were one day leaning over their walls they descried a cloud of
dust, from which horsemen were seen to prick forth, as it rolled
on towards the camp of the besiegers. This turned out to be the
army of Sacripant, which immediately attacked that of Agrican,
with the view of cutting a passage through his camp to the
besieged city. But Agrican, mounted upon Bayard, taken from
Astolpho, but not armed with the lance of gold, the virtues of
which were unknown to him, performed wonders, and rallied his
scattered troops, which had given way to the sudden and unexpected
assault. Sacripant, on the other hand, encouraged his men by the
most desperate acts of valor, having as an additional incentive to
his courage the sight of Angelica, who showed herself upon the
city walls.

There she witnessed a single combat between the two leaders,
Agrican and Sacripant. In this, at length, her defender appeared
to be overmatched, when the Circassians broke the ring, and
separated the combatants, who were borne asunder in the rush.
Sacripant, severely wounded, profited by the confusion, and
escaped into Albracca, where he was kindly received and carefully
tended by Angelica.

The battle continuing, the Circassians were at last put to flight,
and, being intercepted between the enemy's lines and the town,
sought for refuge under the walls. Angelica ordered the drawbridge
to be let down, and the gates thrown open to the fugitives. With
these Agrican, not distinguished in the crowd, entered the place,
driving both Circassians and Cathayans before him, and the
portcullis being dropped, he was shut in.