Then was there much discord in the host, as had been oft times before
on the part of those who wished that the host should break up; for to
them it seemed to be holding together too long. And the party that had
raised the discord at Corfu reminded the others of their oaths, and
said: “Give us ships as you swore to us, for we purpose to go to
Syria.”
And the others cried to them for pity and said: “Lords, for God’s sake,
let us not bring to naught the great honour that God has given us. If
we go to Syria at this present, we shall come thither at the beginning
of winter and so not be able to make war, and the Lord’s work will thus
remain undone. But if we wait till March, we shall leave this emperor
in good estate, and go hence rich in goods and in food. Thus shall we
go to Syria, and over-run the land of Babylon. And the fleet will
remain with us till Michaelmas, yes, and onwards from Michaelmas to
Easter, seeing it will be unable to leave us because of the winter. So
shall the land overseas fall into our hands.”
Those who wished the host to be broken up, cared not for reasons good
or bad so long as the host fell to pieces. But those who wished to keep
the host together, wrought so effectually, with the help of God, that
in the end the Venetians made a new covenant to maintain the fleet for
a year, reckoning from Michaelmas, the Emperor Alexius paying them for
so doing; and the pilgrims, on their side, made a new covenant to
remain in the same fellowship as theretofore, and for the same term.
Thus were peace and concord established in the host.
Then there befell a very great mischance in the host; for Matthew of
Montmorency, who was one of the best knights in the kingdom of France,
and of the most prized and most honoured, took to his bed for sickness,
and his sickness so increased upon him that he died. And much dole was
made for him, for great was the loss-one of the greatest that had
befallen the host by any man’s death. He was buried in a church of my
Lord St. John, of the Hospital of Jerusalem.