The age of the crusades . erent courts. If the baron was inclined to obey thecall of his ghostly superior, the successor of St. Peter,his retainers were ready to march. And the mostbrawling of the barons was superstitious enough tothink that the voice of the Pope might be the voiceof God. If he did not, his retainers did, and dis-obedience to the papal will might cost him the obedi-ence of those subject to him. Besides, many of thefeudal lords were themselves in clerical orders, withtheir oath of fealty lying at the feet of the Holy Father. Feudalism and the Cntsades. 39 Thus Europe, though di
The age of the crusades . erent courts. If the baron was inclined to obey thecall of his ghostly superior, the successor of St. Peter,his retainers were ready to march. And the mostbrawling of the barons was superstitious enough tothink that the voice of the Pope might be the voiceof God. If he did not, his retainers did, and dis-obedience to the papal will might cost him the obedi-ence of those subject to him. Besides, many of thefeudal lords were themselves in clerical orders, withtheir oath of fealty lying at the feet of the Holy Father. Feudalism and the Cntsades. 39 Thus Europe, though divided into many factions,and, indeed, because the factions were so many, wasin a condition to be readily united. We shall see ina subsequent chapter that it was in the interest of theholy see to apply the spring which should combineand set in motion these various communities as butparts of that gigantic piece of ecclesiastical and mili-tary mechanism invented by Hildebrand. CHAPTER V. THE IMPOVERISHED CONDITION OF HE once luxuriant civilization of Romehad been swept away by the Northerninvaders as completely as a freshet de-spoils the fields when it not only destroysstanding vegetation, but carries with thedebris the soil itself. The most primitive arts, thoseassociated with agriculture, were forgotten, and therudiments of modern industries were not thought of the once cultivated land had, as has else-where been noted, reverted to native forest andmarsh, and in places was still being purchased bystrangers on titles secured by occupancy and first im-provement, as now in the new territories of even natures pity for man was outraged; thebounty she gave from half-tilled acres was despoiledby men themselves, as hungry children snatch themorsels of charity from one anothers hands. Whatwas hoarded for personal possession became the spoilof petty robbers, and what was left by the neigh-borhood marauder was destroyed in the incessantbaronial strife. To these
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