folk. Buried he was beside his father in the church of our lord St.
Stephen at Troyes. He left behind him the Countess, Ws wife, whose
name was Blanche, very fair, very good, the daughter of the King of
Navarre. She had borne him a little daughter, and was then about to
bear a son.

THE CRUSADERS LOOK FOR ANOTHER CHIEF

When the Count was buried, Matthew of Montmorency, Simon of Montfort,
Geoffry of Joinville who was seneschal, and Geoffry the Marshal, went
to Odo, Duke of Burgundy, and said to him, " Sire, your cousin is
dead. You see what evil has befallen the land overseass We pray you by
God that you take the cross, and succour the land overseas in his
stead. And we will cause you to have all his treasure, and will swear
on holy relics, and make the others swear also, to serve you in all
good faith, even as we should have served him."

Such was his pleasure that he refused. And be it known to you that he
might have done much better. The envoys charged Geoffry of Joinville
to make the self-same offer to the Count of Bar-le-Duc, Thibaut, who
was cousin to the dead count, and he refused also.

Very great was the discomfort of the pilgrims, and of all who were
about to go on God's service, at the death of Count Thibaut of
Champagne; and they held a parliament, at the

beginning, of the month, at Soissons, to determine what they should
do. There were present Count Baldwin of Flanders and Hainault, the
Count Louis of Blois and Chartres, the Count Geoffry of Perche, the
Count Hugh of Saint- Paul, and many other men of worth.