THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 39 



" mould be liable, at every inftant, to panic and defpon- 

 ** dency, totally unworthy the character of a veteran army. 

 " You know," faid he, " that I came againfl the king of Adel, 

 " and to recover that province, one of the old dependencies 

 " of my crown. And though it has happened that, in 

 **"our march, you have loaded yourfelves with riches,,which 

 " I have permitted, as well out of my love to you, as becaufe 

 " it diilrenes the enemy v yet my object was not to plunder 

 " merchants. If in battle to-morrow I be beaten, for God 

 " forbid that I mould decline it when offered, I mail be the 

 *' firft.to fet you the example how to die like men in the 

 " middle of your enemies. But while I am living, it never 

 " mall be faid that I fuffered the ilandard of Chrift to fly 

 " before the profane enfigns of infidels. As to what regards 

 44 our prefent circumftances, my ficknefs, and the number 

 K of the Moorifh troops, thefe make no alteration in my good 

 " hopes that I fhall tread upon the king of Adel's neck to- 

 " morrow. For as it was never my opinion that it was my 

 " own ftrength and valour, or their want of it, which has fo 

 M often been the means of preferring me from their hands, 

 " fo I do not fear at prefent that my accidental, weaknefs 

 " will give them any advantage over me, as long as Ltrufl. 

 44 in God's ilrength as much as ever I have done," 



The army, hearing with what confidence and firmnefs '--. 

 tlie king fpake, began to look upon his recovery as a /mi- 

 racle. They all, therefore, with one accord, took to their 

 arms, and defired to be led forward to the enemy, without 

 waiting tillthey fhould come to them. They only befeech- 

 ed the king that he would not expofe his perfon as ufualj 

 but trull to the bravery of his troops, eager for action, withr- 

 out being lavifh of that life, the lofs of which wo aid <be to 



the 



