ore ambitious and bold, aspired to
conquests and principalities in the East. Why should not they acquire
what Baldwin had acquired at Edessa, and what Bohemond was within an ace
of possessing at Antioch? Others were jealous of the great fortunes made
before their eyes: and Raymond of Toulouse was vexed at Bohemond's rule
in Antioch, and refused to give up to him the citadel. One and another
troubled themselves little more about the main end of their crusade, the
deliverance of Jerusalem, and devoted themselves to their personal
interests. A few days after the defeat of the Turks, the council of
princes deliberated upon the question of marching immediately upon
Jerusalem, and then all these various inclinations came out. After a
lively debate, the majority decided that they should wait till the heat
of summer was over, the army rested from its fatigues, and the
reinforcements expected from the West arrived. The common sort of
crusaders were indignant at this delay: "Since the princes will not lead
us to Jerusalem," was said aloud, "choose we among the knights a brave
man who will serve us faithfully, and, if the grace of God be with us, go
we under his leading to Jerusalem. It is not enough for our princes that
we have remained here a whole year, and that two hundred thousand men-at-
arms have fallen here! Perish all they who would remain at Antioch, even
as its inhabitants but lately perished!" But, murmuring all the while,
they staid at Antioch, in spite of a violent epidemic, which took off, it
was said, in a single month, fifty thousand persons, and amongst them the
spiritual chief of the crusade, Adhemar, bishop of Puy, who had the
respect and confidence of all the crusaders. To find some specious
pretext, or some pious excuse for this inactivity, or simply to pass the
time which was not employed as it had been sworn it should be, war-like
expeditions were made into Syria and Mesopotamia; some emirs were driven
from their petty dominions; some towns were taken; some infidels were
massacred. The count of Toulouse persisted during several weeks in
besieging Marrah, a town situated between Hamath and Aleppo. At last he
took it, but there were no longer any inhabitants to be found in it; they
had all taken refuge under ground. Huge fires lighted at the entrance of
their hiding-place forced them to come out, and as they came they were
all put to death or carried off as slaves; "which so terrified the
neighbori