CHAP. II.]

ST. JOHN OH JERUSALEM.

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advance with a large army. But before his arrival,hermit and congregation had all run away and con-trived to cross the Save—where they found villagesand towns abandoned—even Belgrade without acreature. Every one had sought refuge in the hillsand woods. Thence onward did our famishingcrowd labour sadly; and at last approached withexpectations that were to be frustrated, the fortifiedtown of Nyssa; but alas! they could notenter,and were only given some little food beneath itswalls, on their promise of forthwith proceedingwithout perpetrating any misdemeanour; but aparty of them, “certain children of Belial,” whoma chronicler calls Germans, recklessly firing somewindmills in the vicinity belonging to the citizens,these, vexed beyond all longer endurance, rushedout against the rear and put multitudes to death,and likewise took numbers of prisoners—mothersand infants, many of whom were found living therein bondage several years after. The miserableremnant crept forwards—without either food orarms, and so reduced in numbers, found themselvesin a far worse condition than ever.

But this extreme misery produced pity, whichanswered better than force; and the Greek Emperorcharitably sent what enabled them to reach the wallsof Constantinople. Yet the Greeks, not liking the