Letters485 Letter CDLXXXV. To all faithful Christians.

About the expedition to the Holy Land. He names the Feast of S.S. Peter and Paul, for the Crusaders to assemble at Magdeburg.

To the Lords and Fathers, the Reverend Archbishops, and the other Bishops, to the Nobles, and to all faithful Christian people, Bernard, called Abbot of Clairvaux, wishes the spirit of strength and salvation.

I do not doubt that it has been heard in your country and commonly talked of, that God has aroused the spirit of Kings and princes to inflict vengeance among the na- 1 Boczek, Codex diplomatics et epis tolar is Moravice. Olmiitz 1836. 4to. Tom. 1. p. 253. From an Olmiitz MS. numbered cxxvi. and belonging to the fourteenth century.

tions and to root out from the land which bears the Christian name 1 Great is the good, abundant the richness of the Divine mercy! But the adversary sees this, and after his manner he envies it; he gnashes with his teeth and consumes away; he loses many from among those whom he held in bondage by various forms of wickedness and crime; those who were utterly sunk in perdition are converted, they have turned away from evil and are prepared to do good. But the adversary fears another and far greater loss from the- conversion of the Gentiles, since he has heard that not only is the fulness of them about to enter in, but that all Israel also will be saved. The time for this appears to him to be now drawing near, and his practised malice is busying itself, with every kind of fraud, to hinder so great a blessing in every way possible. He has therefore stored up a seed of evil, the accursed pagans, whom (if may be permitted to say so) the bravery of the Christians bore with too long, disregarding their stealthy attacks, and not crushing with armed heel their envenomed heads. But, because the Scripture saith: Before destruction the heart is lifted up; therefore their pride shall, God willing, be speedily humbled, and the road to Jerusalem be no longer impeded because of it. On this account the Lord (Pope) has committed this charge of proclaiming the Cross to my humility; and by the* direction of the Lord King, and of the Bishops and nobles who met at Frankfort 2 I warn and declare to the strong and brave men among Christians that they take arms, and assume the Cross, the sign of salvation, against them and in order to destroy ' The MS. is apparently imperfect here. (E).

2 The scribe or copyist has written Franconovort, not Francofurtum. fir or to convert those nations. And to those who shall have set out upon the road to Jerusalem, I promise an indulgence for their sins. Many indeed have signed themselves (with the Cross) on the spot; we now call others to the same work: and we advertise those among Christian men who have not yet devoted themselves to this expedition to Jerusalem, that they may, by doing so, obtain the same indulgence, provided that in it they observe the directions of the Bishops and princes. But this we forbid them absolutely, that they enter into any treaty (with those heathen), either for money, or for tribute, until with the Divine help, either their manner of worship (be reformed), or the nation itself, be destroyed. To you also who are Archbishops, and their fellow-Bishops we speak: oppose it firmly, and give the greatest earnestness and diligence in your power to ensuring that the enterprise be bravely accomplished; because you are ministers of Christ in things relating to God, on that account a strict reckoning shall be demanded from you; be watchful in the discharge in the duty which is entrusted to you. And this we also earnestly beg and entreat of you in the Lord. His army shall be, both in uniforms, arms, and all equipment, arrayed with the same care and exactness as that of another; inasmuch as those whom the same return awaits. And furthermore, it has been determined by all who were assembled at Frankfort, according to the tenor of the letters despatched into all parts of the country and which the Bishops and priests should make known to the people of God, that they should sign and arm themselves against those enemies of the Cross of Christ, who are without, with the Holy Cross in white and that all Albi (sic).

ought to assemble at Magdeburg by the Feast of the Apostles Peter and Paul.