The castle yielded itself to them, and they
remained there five days; and then said they would go and relieve
Renier of Trit, who was besieged in Stanimac, and had been shut up
therein for thirteen months. So Henry the Regent of the empire,
remained in the camp, with a great part of the host, and the remainder
went forward to relieve Renier of Trit at Stanimac.
And you must know that those who went forward went in very great
peril, and that any rescue so full of danger has but seldom been
undertaken, seeing that they rode for three days through the land of
their enemies. In this rescue took part
116
Conon of B?thune, and Geoffry of Villehardouin, Marshal of Roumania
and Champagne, and Macaire of Sainte-Menehould, and Miles the Brabant,
and Peter of Bracieux, and Payen of Orl?ans, and Anseau of Cayeux, and
Thierri of Loos, and William of Perchoi, and a body of Venetians under
command of Andrew Val?re. So they rode forward till they came to the
castle of Stanimac, and approached so near that they could now see it.
Renier of Trit was on the walls, and he perceived the advanced guard,
which was under Geoffry the Marshal, and the other battalions,
approaching in very good order; and he knew not what people they might
be. And no wonder that he was in doubt, for of a long time he had
heard no tidings of us ; and he thought we were Greeks coming to
besiege him.
Geoffry the Marshal of Roumania and Champagne took certain Turcoples
[soldiers born of a Turkish father atid a Greek mother] and mounted
cross-bowmen and sent them forward to see if they could learn the
condition of the castle; for they knew not if those within it were
alive or dead, seeing that of a long time they had heard no tidings of
them.
Pages:
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182