And some there were who drew back from the assault, with the
ships in which they were. And some remained with their ships at anchor
so near to the city that from either side they shot at one another
with petraries and mangonels.
Then, at vesper time, those of the host and the Doge of Venice called
together a parliament, and assembled in a church on the other side of
the straits-on the side where they had been quartered. There were many
opinions given and discussed; and much were those of the host moved
for the mischief that had that day befallen them. And many advised
that they should attack the city on another side the side where it was
not so well fortified. But the Venetians, who had fuller knowledge of
the sea, said that if they went to that other side, the current would
carry them down the straits, and that they would be unable to stop
their ships. And you must know that there were those who would have
been well pleased if the current had home them down the straits, or
the wind, they cared not whither, so long -as they left that land
behind, and went on their way. Nor is this to be wondered at, for they
were in sore peril.
Enough was there spoken, this way and in that; but the conclusion of
their deliberation was this: that they would repair and refit on the
following day, which was Saturday, and during the whole of Sunday, and
that on the Monday they would return to the assault; and they devised
further that the ships that carried the scaling ladders should be
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bound together, two and two, so that two ships should be in case to
attack one tower; for they had perceived that day how only one ship
had attacked each tower, and that this had been too heavy a task for
the ship, seeing that those in the tower were more in number than
those on the ladder.
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