Abrilliantarrayofbishopsandcardinalssurroundedhim；andamongthem，humblerinrank，butmoreimportantintheworld’seye，theHermitPeter，dressedinhissimpleandausterehabiliments。
　　HistoriansdifferastowhetherornotPeteraddressedthecrowd，butasallagreethathewaspresent，itseemsreasonabletosupposethathespoke。ButitwastheorationofthePopethatwasmostimportant。
　　Ashelifteduphishandstoensureattention，everyvoiceimmediatelybecamestill。HebeganbydetailingthemiseriesenduredbytheirbrethrenintheHolyLand；howtheplainsofPalestineweredesolatedbytheoutrageousheathen，whowiththeswordandthefirebrandcarriedwailingintothedwellingsandflamesintothepossessionsofthefaithful；howChristianwivesanddaughtersweredefiledbypaganlust；howthealtarsofthetrueGodweredesecrated，andtherelicsofthesaintstroddenunderfoot。“You，“continuedtheeloquentpontiff，andUrbantheSecondwasoneofthemosteloquentmenoftheday，“you，whohearme，andwhohavereceivedthetruefaith，andbeenendowedbyGodwithpower，andstrength，andgreatnessofsoul，——whoseancestorshavebeenthepropofChristendom，andwhosekingshaveputabarrieragainsttheprogressoftheinfidel，——Icalluponyoutowipeofftheseimpuritiesfromthefaceoftheearth，andliftyouroppressedfellow-christiansfromthedepthsintowhichtheyhavebeentrampled。ThesepulchreofChristispossessedbytheheathen，thesacredplacesdishonouredbytheirvileness。Oh，braveknightsandfaithfulpeople！offspringofinvinciblefathers！yewillnotdegeneratefromyourancientrenown。Yewillnotberestrainedfromembarkinginthisgreatcausebythetendertiesofwifeorlittleones，butwillrememberthewordsoftheSaviouroftheworldhimself，’Whosoeverlovesfatherandmothermorethanmeisnotworthyofme。
　　Whosoevershallabandonformyname’ssakehishouse，orhisbrethren，orhissisters，orhisfather，orhismother，orhiswife，orhischildren，orhislands，shallreceiveahundredfold，andshallinheriteternallife。’“
　　Thewarmthofthepontiffcommunicateditselftothecrowd，andtheenthusiasmofthepeoplebrokeoutseveraltimesereheconcludedhisaddress。Hewentontopourtray，notonlythespiritualbutthetemporaladvantages，thatshouldaccruetothosewhotookuparmsintheserviceoftheCross。Palestinewas，hesaid，alandflowingwithmilkandhoney，andpreciousinthesightofGod，asthesceneofthegrandeventswhichhadsavedmankind。Thatland，hepromised，shouldbedividedamongthem。Moreover，theyshouldhavefullpardonforalltheiroffences，eitheragainstGodorman。“Go，then，“headded，“inexpiationofyoursins；andgoassured，thatafterthisworldshallhavepassedaway，imperishablegloryshallbeyoursintheworldwhichistocome。“Theenthusiasmwasnolongertoberestrained，andloudshoutsinterruptedthespeaker；thepeopleexclaimingasifwithonevoice，“Dieuleveult！Dieuleveult！“WithgreatpresenceofmindUrbantookadvantageoftheoutburst，andassoonassilencewasobtained，continued:“Dearbrethren，to-dayisshownforthinyouthatwhichtheLordhassaidbyhisevangelist，’Whentwoorthreearegatheredtogetherinmyname，therewillIbeinthemidstofthemtoblessthem。’IftheLordGodhadnotbeeninyoursouls，youwouldnotallhavepronouncedthesamewords；orratherGodhimselfpronouncedthembyyourlips，foritwasHethatputtheminyourhearts。Bethey，then，yourwar-cryinthecombat，forthosewordscameforthfromGod。LetthearmyoftheLordwhenitrushesuponHisenemiesshoutbutthatonecry，’Dieuleveult！Dieuleveult！’Letwhoeverisinclinedtodevotehimselftothisholycausemakeitasolemnengagement，andbearthecrossoftheLordeitheronhisbreastorhisbrowtillhesetout，andlethimwhoisreadytobeginhismarchplacetheholyemblemonhisshoulders，inmemoryofthatpreceptofourSaviour，’Hewhodoesnottakeuphiscrossandfollowmeisnotworthyofme。’“
　　ThenewsofthiscouncilspreadtotheremotestpartsofEuropeinanincrediblyshortspaceoftime。Longbeforethefleetesthorsemancouldhavebroughttheintelligenceitwasknownbythepeopleindistantprovinces，afactwhichwasconsideredasnothinglessthansupernatural。Butthesubjectwasineverybody’smouth，andthemindsofmenwerepreparedfortheresult。Theenthusiasticonlyassertedwhattheywished，andtheeventtalliedwiththeirprediction。Thiswas，however，quiteenoughinthosedaysforamiracle，andasamiracleeveryoneregardedit。
　　ForseveralmonthsafterthecouncilofClermont，FranceandGermanypresentedasingularspectacle。Thepious，thefanatic，theneedy，thedissolute，theyoungandtheold，evenwomenandchildren，andthehaltandlame，enrolledthemselvesbyhundreds。Ineveryvillagetheclergywerebusiedinkeepinguptheexcitement，promisingeternalrewardstothosewhoassumedtheredcross，andfulminatingthemostawfuldenunciationsagainstalltheworldly-mindedwhorefusedorevenhesitated。Everydebtorwhojoinedthecrusadewasfreedbythepapaledictfromtheclaimsofhiscreditors；outlawsofeverygradeweremadeequalwiththehonestuponthesameconditions。
　　Thepropertyofthosewhowentwasplacedundertheprotectionofthechurch，andSt。PaulandSt。Peterthemselveswerebelievedtodescendfromtheirhighabode，towatchoverthechattelsoftheabsentpilgrims。Signsandportentswereseenintheairtoincreasethefervourofthemultitude。Anaurora-borealisofunusualbrilliancyappeared，andthousandsofthecrusaderscameouttogazeuponit，prostratingthemselvesupontheearthinadoration。ItwasthoughttobeasureprognosticoftheinterpositionoftheMostHigh；andarepresentationofhisarmiesfightingwithandoverthrowingtheinfidels。Reportsofwonderswereeverywhererife。Amonkhadseentwogiganticwarriorsonhorseback，theonerepresentingaChristianandtheotheraTurk，fightingintheskywithflamingswords，theChristianofcourseovercomingthePaynim。Myriadsofstarsweresaidtohavefallenfromheaven，eachrepresentingthefallofaPaganfoe。
　　ItwasbelievedatthesametimethattheEmperorCharlemagnewouldrisefromthegrave，andleadontovictorytheembattledarmiesoftheLord。Asingularfeatureofthepopularmadnesswastheenthusiasmofthewomen。Everywheretheyencouragedtheirloversandhusbandstoforsakeallthingsfortheholywar。Manyofthemburnedthesignofthecrossupontheirbreastsandarms，andcolouredthewoundwithareddye，asalastingmemorialoftheirzeal。Others，stillmorezealous，impressedthemarkbythesamemeansuponthetenderlimbsofyoungchildrenandinfantsatthebreast。
　　GuibertdeNogenttellsofamonkwhomadealargeincisionuponhisforeheadintheformofacross，whichhecolouredwithsomepowerfulingredient，tellingthepeoplethatanangelhaddoneitwhenhewasasleep。Thismonkappearstohavebeenmoreofaroguethanafool，forhecontrivedtofaremoresumptuouslythananyofhisbrotherpilgrims，uponthestrengthofhissanctity。Thecrusaderseverywheregavehimpresentsoffoodandmoney，andhebecamequitefaterehearrivedatJerusalem，notwithstandingthefatiguesoftheway。Ifhehadacknowledgedinthefirstplacethathehadmadethewoundhimself，hewouldnothavebeenthoughtmoreholythanhisfellows；butthestoryoftheangelwasaclincher。
　　Allthosewhohadpropertyofanydescriptionrushedtothemarttochangeitintohardcash。Landsandhousescouldbehadforaquarteroftheirvalue，whilearmsandaccoutrementsofwarroseinthesameproportion。Corn，whichhadbeenexcessivelydearinanticipationofayearofscarcity，suddenlybecameplentiful；andsuchwasthediminutioninthevalueofprovisions，thatsevensheepweresoldforfivedeniers。[GuibertdeNogent]ThenoblesmortgagedtheirestatesformeretriflestoJewsandunbelievers，orconferredchartersofimmunityuponthetownsandcommuneswithintheirfiefs，forsumswhich，afewyearspreviously，theywouldhaverejectedwithdisdain。Thefarmerendeavouredtosellhisplough，andtheartisanhistools，topurchaseaswordforthedeliveranceofJerusalem。Womendisposedoftheirtrinketsforthesamepurpose。Duringthespringandsummerofthisyear1096theroadsteemedwithcrusaders，allhasteningtothetownsandvillagesappointedastherendezvousofthedistrict。Somewereonhorseback，someincarts，andsomecamedowntheriversinboatsandrafts，bringingtheirwivesandchildren，alleagertogotoJerusalem。VeryfewknewwhereJerusalemwas。Somethoughtitfiftythousandmilesaway，whileothersimaginedthatitwasbutamonth’sjourney，whileatsightofeverytownorcastle，thechildrenexclaimed，“IsthatJerusalem？Isthatthecity？“[GuibertdeNogent]Partiesofknightsandnoblesmightbeseentravellingeastward，andamusingthemselvesastheywentwiththeknightlydiversionofhawkingtolightenthefatiguesoftheway。
　　GuibertdeNogent，whodidnotwritefromhearsay，butfromactualobservation，says，theenthusiasmwassocontagious，thatwhenanyoneheardtheordersofthePontiff，hewentinstantlytosolicithisneighboursandfriendstojoinwithhimin“thewayofGod，“forsotheycalledtheproposedexpedition。TheCountsPalatinewerefullofthedesiretoundertakethejourney，andalltheinferiorknightswereanimatedwiththesamezeal。Eventhepoorcaughttheflamesoardently，thatnoonepausedtothinkoftheinadequacyofhismeans，ortoconsiderwhetherheoughttoyielduphishouseandhisvineandhisfields。Eachonesetaboutsellinghisproperty，ataslowapriceasifhehadbeenheldinsomehorriblecaptivity，andsoughttopayhisransomwithoutlossoftime。Thosewhohadnotdetermineduponthejourney，jokedandlaughedatthosewhowerethusdisposingoftheirgoodsatsuchruinousprices，prophesyingthattheexpeditionwouldbemiserableandtheirreturnworse。Buttheyheldthislanguageonlyforaday。Thenext，theyweresuddenlyseizedwiththesamefrenzyastherest。Thosewhohadbeenloudestintheirjeersgaveupalltheirpropertyforafewcrowns，andsetoutwiththosetheyhadsolaughedatafewhoursbefore。Inmostcasesthelaughwasturnedagainstthem，forwhenitbecameknownthatamanwashesitating，hismorezealousneighboutssenthimapresentofaknittingneedleoradistaff，toshowtheircontemptofhim。Therewasnoresistingthis，sothatthefearofridiculecontributeditsfaircontingenttothearmiesoftheLord。
　　Anothereffectofthecrusadewas，thereligiousobediencewithwhichitinspiredthepeopleandthenobilityforthatsingularinstitution“TheTruceofGod。“Atthecommencementoftheeleventhcentury，theclergyofFrance，sympathizingforthewoesofthepeople，butunabletodiminishthem，byrepressingtherapacityandinsolenceofthefeudalchiefs，endeavouredtopromoteuniversalgood-willbythepromulgationofthefamous“PeaceofGod。“Allwhoconformedtoitboundthemselvesbyoathnottotakerevengeforanyinjury，nottoenjoythefruitsofpropertyusurpedfromothers，nortousedeadlyweapons；inrewardofwhichtheywouldreceiveremissionofalltheirsins。Howeverbenevolenttheintentionofthis“Peace，“
　　itledtonothingbutperjury，andviolencereignedasuncontrolledasbefore。Intheyear1041anotherattemptwasmadetosoftentheangrypassionsofthesemi-barbarouschiefs，andthe“TruceofGod“wassolemnlyproclaimed。ThetrucelastedfromtheWednesdayeveningtotheMondaymorningofeveryweek，inwhichintervalitwasstrictlyforbiddentorecurtoviolenceonanypretext，ortoseekrevengeforanyinjury。Itwasimpossibletocivilizemenbythesemeans；fewevenpromisedtobecomepeaceableforsounconscionableaperiodasfivedaysaweek；or，iftheydid，theymadeampleamendsonthetwodaysleftopentothem。ThetrucewasafterwardsshortenedfromtheSaturdayeveningtotheMondaymorning；butlittleornodiminutionofviolenceandbloodshedwastheconsequence。AtthecouncilofClermont，UrbanII。againsolemnlypro-claimedthetruce。Sostrongwasthereligiousfeeling，thateveryonehastenedtoobey。Allminorpassionsdisappearedbeforethegrandpassionofcrusading；thenobleceasedtooppress，therobbertoplunder，andthepeopletocomplain；
　　butoneideawasinallhearts，andthereseemedtobenoroomforanyother。