WILLIAM RUFUS. 389

war: They were engaged in perpetual hostilitieswith each other : The open country was becomea scene of outrage and disorder : T. he cities,still mean and poor, were neither guarded bywalls , nor protected by privileges , and wereexposed to every insult : Individuals were obligedto depend for safety on their own force , or theirprivate alliances : And valour was the only ex-cellence, which was held in esteem , or gave oneman the pre-eminence above another. When allthe particular superstitions, therefore , were hereunited in one great object, the ardour for militaryenterprises took the fame direction ; and Europe,impelled by its two ruling passions, was loosened,as it were , from its foundations, and seemedto precipitate itself in one united body upon theeast.

All orders of men , deeming the crusades theonly road to heaven, inlisted themselves underthese sacred banners, and were impatient to openthe way with their sword to the holy city. Nobles,artisans, peasants, even priests " enrolled theirnames; and to decline this meritorious servicewas branded with the reproach of impiety, orwhat perhaps was esteemed still more disgraceful,of cowardice and pusillanimity I5 . The infirmand aged contributed to the expedition by presentsand money ; and many of them , not satisfied withthe merit of this atonement, attended it in person,and were determined , if possible , to breathe their

" Order. Vital. p. 72c. W. Malm. p. IZZ.

C c 3

H A ?.V.

1096.