OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE. 18g

the profane and rapacious Moslems ; and some chap.Christians, who presumed to oppose the removal,received from their hands the crown of martyr-dom. Constantine had solicited a Turkish guard to protect the fields ami harvests of hissubjects: the guard was fixed; but their firstorder was to allow free pasture to the mules andhorses of the camp, and to defend their brethrenif they should be molested by the natives. Theretinue of an Ottoman chief hail left their horsesto pass the night among the ripe corn; the'da-mage was felt; the insult was resented; and se-veral of both nations were slain in a tumultuousconflict. Mahomet listened with joy to thecomplaint; and a detachment was commandedto exterminate the guilty village: the guilty hadfled; but forty innocent and unsuspecting reaperswere massacred by the soldiers. Till this pro- The Turk-vocation, Constantinople had been open to thevisits of commerce and curiosity: on the firstalarm, the gates were shut; but the emperor,still anxious for peace, released on the third dayhis Turkish captives; r and expressed, in a lastmessage, the firm resignation of a Christian anda soldier. “ Since neither oaths, nor treaty, nor“ submission, can secure peace, pursue,” said he“ to Mahomet, “ your impious warfare. My“ trust is in God alone: if it should please him“ to mollify your heart, I shall rejoice in the“ happy change; if he delivers the city into

r Among these were some pages of Mahomet, so conscious of his in-exorable rigour, that they Legged to lose their heads in the city unlessthey could return before sunset.