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5

THE BOY CRUSADERS,

France became great throuchout Christendom, and
inspired the hopes of the Christians of the East.

Nor was it merely as a warrior that Louis sig-
nalised himself among his contemporaries. At the
time when he was attending, with exemplary regu-
larity, to his religious devotions, and keeping watch
over the security of his dominions, he was devoting
himself assiduously to his duties as sovereign and to
the administration of justice.

One day, when Louis was at the castle of Hieros,
in Provence, a Cordelier friar approached.

‘Sire,’ said the friar, ‘I have read of unbelieving
princes in the Bib!e and other good books; yet I
have never read of a kingdom of believers or un-
believers being ruined, but from want of justice
being duly administered. Now,’ continued the friar,
‘I perceive the king is going to France; let him
administer justice with care, that our Lord may
suffer him to enjoy his kingdom, and that it may
remain in peace and tranquillity all the days of his
life, and that God may not deprive him of it with
shame and dishonour.’ |

Louis listened attentively to the Cordelier, and the
friar’s words sank deep into his mind. From that
date he gave much attention to the administration of
justice, and took especial care to prevent the poor
being wronged by their more powerful neighbours.
On summer days, after hearing mass, he was in the
habit of repairing to the gardens of his palace, seat-
ing himself on a carpet, and lstening to such as
wished to appeal to him; at other times he went to
the wood of Vincennes, and there, sitting under an