"
Then the Count of Flanders began to give all that he had and all that
he could borrow, and so did Count Louis, and the Marquis, and the
Count of Saint-Paul, and those who were of their party. Then might you
have seen many a fine vessel of gold and silver borne in payment to
the palace of the Doge. And when all had been brought together, there
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was still wanting, of the sum required, 34,000 marks of silver. Then
those who had kept back their possessions and not brought them into
the common stock, were right glad, for they thought now surely the
host must fail and go to pieces. But God, who advises those who have
been ill-advised, would not so suffer it.
THE CRUSADERS OBTAIN A RESPITE BY PROMISING TO HELP THE VENETIANS AGAINST
ZARA
Then the Doge spoke to his people, and said unto them:
Signors, these people cannot pay more; and in so far as they have paid
at all, we have benefited by an agreement which they cannot now
fulfil. But our right to keep this money would not everywhere be
acknowledged; and if we so kept it we should be greatly blamed, both
us and our land. Let us therefore offer them terms.
"The King of Hungary has taken from us Zara in Sclavonia, which is one
of the strongest places in the world; and never shall we recover it
with all the power that we possess, save with the help of these
people. Let us therefore ask them to help us to reconquer it, and we
will remit the payment of the debt of 34,000 marks of silver, until
such time as it shall please God to allow us to gain the moneys by
conquest, we and they together.
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