CONQUESTS OF THE SARACENS. 309 



known. His circular to the tribes kindled the flame 

 of pious and martial ardour in every province: 

 " This is to acquaint you that I intend to send the 

 true believers into Syria, to take it out of the hands 

 of the infidels ; and I would have you know that 

 fighting for rehgion is an act of obedience to God." 

 From Mecca, and the distant shores of Yemen and 

 Hadramaut, bands of intrepid volunteers hurried to 

 the capital ; complaining less of the msupportable 

 heat, and the scarcity of provisions; than the maction 

 of their master.— When their ranks were complete, 

 he gave his particular instructions to Yezid, son of 

 Abu Sofian, whom he had appointed general of the 

 forces :— To avoid injustice and oppression ; to study 

 to deserve the love and confidence of the troops ; to 

 acquit themselves like men fighting the battles of the 

 Lord ; to spare fruit-trees, cattle, and corn-fields ; to 

 stand to their engagements, and never to stain their 

 victory with the blood of women and children. '• As 

 vou go on." he continued, " you vrill find some reli- 

 gious persons that live retired in monasteries, who 

 propose to themselves to serve God that way. Let 

 them alone, and neither kill them nor destroy their 

 buildings. And you will find another sort of people 

 that belong to the synagogue of Satan, who have 

 shaven crowns ; be sure you cleave their sculls, and 

 aive them no quarter till they either turn Moham- 

 medans or pay tribute." This exemption m favour 

 of the monks is by some alleged to have been in 

 return for their hospitality to the Prophet m his 

 youth, or their assistance in compiling the Koran ; 

 the terrible doom of the secular clergy was only 

 fulfilling a precept of their religion. 



The news of these preparations reached Hera- 

 clius ; but it was in vain that he appealed to the pride 

 and courage of his aubjects, and represented to them 

 the shame'of allowing a warlike nation to be insuUed" 

 by the contemptible Arabs. In the first skirmish the 

 Christians lost their gen^-al, with 1200 men. The 



