volume one

246 HISTORY Oi' THE CBl'SADES'.
never tired of listening to the recital of their lahours and
exploits. Tears, doubtless, mingled with the transports of
admiration and joy when they spoke of their numerous companions
whom death had swept away in Asia. There was
not a family that had not to weep a defender of the cross, or
did not glorifr itself with having a martyr in heaven. Ancient
chronicles have celebrated the heroic devotion of Ida,
countess of Hainault, who made the voyage to the East, and
braved all dangers in search of her husband. Sent by the
Crusaders to Alexius, the count of Hainault, with all the
persons of his suite, had disappeared, without any one being
able to say what had been their fate. Some said they were
still prisoners among the Turks, others that they were killed.
Ida sought through many countries of Asia, but returned to
France without ha^"ing obtained any tidmgs of her husband.*
The count of Thoulouse, who had sworn never to retiun
to the AYest, went to Constantinople, where the emperor
received him with distinction, and gave him the city of Laodicea,
Eaymond of Orange determined to share the destiny
of the count of Thoulouse, and finish his davs in the East.
Among the knights, companions of Eaymond de St. Gilles,
who returned to their own coimtry, we must not forget
Stephen and Peter de Salviac de Yiel Castel, whom their age
holds up as models of brotherly love. Stephen and Peter
de Salviac were twins, and the tenderest affection united
them from their infancy. Peter assumed the cross at the
council of Clermont, and Stephen, although married, and the
father of several children, determined to follow his brother
into Asia, and share with him the perils of so long a voyage.
In all battles they were seen fighting side by side, and
they together were present at the sieges of 2>^ice, Antioch,
a disease of which he died in the said country of Syria, he sent them to
his brother Gauthier de Loheac, by bis squire called Simon de Ludron,
who had accompanied him in this voyage." "We might quote many other
similar facts which prove that the Christians of the West set the greatest
vaJue upon reUcs brought from the East.
* This circumstance is related in the Chronicle of Hainault (Gisle-
herti Chronica Haniionice ;)—Tacendum non est, says this chronicle,
quod uxor ejus Yda comitissa doraini sui occasum ut audivit, sed incerta
si occisus fuerit, vel captus teneretur, Deum et virum suum dUigens,
partes illas eum labore magno et gravibus expensis adire non dubitavit
unde ipsa prius de viro suo incerta, incertior rediit.—P. 37.
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