A.D. 1211.] CIIUSAI'H AGAINST THF, AI.BIGF.NSF.S. minded to conform to thorn. The Albigcnsos are so called from the city of A Ilia, where, that doctrine, is said to have taken its rise. At length their perversity set the anger of Cod so completely at defiance, that they published the books of their doctrines amongst the lower orders, before the very eyes of the bishops anil priests, and disgraced the, chalices and sacred vessels in disrespect of tin; body and blood of Christ. Pope Innocent was greatly grieved at hearing these things, and he immediately sent preachers into all the districts of the west, and enjoined to the. chiefs and other Christian people as a remission of their sins, that they should take, the sign of the cross for the extirpation of this plague, and, opposing themselves to such disasters, should protect the Christina people by force of arms; he also added, bv authority of tin; apostolic see, that whoever undertook the business of overthrowing the heretics according to bis injunction, slioubl, like those who visited the Lord's sepulchre, be protected from all hostile attacks both in property and person. At this preaching such a multitude of crusaders assembled, as it is not to '·• credited could have assembled in our country. Of lhe movements of the crusaders against the Albigcnses. When therefore they were all assembled and prepared for battle, the archbishop of Narbonne, the legate of the apostolic sei; in this expedition, and the chiefs of the army, namely the duke of liiirgiimly, the count of Xevcrs, and the count de Montfort, struck their camp and marched to lav siege to the city of He/.iers. lint before, they got to it the lords of some of the castles, having little confidence in themselves, fled at the sight of their army; tin; knights and others who were left in charge of the said castles, went boldly as good catholics and surrendered themselves with their properly, as well as the castles to tin; army of the crusaders; and, on tlie eve of St. Mary Magdalen, they surrendered the noble castle of Cermaine to a monk, the lord of the castle, who also possessed several others of great strength, having taken to Might. They warned (he citizens of lieziers, through the bishop of that city, under penalty of excommunication, to make elione of one out of two alternatives: cither to deliver the heretics and their property into the hands of the crusaders, or else to