3 86 HISTORY OF ENGLAND.

chap. progress in this undertaking. The work was re-v. served for a meaner instrument, whose low con-io)H. dition in life exposed him to no jealousy, andwhose folly was well calculated to coincide withthe prevailing principles of the times.

Peter, commonly called the Hermit, a nativeof Amiens in Picardy , had made the pilgrimageto Jerusalem. Being deeply affected with thedangers, to which that act of piety now exposedthe pilgrims , as well as with the instances ofoppression , under which the eastern Christianslaboured , he entertained the bold , and in allappearance , impracticable project of leading intoAsia, from the farthest extremities of the West ,armies sufficient to subdue those potent and war-like nations , which now held the holy city insubjection 8 . He proposed his views to Martin II.who filled the papal chair, and who, thoughsensible of the advantages , which the head of theChristian religion must reap from a religious war,and though he esteemed the blind zeal of Petera proper means for effecting the purpose 5 , re-solved not to interpose his authority , till he saw acreater probability of success. He summoned acouncil at Placentia , which consisted of fourthousand ecclesiastics and thirty thousand seculars ;and which was so numerous, that no hall couldcontain the multitude , and it was necessary tohold the assembly in a plain. The harangues of

’ Gul. Tyrius, lib. I. cap. II. M. Paris, p. 17.

* Cul. Tyrius , lib. I cap. 13.