None can describe the terror which such a formidable armament inspired in the country destined to experience its fury, and which had already felt all the horrors of religious wars. The people knew that the reformed preaching had entirely ceased in their province; they would probably themselves have sacrificed the heretics, had they known where to find them, from resentment for the ills which the sectaries had already brought upon them, and those with which they were still menaced. Those same inhabitants of the countship of Toulouse who saw themselves so cruelly persecuted by the Roman church, knew in their consciences, that they were nevertheless zealous Roman catholics; and therefore they were fully persuaded that the crusaders, as they were informed, had engaged to pass through the territory of the count of Toulouse from one extremity to the other, in order to put all the inhabitants to the sword, and people it with another race.5

Excessive fear dissolved all the ancient bands of affection, of relationship, and of feudal subjection. Whilst Louis was collecting his army at Bourges, and was traversing the Nivernois, and when he arrived at Lyons on the 28th of May, for the feast of the ascension, he received deputations after deputations from all the barons of the states of Raymond or from the cities which

5 Et sic terram comitis totam ab initio usque ad finem cum habitatoribus ejus deleri-Matt. Paris. Hist. Ang. p. 280.

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were subject to him, to offer their oath of fidelity, their keys, their hostages, all the guarantees, in a word, of their entire obedience to the king and the church, which the crusaders could desire. The inhabitants of Avignon were amongst the number of those who had long ago offered themselves to Louis. They placed at his service, the use of their city and of their bridge over the Rhone. It was, in fact, their embassy which determined Louis to choose that route for entering the states of Raymond."

Avignon, as well as Arles, Marseilles, and Nice, and all the country situated on the left bank of the Rhone, belonged to the kingdom of Arles, or to the empire, and not to the kingdom of France. But the authority of the emperor over that country was then reduced to an empty name. The grand vassals of Provençe were the real sovereigns, and the four cities we have named, having continually been increasing the privileges of their communes, had at last became true republics; governed upon the model of the cities of Lombardy, by a podestat, with annual consuls and a council of the commune. Avignon had, nevertheless, retained a great affection for the house of Saint

6 Hist. Gen. de Languedoc, liv. XXIV, ch. ix, p. 352. The deputies from Avignon who had met the king at Clermont d'Auvergne, had agreed with him that he should only enter into the city with a hundred knights, and the legate with only the archbishop and the bishops; but that the inhabitants should furnish to all the rest of the army provisions at an equitable price. Chroncion Turonense, p. 314, tom. xviii des historiens de France.

Gilles; and this city which had been amongst the first to open its gates to Raymond VII on his return from the council of Lateran, had submitted from love to him, to remain twelve years under an excommunication. The inhabitants of Avignon did not feel themselves strong enough to sustain the first violence of the crusade, nor did they think that count Raymond himself would be able to resist it. They therefore offered to the king provisions and the passage of the Rhone, but they would not receive an army so ill supplied, and ill disciplined, as his, within their walls. In conformity with this line of conduct, the podestat and consul of the city, representing the community, took all proper measures for the safety of their republic. They repaired their walls, provided themselves with arms and machines of war, and brought into their city all the provisions of the neighbouring fields. Raymond VII, on whom those lands depended, took no offence at the advances which they had made to his enemy. He did not despair of his safety, but he knew that he could not meet the formidable army which was coming against him, in the open field. He had therefore confined his endeavours to the prolongation of the war, in the hope that time might procure him some favourable changes. On the one hand, to confirm the affections of his sub

7 Boucher Hist. de Provence, liv. 1x, sect. 2, t. ii, p. 211.

jects, he granted new privileges to the inhabitants of Toulouse, and new fiefs to Roger Bernard, count of Foix, his only ally. On the other, he concerted with the city of Avignon, after they had supplied themselves, to destroy all the grain and forage which they had not secured, and even took care to break up all the meadows, that the crusaders might find no green forage.9

The bridge which crosses the Rhone from Avignon to the suburbs now called Ville-Neuve, and formerly Saint-André, rests upon a small island, which divides the course of the river. It is of stones, and the city on one side, and the suburb on the other, enclose it like two têtes de pont. But the magistrates had constructed a wooden frame, which began from this island, and terminated above the city. By this bridge of wood, Louis VIII, immediately on his arrival, passed three thousand soldiers: there was no necessity for him to demand any other passage; and, as the city did not acknowledge him as its lord, either immediate or sovereign, he ought to have contented himself with the offer that was made him, to open a passage for his army without the walls, and honourably to admit, into the city, himself and the legate, with the most distinguished persons of the court. But, the legate and the priests wished to punish a city, which had remained twelve years

8 Hist. gén. de Languedoc, liv. XXIV, ch. xi, p. 354.

9 Matt. Paris Hist. Ang. p. 280.

in impenitence, under the weight of an excommunication: the crusaders were envious of the riches which they expected to find accumulated in it, and the pride of the king was wounded with any opposition made to his authority. He declared to the podestats and consuls of Avignon, that he wished to pass the Rhone by the stone bridge, and for that purpose to traverse their city with his lance on his thigh, at the head of his whole army. The consuls, worthy of the energy of a rising republic, boldly declared that they would not permit it, and immediately shut their gates against him.1

Louis VIII had arrived before Avignon, on the 6th of June, 1226, the eve of Pentecost; but it was not till the 10th that he commenced the siege. The negociations of the preceding days had been brought so near to a conclusion, that the citizens had restored fifty hostages, who were in their custody. Nevertheless, on the 9th the legate published a decree, enjoining upon the king to purge the city from heretics; and the French having, during the truce, made an attempt to surprise one of the gates, blood was spilled on both sides, and the conferences were broken off. 2

However, the siege of Avignon was found to be

1 Matt. Paris Hist. Ang. p. 280. Boucher Hist. de Provence, liv. 1x, sect. ii, p. 221. Guil. de Podio Laurentii, cap. xxxv, p. 687. Præclara Francor. facinora, p. 774. (He copies Puy Laurens.)

2 Hist. gén. de Languedoc, liv. XXIV, ch. xiv, p. 356. Chron. Turon. P. 315.