Middletown transcript., 1871-07-08
rnF cnUsA DIES o. TnE anew isS0-
CENT1.v

One Of the most remarkable episodes
which took place in tho middle ages has
been neglected by the historians --tiibbon
and Milmnn not even mention It in their
pages. Il was called the childrcn's cru
sads, and took place in the thirteenth Gen.
tury. II was made up Of two separate
movements. one in France and the other
in Germany. originating from common
impulse, but differing in particulars. A
peasant boy Of Cloyes. France, Stephen.
by name, and twelve years old, in the
year 1919, believed himself commanded
by vision Of the Saviour to preach cru
snde to the boys Of France. promising
them. under divine leadership. an assured
triumph A letter was given him to the
King Of France. Philip Augustus. order
ing him to assist the novel enterprise
Stephen made his way to Paris, preach
ing everywhere on the road. showed his
letter to the King, and established him
self at St. Dcnys Crowds followed him
His fame spread throughout France lie
worked miracles, or was supposed to, and
was called the prophet. Mimic prophets
children like himsclf-werc sent through
the kingdom. preaching from the text:
e Out Of the mouths Of babes and suck
lings hast thou perfected praise. because
Of thine enemies. that thou mayest still be
the enemy and the nvcnger." Children,
including girls, marched through the
towns with banners and torches, singing
Lord, restore Christendom, restore to
us the true and holy cross. Thirty thou
sand marched from Vcndomc in June. Of
whom twenty thousand reached Marseil-
les, three hundred miles distance. Here
they expected the sea to divide and make
road for them, as it did for the Israclitcs
Of old but it did not Many were dissap-
pointed and returned home. Two mer-
chants however, offered to fit out ships
for them, and five thousand Of the youth
ful heroes waited and embarked for the
Promised Land
While this was going on, boy. Nicho-
las, was preaching the crusade at Cologne
llc collected m army Of children like
those Of the French Stephen, but contain
ing greater propoton Of children Of high
birth. and of girls They marched seven
hundred miles over Mount Gents to &C.
noa, cncountcring on the wav n succession
Of hnrships anu cruel,ics OF the thirty
thousand who set ont with Nicholas. only
seven thousand reached Genoa They nj.
so looked for the sea to open to them. but
it did not. Some Of them remained at
Genoa, and became founders Of families
there Others reached Rome and were
sent home by the Pope.
still another band left Germany and
crossed the =; Go,hard after which they
were scattered. Nothing was heard of
the expedition that embarked from Mar
settles for eighteen years. But in 1880
an aged priest arrived in Europe who said
he had been with the party, and had now
returned to tell of their unhappy fate The
day after leaving port they had been as.
sailed 10y violen; storm. and two Of the
seven ships dashed to pieces on the rocks
Of st. piclro. little island off the south
eastern coast Of SARDINIA, and sunk with MI
their crews Of Mt least one thousand chill
drcn The pretending merchants turned
out to be saye.aealcrs. who had bargain
ed to sell the dcludcd children to the Mo-
hnmmedans for their vile purposes They
were divided into three companies some
were taken TO Bnjeiah town on The Az
rican coast. about one hundred miles east
Of Alricrs some to Alexandria, some to
Bngdad Not one Of them ever returned
to Europe. Not one 50 far as tie old
prizes, knew. could ever he tempted TO a
pos'asy. The priests at the caliph's court
had Piled them assiiuorsly with threats
and promises to induce them to renounce
their faith They one and NIL refused.
and eighteen were put TO death on the
spot some by drowning, some by arrows.
The rest were reserved for more tedious
and trying martyrdom.
In all, some ono hundred thousand chill
drcn were made victims to this adventure
Pope Gregory TX had the Church of
the New lnnecen,s erected in memory
of the little martyrs on the island of St
Pictro.