volume one

±2 nisTOEY or the ckusades.
wliite liairs of Simeon, his venerable figure, and, above all,
tlie persecution Avhicli he had imdergone, bespoke the full
confidence of Peter, and they wept together over the ills of
the Christians. The hermit, his heart torn, his face bathed
in tears, asked if there was no termination to be looked for,
no remedy to be devised, for so many calamities ? " Oh,
most faithful of Christians!" repHed the patriarch, "is it
not plain that our iniquities have shut us out from all access
to the mercy of the Lord ? All Asia is in the power of the
Mussulmans, all the East is sunk into a state of slavery ; no
power on earth can assist us." At these words Peter iaterrupted
Simeon, and pointed out to him the hope that the
warriors of the West might one day be the liberators of
Jerusalem. " Yes, without doubt," replied the patriarch,
" when the measure of our afilictions shall be full, when God
will be moved by our miseries, he will soften the hearts of
the princes of the West, and will send them to the succour
of the holy city." At these words Peter and Simeon felt
their hearts expand with hope, and embraced each other,
shedding tears of joy. The patriarch resolved to implore,
by his letters, the help of the pope and the princes of
Europe, and the hermit swore to be the interpreter of the
Christians of the East, and to rouse the West to take arms
for their dehverance.
After this interview, the enthusiasm of Peter knew no
bounds ; he was persuaded that Heaven itself called upon
him to avenge its cause. One day, whilst prostrated before
the holy sepulchre, he believed that he heard the voice of
Christ, which said to him,— "Peter, arise ! hasten to proclaim
the tribulations of my people ; it is time that my servants
should receive help, and that the holy places should be delivered."
Pull of the spirit of these words, which sounded
unceasmgly in his ears, and charged with letters from the
patriarch, lie quitted Palestine, crossed the seas, landed on
the coast of Italy, and hastened to cast himself at the feet
of the pope. The chair of St. Peter was then occupied by
Urban II., who had been the disciple and confidant of
both Grregory and Victor. Urban embraced with ardour a
project which had been entertained by his predecessors ;
received Peter as a prophet, applauded his design, and bade
him go forth and aimounce the approaching dehverance of
Jerusalem.
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