volume one

218 HISTOET or THE CErSADES,
ance. On the north, east, and south of the city, the three
towers advanced towards the ramparts, amidst the tumult
and shouts of the soldiers and the workmen. Godfrey
appeared on the highest platform of his wooden fortress,
accompanied by his brother Eustace and Baldwin du Bourg.
He animated his people by his example ; and every javelin
that he cast, say the historians of the times, carried death
among the Saracen host. Ea^miond, Tancred, the duke of
Xormandv, and the count of Flanders fought amidst their
soldiers ; whilst the knights and men-at-arms, animated by
the same zeal as their principal chiefs, flew from place to
place where danger called them.
Xothing could equal the impetuosity of the first shock of
the Christians : but thev were evers-vN'here met by an obstinate
resistance. Arrows, javelins, boiling oil, G-reek fire,
fourteen machines which the besieged had now time to
oppose to those of their enemies, repulsed on all sides the
attacks and the efforts of the assailants. The infidels
issuing through a breach made in their rampart, attempted
to burn the machines of the besiegers, and carried disorder
among the Christian ranks. Towards the end of the day,
the towers of Godfrey and Tancred could no longer be
moved, whilst that of Eaymond fell to pieces. The combat
had lasted twelve hours, without victory ha-ving inclined to
the side of the Crusaders, when night came to put a temporary
end to the efforts of both parties. The Christians
returned to their camp trembling with rage and grief; the
leaders, but particularly the tv\'o Eoberts, lamenting tJiat
God Jiad not yet tliouglit tliem icorthy of entering ijito his
holy city, and adoring the tomb of his Son*
The night was spent anxiously on both sides, each deploring
their losses, and trembling at the idea of others they
were likely to sustain. The Saracens dreaded. a surprise;
the Christians were afraid that the Saracens would bum the
machines they had left under the walls. The besieged were
* This circumstance is thus related by Abbot Guibert :—Est etiam
toihi non inferiori relatione compertum, Robertum Normandise comitem
Roberturoque alteram Flandriarum principem, junctis pariter convenisse
moeroribus, et se cum fletibus uberrimis conclamasse misemmos, quos
suae adoratione crucis, et visione, immo veneratione sepulchri, tantopere
Jesus Dominus judicaret indignos.—Lib. vii. cap. 6.