490 IiOOKIi OF WENDOVF.lt. [Α. ο . 1-J-J7 with a lance, and sprinkled with blood, so that the Saviour of the world by this showed his faithful followers in the world that he was appeased by the devotion of his people. This vision was seen by numbers, and amongst others by a trader, who was carrying fish for sale near the town of Uxbridge ; being struck with astonishment at the strange apparition, and awed by the brightness of it, he was, as it were, lost in ecstasy and stood in amaze, not knowing what to do. His son, however, who was his only companion, comforted his father, and asked him to stop his cart and give praise to God for having condescended to show them such a vision. On the next day, and indeed every dayafter, wherever he exposed his fish for sale, he publicly told every one of the heavenly vision he had seen, and added his son's evidence to his own ; many put faith in their story, but some disbelieved it, till they were induced to believe it by the number of visions which appeared about the same time to many in various places; and in these the crucified One himself deigned to open the heavens and to show to the incredulous his wonderful glory with immense splendour. Amongst others wdio went from England to join in the crusade were the bishops 1'eter, of Winchester, and William of Exeter, who had now fulfilled their vow of pilgrimage for nearly five years. Of the progress of the crusade at this time. How the business of the cross prospered in this crusade will plainly appear by the following letter which pope Gregory sent to all the faithful followers of Christ ; " Gregory, bishop, servant of the servants of God, to al! faithful Christians, greeting, òse. lie it known to the whole community of you that we have received letters from the country beyond sea to the following purport :—Gerald, by the divine mercy, patriarch of .Jerusalem, I', archbishop of Casarca, the humble and unworthy legate of the apostolic see, ami X. archbishop of Xarbonnc, 1\ bishop of Winchester, and W . bishop of Exeter, the masters of the hospitallers, of the knights of the temple, and of the Teutonic order of hospitallers, to all to whom these letters may come, health in our Eord Jesus Christ. W e tire compelled to inform the whole community of you of our most urgent necessities, and of our progress in the cause of Jesus Christ, who shed his