this he made a very prudent reply, by faying, he was ignorant of it, . as he was not prefent at the council of war when it was determined on, and could only tell them what was the common report in the army. It was faid, that the French fuf-peâed the Genoefe of a defign to betray them ; but the Genoefe declared this was falfe, and wrong-fully imputed to them by the French. ^ They had left the coaft becaufe they were afraid to winter iq this country, and rifk the lofs of as many knights as they hac^ oncç done. . ' Afk him,' • faid the lords to the interpreter, * to explain this/ . He replied, c So great was the lofs on the day the combat wgs to have takep place between ten of your knights ypth ten of ours, that upwards of fixty knights and fquires, men of re-nown, died that day j and it.was folely on thi§ ac-count,' as the Genoefe faid, cthe fiege was-railed/ The Saracen chiefs feempd Yety much pleafed on hearing this, and made no further inquiries, but punctually kept the promife they had made him. On his return to Portenances and Genoa, he re-lated all that had paffed and what anfwers he had made, for which he was no way blamed. The Sa-racens faid among themfelves,—1 We have been very negligent in not taking better meafures againft this union of the French and Genoefe j for, though they have been this time unfuccefsful againft Africa, we muft henceforward put our coaft in a better ftate of defence (which we may eafiiy do) ; and fre mqft, in particular, guard the ftraits of Morocco R* to 248