392 ROGER OP AVENDO VER» - [A.D. 1097. stantinople, duke Boamund at Castorea, and the count of Toulouse at Pelagonia, they celebrated the day of our Lord's nativity, and, in honour of the season they determined to withhold their hands from every species of plunder or injury. In the beginning of spring they collected their baggage, and, proceeding on their journey with wagons and sumpter horses, advanced by slow marches towards Nice, and from thence to Nicomedia, the metropolis of Bithynia, where they met the venerable Peter the hermit, at the head of a few troops whom he had saved from their former defeats. The princes received him kindly, and condoling with Mm on the losses which he had experienced, gave him many handsome presents. Thus the army of the crusaders increased in numbers, and proceeding on their journey by easy marches, they by God's grace, reached Nice, where, encamping round it in a circle, but so as to leave a vacant space for future pilgrims, they laid siege to the city in the month of May, and on the fifteenth day of the month, being Ascension day. The count of Toulouse now speedily completed his business at court, and with the emperor's permission, made the utmost speed towards Nice, where he joined his troops to the army of the besiegers. Horn duke Robert came to the siege of Nice. Now, Robert duke of Normandy hearing that the city of Nice was besieged by the crusaders who had gone before him, called together his companions in arms, and having prepared his baggage, went down to the sea-side, and anxious to redeem the time which he had wasted in Apuleia, he passed through Blyricum, Macedonia, and Thrace without opposition, and arrived at Constantinople. Here he was admitted into the emperor's presence, and with other nobles who accompanied him, took the oath of allegiance which was offered. For this reason they were admitted into more extensive favour, and honoured with gifts ; gold, costly robes, vessels of exquisite workmanship and rich material, with garments wholly of silk and of unheard-of value, such as they had never seen before, and which caused the utmost astonishment to those who received them, because they exceeded all they had ever seen. After this they obtained the emperor's permission, and crossing the