CHAP, i.] USE DURING SIEGES. 25 



brought most curious engineers, who framed a wooden 

 towre, and all other artificiall instruments. For we 

 must not think, that the world was at a losse for warre- 

 tools before the brood of guns was hatched. And now 

 for a preparative, that their courage might work the 

 better, they began with a fast, and a solemn procession 

 about mount Olivet. 



" Next day they gave a fierce assault ; yea, women 

 played the men, and fought most valiently in armour. 

 But they within being fourty thousand strong, well 

 victualled and appointed, made stout resistance, till the 

 night (accounted but a foe for her friendship) umpired 

 betwixt them, and abruptly put an end to their fight in 

 the midst of their courage. 



" When the first light brought news of a morning, 

 they on afresh; the rather, because they had intercepted 

 a letter tied to the legs of a dove (it being the fashion of 

 that country, both to write and send their letters with the 

 wings of a fowl), wherein the Persian Emperour pro- 

 mised present succours to the besieged. The Turks 

 cased the outside of their walls with bags of chaff, 

 straw, and such-like pliable matter, which conquered 

 the engines of the Christians by yeelding unto them. 

 As for one sturdie engine whose force would not be 

 tamed, they brought two old witches on the walls to 

 irichant it : but the spirit thereof was too strong for 

 their spells, so that both of them were miserably slain 

 in the place."* 



Thus the intercepted Dove and the suborned old 

 witches were each working an antagonistic counter-spell, 

 till the Satanic influence was finally made to succumb. 



* Book i. chap. 24. 



