500 ΚΟΓ,Ι'.ΐ; OF VENDOVEIl. [A.D. 122S. of as it were from his mother's womb, suckled at its breast, carried on its shoulders, and whom it has frequently rescued from the hands of those seeking his life, whom it has brought up to perfect manhood at much trouble and expense, exalted to the honours of the kingly dignity, and finally advanced to the summit of the imperial station, trusting to have him as the wand of defence and the staff of its old age. And he, when he went into Germany to assume the reigns of government, presented to his mother's eyes what was believed to be a happy omen, but which might more truly be considered a dangerous one ; for. of his own accord, not by our advice, and unknown to the apostolic see. he affixed the cross to his shoulders, making a solemn vow that he would go to the assistance of the Holy Land. He then obtained a decree of excommunication against himself and others who had assumed the cross, if they did not set out at a certain time : subsequently, however, he asked, and received absolution, having first given an oath to abide by the decision of the church in this matter. The apostolic sec, shedding its overflowing grace on him, called him to the crown out of due order, that he might more speedily proceed with succour to the Holy Land, and he, not unwilling but invited thereto by many intercessors and magnificent messages, has used the banner of the cross till this time, for his own purpose. Afterwards, when he had received the crown from the hands of Honorius, our predecessor, of happy memory in the church of St. Poter, he re-assumed the cross from our hands, who were then holding an inferior station, and publicly renewed his vow. He induced several to assume the cross in the hopes of his support, and fixed on a time for crossing the sea. He afterwards held a conference with the Roman church at Vcroli, when he publicly swore that he would set out with all honours and like an emperor, at a fixed time to be pre-arranged by the church of Rome. After this he, at a similar conference at Ferentino, fixed on a period of two years from that lime to be the time for his sailing; he also promised on a solemn oath that he would cross the sea, and take in marriage the noble daughter of our well-beloved son in Christ, John king of Jerusalem, who was also the heiress of that illustrious monarch ; he added, that by these means he should bind himself to the service of the Holy Land, not like the other pilgrims, but like the templars, and hospitallers,