Men，women，andevenchildren，trudgedindrovestotheholycity，inexpectationofthedaywhentheheavenswouldopen，andtheSonofGoddescendinhisglory。Thisextraordinarydelusion，whileitaugmentedthenumbers，increasedalsothehardshipsofthepilgrims。BeggarsbecamesonumerousonallthehighwaysbetweenthewestofEuropeandConstantinoplethatthemonks，thegreatalms-giversupontheseoccasions，wouldhavebroughtstarvationwithinsightoftheirowndoors，iftheyhadnoteconomizedtheirresources，andleftthedevoteestoshiftforthemselvesastheycould。Hundredsofthemweregladtosubsistupontheberriesthatripenedbytheroad，who，beforethisgreatflux，mighthavesharedthebreadandfleshofthemonasteries。

　　Butthiswasnotthegreatestoftheirdifficulties。OntheirarrivalinJerusalemtheyfoundthatasternerracehadobtainedpossessionoftheHolyLand。ThecaliphsofBagdadhadbeensucceededbytheharshTurksoftheraceofSeljook，wholookeduponthepilgrimswithcontemptandaversion。TheTurksoftheeleventhcenturyweremoreferociousandlessscrupulousthantheSaracensofthetenth。Theywereannoyedattheimmensenumberofpilgrimswhooverranthecountry，andstillmoresobecausetheyshowednointentionofquittingit。Thehourlyexpectationofthelastjudgmentkeptthemwaiting；andtheTurks，apprehensiveofbeingatlastdrivenfromthesoilbytheswarmsthatwerestillarriving，heapedupdifficultiesintheirway。Persecutionofeverykindawaitedthem。Theywereplundered，andbeatenwithstripes，andkeptinsuspenseformonthsatthegatesofJerusalem，unabletopaythegoldenbezantthatwastofacilitatetheirentrance。

　　Whenthefirstepidemicterrorofthedayofjudgmentbegantosubside，afewpilgrimsventuredtoreturntoEurope，theirheartsbigwithindignationattheinsultstheyhadsuffered。EverywhereastheypassedtheyrelatedtoasympathizingauditorythewrongsofChristendom。Strangetosay，eventheserecitalsincreasedthemaniaforpilgrimage。Thegreaterthedangersoftheway，themorechancethatsinsofdeepdyewouldbeatonedfor。Difficultyandsufferingonlyheightenedthemerit，andfreshhordesissuedfromeverytownandvillage，towinfavourinthesightofHeavenbyavisittotheholysepulchre。Thusdidthingscontinueduringthewholeoftheeleventhcentury。

　　Thetrainthatwastoexplodesofearfullywasnowlaid，andtherewantedbutthehandtoapplythetorch。Atlastthemanappeareduponthescene。Likeallwhohaveeverachievedsogreatanend，Peterthehermitwasexactlysuitedtotheage；neitherbehindit，norinadvanceofit；butacuteenoughtopenetrateitsmysteryereitwasdiscoveredbyanyother。Enthusiastic，chivalrous，bigoted，and，ifnotinsane，notfarremovedfrominsanity，hewastheveryprototypeofthetime。Trueenthusiasmisalwaysperseveringandalwayseloquent，andthesetwoqualitieswereunitedinnocommondegreeinthepersonofthisextraordinarypreacher。HewasamonkofAmiens，andereheassumedthehoodhadservedasasoldier。Heisrepresentedashavingbeenillfavouredandlowinstature，butwithaneyeofsurpassingbrightnessandintelligence。Havingbeenseizedwiththemaniaoftheage，hevisitedJerusalem，andremainedtheretillhisbloodboiledtoseethecruelpersecutionheapeduponthedevotees。Onhisreturnhomeheshooktheworldbytheeloquentstoryoftheirwrongs。

　　Beforeenteringintoanyfurtherdetailsoftheastoundingresultsofhispreaching，itwillbeadvisabletocastaglanceatthestateofthemindofEurope，thatwemayunderstandallthebetterthecausesofhissuccess。Firstofall，therewasthepriesthood，which，exercisingasitdidthemostconspicuousinfluenceuponthefortunesofsociety，claimsthelargestshareofattention。Religionwastherulingideaofthatday，andtheonlycivilisercapableoftamingsuchwolvesasthenconstitutedtheflockofthefaithful。Theclergywereallinall；andthoughtheykeptthepopularmindinthemostslavishsubjectionwithregardtoreligiousmatters，theyfurnisheditwiththemeansofdefenceagainstallotheroppressionexcepttheirown。Intheecclesiasticalrankswereconcentratedallthetruepiety，allthelearning，allthewisdomofthetime；and，asanaturalconsequence，agreatportionofpower，whichtheirverywisdomperpetuallyincitedthemtoextend。Thepeopleknewnothingofkingsandnobles，exceptinthewayofinjuriesinflicted。Thefirstruledfor，ormoreproperlyspeakingagainst，thebarons，andthebaronsonlyexistedtobravethepowerofthekings，ortotramplewiththeirironheelsupontheneckofprostratedemocracy。Thelatterhadnofriendbuttheclergy，andthese，thoughtheynecessarilyinstilledthesuperstitionfromwhichtheythemselveswerenotexempt，yettaughtthecheeringdoctrinethatallmenwereequalinthesightofheaven。Thus，whileFeudalismtoldthemtheyhadnorightsinthisworld，Religiontoldthemtheyhadeveryrightinthenext。Withthisconsolationtheywereforthetimecontent，forpoliticalideashadasyettakennoroot。Whentheclergy，forotherreasons，recommendedtheCrusade，thepeoplejoinedinitwithenthusiasm。ThesubjectofPalestinefilledallminds；thepilgrims’talesoftwocenturieswarmedeveryimagination；andwhentheirfriends，theirguides，andtheirinstructorspreachedawarsomuchinaccordancewiththeirownprejudicesandmodesofthinking，theenthusiasmroseintoafrenzy。

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