ABEY. I.]

ST. JOHN OP JERUSALEM.

21

before we attacked it, and our efforts have beencrowned with full success. All is safe now. Weare masters of every one of those fortresses. Weonly want Tyre. If that city was not continuallysuccoured from beyond sea, it would long since havebeen in our hands. But God be praised! the infidelrebels are in no ark, but rather in a prison. TheChristians have nothing left but a few yelling curs,led astray by Satan. But for us, they would comeon like outrageous lions ; and falsehood would havetriumphed over virtue. Our brethren from Egyptand the Emperor of Constantinople, send us wordthat the Franks in the west have already unsheathedtheir swords. The partisans of error coalesce againstus. God confound them! Mad men, they will soonput back their sword into its scabbard. With theaid of Providence, we shall thrash them. Let ussupplicate the Lord to strengthen our hearts andhands, and keep us united. Only great men arecalled to great things. Whatever God decrees, can-not but be effected.” 1

Then the soldan went into Acre, and passedmost of the winter there, fortifying its fortificationswith great care.

In Europe, the Christians wore black in mourning

1 Arab. Chron., 235.

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