[3] “Throughout that year there were not less than 40 machines all at work upon the city of Acre, battering its houses and its towers, and smashing and overthrowing everything within their range. There were at least ten of those engines that shot stones so big and heavy that they weighed a good 1500 lbs. by the weight of Champagne; insomuch that nearly all the towers and forts of Acre were destroyed, and only the religious houses were left. And there were slain in this same war good 20,000 men on the two sides, but chiefly of Genoese and Spaniards.” (Lettre de Jean Pierre Sarrasin, in Michel’s Joinville, p. 308.)

[4] The origin of these columns is, however, somewhat uncertain. [See Cicogna, I. p. 379.]

[5] In 1262, when a Venetian squadron was taken by the Greek fleet in alliance with the Genoese, the whole of the survivors of the captive crews were blinded by order of Palaeologus. (Roman. ii. 272.)

[6] See pp. [16], [41], and [Plan of Ayas] at beginning of Bk. I.

[7] See Archivio Storico Italiano, Appendice, tom. iv.

[8]

Niente ne resta a prender

Se no li corpi de li legni:

Preixi som senza difender;

De bruxar som tute degni!