[725] William of Nangis. [726] Rigord; William the Breton. [727] Will. of Nangis, ann. 1196. [728] James of Vitry. [729] Bernard the Treasurer. [730] Bernard; Will. of Nangis, ann. 1197. [731] James of Vitry. [732] Hovedon. [733] Fuller's Holy War; Bernard the Treasurer. [734] James of Vitry; Bernard; Will. of Nangis; A. D. 1198. [735] Vertot; Bernard. [736] James of Vitry. [737] Bernard; A. D. 1205. [738] Sanut. cap. 3. [739] Hovedon. [740] The power of the orders of the Temple and the Hospital had, by this time, become immense. Riches flowed in upon riches, and donation was added to donation. In the year 1244, Matthew Paris declares the Templars possessed in Europe nine thousand manors, and the Hospitallers nineteen thousand. [741] A. D. 1210. [742] James, Cardinal de Vitry. [743] A. D. 1202. [744] Rigord. [745] Ducange; Villehardouin chronique. [746] Villehardouin. [747] Ducange, Hist. de Constantinople sous les Français. [748] Vit. Innocent III. [749] Villehardouin. [750] Ducange. [751] Villehardouin. [752] Baronius; Gesta Innocent III. [753] Villehardouin. [754] Villehardouin; Ducange, Hist. de Constantinople sous les Français. [755] Ducange, notes on Villehardouin. [756] Philip Mouskes. [757] Villehardouin. [758] It consisted of three hundred vessels of a large size, besides palanders and storeships. [759] November, 1202. [760] Gunther; Villehardouin. [761] Ducange; Villehardouin. [762] Alberic; A. D. 1202. [763] Villehardouin. [764] Ducange. [765] Villehardouin. [766] Ducange. [767] Gunther in Canisius. [768] Mills says, that Innocent issued decrees and bulls against the expedition to Constantinople, and founds his reasoning on a passage of Baluzius: but it is extremely probable that the anger of the Pope was a mere menace of the party opposed to the enterprise rather than an existing fact. Baluzius was not present any more than Ducange; and surely, for every thing where research is concerned, Ducange is the better authority of the two: yet Ducange makes no mention of the opposition of the Pope, and absolutely states that the legate counselled the attack on Constantinople. See _Ducange_, _Hist. de Constantinople sous les Francais_. Geoffroy de Villehardouin, who was not only present, but one of the chief actors in what he relates, speaks fully of the Pope's wrath at the attack of Zara, but mentions no opposition to the enterprise against Constantinople, though that enterprise was in agitation at the time the deputies were sent to Rome. Philippe Mouskes, Bishop of Tournay, a contemporary, states that the first application of the young Prince Alexius to the crusaders was made by the advice of the Pope. [769] Villehardouin. [770] June, 1203. [771] Nicetas, lib. iii. cap. 5. [772] Villehardouin. [773] Ibid. [774] Dandolo, Chron.; Villehardouin. [775] Epist. Innocent III. [776] Villehardouin. [777] Ducange; Villehardouin; Nicetas. [778] Villehardouin. [779] Nicetas.