Thus they waited till it was night; and when it was night the Doge of
Venice left the camp, as had been arranged, and Geoffry the Marshal
formed the rear-guard. And they departed at foot pace, and took with
them all their people mounted and dismounted, the wounded as well those
who were whole-they left not one behind. And they journeyed towards a
city that lies upon the sea, called Rodosto, and that was full three
days’ journey distant. So they departed from Adrianople, as you have
heard; and this adventure befell in the year of the Incarnation of
Jesus Christ twelve hundred and five.
And in the night that the host left Adrianople, it happened that a
company started to get to Constantinople earlier, and by a more direct
way; and they were greatly blamed therefor. In this company was a
certain count from Lombardy named Gerard, who came from the land of the
marquis, and Odo of Ham, who was lord of a castle called Ham in
Vermandois, and John of Maseroles, and many others to the number of
twenty-five knights, whom the book does not name. And they went away so
fast after the discomfiture, which had taken place on the Thursday
evening, that they came to Constantinople on the Saturday night, though
it was ordinarily a good five days’ journey. And they told the news to
the Cardinal Peter of Capua, who was there by the authority of Innocent
Pope of Rome, and to Conon of Béthune, who guarded the city, and to
Miles the Brabant, and to the other good men in the city. And you must
know that these were greatly affeared, and thought of a certainty that
all the rest, who had been left before Adrianople, were lost, for they
had no news of them.