A.D. 1099.] TERRIBLE SLAUGHTER Hi JERUSALEM. . 433 reigned our Lord Jesus Christ for ever and ever ; to whom be honour and glory for endless ages. How the Turks were put to death, and the holy city cleansed. The city being in this manner taken, duke Godfrey and his faithful followers scoured the streets with drawn swords, and put to death all the Turks they met with. So great was the number of corpses and of heads separated from their bodies, that no one could walk in the streets without treading on the dead bodies. But while this was going on, the count of Toulouse and the other princes were fighting bravely around Mount Sion, not knowing what had happened ; but when they heard the shouts of the two parties, and saw the slaughter of the towns-people, they knew that the city had been broken into, and that our troops had gained the victory. Upon this, they immediately raised scaling ladders against the walls, and entered the city without opposition, slaying the enemy in large numbers, and opening the south gate which was in the neighbourhood, let in the rest of the army. Thus the Turks, who had fled from the duke and his men, nowfell in with this new enemy,and in avoiding Scylla fell into Charybdis ; for such was the havoc committed in every part of the city that the terrible effusion of blood caused satiety and disgust even in the victors themselves. Now Tancred, hearing that a large number of Turks had fled for refuge within the courts of the temple, rushed thither with a large number of armed men, and, forcing his way into the temple, slew a great number of people therein, and is said to have carried off with him a large quantity of- gold and silver. When the other princes heard of this, they rushed in with a multitude of foot and horse, slew all they met with, and filled the streets with blood. Ten thousand Turks are said to have fallen within the precincts of the temple, besides those who were slain in the streets to about the same number; for our men, dispersing through the streets, and searching every secret place they could find, drew out master and mistress, with their,children and all their family, from the secret chambers where they had hidden themselves, and either put them to death with the sword, or threw them headlong and broke their necks. He who first got possession of a house or palace, claimed it as his own permanent pro- VOL. ι. Ε Ρ