the respect due to his exalted station.* But Godfrey was on his march, and having arrived at Philippopoli, received intelligence of Hugh's imprisonment. With the utmost promptitude he dispatched messengers to the emperor, demanding the instant liberation of the noble captive, at the same time advancing with his army to Adrianople. The messenger returned with a refusal. At once, therefore, Godfrey gave up the whole district to the pillage of his soldiers, who continued their ravages for eight days. Alexius was alarmed, and granted the request; on which, with a command which did honour to the moderation of his character and the strictness of his discipline, Godfrey put an immediate stop to the depredations of his troops, and proceeded in military array to the walls of Constantinople.

Hugh, hearing of the arrival of his deliverer, rushed out to meet him, and Alexius, terrorstricken at the sight of Godfrey's iron-clad warriors, began to devise means to conciliate his favour. Scarcely was the conference between Hugh and Godfrey concluded, than messengers arrived from the emperor, requesting the duke, with his chief officers, to visit the palace, leaving his army without the walls. This he peremptorily declined, nor did he yield consent until Alexius had given his own son as a hostage for his safety. '

It was long before the wily emperor, with all

* Gulielmus Tvrii, lib. ii. cap. IV. Guibertus, lib. ii. cap. xix,

his arts, could extort an act of homage from Godfrey. At length, however, he prevailed, and it was agreed between them, that whatever countries or cities-Jerusalem alone exceptedwhich had ever belonged to the Greek empire, might be recovered from the Turks by the Latins, should be restored to Alexius; and that he on his part should furnish the Crusaders with arms, shipping, and other necessaries for the expedition. Godfrey was now loaded with favours. On an appointed day, he received the distinction of what was called an adoption of honour. He was clothed in the imperial vestments, and the emperor, addressing him as his son, nominally placed his dominions at his disposal. The ceremony being over, Alexius unlocked his treasures, and bestowed them both upon the duke and his companions with the most lavish profusion.*

Constantinople presented, during the next few months, a scene such as perhaps no city on the face of the globe had ever exhibited in the same space of time. All the military glory of the west appeared at its gates, and moved in grand procession through the eastern empire, as imposing a spectacle as the hosts of war

*Gulielmus Tyrii, lib. ii. cap. v. This was not so much an adoption as an alliance between princes, who reciprocally gave to each other the title of father and son. These adoptions, therefore, were merely honorary, and did not entitle the adopted son to inherit the fortune of him who adopted him. The ceremony varied, but, in some cases, the person who adopted threw over him whom he adopted his shirt or mantle, testifying by this that he considered him as his son. Du Cange in Joinville, vol. ii. p. 178.

had ever displayed. While Godfrey and Hugh, with their followers, were regaling themselves in Constantinople, intelligence came of the approach of another body of Crusaders. They instantly, therefore, prepared for their departure, and, laden with gold, and precious stones, and silks, and costly utensils, admired as much for their beautiful workmanship as for the material of which they were made, crossed the Hellespont, and encamped on the plains of Bithynia.

Boemond and Tancred

reach the imperial city. Raymond and others hemed were the next to soon followed them. Alexius pursued the same policy with them which he had with their predecessors, and all the Crusaders, in succession, took the oath which he proposed to them, except Tancred and Raymond. Tancred, hearing of the demand, and disdaining compliance, suddenly transported himself across the Hellespont, and joined the army of Godfrey. Raymond boldly contested it at the point of the sword, resolutely affirming "that he had not come to acknowledge or to serve any other Lord than Christ, for whom he had forsaken country, and house, and lands, but that if the emperor would take the lead of the expedition to the holy city, he would place himself and his troops under his command, otherwise he would yield him no submission. Alexius professed to be satisfied, and the count of Toulouse was now loaded with the same favours and distinctions as his brethren, remaining for some time

amid the pomp and luxury of the imperial palace.*

The temporary sojourn of the Crusaders in Constantinople was of all other events the most calamitous to the enterprise. The jealousies and differences raised up amongst them by the intriguing spirit of Alexius, were never entirely done away, and, besides this, the intervention of petty motives, long discussions, and schemes of individual aggrandizement, chilled the fervour of zeal, and thus weighed down the most energetic spring of the undertaking. The luxury of the most luxurious court of Europe, too, was not without its effect upon the Crusaders, and the memory of the delights of the imperial city was more likely to afford subjects of disadvantageous comparison when opposed to the hardships of Palestine, than the remembrance of the turbulent realm from which they had first begun their march.†

The whole host of the Crusaders at length assembled on the plains of Asia to the number of seven hundred thousand, presenting an appearance the most gorgeous and magnificent. "The number of banners of purple and gold, and rich colours-each feudal baron having the right to bear his banner to the field -rendered the Christian' army in full array as bright a spectacle as the sun could shine upon.

* Gulielmus Tyrii, lib. ii. cap. xii.; Guibertus, lib. ii. cap. 1x.; Raimondi de Agiles Historia, p. 140; Baldricus, lib. i. William of Malmesbury, p. 418.

† History of Chivalry, by G. P. R. James, esq., p. 98.

The armour of the knights gave a glittering and splendid effect to the scene. It varied according to various nations, some wearing the corslet or breastplate, and others the linked mail, which, in the case of the knights, enveloped the whole body, being composed of a shirt of rings, with hose, shoes, and gauntlets of the same materials. The helmet, also, was in some cases covered with a chain hood, which completed the dress. The shield charged with some design, though not with armorial bearings, together with the lance, sword, and mace, made up the arms offensive and defensive."

The march from Constantinople to Jerusalem was long and difficult; it occupied many months. It had to be pursued under the burning heat of an eastern sky. The enemy continually came down upon the armies of the cross with overwhelming forces. The further the Crusaders advanced, the more numerous and powerful their adversaries became, while they themselves were placed at a still greater remove from the possibility of reinforcement and supplies. Famine and pestilence, also, did their work of desolation among them. It would be an instructive and affecting exercise to follow the expedition through this whole march, but our limited space will only allow of a brief notice of the three principal events-the siege of Nice,

*History of Chivalry, by G. P. R. James, esq., p. 181; Fuller's Historie of the Holy Warre, book i. cap. xvi.; Gulielmus Tyrii, lib. ii.; Albertus, lib. ii. cap. xli,