604 ROGER OF WENDOVER. [A.D. 1-2..Ô. dishop of Winchester went to Rome at the summons of the pope, to arrange the proceedings of the war which he was carrying on against the Romans ; for that prelate, when a young man, had been in the service cf the renowned warrior Richard, as well as of John, the kings of Kngland, and with them he had of old learned the use of the hauberk before he assumed the pontifical dress, and could drav up an army before he could preach the word of faith. Of the nreachmg of the crusade. In this year, which was the eighteenth from that in which tho truce of ten years was made in the land of promise between the Roman emperor Frederic and the sultan of Babylon, a preaching of a crusade was made throughout all Christendom at the instance of pope Gregory, who sent letters into the various parts of the world to the following effect :— The pope's warrant, "Gregory bishop, servant of the servants of God, to all the faithful servants of our Lord Jesus Christ dwelling in Kngland, health and the apostolic benediction. Like Rachel formerly when she saw the beginning of those who grew in the knowledge of the true faith to their own salvation, so also the holy Roman church, whose sorrow is great over the mutual destruction of her children has sent forth and still sends forth sighs and groans, which we hope may be heard in heaven, that the faithful may weep and mourn, till the Lord takes pity upon thein. She grieves that the house of celestial bread, Mount Sion, from whence the law was given forth, the city of the great King, of which many glorious things are told, the land which the Son of God has hallowed by shedding his blood ι here for us, has lost the strength and Iwauty of its kingdom. It weeps because that once free land is now under the yoke of impious tyranny. She weeps because, where the multitude of the heavenly host uttered songs of peace, there the oppression of a most impure people has stirred up offences, concealed malice, and schisms, and, stirring up war, hath put forth its band and expelled from the temple of the Lord the ordinances of the priest, and the laws of nature itself, that tilth and abomination may be introduced in their place; wherefore Jerusalem hath been defiled in her sabbaths, and polluted by her enemies. For although the said city, besides the temple of the Lord, was some time ago restored to our well-beloved son in Christ, Frederic the Roman emperor, the august and illustrious king of Sicily and Jerusalem, yet, because the Almighty God did not deign then to confer more glory on the Christians, the aforesaid emperor made a truce with the saltan, the end of which is now so nigh, that the intervening time is not thought sufficient for preparation, unless we hasten to make all necessary preparations with speed, and the confidence and warmth of faith, liet no one therefore be backward in undertaking the pilgrimage to the succour of that laud, to fight for their country with a sure hope of