obliged to make mmy reverences, and addrefs him through the means of ^ third perfon. Hç was in-different whether the poorer knights and fquires were well or ill at their e|fe: this the lord de Coucy always inquired into, and by it gained great popularity. It was told me, by fome fo-reign knights who had been there, that had the lord de Coucy being commander in chief, inftead of the duke of Bourbon, the fuccefs would have beea very different ; for many attacks on the town of Africa were fruftrated by the pride and fault of the duke of Bourbon : lèverai thought it would have been taken, if it had not been for him.. This fiege lafted, by ail exaft account, fixty--one days ; during which, many were the fkirmiflies -before the town and at the barriers : they were well diefended, for the flower of the infidel chivalry was in the town. The Chriftians fyid among them-felves^—* if we could gam thh place by ftorm op otherwife, and ftrongly reinforce find yi&u^l it during the winter, a large body of our cpuntry-meJi might then çoirçe hither ip the fpring an£ gain a footing in the kingdoms of Barbary anci Tunis, which would encourage the Chriftians to crofs the fea ajiqoally and ex send their conquefts/ * Would to God it were fo,? others replied ; c% the knights now here would chen Çe cpnjfqrtably lodged, and every dpy, if they pieced,,they might have deeds of arms. ' 7 he befieged if ere ^Jarme^ at the obftinacy qf their attacks, and redouble^ their guards. The great heat, however, did morf for them thanjdl tbe«ft» %dde4,tp the jçpnftajat un-•VOL. X , P certainty 209