The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol. I., Part A.: From the Britons of Early Times to King John — David Hume — John Shaqi
The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol. I., Part A.: From the Britons of Early Times to King John
David Hume · en
These men took the road towards Constantinople, through Hungary and
Bulgaria; and trusting that Heaven, by supernatural assistance, would
supply all their necessities, they made no provision for subsistence
on their march. They soon found themselves obliged to obtain by plunder
what they had vainly expected from miracles; and the enraged inhabitants
of the countries through which they passed, gathering together in arms,
attacked the disorderly multitude, and put them to slaughter without
resistance. The more disciplined armies followed after; and passing the
straits at Constantinople, they were mustered in the plains of Asia,
and amounted in the whole to the number of seven hundred thousand
combatants.[*]
Amidst this universal frenzy, which spread itself by contagion
throughout Europe, especially in France and Germany, men were not
entirely forgetful of their present interests; and both those who went
on this expedition, and those who stain behind, entertained schemes of
gratifying by its means their avarice or their ambition. The nobles who
enlisted themselves were moved, from the romantic spirit of the age, to
hope for opulent establishments in the East, the chief seat of arts and
commerce during those ages; and in pursuit of these chimerical projects,
they sold at the lowest price their ancient castles and inheritances,
which had now lost all value in their eyes. The greater princes, who
remained at home, besides establishing peace in their dominions by
giving occupation abroad to the inquietude and martial disposition of
their subjects, took the opportunity of annexing to their crown many
considerable fiefs, either by purchase or by the extinction of heirs.
The pope frequently turned the zeal of the crusaders from the infidels
against his own enemies, whom he represented as equally criminal with
the enemies of Christ. The convents and other religious societies bought
the possessions of the adventurers; and as the contributions of the
faithful were commonly intrusted to their management, they often
diverted to this purpose what was intended to be employed against the
infidels.[**] But no one was a more immediate gainer by this epidemic
fury than the king of England, who kept aloof from all connections with
those fanatical and romantic warriors.
[* M. Paris, p. 20, 21.]
[** Padre Paolo, Hist. delle Benef. Eccles. p.
128]