As they had settled, so was it done, and they encamped before the walls
and before the towers by their ships. Count Baldwin of Flanders and
Hainault quartered himself in the scarlet tents that the Emperor
Mourzuphles had left standing, and Henry his brother before the palace
of Blachernæ; and Boniface, Marquis of Montferrat, he and his men,
towards the thickest part of the city. So were the host encamped as you
have heard, and Constantinople taken on the Monday after Palm Sunday
(12th April 1204).
Now Count Louis of Blois and Chartres had languished all the winter
with a quartan fever, and could not bear his armour. And you must know
that this was a great misfortune to the host, seeing he was a good
knight of his body; and he lay in one of the transports.
Thus did those of the host, who were very weary, rest that night. But
the Emperor Mourzuphles rested not, for he assembled all his people,
and said he would go and attack the Franks. Nevertheless he did not do
as he had said, for he rode along other streets, as far as he could
from those held by the host, and came to a gate which is called the
Golden Gate, whereby he escaped, and avoided the city; and afterwards
all who could fled also. And of all this those of the host knew
nothing.
During that night, towards the quarters of Boniface Marquis of
Montferrat, certain people, whose names are unknown to me, being in
fear lest the Greeks should attack them, set fire to the buildings
between themselves and the Greeks. And the city began to take fire, and
to burn very direfully; and it burned all that night and all the next
day, till vesper-time. And this was the third fire there had been in
Constantinople since the Franks arrived in the land; and more houses
had been burned in the city than there are houses in any three of the
greatest cities in the kingdom of France.
That night passed and the next day came, which was a Tuesday morning
(13th April 1204); and all armed themselves throughout the host, both
knights and sergeants, and each repaired to his post. Then they issued
from their quarters, and thought to find a sorer battle than the day
before, for no word had come to them that the emperor had fled during
the night. But they found none to oppose them.