The other year after that right worthy man Fulk had so spoken of God,
there was held a tourney in Champagne, at a castle called Ecri, and by
God’s grace it so happened that Thibaut, Count of Champagne and Brie,
took the cross, and the Count Louis of Blois and Chartres likewise; and
this was at the beginning of Advent (28th November 1199). Now you must
know that this Count Thibaut was but a young man, and not more than
twenty-two years of age, and the Count Louis not more than
twenty-seven. These two counts were nephews and cousins-german to the
King of France, and, on the other part, nephews to the King of England.
With these two counts there took the cross two very high and puissant
barons of France, Simon of Montfort*, and Renaud of Montmirail. Great
was the fame thereof throughout the land when these two high and
puissant men took the cross.
[Note: Simon de Montfort—the same one who later crushed the
Albigensians and the father of the “English” Simon de Montfort who
defeated the royal army at Lewes and was killed at Evesham in 1265].
In the land of Count Thibaut of Champagne took the cross Garnier,
Bishop of Troyes, Count Walter of Brienne, Geoffry of Joinville*, who
was seneschal of the land, Robert his brother, Walter of Vignory,
Walter of Montbéliard, Eustace of Conflans, Guy of Plessis his brother,
Henry of Arzilliéres, Oger of Saint-Chéron, Villain of Neuilly, Geoffry
of Villhardouin, Marshal of Champagne, Geoffry his nephew, William of
Nully, Walter of Fuligny, Everard of Montigny, Manasses of l’Isle,
Macaire of Sainte-Menehould, Miles the Brabant, Guy of Chappes,
Clerembaud his nephew, Renaud of Dampierre, John Foisnous, and many
other right worthy men whom this book does not here mention by name.
[Note: Geoffry de Joinville—the father of the chronicler Joinville.]
With Count Louis took the cross Gervais of Châtel, Hervée his son, John
of Virsin, Oliver of Rochefort, Henry of Montreuil, Payen of Orléans,
Peter of Bracietix, Hugh his brother, William of Sains, John of
Friaize, Walter of Gaudonville, Hugh of Cormeray, Geoffry his brother,
Hervée of Beauvoir, Robert of Frouville, Peter his brother, Orri of
l’Isle, Robert of Quartier, and many more whom this book does not here
mention by name.
In the Isle-de-France took the cross Nevelon, Bishop of Soissons,
Matthew of Montmorency, Guy the Castellan of Coucy, his nephew, Robert
of Ronsoi, Ferri of Yerres, John his brother, Walter of Saint-Denis,
Henry his brother, William of Aunoi, Robert Mauvoisin, Dreux of
Cressonsacq, Bernard of Moreuil, Enguerrand of Boves, Robert his
brother, and many more right worthy men with regard to whose names this
book is here silent.
At the beginning of the following Lent, on the day when folk are marked
with ashes (23rd February 1200), the cross was taken at Bruges by Count
Baldwin of Flanders and Hainault, and by the Countess Mary his wife,
who was sister to the Count Thibaut of Champagne. Afterwards took the
cross, Henry his brother, Thierri his nephew, who was the son of Count
Philip of Flanders, William the advocate of Béthune, Conon his brother,
John of Nêle Castellan of Bruges, Renier of Trit, Reginald his son,
Matthew of Wallincourt, James of Avesnes, Baldwin of Beauvoir, Hugh of
Beaumetz, Gérard of Mancicourt, Odo of Ham, William of Gommegnies,
Dreux of Beaurain, Roger of Marck, Eustace of Saubruic, Francis of
Colemi, Walter of Bousies, Reginald of Mons, Walter of Tombes, Bernard
of Somergen, and many more right worthy men in great number, with
regard to whom this book does not speak further.
Afterwards took the cross, Count Hugh of St. Paul. With him took the
cross, Peter of Amiens his nephew, Eustace of Canteleu, Nicholas of
Mailly, Anscau of Cayeaux, Guy of Houdain, Walter of Nêle, Peter his
brother, and many other men who are unknown to us.
Directly afterwards took the cross Geoffry of Perche, Stephen his
brother, Rotrou of Montfort, Ives of La Jaille, Aimery of Villeroi,
Geoffry of Beaumont, and many others whose names I do not know.