• - «89 do not harbour any fufpicions of us, for we are pledged to you by our honour and oaths, and wç will moft loyally and honeftly acquit ourfelves. Had we pleafed, we might have accepted the fa-vourable offers that were made us by the Africans, but we refufed to enter into any treaty with them, from our attachments and engagements to you/ 4 We have no doubts of you, gentlemen/ re-plied the lord de Coucy, c for we look on you as loyal and valiant men : but we have confidered our fituation ; winter is at hand, and we have a fear city • of provifion. Should it be God's good pleafure that we return to France, we will inform the king, who is young and fond of war, of the ftate of this country. At this moment, he knows not where to employ his force, for he and the king of Eng-land are àt peace. He is unhappy when idle, and we (hall advife him to undertake an expedition hi-ther, as well to have the pleafure of meeting the king of Sicily as to conquer this country from the Saracens. Prepare and make ready your galleys, for we (hall leave this çoaft in a very few days/ The Genoefe • were not well pleafed with the French lords for thus breaking up the fiege of the town of Africa ; but, as they could not amend it, they were farced to bear with it as well as they could* There was a rumour current in the Chriftian camp, that the Genoefe were treating with the Saracens to betray and deliver up to them the re-mainder of the army. It was firmly believed by ' jnany, and they faid : ' Our principal oom- manders