PartII。
WhenthesixambassadorsoftheFrenchpilgrimsarrivedatVenice，theywerehospitablyentertainedinthepalaceofSt。
Mark，bythereigningduke；hisnamewasHenryDandolo；^40andheshoneinthelastperiodofhumanlifeasoneofthemostillustriouscharactersofthetimes。Undertheweightofyears，andafterthelossofhiseyes，^41Dandoloretainedasoundunderstandingandamanlycourage:thespiritofahero，ambitioustosignalizehisreignbysomememorableexploits；andthewisdomofapatriot，anxioustobuildhisfameonthegloryandadvantageofhiscountry。Hepraisedtheboldenthusiasmandliberalconfidenceofthebaronsandtheirdeputies:insuchacause，andwithsuchassociates，heshouldaspire，wereheaprivateman，toterminatehislife；buthewastheservantoftherepublic，andsomedelaywasrequisitetoconsult，onthisarduousbusiness，thejudgmentofhiscolleagues。TheproposaloftheFrenchwasfirstdebatedbythesixsageswhohadbeenrecentlyappointedtocontroltheadministrationofthedoge:itwasnextdisclosedtothefortymembersofthecouncilofstate；
andfinallycommunicatedtothelegislativeassemblyoffourhundredandfiftyrepresentatives，whowereannuallychoseninthesixquartersofthecity。Inpeaceandwar，thedogewasstillthechiefoftherepublic；hislegalauthoritywassupportedbythepersonalreputationofDandolo:hisargumentsofpublicinterestwerebalancedandapproved；andhewasauthorizedtoinformtheambassadorsofthefollowingconditionsofthetreaty。^42ItwasproposedthatthecrusadersshouldassembleatVenice，onthefeastofSt。Johnoftheensuingyear；thatflat—bottomedvesselsshouldbepreparedforfourthousandfivehundredhorses，andninethousandsquires，withanumberofshipssufficientfortheembarkationoffourthousandfivehundredknights，andtwentythousandfoot；thatduringatermofninemonthstheyshouldbesuppliedwithprovisions，andtransportedtowhatsoevercoasttheserviceofGodandChristendomshouldrequire；andthattherepublicshouldjointhearmamentwithasquadronoffiftygalleys。Itwasrequired，thatthepilgrimsshouldpay，beforetheirdeparture，asumofeighty—fivethousandmarksofsilver；andthatallconquests，byseaandland，shouldbeequallydividedbetweentheconfederates。Thetermswerehard；buttheemergencywaspressing，andtheFrenchbaronswerenotlessprofuseofmoneythanofblood。Ageneralassemblywasconvenedtoratifythetreaty:thestatelychapelandplaceofSt。Markwerefilledwithtenthousandcitizens；andthenobledeputiesweretaughtanewlessonofhumblingthemselvesbeforethemajestyofthepeople。\"IllustriousVenetians，\"saidthemarshalofChampagne，\"wearesentbythegreatestandmostpowerfulbaronsofFrancetoimploretheaidofthemastersoftheseaforthedeliveranceofJerusalem。Theyhaveenjoinedustofallprostrateatyourfeet；norwillwerisefromthegroundtillyouhavepromisedtoavengewithustheinjuriesofChrist。\"
Theeloquenceoftheirwordsandtears，^43theirmartialaspect，andsuppliantattitude，wereapplaudedbyauniversalshout；asitwere，saysJeffrey，bythesoundofanearthquake。Thevenerabledogeascendedthepulpittourgetheirrequestbythosemotivesofhonorandvirtue，whichalonecanbeofferedtoapopularassembly:thetreatywastranscribedonparchment，attestedwithoathsandseals，mutuallyacceptedbytheweepingandjoyfulrepresentativesofFranceandVenice；anddespatchedtoRomefortheapprobationofPopeInnocenttheThird。Twothousandmarkswereborrowedofthemerchantsforthefirstexpensesofthearmament。Ofthesixdeputies，tworepassedtheAlpstoannouncetheirsuccess，whiletheirfourcompanionsmadeafruitlesstrialofthezealandemulationoftherepublicsofGenoaandPisa。