If you are poor and in want, he will right
willmgly give you of his food and substance, provided you depart out
of his land. Neither would he otherwise wish to do you any hurt,
though he has full power therein, seeing that if you were twenty times
as numerous as you are, you would not be able to get away without
utter discomfiture if so be that he wished to harm you."
By agreement and desire of the other barons, and of the Doge of
Venice, then rose to his feet Conon of B?thune, who was a good knight,
and wise, and very eloquent, and he replied to the envoy: " Fair Sir,
you have told us that your lord marvels much why our signors and
barons should have entered into Ms kingdom and land. Into his land
they have not entered, for he holds this land wrongfully and wickedly,
and against God and against reason. It belongs to Ws nephew, who sits
upon a throne among us, and is the son of his brother, the Emperor
Isaac. But if he is willing to throw himself on the mercy of his
nephew, and to give Mm back his crown and empire, then we will pray
his nephew to forgive him, and bestow upon him as much as will enable
him to live wealthily. And if you come not as the bearer of such a
message, then be not so bold as to come here again." So the envoy
departed and went back to Constantinople, to the Emperor Alexius.
THE CRUSADERS SHOW THE YOUNG ALEXIUS TO THE PEOPLE OF CONSTANTINOPLE, AND
PREPARE FOR THE BATTLE
The barons consulted together on the morrow, and said that they would
show the young Alexius, the son of the Emperor of Constantinople, to
the people of the city.
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