And when he had been through the land, and was about to
depart, the Bulgarians of the land collected and saw that the marquis
had but a small force with him. So they came from all parts and
attacked the rear-guard. And when the marquis heard the shouting, he
leapt on a horse, all unarmed as he was, with a lance in his hand. And
when he came together, where the Bulgarians were fighting with the
rear-guard, hand to hand, he ran in upon them, and drove them a great
way back.
Then was the Marquis Boniface of Montferrat wounded with an arrow, in
the thick of the arm, beneath the shoulder, mortally, and he began to
lose blood. And when his men saw it, they began to be dismayed, and to
lose heart, and to bear themselves badly. Those who were round the
marquis held him up, and he was losing much blood; and he began to
faint. And when his men perceived that he could give them no farther
help, they were the more dismayed, and began to desert him. So were
they discomfited by misadventure; and those who remained by him-and
they were but few-were killed.
The head of the Marquis Boniface of Montferrat was cut off, and the
people of the land sent it to Johannizza; and that was one of the
greatest joys that ever Johannizza had. Alas! what a dolorous mishap
for the Emperor Henry, and for all the Latins of the land of Roumania,
to lose such a man by such a misadventure-one of the best barons and
most liberal, and one of the best knights in the world! And this
misadventure befell in the year of the Incarnation of Jesus Christ,
twelve hundred and seven.
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