Meanwhile, the Christians employed in the siege were suffering the torments of constant thirst. The Pagans lay in ambush for the people who had to drive the horses six miles to water, and occasioned them great losses in the narrow defiles. Cedron and the other torrents were dried up by the excessive drought. Even barley-bread was dear in the camp. The natives, concealing themselves in dens and caverns, interrupted all conveys of provisions.
The chiefs of the army assembled in council to consider what was to be done in the midst of the calamities. They said, “We are in difficulties on all sides; bread is wanting; the water has failed. We ourselves are, in fact, closely blockaded, while we fancy we are besieging the city. We can hardly venture outside our camp, and when we do, return empty. Our long delays have produced the scarcity, and, unless we find a remedy matters will become worse. This place can never be taken by the mere strength of our hands and arms without the engines of war. We have to contend against the walls and bulwarks, and towers; we are opposed by a numerous garrison who make an obstinate defence. What then is your opinion? Let us undertake something which will relieve ourselves and distress the besieged. We want timber to construct machines for assaulting the walls and towers of the place. As the country is not woody, let us take the rafters of the houses and beams from the churches, and shape them to our purpose, so that we may attack the city in the most determined manner; otherwise, we waste our time to nor purpose.”
At length the faithful champions of the cross discovered some timber at a great distance from the camp, to which they transported it with vast labour. Carpenters were assembled from the whole army, some of whom hewed the rough surface of the trees, others squared it and bored it, while the rest fitted the beams and planks together. Duke Godfrey built one machine at his own expense; the count of Tholouse caused another to be constructed at his proper cost. On the other hand, the Saracens used every effort to strengthen the fortifications, raising the towers higher by working in the night, and devoting themselves without respite to increase the defences.
One Saturday, Duke Godfrey’s machine was transported in the dead
Of night to the foot of the walls, and erected before sunrise, three days being employed in unremitting exertions to fit the parts together and prepare it for use. The count of Tholouse caused his machine, which might be called a castle of wood, to be placed near the wall on the south of the place, but a deep hollow prevented its being joined to the wall. Such machines cannot be guided on declivities nor carried up steep places, and can only be transported on level ground. Proclamation was therefore made through the camp that whoever should cast three stones into the hole should for so doing receive a penny. In consequence all the people who were weary of delay lent a hand willingly to the proposed work.
Source: Ordericus Vitalis. The Ecclesiastical History of England and Normandy. Bk.
IX, Ch. XV, pp. 173-75.
World History
