152 THE HISTORY OF THE ORDER OF [hook III.

Land, and with the other pointing to the image ofour Lady, he stood for several minutes in silence,and then, with sweet and penetrating unction, ad-dressed a numerous auditory in these words:—“ Best and most generous of citizens, I cannot butsay to you, in even the worldly sense, that the im-pending war brings with it not only sorrow, butalso great joy. Indeed, it is hard to say which pre-dominates. When I reflect on the fleet, the army,the strength, number of the enemy, I shudder; but,raising up my mind to hope and recollection of themarvellous feats of the Latins, and of the renownedfortitude of the Greeks, I feel myself changed, andanother than I was; and from being dejected come tohave my spirit at ease ; and from timid and fearful,bold and audacious; and not humbled and doleful,but gay and content, in the assurance we shallutterly overthrow our most cruel invaders. ButChristians, His most blessed mother, before whoseimage I am speaking, will assist us infinitelybetter than that human philosophy I was talkingof. In her, and her Divine Son, then, is my stand,and trust for victory. The Creator will sustainthis republic; no doubt of it, my dearest children.Nor you, most glorious knights, whose deeds werenever surpassed, nor perhaps even equalled byGreeks or Romans; you never knew fear; but you