31. Many pious Christians in those days thought it a duty to make a journey, or pilgrimage as it was called, to Jerusalem, once in their lives, to say their prayers at our Saviour’s tomb; but Jerusalem had been conquered by the Mahomedans, who hated the Christians, and behaved very cruelly to the pilgrims; so the Pope, who you know is the great Bishop of Rome, and at that time had more authority over all the countries of Europe than the kings had, said that it was the duty of all Christian warriors to go to Palestine, or the Holy Land, to fight against the Saracens, and try to drive them from Jerusalem. 32. Then a religious man, called Peter the Hermit, went about preaching a crusade, that is, exhorting the princes and nobles in France, Germany, and Italy, to undertake this war, which was called a crusade, or _croisade_, because the ensign on their banners was to be the Cross. 33. Robert, Duke of Normandy, was among the first crusaders, and, as he wanted money to keep himself and all the fighting men he took with him, he pledged his duchy to his brother, William Rufus, for a very large sum. 34. The English did not join in these wars, at first, but after a time there was scarcely a knight or noble in the land that did not go to the Crusades, for they were continued, in all, more than two hundred years; and, during two hundred years; and, during that time, great numbers of the lower order of people in England were freed from bondage, in consequence of being allowed to purchase their liberty to supply their lords with money for these wars. 35. William Rufus, who was killed by accident as he was hunting in the New Forest, was succeeded by his brother, Henry the First, surnamed Beauclerk, because he was a learned man, who behaved much better to the Saxon English than the two former kings had done, and restored to some of the old families a part of their ancient possessions. 36. He likewise altered the forest laws, which had given so much discontent, and gave the citizens of London leave to hunt in Epping Forest, which then reached very nearly to the walls of the city. 37. Winchester was then the capital of England, but London was one of the best cities and the richest, as many of its inhabitants were merchants who traded with foreign countries; yet the houses were only mean wooden buildings, with no glass in the windows, and thatched with straw. 38. Westminster was quite a separate city, and divided from London by country houses, fields and a village. The king had a palace at Westminster, and William Rufus built Westminster hall adjoining it, for his Christmas feasts. 39. A curious privilege was granted by Henry the First to the citizens of London, which will serve to show you what grievances the people were subject to in those times.