94 THE HISTORY OF THE ORDER OF [book I.

or if they resolved to sell or mortgage their do-minions or rid themselves of them in any way—even by gift—they imitated the multitude, andjoined the crusade as individuals; so they couldmanage to be lent money enough to buy a battlehorse, it filled them Avith delight to enroll as acommon crusader.

The heir apparent of England jumped to pledgeNormandy, and left his birthright to his youngerbrother. Fortunately none of the great Europeanmonarchs could so easily make away with theirrealms, or create a national debt, to squander it;but as they were obliged to wait a little, and puttheir finances in some order—though resolved totake their turn, and set out as soon as the otherscame back—yet being of the last, they only wentafter men had in some degree regained their senses.But in this first crusade they could take no part,but were constrained to remain at home—sadlyagainst their Avishes—and considered themselvesunhappy, and considered so by others, Avho sin-cerely bewailed their piteous lot, and the miserableelevation which condemned them to be a sacrificefor the public, and defer their felicity, and descendto the second place. Poor sovereigns, no longer inthe highest, but at this most important crisis, in aquite inferior station!