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 OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE 393 ambassadors were instructed to say) at the hostile appearance of the strangers. If these pilorims were sincere in their vow for the deliverance of Jerusalem, his voice must applaud, and his treasures should assist, their pious design ; but, should they dare to invade the sanctuary of empire, their numbers, were they ten times more considerable, should not pi'otect them from his just resentment. The answer of the doge and barons was simple and magnanimous : " In the cause of honour and justice," they said, '' we despise the usurper of Greece, his threats, and his offers. Our friendship and his allegiance are due to the lawful heir, to the young prince who is seated ami^ng us, and to his father, the emperor Isaac, who has been deprived of his sceptre, his freedom, and his eyes, by the crime of an ungrate- ful brother. Let that brother confess his guilt and implore forgiveness, and we ourselves will intercede that he may be permitted to live in affluence and secui'ity. But let him not insult us by a second message ; our reply will be made in arms, in the palace of Constantinople." On the tenth day of their encampment at Scutari, the crusa- Passage of the ders prepared themselves, as soldiers and as Catholics, for theJaiye passage of the Bosphorus. Perilous indeed was the adventure ; the stream was broad and rapid ; in a calm the current of the Euxine might drive down the liquid and unextinguishable fires of the Greeks ; and the opposite shores of Europe Avere de- fended by seventy thousand horse and foot in formidable array. On this memorable day, which happened to be bright and plea- sant, the Latins were distributed in six battles, or divisions ; the first, or vanguard, was led by the count of Flanders, one of the most powerful of the Christian princes in the skill and number of his cross-bows. The four successive battles of the Lrench were commanded by his brother Henry, the counts of St, Pol and Blois, and Matthew of Montmorency, the last of whom was honoured by the voluntarv service of the marshal and nobles of Champagne. The sixth division, the rear-guard and reserve of the army, was conducted by the marquis of Montferrat, at the head of the Germans and Lombards. The chargers, saddled, with their long caparisons dragging on the ground, were em- barked in the flat palanders ; ""^ and the knights stood by the "■* From the version of Vigenere I adopt the well-sounding word palandcr, which is still used, I believe, in the Mediterranean. But had I written in French, I should have preferred the original and expressive denomination of vessiers, or huissicrs, from the htiis, or door, which was let down as a drawbridge ; but which, at sea, was closed into the side of the ship (see Ducange au Villehardouin, No. 14, and Joinville, p. 27, 28, 6dit. du Louvre),