Deeds of the Franks, Book 7, Chapter 18 cont.

Thus Bohemond held not to the road which they held but came to us, who were gathered together, quickly with few knights. Then, fired up by the killing of our men, we called upon the name of Christ and trusting in the way to the Sacred Sepulcher, together and at the same time, we went out to meet them in battle and we attacked them with one heart and mind. The enemies of God and our enemies were standing on all sides astonished and violently frightened. They were reckoning to defeat and kill our men, just as they had done to the people with the Count and Bohemond. But the all powerful God would not allow this from them. Therefore the knights of the true God, armed on all sides by the sign of the cross, bitterly pressed them and gave a strong attack. Moreover they fled quickly across the middle of the narrow bridge to their entrance. Those who were unable to cross the bridge alive, before too great a multitude of people and pack horses, received there everlasting ruin with the devil and his angels. Thus our men defeated them, driving them into the stream and destroying them. The water of the swift flowing stream seemed on all sides to flow red with the blood of the Turks. And if by chance any of them had wished to crawl across the supports of the bridge or by swimming to land worked hard to get out, he would have been wounded by our men who were standing on both banks of the river. A cheering by our men as well as the clamor by their men resounded up to heaven. Rains of projectiles and arrows were hiding the sky and the brightness of God. Christian women in the city came to the windows along the wall, watching the wretched fate of the Turks and secretly clapping their hands. The Armenians and Syrians, by order of the Turkish leaders, either reluctantly or of their own accord, were firing arrows outside the city at our men. There were even twelve dead in spirit and body of emirs of the troops of Turks in that battle, and others of the most skillful and strongest of knights, who had defended the city better in their fighting. The number of these was 1500. The others who remained alive, now were not daring to shout any more or croak day and night like they were accustomed to before. Thus night only separated us from them, and night divided both of us from fighting, throwing, launching darts, and firing arrows.(night ended the battle) Then our enemies were overcome by the power of God and the Sacred Sepulcher and beyond that, they were not vigorous enough to have so much strength either in voice or in works like before. Thus we were very much able to recover on that day many things which were necessary enough to us and horses.( c. March 1098)

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