Thursday morning (I7th July I203) all things were ready for the
assault, and the ladders in trim; the Venetians also had made them
ready by sea. The order of the assault was so devised, that of the
seven divisions, three were to guard the camp outside the city, and
other four to give the assault. The Marquis Boniface of Montferrat
guarded the camp towards the fields, with the division of the
Burgundians, the division of the men of Champagne, and Matthew of
Montmorency. Count Baldwin of Flanders and Hainault went to the
assault with his people, and Henry his brother; and . Count Louis of
Blois and Chartres, and Count Hugh of St. Paul, and those who held
with them, went also to the assault.

They planted two ladders at a barbican near the sea; and the wall was
well defended by Englishmen and Danes; and

42

the attack was stiff and good and fierce. By main strength certain
knights and two sergeants got up the ladders and made themselves
masters of the wall; and at least fifteen got upon the wall, and
fought there, hand to hand, with axes and swords, and those within
redoubled their efforts and cast them out in very ugly sort, keeping
two as prisoners' And those of our people who had been taken were led
before the Emperor Alexius; much was he pleased thereat. Thus did the
assault leave matters on the side of the French. Many were wounded and
many had their bones broken, so that the barons were very wroth.

Meanwhile the Doge of Venice had not forgotten to do his part, but had
ranged his ships and transports and vessels in line, and that line was
well three crossbow-shots in length; and the Venetians began to draw