22 THE HISTORY OF THE ORDER OF [book i.

unarmed and defenceless master and underlings;so that their surviving to return was highly proble-matical. Yet return he did. Was it not a bettersermon than hanging, or solitary confinement, ortransportation when he came back a changed man,on the best evidence, those who knew him intimatelyafterwards during a prolonged old age, and whodeclare he died regretted as a holy person? Notthat it would be the proper legislation now, orperhaps at any time ; but only that in his instanceit succeeded. Neither should I like averring thatFrotmond’s case is no lesson.

But what were Fatimites to their merciless suc-cessors, who it is said hesitated awhile betweenChristianity and Mahometanism, but decided for theKoran at last? Reckless savages by whom customs,treaties, lucre, were unregarded. It became hardfor even the richest pilgrim to purchase an entryinto the Holy Sepulchre. Still neither difficultiesnor dangers put a stop to pilgrimages; but ratherthese went on increasing, as those increased.Perhaps the whole truth was not yet quite knownto Europe.

Among the pilgrims of the beginning of theeleventh century, was the Count of Anjou. Abunch of broom the device of his family, Plant theBroom became its war-cry; just as with the Yene-