-and breaking silence urged them
to resist, and perhaps to avenge, the fate of their comrades. It was
not long before the forces of Palermo, which had set out at dawn in
pursuit of the fugitive--whose traces they had discovered--arrived at
full speed beneath the walls of Vicari, and surrounded the city in
disorder, impatient for the assault; but not perceiving how it was to
be made, they had recourse to threats, and demanded immediate
surrender, promising to the inhabitants the safety of their persons,
and to John and his followers permission, on laying down their arms,
to embark for Aigues-Mortes, in Provence. They, however, disdaining
such conditions, and regarding the mob of assailants with contempt,
made a vigorous sortie. At first military discipline obtained the
advantage, and the Sicilians gave way, but the tide of battle was
turned by a power beyond that of human skill, by the spirit which had
given birth to the Vespers, and which suddenly blazed up again in the
scattered squadrons. They paused--they looked at one another,
"Death--death to the French!" they cried, and rushing upon them with
irresistible fury, they drove back the veteran warriors into the
fortress, defeated and in confusion. After this it was in vain that
the French proposed terms of surrender. Heedless of the rules of war
the young archers of Cacamo shot the Justiciary as he presented
himself upon the walls, and, seeing him fall, the whole multitude
rushed to the assault, occupied the fortress, put the garrison to the
sword, and flung their corpses, piecemeal, to the dogs and to the
vultures. This done, the host returned to Palermo.

Meanwhile, the fame of what had occurred spread rapidly from town to
town, and the first in that neighborhood to rise was Corleone, as
chief in population and importance, and also because of its numerous
Lombard inhabitants, who held the names of Angevins and Guelfs in
abhorrence, and of the intolerable burdens imposed upon it by the near
neighborhood of the royal farms. This city, afterward surnamed the
Valiant, boldly following the example of the capital, sent William
Basso, William Corto, and Giugliono de Miraldo as orators to Palermo,
to propose terms of alliance and fraternity between the two cities;
mutual assistance in arms, forces, and money; reciprocal privileges of
citizenship, and enfranchisement from all burdens laid upon such as
were not citizens. It is not known whether the idea of the league
originat