the battle of Dorylæum, and the siege of Antioch. It was the month of June when the first body of Crusaders reached Nice, a city strongly de-TZNIV fended both by nature and art. The capture of such a city, in the very onset of the enterprise, was a severe test of the skill and prowess of the Crusaders, while its difficulties afforded them a practical idea of the nature of the undertaking which lay before them. They beheld the fortifications with amazement; but, nothing daunted, meditated at first taking it by assault. They approached the walls, but the poisoned arrows of the adversary quickly made them repent their rashness and determine on a siege.* This was prosecuted for several weeks, the Turks holding out with the most enduring fortitude. The prospect of aid from without chiefly strengthened their hopes, and Solyman, the sultan, according to their expectations, was speedily seen descending from the mountains with a vast army clad in mail, and many of the more distinguished in rank wearing golden helmets, and carrying shields of the same precious material. † The two armies beheld each other with mutual surprise. The Turks especially, remembering the unruly rabble of Peter and Walter, little anticipated the splendid military appearance which the Crusaders presented their coats of armour, their ornamented and painted *Albertus, lib. ii. caps. xxi. xxxi. and xxxii, shields, shining in the sun, and their long ashen spears in their hands. * The position of the army of the cross was critical. Solyman attacked it on one side, and the besieged, sallying forth from the city, assailed it on the other. But the Christians fought with a lion-like courage, and achieved the victory. The siege was pressed with renewed vigour, and at length the Moslems, unable to hold out, surrendered, yet not to the western Crusaders, but to Alexius, whose banner, waving on the walls, was the signal for the suspension of hostilities. Seven weeks had thus been consumed; there been much hard fighting, and considerable loss of life, and now the Greeks alone were to reap the fruits of the contest. The Crusaders were disappointed, but, having no remedy, submitted, and accepted the presents which the emperor sent, professedly in acknowledgment of their services, but in reality to appease their indignation. † They again marshalled their forces, and proceeded on their way, but in distinct bodies, with a view to more extensive plunder and forage. Solyman, collecting his troops, followed them with two hundred thousand men. He attacked the weakest division, under the command of Boemond, upon which he poured down such an overwhelming shower of arrows, that vast numbers were slain before their brethren * Albertus, lib. iv. cap. vi. + Gulielmus Tyrii, lib. iii. caps. xi. xii.; William of Malmesbury, book iv. cap. ii. p. 428, could come to their aid. At length Godfrey, Hugh, and Raymond appeared. The battle was fiercely fought; and now the Turks, and now the Christians, had the advantage. In the end, the chivalry of Europe was again victorious, and the Moslems were compelled to flee, leaving the camp to their enemies.* This was the battle of Dorylæum which took place in a valley known by that name. The slaughter was exceedingly great. There fell of "the inferior order" of the Franks about four thousand, and about the same number of "the superior order" of the Turks. At least, so say the Latin Crusaders. † The Turkish spoils amply repaid the fatigues of the day. "Who can tell," exclaimed Robert the Monk, "the quantity of gold, and silver, and clothes which they found? The horses, mules, camels, and asses, could not be numbered. The poor instantly became rich, and the naked were clothed."+ Passing over the march of the Crusaders, in which thousands both of men and of horses are said to have perished from thirst, we find them before the city of Antioch, in the month of October. It presented an almost impregnable appearance, so that some proposed delaying the attack till the spring. Others, however, Gulielmus Tyrii, lib. iii. cap. xiii.; Albertus, lib. ii. caps. xxviii. xli. and xlii.; William of Malmesbury, p. 428. + Gulielmus Tyrii, lib. iii. cap. xv. Robertus Monachus, lib. i. $ William of Malmesbury, p. 431; Gulielmus Tyrii, lib. iv. cap. x. insisted on efforts being immediately made to reduce the city. "The power of God," said they, "which has hitherto given us the victory, will still be our spear and shield, and, while we are favoured by Heaven, we need not fear either princes, or places, or times."* At length, the leaders, foreseeing the difficulties of taking it, and judging it expedient to provide against the cowardice of certain of their party, required each to make an oath that they would not desist from the siege till the city should be vanquished either by force or by stratagem.† Operations, therefore, were instantly commenced. Fortresses were built, and instruments of war were constructed and applied, but all in vain; for nearly seven months did the inhabitants hold out. During this period, the Christians were engaged in frequent skirmishes with the Turks, who suffered no opportunity of vengeance and annoyance to pass unemployed. On these occasions, the former are said to have done honour to the prowess of their arms, and wondrous stories are told of the mighty valour of their great leaders. Duke Godfrey, for example, is reported to have severed an infidel in twain at one blow, though protected by his cuirass.‡ The distresses of the protracted siege soon became greater to the besiegers than to the besieged. They had exhausted their supplies, and the pangs of hunger daily carried off Historia Raimondis de Agiles. †William of Malmesbury, p. 431. Robertus Monachus, numbers, both of the rich and the poor. Ilides soaked in water were eaten for food. An ox, which, at the commencement of the siege, was scarcely worth fifteen shillings, became as valuable as four pounds. Twenty-four shillings scarcely furnished a horse's provender for one night; and hence the cavalry, which, at the begin ning of the siege, numbered more than 70,000 horses, was soon after Christmas reduced to 2,000.* At one period, such were the extremities of the soldiery, that they even feasted on the bodies of the slain. Disease, also, partly the effect of famine, and partly generated by the noxious vapours of the neighbouring marsh, proved fatal to multitudes. The Crusaders were well nigh driven to despair, and many deserted. † But at length stratagem came to their relief, and accomplished what force would never have effected. Boemond had contrived to open a secret correspondence with Phirouz, an Armenian of noble birth, who, with two of his brothers, had charge of three towers near the gates of Antioch. From this man, the prince of Tarentum, by magnificent promises, obtained a pledge, that he would deliver up to him the city; and he is even said to have received his own son as a hostage for its performance. With great caution Boemond disclosed his plans to his companions, and only consented to carry them into execution on condition of their ceding to himself the * Gulielmus Tyrii, lib. iv. cap. xvii, † Ibid, lib. iv. caps. xx. xxi, |