ABSTRACT
Once the city had been captured and the pilgrims lodged, as I have told you already, and the palaces were occupied, we found so many riches that it was excessive. How rich and well finished were the palaces of Boukoleon I will now tell you. There was inside this palace that Boniface, the marquis of Montferrat, had occupied, five hundred rooms, all connected one to the other and all covered in gold mosaic. There were also at least thirty chapels, big and small. There was one that was called the Holy Chapel, that was so rich and noble that not one hinge or bolt that was of anything but silver instead of iron, and there was no column that was not of jasper or porphyry or some other expensive precious stone. And the pavement of this chapel was of a white marble so smooth and bright that it seemed to be made of crystal. And this chapel was so rich and noble that no one could describe the great beauty and nobility of this chapel. . . .
