f a small force, volunteers to make a
sortie and boldly attacks the vanguard of the Crusaders.

From the topmost tier of Jerusalem's ramparts, the Sultan Aladine
watches their sortie, having beside him Erminia, daughter of the late
king of Antioch, whom the Crusaders have sent on to Jerusalem, because
they do not care to detain her a prisoner. During her sojourn in her
father's town, Erminia has learned to know by sight all the Crusaders,
and during her brief captivity she has fallen in love with Tancred,
who was detailed to guard her. She can therefore give the Sultan
Aladine all the information he wishes, and acts as cicerone while the
battle is going on. From this point of vantage the sultan and princess
watch Clorinda and Tancred meet, and behold how, after a lively
encounter, Tancred strikes off the helmet of his opponent, whose sex
is revealed by the streaming of her long golden hair. At sight of the
wonderful maiden with whom he has fallen in love, Tancred refuses to
continue the fight, although Clorinda urges him to strike. Undaunted
by the fact that she is his foe, Tancred not only refuses to strike,
but immediately begins to sue the beautiful maiden, who refuses to
listen to him, and is soon swept away by Saracen forces, which
intervene between her and Tancred.

A battle now rages, in the course of which various knights perform
great deeds, but, although Godfrey proves victor on this occasion, he
loses Dudon, chief of his Adventurous Band and one of the bravest
warriors in his army. While giving her explanations to Aladine in
regard to the fight waged beneath their eyes, Erminia carefully
explains she feels deadly hatred for Tancred, although the truth is
she loves him dearly and is greatly relieved to see him escape from
the fray uninjured.

Many people having died in the course of this action, a truce is
agreed upon so that both sides may bury their dead, and so, many
funerals are celebrated with all due pomp and ceremony. Next the
crusading force decides that siege-engines and towers will be
necessary to enable them to scale the high walls of Jerusalem. They
therefore send out a force of woodsmen to hew the trees which are to
serve for the construction of the required towers.

The duke, when thus his piety had paid
The fun'ral rites, and shed his duteous tears,
Sent all his skill'd mechanics to invade
The forest, guarded by a thousand spears;
Veil'd by low hills it stood, the growt