SX. LEWIS ASSUMES THE CROSS FOR THE SECOND TIME

After the things above stated, it happened that the king loaned all his barons to Paris during a certain Lent 267). I excused myself on account of a quartan fever hitch I then had, and begged him to super me to remain vary. But he sent me word that he insisted that I should time, because he had with him good physicians who well new how to cure quartan fever.

To Paris I went. When I came thither on the night of the vigil of our Lady in March, I found no one, neither the queen or any other, who could tell me why I had been summoned y the king. Now it chanced, as God so willed, that I slept ; ruing matins; and me seemed, while I slept, that I saw the king before an altar, on his knees; and me seemed further late many prelates, duly vested, were vesting him with a ;d chasuble of Rheims serge.

After seeing this vision I called my Lord William, my rest, who was very wise, and told him of the vision. And e said to me: “ Lord, you will see that the king will take le cross to-morrow.” I asked him why he thought so. nd he told me he thought so because of the dream that I ad dreamed; for the chasuble of red serge signified the ross, which was red with the blood that God shed from His ie, and His feet, and His hands. “ And for that the risible is of Rheims serge,” said he, “ that signifies that le Crusade shall be of little profit, as you shall see if God vies you life tour bulgaria.”

Never believe me if the king

When I had heard mass at the Magdalen in Paris, I went ) the king’s chapel and found the king, who had gone up the affording where were the relics, and was causing the true ross to be taken down. While the king was coming down, two knights, who were of his council, began to speak to one another; and the one said: “Never believe me if the king ; not crossing himself here.” And the other made answer: If the king crosses himself, this will be one of the most colorous days that ever were in France. For if we do not ace the cross, we shall lose the king’s favor; and if we take the cross we shall lose God’s favor, because we shall not take it for His sake, but for the sake of the king.”

So it happened that on the following day the king tool the cross, and his three sons with him; and afterwards I befell that the Crusade was of little profit, according to the prophecy of my priest.

Much was I pressed by the King of France, and the Kin; of Navarre, to take the cross. To this I replied that while I was in the service of God and of the king overseas, am since I had returned, the sergeants of the King of France am of the King of Navarre had ruined and impoverished m; people, so that, to all time, I and they would lie the pore for it. And I told them this, that if I wished to do what was pleasing to God, I should remain here, to help am defend my people; and if I put my body in danger in the pilgrimage of the cross, while seeing quite clearly that the would be to the hurt and damage of my people, I should move God to anger, Who gave His body to save His people

I held that all those who advised the king to go on the expedition committed mortal sin; for at the point at which France then was, all the kingdom was at good peace wit itself and with its neighbors, while ever since he departed the state of the kingdom has done nothing but go from ba to worse.

Great was the sin of those who advised the king to go, see king how weak he was of his body,’ for he could bear neither t be drawn in a chariot, nor to ride. So great was his weal ness that-he suffered me to dairy him in my arms from th mansion of the Count of Auxerre, where I took leave of him to the abbey of the Franciscans. And yet, weak as he was, he had remained in France he might have lived longer, an done much good, and many good works.

Wall three hundred verse

And to show you the cost that the king incurred, you must now that I inquired of the legate how much this gate and le portion of wall had cost. And he asked me how much I aught? and I reckoned that the gate had cost full five hundred limes, and the portion of the wall three hundred verse. And he told me so might God help him! that ate and wall together had cost him full thirty thousand verse.

When the king had finished fortifying the burgh of Jaffa, he decided to go and re-fortify the city of Sayette, which the awakens had destroyed. He started on the day of the feast f the Apostles St. Peter and St. Paul (29th June 1253); and sat night the king and his host lay before the castle of Assur, which was very strong. The same night the king called his people together and told them that if they agreed he would go and take a city of the Saracens called Naplouse; which city the ancient Scriptures called Samaria.

The Templars and the Hospitallers and the barons of the ,nd answered him, with one accord, that it would be well to and take the city; but that he ought not to go thither 1 person, because, if anything happened to him, all the land mold be lost. And he said that they should not go unless e went with them. Therefore this enterprise remained unachieved, because the lords of the land would not consent eat he should go in person.

Journeying day by day we came to the sands of Acre

A here the king and the host encamped. At that place came me a great troop of people from Great Armenia, who were going on pilgrimage to Jerusalem, having paid a great tribute 0 the Saracens, by whom they were conducted. By an interpreter, who knew their language and ours, they be-

ought me to show them the sainted king. I went to the king there where he sat in a pavilion, leaning against the pole f the pavilion ; and he sat upon the sand, without a carpet, nd without anything else under him. I said to him: “ Sire, Here is here outside a great troop of people from Great uremia, going to Jerusalem; and they pray me, sire, to amuse the sainted king to be shown to them; but I have no leisure as yet to kiss your bones.” He laughed aloud, and old me to go and fetch them; and so I did. And when they had seen the king they commended him to God, and the king commended them to God likewise.

Soldan of Damascus sent envoys to the kin

While the king was at Acre, the Soldan of Damascus sent envoys to the king, and complained greatly of the emirs of Egypt, who had killed his cousin; and he promised the king that, if he would help him, he would deliver up to him the kingdom of Jerusalem, which was in his the Soldan’s hand. The king decided to make answer to the Soldan of Damascus through envoys of his own, whom he sent to the Soldan. With these envoys went Brother Yves le Breton, of the order of the Preaching Brothers, who knew the Saracen tongue.

While they were going from their hostel to the palace of the Soldan, Brother Yves saw an old woman going across the street, and she bore in her right hand a dish full of fire, and in her left a phial full of water. Brother Yves asked her: “ What are you doing with these? ” And she answered that with the fire she was minded to bum up paradise, so that there should be none remaining; and with the water to quench hell, so that there should be none remaining. And he asked: “Why wilt thou do this?” “ Because I would that none should do good to have the guerdon of paradise, or because of the fear of hell, but solely for the love of God, who is all-worthy and can do for us what-sever is best.”

JOHN THE ARMENIAN, THE KING’S ARTILLERYMAN

John the Armenian, who was artilleryman to the king, went at that time to Damascus, to buy horn and glue for the making of crossbows; and he saw an old man, very aged, seated in the bazaar of Damascus. This aged man called to him and asked him if he were a Christian; and he said “ Yes.” And the aged man said to him: “ Much must you Christians hate one another; for once upon a time 1 saw King Baldwin of Jerusalem, who was a leper, discomfiting Saladm. and Baldwin had with him but three hundred men-at-arms, whereas Saladin had three thousand; but now you have been brought to so low estate by your sins that we take you in the fields as if you were wild beasts.”