volume one

168 HISTORY OF THE CEUSADES.
not accustomed to steal \'ictories, thev offer you the clioice
of combat."* AVheii finishing his discourse, Peter fixed his
eyes upon the leader of the Saracens, and said, " Choose
from amongst the brayest of thy army, and let them do
battle with an equal number of the Crusaders ; fight thyself
v.ith one of our Christian princes ; or give the signal for a
general battle.f Whatever may be thy choice, thou shalt
soon learn what thy enemies are, and thou shalt know what
tlie jrreat God is whom we serve !"
Iverbogha, who knew the situation of the Christians, and
who was not aware of tlie kind of succour they had received
in their distress, was much surprised at such language. He
remained for some time mute with astonishment and rage,
but at length said, " Return to them who sent you, and tell
them it is the part of the conquered to receive conditions,
and not to dictate them. Miserable vagabonds, extenuated
but tlie warriors of
men, phantoms may terrify women ;
Asia are not intimidated by vain words. The Christians
shall soon learn that the land we tread upon belongs to us.
Nevertheless I am willing to entertain some pity for them,
and if they will acknowledge Mahomet, I may forget that
this city, a prey to famine, is already in my power ; I may
leave it in their hands, and give them arms, clothes, bread,
women, in sliort, all tliat they have not ; for tlie Koran bids
us pardon all who submit to its laws. Bid thy companions
hasten, and on this very day take advantage of my clemency
to-morrow they shall only leave Antioch by the sword.
They will then see if their crucified God, who could not
save himself from the cross, can save them from the fate
which is prepared for them."
This speech was loudly applauded by the Saracens, whose
fanaticism it rekindled. Peter wished to renlv, but the
sultan of Mossoul, placing his hand upon his sword, commanded
that these miserable mendicants, who united blindness
with insolence, should be driven away. The Christian
deputies retired in haste, and were in danger of losing their
* This speech is reported by most of the Larin historians of the crusades.
We have preserved the spirit of it, with the most scrupulous
exactness.
t Anna Cornnena speaks of a pretended single combat between the
count of Flanders and the general of the Saracens.
;