Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Wayne County, Ind.) 1831-1837, 1833-04-13
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IcrnapS III The whole range vi nistory
series Of events Will not be found OF so
extraordinary a character rs the Cru
>"des. whether we regard the strange
Zeal " itii which the warriors were In
>plreu, or the lnCaiculable numbers of.
those engaged III the.n.-A frenzy
which endured SO long aid extended sol
widely, and which i'll the end produced
such extraordinary and unforeseen re-
suits, would seem at FIST sIgnt to be
supernatural and entirely beyond hu-
man agency, did We not know to con-
tro. the whole energies OF Europe lay
in the power Of one man. the vast
machine Of ecclesiastical authority
though almost infinite IN its various
ran.!ic,,;!ons. Yet was ohedient TO the
power at Rome. In an aye celebrated
III the annals OF the world for the dark
ness OF * torance and superstition !;
when the gleanings Of Science were
seldom suffered to ex' end be, GU ID the
wells OF the .slossa,c cell, frantasy how
ever wild or extravagant, found fol.
lowers III abundance.
Inc mid of Gregory first concciv-
ed the plan Ut rescn!ns The holy land.
1t wa, ~ a humble instrument how
ever, tina, the plan oi conquest was put
into operatiou.-The council CT Cler-
mont had no sooner been held, than
every rank from peasant to Prince
!, were seiz d with al ardor TO engage
in this hol, war OF determination, and
the most extensive preparations were
made throughout Europe. Those
" no devoted themselves to this service
were distinguished by cross emilia
zoned on the breast or shoulder. Each
+ country adopted color to distinguish
il from others. "Upwards Of six mil
liohs,' says an ancient writer ''under-
} took this adventure" The motives
which actnatcd them were Of different
: lcharacters. A great proportion were
: doubtless moved BY frenzy, believ-
ling they did God service in embarking
4 in such an enterprise. Other motives
still more powerful were not wanting.
The east at that time was supposed
to be the land Of wealth, and tens OF
thousands ofthe Crusades hoped to re-
/ turn not little benefited in pecuniary
matters.-The privileges granted by
r the Crusaders were Of no ordinary
; character. They were exempt from
) the payment Of interest on borrowed
money, and, at least part Of the time
from the payment Of taxes. In short
they were taken under the especial
protection of st. Peter. An absolu
ton was declared from all sin-anc
those who were killed in the service Of
the Cross were supposed to pass i'm
mediateiy to heaven. These argu
ments when added to the lust Of gair
, were Of sufficient weight with the mos
I of those who embarked in the cru
; sades.
, Two months had hardly passed at
ter the council Of Clermont, when Pc
ter found himself at the head Of GO,
90 fanatics Of all descriptions: arti'
: zans, merchants, peasants, wandering
priests; together with not few land
less mobiles and gentlemen. With hi:
|, medley he commenced bis march east
ward. He was Immediately followed
by about ~ ,UUO Germans under the
monk Of Godesca!, more commonl,
q known as Walter the MoSEyLEss.
J In the rear came an immense horde
upwards Of 10000 of the very West
e Of humanity, men an women intermin
e gied. who mixed with their devotion
n drunkenness, debauchery and crime:
E cfthe blacklist die. The first On whom