volume one

94 HISTOKY or THE CEUSADES.
emperor, and received, as others had done, the reward of
their submission. The count of Thoulouse, who arrived the
last, at first answered the messengers of Alexis, that he was
not come into the East to seek a master. The emperor, to
bend the pride of Eavmond and his Provencals, was obliged
to stoop to them.* He flattered by timis their avarice and
their vanity, and took more pains to show them his treasures
than his armies. In states in their decay it is not uncommon
for wealth to be mistaken for power, and the prince believes
he reigns over all hearts as long as he possesses the means
of coiTupting them. Ceremonial was, besides, at the court
of Constantinople, the most serious and the most important
of aU thing's : but whatever value mav be attached to
vain formula, we cannot but be astonished to see warriors
so haughty, who went to conquer empires, on their knees
before a prince who trembled vrith. the fear of losing his own.
Thev made him pay dearly for an uncertain and transient
submission, and not unfrequently contempt was apparent
through their outward marks of respect.
During a ceremony in which Alexis received the homage
of several French princes, Count Eobert of Paris advanced
to seat himself by the side of the emperor. BaldAvin of
Hainaut pulled him by the arm, and said, " You shoidd
remember, when you are in a foreign country, you ought to
respect its customs." "Truly!" replied Eobert, "this is a
pleasant cIo^ti who is seated, whilst so many illustrious
captains are standing!" Alexis was desirous of ha^'ing his
words explained to him, and when the counts were gone, he
retained Eobert, and asked him what were his birth and
countrv. '• I am a Prenchman," replied Eobert, '• and of
the most illustrious rank of nobles. I only know one thing,
and that is, that in my country there is a place near a church
to which all repair who bum with a desire to signalize their
valour. I have often been there without anvbodv vet having
dared to present himself before me." The emperor took
care not to accept this kind of challenge, and endeavoured
to conceal his sui^^rise and vexation by giving some useful
The Crusaders who followed Raymond are designated by historians
Provencalex. This comes from the ancient denomination of Protincia
Romana, or Provencia Narhojiensis, which comprised Languedoc,
Dauphine, and Proveace.