TheCrusadesappearnevertohaveexcitedsomuchattentioninEnglandasonthecontinentofEurope；notbecausethepeoplewerelessfanaticalthantheirneighbours，butbecausetheywereoccupiedinmattersofgraverinterest。TheEnglishweresufferingtooseverelyfromtherecentsuccessfulinvasionoftheirsoil，tohavemuchsympathytobestowuponthedistressesofpeoplesofarawayastheChristiansofPalestine；andwefindthattheytooknopartinthefirstCrusade，andverylittleinthesecond。EventhenthosewhoengagedinitwerechieflyNormanknightsandtheirvassals，andnottheSaxonfranklinsandpopulation，whonodoubtthought，intheirsorrow，asmanywisemenhavethoughtsince，thatcharityshouldbeginathome。

　　Germanywasproductiveofmorezealinthecause，andherraw，uncivilizedhordescontinuedtoissueforthunderthebannersoftheCrossinnumbersapparentlyundiminished，whentheenthusiasmhadlongbeenonthewaneinothercountries。Theyweresunkatthattimeinadeepersloughofbarbarismthantheliveliernationsaroundthem，andtook，inconsequence，alongerperiodtofreethemselvesfromtheirprejudices。Infact，thesecondCrusadedrewitschiefsuppliesofmenfromthatquarter，wherealonetheexpeditioncanbesaidtohaveretainedanyportionofpopularity。

　　SuchwasthestateofthemindofEuropewhenPopeEugenius，movedbythereiteratedentreatiesoftheChristiansofSyria，commissionedSt。Bernardtopreachanewcrusade。St。Bernardwasamaneminentlyqualifiedforthemission。Hewasendowedwithaneloquenceofthehighestorder，couldmoveanauditorytotears，orlaughter，orfury，asitpleasedhim，andhadledalifeofsuchrigidandself-denyingvirtue，thatnotevencalumnycouldliftherfingerandpointitathim。Hehadrenouncedhighprospectsinthechurch，andcontentedhimselfwiththesimpleabbacyofClairvaux，inorderthathemighthavetheleisurehedesired，toraisehispowerfulvoiceagainstabuseswhereverhefoundthem。Vicemetinhimanaustereanduncompromisingreprover；nomanwastoohighforhisreproach，andnonetoolowforhissympathy。HewasjustaswellsuitedforhisageasPetertheHermithadbeenfortheagepreceding。Heappealedmoretothereason，hispredecessortothepassions；PetertheHermitcollectedamob，whileSt。Bernardcollectedanarmy。Bothwereendowedwithequalzealandperseverance，springing，intheone，fromimpulse，andintheotherfromconviction，andadesiretoincreasetheinfluenceofthechurch，thatgreatbodyofwhichhewasapillarandanornament。

　　Oneofthefirstconvertshemadewasinhimselfahost。LouisVII。wasbothsuperstitiousandtyrannical，and，inafitofremorsefortheinfamousslaughterhehadauthorisedatthesackingofVitry，hemadeavowtoundertakethejourneytotheHolyLand。[ThesackingofVitryreflectsindelibledisgraceuponLouisVII。HispredecessorshadbeenlongengagedinresistancetotheoutrageouspowersassumedbythePopes，andLouiscontinuedthesamepolicy。TheecclesiasticalchapterofBourges，havingelectedanArchbishopwithouthisconsent，heproclaimedtheelectiontobeinvalid，andtooksevereandpromptmeasuresagainsttherefractoryclergy。Thibault，CountdeChampagne，tookuparmsindefenceofthePapalauthority，andintrenchedhimselfinthetownofVitry。Louiswasimmediatelyinthefieldtochastisetherebel，andhebesiegedthetownwithsomuchvigour，thattheCountwasforcedtosurrender。Upwardsofthirteenhundredoftheinhabitants，fullyonehalfofwhomwerewomenandchildren，tookrefugeinthechurch；and，whenthegatesofthecitywereopened，andallresistancehadceased，Louisinhumanlygaveorderstosetfiretothechurch，andathousandpersonsperishedintheflames。]HewasinthisdispositionwhenSt。Bernardbegantopreach，andwantedbutlittlepersuasiontoembarkinthecause。Hisexamplehadgreatinfluenceuponthenobility，who，impoverishedasmanyofthemwerebythesacrificesmadebytheirfathersintheholywars，wereanxioustorepairtheirruinedfortunesbyconquestsonaforeignshore。Thesetookthefieldwithsuchvassalsastheycouldcommand，and，inaveryshorttime，anarmywasraisedamountingtotwohundredthousandmen。

　　AtVezelaithemonarchreceivedthecrossfromthehandsofSt。

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