the next morrowe came to Tyrus, where by procurement of the French king he
was restrained by the Citizens to enter. The next day after, which was the
first day of Iune, crossing the seas, he met with a great carak, fraught
with souldiers and men of warre to the number of a thousand and fiue
hundred, which pretended to be Frenchmen, and setting foorth their flagge
with the French armes, were indeede Saracens, [Sidenote: A great ship of
Saracens taken by king Richard.] secretly sent with wilde fire [Footnote:
Greek Fire was the name given to a composition which was largely used by
the Greeks of the Byzantine Empire in their wars with the Mohammedans. Its
nature was kept a profound secret for centuries, but the material is now
believed to have been a mixture of nitre, sulphur, and naphtha. It burned
with terrible fury wherever it fell, and it possessed the property of being
inextinguishable by water. Even when poured upon the sea it would float
upon the surface and still burn. It was used in warfare for a considerable
time after the discovery of gunpowder, but gradually fell into the disuse
as artillery became more effective. The name is still sometimes used to
designate the inflammable compounds known to modern chemists which have
been designed for use in incendiary shells, and for a composition which has
been used by the Fenians to set fire to public buildings.] and certaine
barrels of unknowen serpents to the defence of the towne of Achon, which
king Richard at length perceiuing eftsoones set upon them and so vanquished
them, of whom the most were drowned and some taken aliue: which being once
knowen in the citie of Achon, as it was a great discomfort to them, so it
was a great helpe to the Christians for winning the citie.

[Sidenote: King Richard arriued at Achon.] The next day after which was the
seuenth of Iune, king Richard came to Achon, which at that time had bene
long besieged by the Christians. After whose comming it was not long, but
the Pagans within the citie, seeing their wals to be undermined and towers
ouerthrowen, were driuen by composition to escape with life and limme, to