volume one

HISTOUT OF THE CETJSADES. 159
a sortie ; in vain Tancred and Grodfrey performed prodigiea
of valour ; the Mussulmans forced the Christians to shut
themselves up in a place of which the latter had but just
made themselves masters, and in which they were soon
closely besieged in their turn.
Placed between the garrison of the citadel and a besieging
army, the Crusaders found themselves in a most critical
position. To prevent their being relieved by any supplies
by sea, two thousand Mussulmans were sent by Kerbogha
to take possession of the port of St. Simeon, and of all
vessels which brought provisions to the Christian army.
Famine was not long in making its appearance, and soon
exercised cruel ravages among the besieged.
From the earliest period of the siege the Crusaders could
scarcely procure the common necessaries of life at theii
weight in gold. A loaf of moderate size sold at a bezant,
an egg was worth six Lucquese deniers, whilst a pound of
silver was given for the head of an ox, a horse, or an ass.
Grodfrey bought for fifteen silver marks a half-starved camel,
and gave three marks for a goat, which at other times
would have been rejected by the poorest soldiers of his
army. Surrounded by the vast riches conquered from the
Saracens, the Crusaders w^ere thus condemned to all the
horrors and miseries of famine. After having killed most
of their horses, they were compelled to make war upon
unclean animals. The soldiers and the poor who followed
the army supported themselves on roots and leaves ; some
went so far as to devour the leather of their bucklers and
shoes, whilst the most wretched exhumed the bodies of the
Saracens, and, to support their miserable existence, disputed
with death for his prey. In this frightful distress, disconsolate
mothers could no longer nourish their babes, and
died with famine and despair. Princes and knights, whose
pride and haughtiness had been the most conspicuous, were
brought to the necessity of asking alms. The count of
Planders went begging to the houses and in the streets of
Antioch for the commonest and coarsest orts, and often
obtained none. More than one leader sold his arms and all
his appointments for food to support him a single day. As
long as the duke of Lorraine had any provisions he shared
them with his companions ; but at length he made the sacri-