THE BOY CRUSADERS,

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many of lis lords made earnest efforts to divert.
him from his purpose. But remonstrance proved
unavailing, Clinging steadfastly to his resolution,
Louis summoned a Parliament at Paris, induced the
assembjed magnates to take tlie Cross, oceupied three
years with preparations on a great scale, and ulti-
mately, having repaired to St. Denis, and received
from the hands of the papal legate the famous
standard known as the oriflamme of France, em-
barked at Aigues Mortes, and sailed for Cyprus, with -
his queen, Margaret. of Provence, his brothers, the
Counts of Artois, Poictiers, and Anjou, and many
of the greatest lords of his kingdom.

Meanwhile, the barons of England were not. in-
different to what was- passing on the Continent.
Many of them, indeed, were desirous to take part in
the expedition. But King Henry not only forbade
them to assume the Cross, but would not allow a
crusade to be preached in his dominions. No gene-
ral movement was therefore made in England.
Nevertheless, William Lonysword, Eaal of Salisbury,
grandson of the second Henry and Rosamond Clifford,
determined on an ‘armed pilgrimage,’ and, in com-
pany with Lord Robert de Vere and others, vowed
to join the French Crusaders and combat the Saracens.
Hfenry, enraged at his mandate being disregarded,
seized Salisbury’s manors and castles; but the earl,
faithful to his vow, embarked, with De Vere as
his standard-bearer, and with two hundred Knelish
knights of noble name and danntless courage, sworn
to bring the standard hack with glory, o. dye it
with their hearts’ blood