Part 2 (1/2)
This bound the children to a repetition of their hardshi+ps and adventures, which, considering the courage and suffering of that little band of youths who knelt before hi now, and worn out hat they had endured, they were forced to obey the Pope's decree, and so with shattered hopes and drealory for ever abandoned, they retraced their steps, and found their pathway ho than the rest of their journey had been
Many of them died on the way, and of those who lived, it was said in towns and cities through which they passed, that where in departing they passed in parties and troops, happy and never without the song of cheer, they now returned in silence, barefoot and hungry, and with no band of followers
Day by day they straggled into Cologne--victims of a sad delusion
Alas, how bitterly they had paid for their wilful disobedience!
When asked where they had been, they said they did not know, and had only wild confused tales to tell of strange lands and countries, costumes and customs, and many a mother's heart was broken with sorrow that her boy had not survived the journeying
Winter had passed and Spring had coone before all the wanderers had returned, all the lost been given up, and for many a year to come, peasants and nobles, with tear-dimmed eyes told the story of the German children's march to the sea, and of the supposed martyrdom of their lost leader, Nicholas--whose father, the afflicted parents whose homes had been desolated by the Crusade, turned on in such a frenzy of bitterness and anger, feeling that he had strongly influenced his son to leadershi+p that they laid violent hands on hi all the weeks while Nicholas and his ar southward on their way to Italy, Stephen was still preaching at St Denys, and his young lieutenants were still gathering recruits for his arth in late June, all was ready except the last preparations for departure, and Stephen then sent out a coather at Vendome, a city near Cloyes, which was not only one of considerable importance, but from which roads lay in many directions from which bands could arrive
From thatleader in co bands; while co towards the city, with their flags and oriflaher yet As they drew near the city their songs could be heard louder and louder until when they reached the city gates, the words were so distinct that their dialect disclosed the province from which they had co with thees, costureat confusion and variety in the ranks of Stephen's arreatly, the youths were bound together by a single hope, led by a common aim, as they marched into Vendome ready to start on their perilous journey
Like the German youths, they were assured that no vessels would be needed to take them across the Mediterranean, for had not Stephen said:
”Betaters which are to be to us as a wall on the right hand and the left, are we to cross the untrodden bed of the sea and with dry feet e stand on the distant beach by the walls of Acre or of Tripoli We bear no weapons and ear no armour! The pathway of other Crusaders litter of steel, but our pilgrims' robes are our armour, our crosses are our swords and our hyrey coat, but all wore the Cross which was ht shoulder of the coat To place the cross there was the duty of the prophets--as the young leaders of each band were called Receiving the cross was the formal act of enlistment, and proud indeed were the lads ore them
At last the latest band had coathered together there, eagerly awaiting the coht that was, the ar for the coged the youths to repent and stay at home where their duty lay, but pleas and cries were all counteracted by applause and encourageious exercises in which God's blessing was asked, and the oriflammes and crosses raised triumphantly, the army formed in line of march, and then with a volume of cheers which drowned the sound of sobs and protests, moved on, out of Vendome under the protection and leadershi+p of Stephen
It was only a feeeks since the young prophet had been the huotten now, and as he led his arnity quite out of harhty host eneral and prophet must assume the style which became his rank He therefore rode in a chariot as splendid as could be procured, covered with rare carpets of brilliant colours Over his head to protect hi draperies of every hue Around this chariot to guard him and carry out his commands, as well as to add to the impressiveness of his station, rode a band of chosen youths of noble birth, on chargers, dressed in splendid uniforms and armed with lances and spears This pomp and splendour increased the confidence of his followers, who, too young to see the inconsistency of his conduct, listened to his words as to those of God, and regarded his wishes as law
Out of Vendos and shouts and tears and applause of the crowd gathered to see the departure, moved the ranks of youths, their eyes dazzled with the wonder and the glory of the leader--their hearts on fire to do his bidding And in Stephen there burned the zeal of the real leader In order to keep up the spirit of the host, which fatigue would tend to lessen, he spoke to the when they halted or encamped and also while they ing words Soed around hiuards to protect hie and as they pushed forward to be near him, many of the weak and small were crushed to death The veneration for the Boy Prophet was carried to such an extent that all vied with each other to procure a thread of his clothing, a piece of the trappings of his car, while they who had a single hair of his head felt they had a priceless treasure It is small wonder that this shepherd boy, sensitive as he was to impressions, and duped as he was in the belief that he was anointed by God to a holy calling, and then worshi+pped by an ever-increasing tide of followers, should have been affected by the rapid change in his circus He was evidently possessed of no slight ability to carry out plans, and had much power over people, and his whole nature was aflaes Such was the lad Stephen, shepherd of Cloyes, prophet of the Children's Crusade, ith pomp and ceremony he led his army out of Vendome
The pathway of his army was marked by far fewer hardshi+ps than those the Gerh which they travelled was o hts or on freezing h which they passed they encountered only sympathy and interest So their ranks were scarcely thinned by desertion or death, and yet even so, the trip was none too easy, especially on account of the great heat and drought of the sun from God that the sea was to be dried up for their benefit as he had predicted
His army did not bear heat, want and exhaustion as well as the sturdier German children did, and in an incredibly short time its ranks lost all discipline and authority, and at last each one of his band of followers became keen only to outwit the others in a search for food, and in endeavours to hide it, they struggled on--a loose, undisciplined mass, until finally Stephen's authority was entirely lost and the inal enthusiase which for a while had been kept up by Stephen's zeal, and by spirited songs and stories, died away, and Stephen was obliged to make use of constant deceptions in answer to questions as to when the wearythat a few norant of geography were the youths that the falsehoods were not detected Day by day they aith fresh hope which was fed by the sight of a castle or walled tohich they thought ht they lay down victirih Burgundy, and beautiful Provence, and finally froe of hills they had to climb, there burst on them a view of the cool, blue sea, and frohty cheer! With renewed hope they hurried down to the walls of the city of Marseilles which they saw lying below the hills, an enchanting vision of cool green beauty to their untravelled eyes Their shouts announced their arrival to the people of the city, who hurried to street corners and to market places, and saith curious and astonished eyes the strangest of all ar and old listened ide-eyed astonishment to the tale they told Three hundred miles they had come, those children, in about a ht pass over in safety to accomplish their holy object!
Unlike the German army, their numbers were scarcely lessened, as many new recruits had joined the ranks and replaced those feho had deserted or fallen by the way-side So it was not a small and tattered or worn-out band who made their appeal to the Marseillian authorities, but an i band of twenty thousand youths, still flushed with health and hope
Having no political reason to refuse the to have such an influx of pilgriiven to the host of youths, ith their leader and the older companions who had followed the army, accepted the hospitality of Marseilles and were housed in various places for the one night which was to be the preface to that miracle which would prove their Divine ht of fitful sleep and vivid dreams, Stephen at dawn crept out alone, and hastened to the shore of the sea, where he feasted his hungry eyes on its surging depths, crying, ”How long, oh, Lord, how long, before thou wilt show thy power?” For hours he remained there, by the sea, and yet there carim feet to tread
Soon his army had clustered around hier questions, and Stephen's hour for victory or defeat had coht, he spoke, with flashi+ng eyes and ringing voice, yes, and with an honest conviction of the truth of what he said, spoke words of hope and cheer that allowed of no backsliding or co his followers; and still the weary band kept up their watch by the shore of that surging sea The afternoon light deepened, the sunset cala no sign of e days and nights, and still the sea surged on unchanged, undivided!
Stephen's followers knew the truth at last,--they had been deceived by a false hope, led by a false leader Crying out against hiht, so far from home, they vanished one by one, until of the army that had entered the city, only five thousand rehtened, Stephen knew not where to turn for help Dropping on his knees he prayed earnestly for a voice to tell him of his duty and of God's desire
Then suddenly his disheartened band of followers saw an unexpected sight Stephen, the Prophet,the Orifla tones, ”God wills it--God wills it!”
They surrounded him, when at last he halted, and he spoke first in denunciation of their unbelief, and then he told of two Marseillian merchants who had couidance, and offered him vessels to carry his army to Palestine