as to their lord-all except John, who was King of Wallachia and
Bulgaria. This John was a Wallachian, who had rebelled against. his
father and uncle, and had warred against them for twenty years, and
had won from them so much land that he had become a very wealthy king.
-And be it known to you, that of the land lying on the west side of
the Straits of St. George, he had conquered very nearly the half. This
John did not come to do the will of the emperor, nor to submit himself
to him.

CONFLICT BETWEEN THE GREEKS AND LATINS IN CONSTANTINOPLE-BURNING OF THE CITY

While the Emperor Alexius was away on this progress, there befell a
very grievous misadventure; for a conflict arose between the Greeks
and the Latins who inhabited Constantinople, and of these last there
were many. And certain people-who they were I know not-out of malice,
set fire to the city; and the fire waxed so great and horrible that no
man could put it out or abate it. And when the barons of the host, who
were quartered on the other side of the port, saw this, they were sore
grieved and filled with pity-seeing the great churches and the rich
palaces melting and falling in, and the great streets filled with
merchandise burning in the flames; but they could do nothing.

Thus did the fire prevail, and win across the port, even to the
densest part of the city, and to the sea on the other side, quite near
to the church of St. Sophia. It lasted two days and two nights, nor
could it be put out by the hand of man. And the front of the fire, as
it went flaming, was well over half a league broad. What was the
damage then done, what the possessions and riches swallowed up, could
no man tell-nor what the number of men and women and children who
perished-for many were burned.