butthesevengreatarmamentsorcrusadeswereexcitedbysomeimpendingorrecentcalamity:thenationsweremovedbytheauthorityoftheirpontiffs，andtheexampleoftheirkings:
theirzealwaskindled，andtheirreasonwassilenced，bythevoiceoftheirholyorators；andamongthese，Bernard，^28themonk，orthesaint，mayclaimthemosthonorableplace。AbouteightyearsbeforethefirstconquestofJerusalem，hewasbornofanoblefamilyinBurgundy；attheageofthree—and—twentyheburiedhimselfinthemonasteryofCiteaux，thenintheprimitivefervoroftheinstitution；attheendoftwoyearsheledforthherthirdcolony，ordaughter，tothevalleyofClairvaux^29inChampagne；andwascontent，tillthehourofhisdeath，withthehumblestationofabbotofhisowncommunity。Aphilosophicagehasabolished，withtooliberalandindiscriminatedisdain，thehonorsofthesespiritualheroes。Themeanestamongthemaredistinguishedbysomeenergiesofthemind；theywereatleastsuperiortotheirvotariesanddisciples；and，intheraceofsuperstition，theyattainedtheprizeforwhichsuchnumberscontended。Inspeech，inwriting，inaction，Bernardstoodhighabovehisrivalsandcontemporaries；hiscompositionsarenotdevoidofwitandeloquence；andheseemstohavepreservedasmuchreasonandhumanityasmaybereconciledwiththecharacterofasaint。Inasecularlife，hewouldhavesharedtheseventhpartofaprivateinheritance；byavowofpovertyandpenance，byclosinghiseyesagainstthevisibleworld，^30bytherefusalofallecclesiasticaldignities，theabbotofClairvauxbecametheoracleofEurope，andthefounderofonehundredandsixtyconvents。Princesandpontiffstrembledatthefreedomofhisapostolicalcensures:France，England，andMilan，consultedandobeyedhisjudgmentinaschismofthechurch:thedebtwasrepaidbythegratitudeofInnocenttheSecond；andhissuccessor，EugeniustheThird，wasthefriendanddiscipleoftheholyBernard。ItwasintheproclamationofthesecondcrusadethatheshoneasthemissionaryandprophetofGod，whocalledthenationstothedefenceofhisholysepulchre。^31AttheparliamentofVezelayhespokebeforetheking；andLouistheSeventh，withhisnobles，receivedtheircrossesfromhishand。
TheabbotofClairvauxthenmarchedtothelesseasyconquestoftheemperorConrad:aphlegmaticpeople，ignorantofhislanguage，wastransportedbythepatheticvehemenceofhistoneandgestures；andhisprogress，fromConstancetoCologne，wasthetriumphofeloquenceandzeal。BernardapplaudshisownsuccessinthedepopulationofEurope；affirmsthatcitiesandcastleswereemptiedoftheirinhabitants；andcomputes，thatonlyonemanwasleftbehindfortheconsolationofsevenwidows。
^32Theblindfanaticsweredesirousofelectinghimfortheirgeneral；buttheexampleofthehermitPeterwasbeforehiseyes；
andwhileheassuredthecrusadersofthedivinefavor，heprudentlydeclinedamilitarycommand，inwhichfailureandvictorywouldhavebeenalmostequallydisgracefultohischaracter。^33Yet，afterthecalamitousevent，theabbotofClairvauxwasloudlyaccusedasafalseprophet，theauthorofthepublicandprivatemourning；hisenemiesexulted，hisfriendsblushed，andhisapologywasslowandunsatisfactory。Hejustifieshisobediencetothecommandsofthepope；expatiatesonthemysteriouswaysofProvidence；imputesthemisfortunesofthepilgrimstotheirownsins；andmodestlyinsinuates，thathismissionhadbeenapprovedbysignsandwonders。^34Hadthefactbeencertain，theargumentwouldbedecisive；andhisfaithfuldisciples，whoenumeratetwentyorthirtymiraclesinaday，appealtothepublicassembliesofFranceandGermany，inwhichtheywereperformed。^35Atthepresenthour，suchprodigieswillnotobtaincreditbeyondtheprecinctsofClairvaux；butinthepreternaturalcuresoftheblind，thelame，andthesick，whowerepresentedtothemanofGod，itisimpossibleforustoascertaintheseparatesharesofaccident，offancy，ofimposture，andoffiction。