156

THE DECLINE AND FALL

CHAP.LX VII.

“own fortune? It is to them, to your God ,“ and your fellow-christians, that you have“ pledged your faith; and that prior obligation“ annihilates a rash and sacrilegious oath to the“ enemies of Christ. His vicar on earth is the“ Roman pontiff, without whose sanction you“ can neither promise nor perform. In his name,“ I absolve your perjuryand sanctify your arms:‘‘ follow' my footsteps in the paths of glory and“ salvation; and ifstill ye have scruples, devolve“ on my head the punishment and the sin.” Thismischievous casuistry was seconded by his re-spectable character, and the levity of popular as-semblies ; war was resolved on the same spotwhere peace had so lately been sworn; and, inthe execution of the treaty, the Turks were as-saulted by the Christians , to whom, with somereason, they might apply the epithet of infidels.The falsehood of Ladislaus to his word and oathwas palliated by the religion of the times: themost perfect, or at least the most popular ex-cuse would have been the success of his armsand the deliverance of the Eastern church. Butthe same treaty which should have bound hisconscience, had diminished his strength. Onthe proclamation of the peace, the French andGerman volunteers departed with indignant mur-murs, the Poles were exhausted by distant war-fare, and perhaps disgusted with foreign com-mand; and their palatines accepted the first li-cence, and hastily retired to their provinces andcastles. Even Hungary was divided by faction,or restrained by a laudable scruple; and the re-lics of the crusade that marched in the second