into this Country for no other No XV. 1732. reafor VOL. III.

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reason, nor would return till Jerufalem were recovered. On the other hand, the King of England alledged, the impoffibility of Success in the attempt, for want of Water. This was warmly debated between them; and at length they chose three hundred of their Chiefs to decide upon the Queftion; these three hundred chofe twelve, and the twelve chose three; and these pronounced, that the Siege was not to be undertaken, to the great joy of the Molems.

THE Franks thus retreated, the Soltan gave audience to an Ambaffador from Count Henry, who notified to him," That the King of

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England had made over the maritime Realms "to him; wherefore he now laid claim to them, and demanded reftitution of his Do“ minions, that he might conclude a Peace "with him, and be as his Son." At this the Soltán was fo enraged, that he could fcarce keep his hands off the Ambaffador, and immediately commanded him to be gone. But upon his defire to be heard a word farther, he declared, "His Mafter acknowledged his Realms were "in the hand of the Soltán, and that he fhould

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hold himself obliged to him for what he "fhould be pleased to reftore to him." This foothed his Paffion, and the Ambaffador was allowed to ftay. A while after came a Moflem, a Servant to one of the Soltan's Grandees, called Mefbtub, from the King of England, charged with the following Meffage to his: Mafter. Tell your Lord, That on both fides we perifh every day. That it were beft to refrain from further bloodshed. Beware how you think that this Motion proceeds from my weakness. I have only the common Good at heart. Let him therefore at the Mediator between us

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