Thus their peril and toil lasted for nearly ten days, until, on a
Thursday morning (17th July 1203) 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 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
near to the part of the shore that lay under the walls and the towers.
Then might you have seen the mangonels shooting from the ships and
transports, and the crossbow bolts flying, and the bows letting fly
their arrows deftly and well; and those within defending the walls and
towers very fiercely; and the ladders on the ships coming so near that
in many places swords and lances crossed; and the tumult and noise were
so great that it seemed as if the very earth and sea were melting
together. And be it known to you that the galleys did not dare to come
to the shore.