4

THE CRUSADERS SEND SIX ENVOYS TO VENICE

Afterwards the barons held a parliament at Soissons, to settle when
they should start, and whither they should wend. But they could come
to no agreement, because it did not seem to them that enough people
had taken the cross. So during all that year (1200) no two months
passed without assemblings in parliament at Compiègne. There met all
the counts and barons who had taken the cross. Many were the opinions
given and considered; but in the end it was agreed that envoys should
be sent, the best that could be found, with full powers, as if they
were the lords in person, to settle such matters as needed settlement.

Of these envoys, Thibaut, Count of Champagne and Brie, sent two;
Baldwin, Count of Flanders and Hainault, two; and Louis, Count of
Blois and Chartres, two. The envoys of the Count Thibaut were Geoffry
of Villehardouin, Marshal of Champagne, and Miles the Brabant; the
envoys of Count Baldwin were Conon of Béthune' and Alard Maquereau,
and the envoys of Count Louis were John of Friaise, and Walter of
Gaudonville.

To these six envoys the business in hand was fully committed, all the
barons delivering to them valid charters, with seals attached, to the
effect that they would undertake to maintain and carry out whatever
conventions and agreements the envoys might enter into, in all sea
ports, and whithersoever else the envoys might fare.

Thus were the six envoys despatched, as you have been told; and they
took counsel among themselves, and this was their conclusion: that in