banners, and pennons of their enemies, and, when returned to their camp, they convérfed much about them. They were, however, aftpniflied at one thing, which I will now relate. The Saracens within the town of Africa were anxious to know on what pretence the Chriftians had come with fo large an army to make war on them ; and, to learn the reafons, they refolved as I was told, in council, to fend a perfon that could fpeak Genoefe, and gave him the following orders, * Go and take the road to the camp of the Chriftians, [and manage, before thou returneft, to fpeak with ' fome lordsj in their army,] and demand, in our name, why they have brought fo powerful a force againft us, and taken poffeffion of the lands of the king of Africa, who has not done any thing to offend them. True it is that, in former times, we were at war with the Genoefe, but that fhould no way concern them ; for they come from very diftant countries, and the Genoefe are our neighbours. Our cuftom has been, excepting in times of truce, to feize * mutually all we can from each other/ Having received thefe inftru&ions, the meffenger departed and rode on to the camp. The firft perfon he met was a Geiioefe, to^ whom he faid that he was fent by the Saracens to fpeak with fome baron from France. The Genoefe, to whom he had addreffed himfelf, was called Antonio Marchi, a centurion of crofs-bows, who took him under his care, to his great joy, and Conduced him inftantly to the duke of Bourbon and the lord de Coucy. They both liftened very atten- • ' , tively, 204