volume one

268 HISTORY OF the crusades.
tlie town. Already had the rolling towers approached the
ramparts, the rams had shaken the walls to their foundations,
and the city was about to be carried, when the besieged
employed a mode of defence worthy only of barbarians.
Gerard of Avesnes, who had been left with them as an
hostage by Godfrey, was fastened to the top of a very high
mast which was attached to the very wall against which the
efforts of the besiegers were principally directed. At the
prospect of an inevitable and inglorious death, the unfortunate
Christian knight uttered loud and painful cries, and conjured
his friend Godfrey to save his life by a voluntary retreat.
This cruel spectacle pierced the heart of Godfrey, but did
not shake either his firmness or his- courage. As he was
sufficiently near to Gerard of Avesnes to make himself heard
by him, he exhorted him to merit the cro^vn of martyrdom
bV his resignation. " It is not in my power to save you,"
" if mv brother Eustace were in your place, I could
said he ;
not dehver him from death. Die, then, illustrious and brave
knight, with the courage of a Christian hero ; die for the
safety of your brethren, and for the glory of Jesus Christ."
These words
courage to die.
of Godfrey gave Gerard of Avesnes the
He begged his old companions to offer at the
holv sepulchre his horse and his arms, that prayers might be
put up for the health of his soul.* A short time after he
died under a shower of darts
hands of the Christians.
and arrows launched by the
The soldiers of Godfrey, on witnessing the death of
Gerard, burned with rage to revenge him, and redoubled
their efforts to render themselves masters of the city. On
their side, the besieged reproached the Christians with their
barbarity, and defended themselves with vigour. The Greek
fire consumed the towers and the machines of the besiegers
Godfrey had lost a great number of his soldiers, and despah'ed
of reducing the city, which received succours by sea.
As winter was approaching, he resolved at last to raise the
siege and return to Jerusalem, deeply affected at having
caused the death of Gerard of Avesnes without any advantage
to the cause of the Christians.
During the siege of Asur several emirs from the moun-
&c.
* This account is found entire in Albert d^Aix, book vii. chaps. 8, 9,
;