ancestors arouse you-the goodness and magnanimity of Charlemagne and other of your kings, who were the prop of Christendom, and who raised a barrier against the progress of the Turks. Let the thought of the sepulchre of Christ our Saviour, possessed by the foul heathen, and of the holy places dishonoured by their sacrilegious impurities-let these thoughts excite you to instant action. O brave soldiers! offspring of invincible fathers! degenerate not from your ancient blood. Remember the virtues of those who have gone before you.

"Are you held back by the soft ties of wives, of children, of parents? Call to mind the words of our Lord,' He that loveth father, or mother, more than me, is not worthy of me;' and he that loveth son, or daughter, more than me, is not worthy of me.' And 'he that taketh not his cross, and followeth not after me, is not worthy of me.' Allow not your present possessions to detain you from the enterprise. Your own land, bounded by the sea on one side, and surrounded by mountains on the other, is too narrow for your numerous population, and can scarcely supply you with the necessaries of life, much less afford you an exuberance of wealth. Hence the contentions and wars in which you are continually engaged. Take, therefore, the way of the holy sepulchre, and subdue the land now held by the wicked pagan. That land was given by God to the sons of Israel-a land, as saith the Scriptures, flowing with milk and honey.' Jerusalem is

its centre; and rich above all others, it offers, so to speak, the delights of paradise. That land, too, the Redeemer of the human race rendered illustrious by his advent, honoured by his residence, consecrated by his passion, repurchased by his death, signalized by his sepulture. That royal city, Jerusalem, situated in the centre of the world, held captive by infidels who deny the God that honoured her, now calls on you, and prays for her deliverance. From you above all people she looks for succour, since to you God has granted, beyond all nations, glory and might of arms. Take then the way before you, in expiation of your sins, assured of the imperishable glory of the kingdom of heaven."

At this moment, loud shouts of "GoD WILLS IT! GOD WILLS IT!" uttered in all the different dialects and languages of the assembled multitude, simultaneously burst forth, interrupting the speech of the pontiff. Urban saw his opportunity, and seized it. As soon as silence could be procured, he proceeded:-" Beloved brethren, to-day is fulfilled that of which our Lord speaks in the Gospel, 'When two or three shall be met together in my name, there will I be in the midst of them;' for unless the Lord God had been in your soul, the voice of one Iwould not have been the voice of all. The shout proceeded from a multitude, but its source was manifestly the same. I say, therefore, that it was God who put it into your hearts, and constrained you to utter it. Let this then be your war-cry in the combat, and

when you rush to the encounter with his foes, let but that one shout be heard, 'God wills it! God wills it!'

"We neither command nor advise this journey, however, to the old, nor to the weak, nor to those unaccustomed to bear arms; neither to women without their husbands or brothers, or lawful guardians. Such would rather be burdensome than useful. Let the rich assist the poor, and bring with them to the field those who are able to bear arms. Still, let not priests or clerks of whatever order set out on this journey without the license of their bishops, nor laymen without the blessing of their pastors, for to such the expedition would be fruitless. Whoever is disposed to offer himself as a sacrifice, holy, living, and well-pleasing to God, let him wear the sign of the Lord's cross on his breast; and he who is about to enter on the sacred journey, let him wear the same blessed symbol on his back. Thus shall they fulfil that precept of the Saviour, which commands us to take up his cross and follow him." Urban thus ended his oration, and the whole of the assembled multitudes, prostrating themselves on the ground, confession was made by one of the cardinals, after which the pope pronounced his benediction, and the immense concourse dispersed, strong in purpose for the enterprise which lay before them.*

The effects of this council were most surprising. The news of it spread with amaz* Robertus Monachus, lib..i.

ing rapidity. It was not held till the month of November, 1095, and early in the spring of 1096 a large body of the Crusaders were in motion towards Palestine. The minds of the people were fully prepared to receive the intelligence, and to kindle at its announcement. The lightning of the Crusade, it has been said, was in their hearts, and it wanted but one electric touch to make it flash forth upon the world. This was given by the council of Clermont.

Nothing could surpass the enthusiasm with which the wishes of the pope were responded to. Europe was stirred from its foundations. The crusading passion raged almost to madness. It extended not only to the continental provinces, but to the most distant islands. "The Welshman," says William of Malmesbury, “left his hunting, the Dane his drinking party, and the Norwegian his raw fish-all eager to join the expedition to the Holy Land."* Knights and nobles were alike influenced by the same zeal. The poor equally caught the flame. None escaped the contagion.

"who

"Who," exclaims an eye-witness, shall tell the children and the infirm, that, animated with the same spirit, hastened to the war? Who shall count the old men and the young maids, who hurried to the fight? not with the hope of aiding, but for the crown of martyrdom, to be won amidst the swords of the infidels. You young warriors, they cried, you

*Book iv. chap. ii. p. 416.

shall vanquish by the spear, but let us conquer for Christ by the merit of our sufferings."

Europe was now one universal scene of agitation. It was moved from its centre to its circumference. There was no nation so remote, nor any portion of the community so retired, as not to share in the general excitement. One theme stirred from their lowest depths the souls of all. In an incredibly short space of time, immense masses of the population were seen on the road to Palestine, as though the whole western world had resolved on transporting itself to the east.

Walter, surnamed the Pennyless, a native of Burgundy, and a soldier of fortune, was the first to set out at the head of a considerable band, whom he had collected under the banner of the cross, having only eight knights however to accompany him. To maintain the command of so vast a multitude, composed exclusively of the lower orders, untrained to arms, and but poorly supplied for the necessities of the journey, was no small undertaking. Yet this bold enthusiast proceeded in safety to Hungary, where he was treated with kindness by the king, who gave him a passport through his territory, with full license to trade with his people. Walter continued his way without interruption until he arrived at Malleville, a city on the borders of the country. But here ten of his followers, tarrying behind to purchase arms, were attacked and plundered, after the * Guibertus Novigentis, lib. ii. cap. i.