SolittlefavourhadtheCrusadefoundinEngland，thateventheexertionsoftheheirtothethronehadonlycollectedasmallforceoffifteenhundredmen。WiththesefewPrinceEdwardsailedfromDovertoBourdeaux，intheexpectationthathewouldfindtheFrenchKinginthatcity。St。Louis，however，hadleftafewweekspreviously；uponwhichEdwardfollowedhimtoSardinia，andafterwardstoTunis。BeforehisarrivalinAfrica，St。Louiswasnomore，andpeacehadbeenconcludedbetweenFranceandTunis。Hedetermined，however，nottorelinquishtheCrusade。ReturningtoSicily，hepassedthewinterinthatcountry，andendeavouredtoaugmenthislittlearmy。InthespringhesetsailforPalestine，andarrivedinsafetyatAcre。TheChristiansweretorn，asusual，bymutualjealousiesandanimosities。
Thetwogreatmilitaryorderswereasvirulentandasintractableasever；opposedtoeachother，andtoalltheworld。ThearrivalofEdwardhadtheeffectofcausingthemtolayasidetheirunworthycontention，andofunitinghearttoheart，inonelasteffortforthedeliveranceoftheiradoptedcountry。AforceofsixthousandeffectivewarriorswassoonformedtojointhoseoftheEnglishprince，andpreparationsweremadefortherenewalofhostilities。TheSultan，BibarsorBendocdar，[Mills，inhishistory，givesthenameofthischiefasAlMalekalDhakerRokneddinAbulfethBibarsalAlialBundokdarialSalehi。“]afierceMamluke，whohadbeenplacedonthethronebyabloodyrevolution，wasatwarwithallhisneighbours，andunable，forthatreason，toconcentratehiswholestrengthagainstthem。Edwardtookadvantageofthis；andmarchingboldlyforwardtoNazareth，defeatedtheTurksandgainedpossessionofthatcity。Thiswasthewholeamountofhissuccesses。Thehotweatherengendereddiseaseamonghistroops，andhehimself，thelifeandsouloftheexpedition，fellsickamongthefirst。Hehadbeenillforsometime，andwasslowlyrecovering，whenamessengerdesiredtospeakwithhimonimportantmatters，andtodeliversomedespatchesintohisownhand。WhilethePrincewasoccupiedinexaminingthem，thetraitorousmessengerdrewadaggerfromhisbelt，andstabbedhiminthebreast。
Thewoundfortunatelywasnotdeep，andEdwardhadgainedaportionofhisstrength。Hestruggledwiththeassassin，andputhimtodeathwithhisowndagger，atthesametimecallingloudlyforassistance。
[ThereaderwillrecognisetheincidentwhichSirWalterScotthasintroducedintohisbeautifulromance，“TheTalisman，“andwhich，withthelicenceclaimedbypoetsandromancers，herepresentsashavingbefallenKingRichardI。]Hisattendantscameathiscall，andfoundhimbleedingprofusely，andascertainedoninspectionthatthedaggerwaspoisoned。Meanswereinstantlytakentopurifythewound；andanantidotewassentbytheGrandMasteroftheTemplarswhichremovedalldangerfromtheeffectsofthepoison。Camden，inhishistory，hasadoptedthemorepopular，andcertainlymorebeautiful，versionofthisstory，whichsaysthatthePrincessEleonora，inherloveforhergallanthusband，suckedthepoisonfromhiswoundattheriskofherownlife:tousethewordsofoldFuller，“Itisapitysoprettyastoryshouldnotbetrue；andthatsosovereignaremedyasawoman’stongue，anointedwiththevirtueoflovingaffection，“shouldnothaveperformedthegooddeed。
Edwardsuspected，anddoubtlessnotwithoutreason，thattheassassinwasemployedbytheSultanofEgypt。Butitamountedtosuspiciononly；andbythesuddendeathoftheassassin，theprincipalcluetothediscoveryofthetruthwaslostforever。Edward，onhisrecovery，preparedtoresumetheoffensive；buttheSultan，embarrassedbythedefenceofinterestswhich，forthetimebeing，heconsideredofmoreimportance，madeoffersofpeacetothecrusaders。
ThisproofofweaknessonthepartoftheenemywascalculatedtorenderamanofEdward’stemperamentmoreanxioustoprosecutethewar；buthehadalsootherintereststodefend。NewsarrivedinPalestineofthedeathofhisfather，KingHenryIII；andhispresencebeingnecessaryinEngland，heagreedtothetermsoftheSultan。
Thesewere，thattheChristiansshouldbeallowedtoretaintheirpossessionsintheHolyLand，andthatatruceoftenyearsshouldbeproclaimed。EdwardthensetsailforEngland；andthusendedthelastCrusade。
Theafter-fateoftheHolyLandmaybetoldinafewwords。TheChristians，unmindfuloftheirpastsufferingsandofthejealousneighbourstheyhadtodealwith，firstbrokethetrucebyplunderingsomeEgyptiantradersnearMargat。TheSultanimmediatelyrevengedtheoutragebytakingpossessionofMargat，andwaroncemoreragedbetweenthenations。Margatmadeagallantdefence，butnoreinforcementsarrivedfromEuropetopreventitsfall。Tripoliwasthenext，andothercitiesinsuccession，untilatlastAcrewastheonlycityofPalestinethatremainedinpossessionoftheChristians。
TheGrandMasteroftheTemplarscollectedtogetherhissmallanddevotedband；andwiththetriflingaidaffordedbytheKingofCyprus，preparedtodefendtothedeaththelastpossessionofhisorder。Europewasdeaftohiscryforaid，thenumbersofthefoewereoverwhelming，anddevotedbraverywasofnoavail。InthatdisastroussiegetheChristianswereallbutexterminated。TheKingofCyprusfledwhenhesawthatresistancewasvain，andtheGrandMasterfellattheheadofhisknights，piercedwithahundredwounds。SevenTemplars，andasmanyHospitallets，aloneescapedfromthedreadfulcarnage。ThevictoriousMoslemsthensetfiretothecity，andtheruleoftheChristiansinPalestinewasbroughttoacloseforever。
ThisintelligencespreadalarmandsorrowamongtheclergyofEurope，whoendeavouredtorouseoncemoretheenergyandenthusiasmofthenations，inthecauseoftheHolyLand:butthepopularmaniahadrunitscareer；thesparkofzealhadburneditsappointedtime，andwasneveragaintobere-illumined。Hereandthereasolitaryknightannouncedhisdeterminationtotakeuparms，andnowandthenakinggavecoldencouragementtothescheme；butitdroppedalmostassoonasspokenof，toberenewedagain，stillmorefeebly，atsomelongerinterval。
Nowwhatwasthegrandresultofallthesestruggles？Europeexpendedmillionsofhertreasures，andthebloodoftwomillionsofherchildren；andahandfulofquarrelsomeknightsretainedpossessionofPalestineforaboutonehundredyears！EvenhadChristendomretainedittothisday，theadvantage，ifconfinedtothat，wouldhavebeentoodearlypurchased。Butnotwithstandingthefanaticismthatoriginated，andthefollythatconductedthem，theCrusadeswerenotproductiveofunmitigatedevil。Thefeudalchiefsbecamebettermembersofsociety，bycomingincontact，inAsia，withacivilizationsuperiortotheirown；thepeoplesecuredsomesmallinstalmentsoftheirrights；kings，nolongeratwarwiththeirnobility，hadtimetopasssomegoodlaws；thehumanmindlearnedsomelittlewisdomfromhardexperience，and，castingoffthesloughofsuperstitioninwhichtheRomanclergyhadsolongenvelopedit，becamepreparedtoreceivetheseedsoftheapproachingReformation。Thusdidtheall-wiseDisposerofeventsbringgoodoutofevil，andadvancethecivilizationandultimatehappinessofthenationsoftheWest，bymeansoftheveryfanaticismthathadledthemagainsttheEast。Butthewholesubjectisoneofabsorbinginterest；andifcarriedfullyoutinallitsbearings，wouldconsumemorespacethantheplanofthisworkwillallow。Thephilosophicstudentwilldrawhisownconclusions；andhecanhavenobetterfieldfortheexerciseofhispowersthanthisEuropeanmadness；itsadvantagesanddisadvantages；
itscausesandresults。
THEWITCHMANIA。
Whatwrathofgods，orwickedinfluenceOftears，conspiringwretchedment’afflict，Hathpour’donearththisnoyouspestilence，ThatmortalmindsdothinwardlyinfectWithloveofblindnessandofignorance？
Spencer’sTearsoftheMuses。
Countrymen:“Hangher！——beather！——killher！“
Justice:“Hownow？Forbearthisviolence！“
MotherSawyer:“Acrewofvillains——aknotofbloodyhangmen！settotormentme！——Iknownotwhy。“
Justice:“Alas！neighbourBanks，areyouaringleaderinmischief？FieItoabuseanagedwoman！“
Banks:“Woman！——ashehell-cat，awitch！Toproveherone，wenosoonersetfireonthethatchofherhouse，butinshecamerunning，asiftheDevilhadsentherinabarrelofgunpowder。“
Ford’sWitchofEdmonton。
Thebeliefthatdisembodiedspiritsmaybepermittedtorevisitthisworld，hasitsfoundationuponthatsublimehopeofimmortality，whichisatoncethechiefsolaceandgreatesttriumphofourreason。
Evenifrevelationdidnotteachus，wefeelthatwehavethatwithinuswhichshallneverdie；andallourexperienceofthislifebutmakesusclingthemorefondlytothatonerepayinghope。Butintheearlydaysof“littleknowledge，“thisgrandbeliefbecamethesourceofawholetrainofsuperstitions，which，intheirturn，becamethefountfromwhenceflowedadelugeofbloodandhorror。Europe，foraperiodoftwocenturiesandahalf，broodedupontheidea，notonlythatpartedspiritswalkedtheearthtomeddleintheaffairsofmen，butthatmenhadpowertosummonevilspiritstotheiraidtoworkwoeupontheirfellows。Anepidemicterrorseizeduponthenations；nomanthoughthimselfsecure，eitherinhispersonorpossessions，fromthemachinationsofthedevilandhisagents。Everycalamitythatbefellhim，heattributedtoawitch。Ifastormaroseandblewdownhisbarn，itwaswitchcraft；ifhiscattlediedofamurrain-ifdiseasefasteneduponhislimbs，ordeathenteredsuddenly，andsnatchedabelovedfacefromhishearth——theywerenotvisitationsofProvidence，buttheworksofsomeneighbouringhag，whosewretchednessorinsanitycausedtheignoranttoraisetheirfinger，andpointatherasawitch。Thewordwasuponeverybody’stongue——France，ItaLy，Germany，England，Scotland，andthefarNorth，successivelyranmaduponthissubject，andforalongseriesofyears，furnishedtheirtribunalswithsomanytrialsforwitchcraftthatothercrimeswereseldomorneverspokenof。Thousandsuponthousandsofunhappypersonsfellvictimstothiscruelandabsurddelusion。InmanycitiesofGermany，aswillbeshownmorefullyinitsdueplacehereafter，theaveragenumberofexecutionsforthispretendedcrime，wassixhundredannually，ortwoeveryday，ifweleaveouttheSundays，when，itistobesupposed，thateventhismadnessrefrainedfromitswork。
AmisunderstandingofthefamoustextoftheMosaiclaw，“Thoushaltnotsufferawitchtolive，“nodoubtledmanyconscientiousmenastray，whosesuperstition，warmenoughbefore，wantedbutalittlecorroborationtoblazeoutwithdesolatingfury。Inallagesoftheworldmenhavetriedtoholdconversewithsuperiorbeings；andtopierce，bytheirmeans，thesecretsoffuturity。InthetimeofMoses，itisevidentthattherewereimpostors，whotraffickeduponthecredulityofmankind，andinsultedthesuprememajestyofthetrueGodbypretendingtothepowerofdivination。HencethelawwhichMoses，byDivinecommand，promulgatedagainstthesecriminals；butitdidnotfollow，asthesuperstitiousmonomaniacsofthemiddleagesimagined，thattheBibleestablishedtheexistenceofthepowerofdivinationbyitsedictsagainstthosewhopretendedtoit。Fromthebestauthorities，itappearsthattheHebrewword，whichhasbeenrendered，venefica，andwitch，meansapoisoneranddivineress——adabblerinspells，orfortune-teller。Themodernwitchwasaverydifferentcharacter，andjoinedtoherpretendedpowerofforetellingfutureeventsthatofworkingeviluponthelife，limbs，andpossessionsofmankind。Thispowerwasonlytobeacquiredbyanexpresscompact，signedinblood，withthedevilhimself，bywhichthewizardorwitchrenouncedbaptism，andsoldhisorherimmortalsoultotheevilone，withoutanysavingclauseofredemption。