Page:Readings in European History Vol 1.djvu/348

 CHAPTER XV THE CRUSADES I. POPE URBAN'S ADDRESS AT CLERMONT We have four reports of Urban 's address, which were drawn up by those who were apparently actually present at the Council of Clermont. One of the most interesting of these is that given by Robert the Monk, of Rheims, in the opening chapters of his history of the First Cru- sade. This was written toward twenty-five years after Urban's visit to France and does not claim to give more than a general idea of the pope's arguments. 123. Urban's In the year of our Lord's Incarnation one thousand speech at an( j ninety-five, a great council was celebrated within the bounds of Gaul, in Auvergne, in the city which is called Clermont. Over this Pope Urban II presided, with the Roman bishops and cardinals. This council was a famous one on account of the concourse of both French and German bishops, and of princes as well. Having arranged the mat- ters relating to the Church, the lord pope went forth into a certain spacious plain, for no building was large enough to hold all the people. The pope then, with sweet and per- suasive eloquence, addressed those present in words some- thing like the following, saying : " Oh, race of Franks, race from across the mountains, race beloved and chosen by God, as is clear from many of your works, set apart from all other nations by the situa- tion of your country as well as by your Catholic faith and the honor which you render to the holy Church : to you our 312 reported by Robert the Monk.