TAKING THE CROSS.
A CENTURY and a half had elapsed since Peter the Hermit roused
Christendom to rescue the Holy Sepulchre, and since Godfrey and the
Baldwins established the Christian kingdom of Jerusalem; and in the
interval, many valiant warriors--including Richard Coeur de Lion, and
Philip Augustus, and Frederick Barbarossa--had gone forth to light in
its defence; and the orders of military monks--the Knights of the
Temple, the Knights of St. John, the Knights of St. Katherine of Sinai,
and the Teutonic Knights, had risen to keep watch over the safety of the
Holy Sepulchre. But the kingdom of Jerusalem, constantly exposed to rude
shocks, far from prospering, was always in danger of ruin; and in 1244
the Holy City, its capital, was taken and sacked by a wild race, without
a country, known as the Karismians, who, at the sultan's instance,
slaughtered the inhabitants, opened the tombs, burnt the bodies of
heroes, scattered the relics of saints and martyrs to the wind, and
perpetrated such enormities as Jerusalem, in her varying fortunes, had
never before witnessed.
When this event occurred, the Christians of the East, more loudly than
ever, implored the warriors of Europe to come to their rescue. But, as
it happened, most of the princes of Christendom were in too much trouble
at home to attend to the affairs of Jerusalem. Baldwin Courtenay,
Emperor of Constantinople, was constantly threatened with expulsion by
the Greeks; Frederick, Emperor of Germany, was at war with the Pope; the
King of Castille was fighting with the Moors; the King of Poland was
fully occupied with the Tartars; the King of Denmark had to defend his
throne against his own brother; the King of Sweden had to defend his
throne against the Tolekungers. As for Henry King of England, he was
already involved in those disputes with the Anglo-Norman barons which
ultimately led to the Barons' War. One kingdom alone was at peace; and
it was France, then ruled by Louis IX., since celebrated as St. Louis,
that listened to the cry of distress.
At that time Louis King of France, then not more than thirty, but
already, as we have seen, noted for piety and valour, was stretched on a
bed of sickness, and so utterly prostrate that, at times, as has been
related, he was thought to be dead. Nevertheless, he did recover; and,
snatched as if by miracle from the gates of death, he evinced his
gratitude to Heaven by ordering the Cross to be fixed to his vestments,
and vowing to undertake an expedition for the rescue of the Holy
Sepulchre.
The resolution of the saintly monarch was not quite agreeable to his
family or his subjects, any more than to his mother, Blanche of
Castille; and many of his lords made earnest efforts to divert him from
his purpose. But remonstrance proved unavailing. Clinging steadfastly to
his resolution, Louis summoned a Parliament at Paris, induced the
assembled magnates to take the Cross, occupied three years with
preparations on a great scale, and ultimately, having repaired to St.
Denis, and received from the hands of the papal legate the famous
standard known as the oriflamme of France, embarked at Aigues Mortes,
and sailed for Cyprus, with his queen, Margaret of Provence, his
brothers, the Counts of Artois, Poictiers, and Anjou, and many of the
greatest lords of his kingdom.
Meanwhile, the barons of England were not indifferent to what was
passing on the Continent. Many of them, indeed, were desirous to take
part in the expedition. But King Henry not only forbade them to assume
the Cross, but would not allow a crusade to be preached in his
dominions. No general movement was therefore made in England.
Nevertheless, William Longsword, Earl of Salisbury, grandson of the
second Henry and Rosamond Clifford, determined on an 'armed pilgrimage,'
and, in company with Lord Robert de Vere and others, vowed to join the
French Crusaders and combat the Saracens. Henry, enraged at his mandate
being disregarded, seized Salisbury's manors and castles; but the earl,
faithful to his vow, embarked, with De Vere as his standard-bearer, and
with two hundred English knights of noble name and dauntless courage,
sworn to bring the standard back with glory, or dye it with their
hearts' blood.
At the same time Patrick, Earl of March, the most illustrious noble who
sprang from the Anglo-Saxon race, announced his intention of
accompanying King Louis to the East. Earl Patrick had seen more than
threescore years, and his hair was white, and his limbs stiff; but his
head was still as clear, and his heart was still as courageous, as in
the days when he had dyed his lance in Celtic blood, vanquished the
great Somerled, and carried the Bastard of Galloway in chains to
Edinburgh; and, with an earnest desire to couch against the enemies of
Christianity the lance which he had often couched against the enemies of
civilisation, he took the Cross, sold his stud on the Leader Haughs to
pay his expenses, bade a last farewell to Euphemia Stewart, his aged
countess, received the pilgrim's staff and scrip from the Abbot of
Melrose, and left his castle to embark with his knights and kinsmen.
'I was young, and now I am old,' said Earl Patrick, with enthusiasm. 'In
my youth I fought with the foes of my race. In my old age I will fare
forth and combat the foes of my religion.'
It was under the banner of this aged hero that Guy Muschamp and Walter
Espec were about to embark for the East; and, on the evening of the day
preceding that on which they were to set out, they were conducted to the
presence of the mother of the lord of the castle, who was the daughter
of a Scottish king, that they might receive her blessing.
'My children,' said she, as they knelt before her, and she laid her
hands on their heads, 'do not forget, when among strangers and exposed
to temptation, the lessons of piety and chivalry which you have learned
within these walls. Fear God, and He will support you in all dangers. Be
frank and courteous, but not servile, to the rich and powerful; kind and
helpful to the poor and afflicted. Beware of meriting the reproaches of
the brave; and ever bear in mind that evil befalls him who proves false
to his promises to his God, his country, and his lady. Be brave in war;
in peace, loyal and true in thought and word; and Heaven will bless you,
and men will hold your names in honour, and you will be dreaded in
battle and loved in hall.'
Next morning the brothers-in-arms rose betimes; and, all preparations
for their departure having been previously made, they mounted at
daybreak, and leaving the castle of Wark, and riding through the great
park that lay around it, startling the deer and the wild cattle as they
went, took their way towards Berwick, before which rode the ships
destined to convey them from their native shores.