yourselves against the Venetians, you will be safe enough." And they
chose one of themselves, whose name was Robert of Boves, who went to
the walls of the city, and spoke the same words. Therefore the envoys
returned to the city, and the negotiations were broken off.

The Doge of Venice, when he came to the counts and barons, said to
them: "Signors, the people who are therein desire to yield the city to
my mercy, on condition only that their lives are spared. But I will
enter into no agreement with them-neither this nor any other-save with
your consent." And the barons answered: " Sire, we advise you to
accept these conditions, and we even beg of you so to do." He said he
would do so; and they all returned together to the pavilion of the
Doge to make the agreement, and found that the envoys had gone away by
the advice of those who wished to disperse the host.

Then rose the abbot of Vaux, of the order of the Cistercians, and said
to them: " Lords, I forbid you, on the part of the Pope of Rome, to
attack this city; for those within it

21

are Christians, and you are pilgrims." When the Doge heard this, he
was very wroth, and much disturbed, and he said to the counts and
barons: "Signors, I had this city, by their own agreement, at my
mercy, and your people have broken that agreement; you have covenanted
to help me to conquer it, and I summon you to do so."

Whereon the counts and barons all spoke at once, together with those
who were of their party, and said: " Great is the outrage of those who
have caused this agreement to be broken, and never a day has passed