THE EMPEROR MEETS JOHANNIZZA, AND RECAPTURES HIS PRISONERS
Then came tidings that in a certain valley, three leagues distant from
the host, were the men and women whom ohannizza was leading away
captive, together with 9.11 his plunder, and all his chariots. Then
did Henry appoint that the Greeks from Adrianople and Demotica should
go and recover the captives and the plunder, two battalions of knights
going with them; and as had been arranged, so was this done on the
morrow. The command of the one battalion was given to Eustace, the
brother of the Emperor Henry of Constantinople, and the command of the
other to Macaire of Sainte-Menehould.
So they rode, they and the Greeks, till they came to the valley of
which they had been told; and there they found the captives. And
Johannizza's men engaged the Emperor Henry's men, and men and horses
were killed and wounded On either side; but by the goodness of God,
the Franks had
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the advantage, and rescued the captives, and caused them to turn
again, and brought them away.
And you must know that this was a mighty deliverance; for the captives
numbered full twenty thousand men, women, and children; and there were
full three thousand chariots laden with their clothes and baggage, to
say nothing of other booty in good quantity. The line of the captives,
as they came to the camp, was two great leagues in length, and they
reached the camp that night.
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