The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1897-08-14
CHRISTIAN KnISH1 OF THE CROSS
GODFREY DE BOUILLON, LEADER OF
THE FIRST CRUSADE.
The FIRST KING OF JERUSALEM
WARRIORS IN THOUSANDS GATHER.
ED UNDER HIS BANNER.

Three children while at play hap
pend to hide themselves within the am
pie folds of their mothers dress. At
that moment their father entered the
room, and, seeing the dress shaken, he
asked who was concealed behind it.
There" replied his wife, "are three
great princes. The first shall be a duke,
the second a king, and the third a
count The prophecy, we are told, was
fulfilled. Be that as it may, certain it
is that one son did become king.
Godfrey de Bouillon, born eight cen
turtles ago in what was then the Frank
ish province of Lorraine, was the son of
Count Eustace, brother of the duke of
Lorraine, and of 1.-The fair Ida, liz the
depths of whose translucent soul the
purity and gentleness of heaven We're
reflected" Descended from paternal an
cestors famous for their bold exploits
and daring valor, and from a mother as
gentle and virtuous as she was Deauti-
full, Godfrey was destined to become
glorious hero and a pious, Christian no.
bleman, says a writer in the Providence
Visitor. The eleventh century was pre-
eminently an age of chivalry, and the
great ambition of every young man in
whose veins flowed noble blood was to
do battle for his lady love on the tourna-
ment field. This, too, was Godfreys
ambition. Already at the age Of IA do
we find him an esquire following his
knight to the field-there caring for his
charger, carrying his weapons, urging
him on in the combat, nursing him
when wounded. But ere many years
have passed Godfrey himself receives
the much-desired knighthood. "In the
name of God, of st. Michael and Of St.
George make thee knight" says his
lord, and the young knight-erra,nt aris-
ing goes forth to win his laurels. He en-
cages with the bravest of his fellows
and victory after victory makes him
famous. "The minstrels sing OF him in
their verses, and fairest women with
loving fingers work the device upon his
banner" His strength and courage are
talked of far and near, while his skill
and daring gain him renowI in other
lands
Henry w, emperor OF Germany, in
vited Godfrey to enlist under his banner,
and Godfrey accepted the royal invita-
ton. In 1880 the rival armies of Henry
and of Rudolph of Swabia came together
at Malsen; and to Godfrey, although
only IS years of age, was committed the
royal standard. The battle commenced
and was waged fiercely. Suddenly the
young standard-bearer rushed headlong
through the ranks Of foes and friends,
and stopped not until he had plunged
the spear-head Of the standard into Ru-
dolph's body. Bravely he cut his way
back to his place; and soon the battle
was won. When some years afterwards
the perfdious Henry beseigcd Rome,
then under Gregory VII, Godfrey was
the first to mount the walls and cleave
his way to the city. AS a reward for
his bravery, Henry made him master of
q certain section of Rome and duke Of
Lorraine.
A pestilence broke out, and Godfrey
saw one after another Of his soldiers
stricken down and die. lie himself was
at length prostrated, and for weeks
fought terrible fight against death. An
awful fever made short work of his
boasted strength and his powerful con-
stitution was undermined. A child
could now worst the hitherto redoubt-
able champion. Broken in spirit and
sad at heart, Godfrey cried out in his
sufferings, "What have lone, o God,
that Thou shoudst SO afIlict me? Why
hast Thou fcrsaken me?" Did the
answer come back from on high, did an
angel whisper in his ear, "Thou hast
upliftcd thy hand against the Vicar of
Christ thou hast been foremost in an
unholy war?" We know not, but GER
tanly Godfrey deemed his suiferings rs
punishment fo: lis assault upon the
sacred city. Brooding over his sin, he
asked himself, how can make worthy
dIOuCHCuC loi oO 81 d odcI "A
pcnarce of some kind must be perform
ed; what one more fitting than that
which many a sinner before him had
undergone-a pilgrimage to the Holy
Land.
In 1904 Peter the Hermit was arous-
ing all Christenlom with his narrowing
account Of the inligni.ies heaped upon
the Christians in Jerusalem. Small in
stature and mean in person, he was fll-
cd with fire which blazed forth as he
recalled and narrated the murders of
Christian men and the insults offered
to Christian women. Rich and poor,
old and young, knight and peasant,
flocked about him, and their hearts
burned with shame and anger, as they
listened to his words Well did he en-