CHAP. II.]

ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM.

169

—another crusade in favour of that sacred countrywas what occupied his mind and heart. Yet hefancied it was more effectual to take people bysurprise, and feared that otherwise some strongimpediment might spring up in his own family. Soit was with mystery he summoned his parliament,nobody knew decidedly for what. But soon did hiscrusade become the talk through Europe. The eldestson of Henry III. of England took the cross againsthis father’s will. Whether it was reverence for St.Louis, Prince Edward’s example was quickly fol-lowed by several of the most illustrious English.So acted the Kings of Castile and Portugal; andDonna Sancha, Queen of Arragon, having becomean Hospitalleress, and died in the Hospital of St.John, in Syria, contributed to make the ladies ofSpain highly favourable to the recovery of the HolyLand. 1 On the 4th of July, 1270, Louis embarked,as before, at the small port not far from Marseilles.But nothing did this seventh crusade effect in favorof the Christians in the Holy Land, except thatit caused a diversion to distant Tunis; nor werethere any Hospitallers that we read of there. Theyhad enough to do at Acre. Twice had St. Louis ledexpeditions against the sultan, and was successfulin neither. In Egypt he had been defeated, mal-1 Michaud: Hist-, v. 44.