Chap. 8.

IT happened there came a pilgrime to Jerusalem called Peter, an Hermite, born at Amiens in France; one of a contem∣ptible person: His silly looks carried in them a despair of any worth; and yet (as commonly the richest mines lie under the basest and barrennest surface of ground) he had a quick appre∣hension, eloquent tongue, and what got him the greatest re∣pute, was accounted very religious. With him Simon the Pa∣triarch of Jerusalem often treated, concerning the present mise∣ries of the Christians under the Turks; what hope of amend∣ment; and how the matter might secretly be contrived, that the Princes of Europe might assist and relieve them. Peter mo∣ved with the Patriarchs perswasions, the equity and honoura∣blenesse of the cause, and chiefly with a vision (as they say) from† heaven (wherein our Saviour himself appointed him his Legate, with a commission to negotiate the Christian cause) took the whole businesse upon him,* and travelled to Rome to consult with Pope Urbane the second about the advancing of so pious a design.

Now, though many cry up this Hermite to have been so pre∣tious a piece of holinesse, yet† some suspect him to be little bet∣ter then a counterfeit, and a cloke-father for a plot of the Popes begetting: because the Pope alone was the gainer by this great adventure, and all other Princes of Europe, if they cast up their audite, shall find themselves losers: This with some is a pre∣sumption, that this cunning merchant first secretly employed this Hermite to be his factour, and to go to Jerusalem to set on foot so beneficiall a trade for the Romish Church. As for the apparition of our Saviour, one may wonder that the world should see most visions when it was most blind and that that age most barren in learning, should be most fruitfull in revelations. And surely had Peter been truly inspired by God, and moved by his Spirit to begin this warre, he would not have apostared from his purpose: so mortified a man would not have feared death in a good cause, as he did afterwards, and basely ran away at† Antioch. For when the siege grew hot, his devotion grew cold; he found a difference betwixt a voluntary fast in his cell, and a necessary and undispensable famine in a camp:* so that be∣ing well hunger-pincht, this cunning companion who was the Page  12 trumpet to sound a march to others, secretly sounded a retreat to himself, ran away from the rest of the Christians, and was shamefully brought back again for a† fugitive.

But to return to Pope Urbane, who was zealous in the cause to further it, and called a Council at Clermont in France,* where met many Princes and Prelates to whom he made a long ora∣tion;† Authours differ in the mould, but they agree in the me∣tall,* that it was to this effect: First, he bemoned the miseries of the Christians in Asia, and the vastation of those holy places. Jerusalem,* which was once the joy of the whole earth, was now become the grief of all good men:* the Chapell of Christs con∣ception, at Nazareth; birth, at Bethlehem; buriall, on mount Calvarie; ascension, on mount Olivet, once the fountains of piety, were now become the sinks of all profanenesse. Next, he encouraged the Princes in the Council, to take arms against those infidels, and† to break their bonds in sunder, and to cast their cords farre from them, and (as it is written) to cast out the handmaid and her children. Otherwise, if they would not help to quench their neighbours houses, they must expect the speedy burning of their own, and that these barbarous nations would quickly overrun all Europe. Now to set an edge on their cou∣rage, he promised to all that went this voyage, a full remission of their sins and penance here, and the enjoying heaven hereafter. Lastly, thus concluded,† Gird your swords to your thighs, O ye men of might. It is our parts to pray, yours to fight; ours with Moses to hold up unwearied hands to God, yours to stretch forth the sword against these children of Amalek. Amen.

It is above belief with what chearfulnesse this motion, meet∣ing with an active and religious world, was generally entertain∣ed; so that the whole assembly cried out,† God willeth it: A speech which was afterwards used as a fortunate watch-word in their most dangerous designes. Then took many of them a crosse of red cloth on their right shoulder, as a badge of their devotion: And to gain the favourable assistance of the Virgin Mary to make this warre the more happy, her† Office was in∣stituted, containing certain prayers, which at Canonicall houres were to be made unto her. If fame which hath told many a lie of others, be not herein belyed her self, the things concluded in this Council, were the same night reported at impossible di∣stance in the utmost parts of Christendome. What spirituall intelligencers there should be; or what echoes in the hollow arch of this world should so quickly resound news from the one side thereof to the other, belongeth not to us to dispute. Yet we find the† overthrow of Perseus brought out of Macedon to Rome in four dayes; & fame (mounted no doubt on some Pega∣sus) in Domitians time, brought a report 2500 miles in one day.