volume one

28 UISTOKT OF THE CHUSADES.
brother Eiehard to be poisoned. Eemorse urged him to
make the pligi-image to Palestine ; and he set out accompanied
by a great number of knights and barons, bearing
the scrip and staff, walking barefoot, and clothed in the sack
of penitence. He attached, he said, more value to the pains
he suffered for Christ's sake than to the richest city of his
dukedom. On his arrival at Constantinople, he despised
the luxury and the presents of the emperor, and appeared at
court in the guise of the humblest of the pilgrims. Ha\ing
fallen sick in Asia Minor, he refused the ser^'ices of the
Christians of his suite, and caused himself to be carried in a
litter by Saracens. Meeting a pilgrim from Xormandv, the
latter asked him if he had any message that he could deliver
for him to his country. " Go and tell my people," said the
duke, " that you have seen a Christian prince being carried
to Paradise by devils." When he arrived at Jerusalem, he
found a crowd of pilgrims, who, not ha\-ing the means of
paying the tribute to the inhdels, awaited the arrival of some
rich lord who might deign, by his charity, to open for them
the gates of the holy city. Robert paid a piece of gold for
each of them, and followed them into Jerusalem amidst the
acclamations of the Christians. During his sojourn here he
caused himself to be remarked for his devotion, and still
more for his charity, which he extended even to the infidels.
As he was returning into Europe, he died at Xicea, in
Bithvnia. res^ardiug onlv the relics he had brousfht with him
from Palestine, and regretting that he had not finished his
davs in the holv citv.
• • •
The greatest blessing for the pilgrims, and that wliich
thev demanded of Heaven as a reward for their labours and
fatigues, was to die, like Jesus Christ, in the holy city.
"WTien they presented themselves before the holy sepulchre,
they were accustomed to offer up this prayer :— " Thou who
died for us, and wast bimed in this holy spot, take pity of
our misery, and withcbaw us at once from this valley of
tears." History tells of a Christian, bom in the territory
of Autun. who. on his arrival at Jerusalem, sou£:ht death in
the excess of his fastings and mortifications. One dav he
remained a long time in prayer on the Mount of OKves, with
his eyes and his hands raised towards heaven, wliither God
seemed to call him. On his return to the hospital of the