CHAP. IV.]

ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM.

65

be learned by their corpses, which we had gatheredfrom walls, streets, or ditches, and those of theircamp, the sea, and sea-shore, and burned , 1 to pre-vent plague. The flight was contagious, and fromone to another, until the whole Moslem army werein decided rout. Our troops, after having pursuedthe fugitives quite across the plain with muchslaughter, seized their spoils, and returned safeand joyous. In these battles we have lost many ofour knights and baillies, fighting valiantly in thethickest of the hostile squares. We ourselves, andour companions-in-arms, have had many wounds;but after placing a strong garrison on the ram-parts, returned home to render thanksgiving toAlmighty God. Nor was it not the Divine assist-ance that averted such a butchery from ours. Nodoubt the Almighty sent down the succour fromheaven, lest his poor Christian people should beinfected with the filth of Mahometanism. Turkishwomen had prepared the ropes, which, in expecta-tion of the city’s being taken, were to serve to

1 Dedans le boys qu’ils avoient aporte pour lour approucheset remplir les fosses; et tant en y avoit qu’ils mirent plus dehuic jours a brulor; et les bonnes femmes qui les veoyeutbruler et rendre la grece, les meuldisoient et dysoient qu’ilsestoient si gras des figuos et oultres fruits qu’ils leur avoientmenge en leur jardins : et altresclioses ne plaignoient. MaryDupuis.

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