The History of the Holy War, Book 5 · Chapter 9
Chap. 9. Observations on the Holy warre; The horrible superstition therein.
WE have finished the story of the Holy warre: And now I conceive my indentures are cancelled, and I discharged from the strict service and ties of an Historian; so that it may be lawfull for me to take more libertie, and to make some observations on what hath been past.
Before I go further, I must deplore the worlds losse of that worthy work which the Lord Verulam left unfinished, concerning the Holy warre; an excellent piece, and alas! it is but a piece: so that in a pardonable discontent we may almost wish that either it had been more, wholly to have satisfied our hunger, or lesse, not at all to have raised our appetite. It was begun not in an historicall but in a politick way, not reporting the Holy warre past with the Turks but advising how to manage it in the future. And no doubt if he had perfected the work, it would have proved worthy the Authour: But since, any have been deterred from finishing the same; as ashamed to adde mud-walls and a thatched roof to so fair a foundation of hewen and polished stone.
From that Authour we may borrow this distinction, That three things are necessarie to make an invasive warre lawfull; the lawfulnesse of the jurisdiction, the merit of the cause, and the orderly and lawfull prosecution of the cause. Let us apply to our present purpose in this Holy warre: For the first two, Whether the jurisdiction the Christians pretended over the Turks dominions was lawfull or not; and, Whether this warre was not onelyonly operae but vitae pretium, worth the losing so many lives; we referre the Reader to what hath been said in the *Chap. 9, and 10.first book. OnelyOnly it will not be amisse, to adde a storie or two out of an *Froissard, lib. 4. cap. 18, 19.Authour of good account. When Charles the sixth was King of France, the Duke of Burbant sailed over into Africa with a great armie, there to fight against the Saracens. The Saracen Prince sent an herald to know of him the cause of his coming: The Duke answered, it was to revenge the death of Christ the Sonne of God, and true Prophet, whom they had unjustly crucified. The Saracens sent back their messenger again to demonstrate their innocencie, how they were not Saracens but Jews which put Christ to death, and therefore that the Christians (if posteritie should be punished for their predecessours fault) should rather revenge themselves on the Jews which lived amongst them.
*Monstrell. lib. 3. cap. 68.Another relateth, that in the yeare of our Lord 1453, the great Turk sent a letter to the Pope, advertising him how he and his Turkish nation were not descended from the Jews, but from the Trojans, from whom also the Italians derive their pedegree, and so would prove himself a-kinne to his Holinesse. Moreover he added, that it was both his and their dutie to repair the ruines of Troy, and to revenge the death of their great grand-father Hector upon the Grecians; to which end, the Turk said he had already conquered a great part of Greece. As for Christ, he acknowledged him to have been a noble Prophet, and to have been crucified of the Jews, against whom the Christians might seek their remedie. These two stories I thought good to insert, because though of later date, and since the Holy warre in Palestine was ended, yet they have some reference thereunto, because some make that our quarrel to the Turks.
But grant the Christians right to the Turks lands to be lawfull, and the cause in it self enough deserving to ground a warre upon: yet in the prosecuting and managing thereof, many not onelyonly veniall errours but unexcusable faults were committed; no doubt, the cause of the ill successe.
To omit the book called the Office of our Lady, made at the beginning of this warre to procure her favourable assistance in it (a little manual, but full of blasphemies in folio, thrusting her with importunate superstitions into Gods throne, and forcing on her the glory of her Maker;) superstition not onelyonly tainted the rind, but rotted the core of this whole action. Indeed most of the pottage of that age tasted of that wild gourd. Yet farre be it from us to condemn all their works to be drosse, because debased and allayed with superstitious intents: No doubt there was a mixture of much good metall in them, which God the good refiner knoweth how to sever, and then will crown and reward. But here we must distinguish betwixt those deeds which have some superstition in them, and those which in their nature are wholly superstitious, such as this Voyage of people to Palestine was. For what opinion had they of themselves herein, who thought that by dying in this warre, they did make Christ amends for his death? as one saith: Which if but a rhetoricall flourish, yet doth hyperbolize into blasphemie. Yea, it was their very judgement, that hereby they did both merit and supererogate; and by dying for the Crosse, crosse the score of their own sinnes and score up God for their debtour. But this flieth high, and therefore we leave it for others to follow. Let us look upon Pilgrimages in generall, and we shall find Pilgrimes wandring not so farre from their own countrey as from the judgement of the ancient Fathers.
We will leave our armie at home, and onelyonly bring forth our champion: Heare what *Epist. seu Orat. de iis qui adeunt Hierosol. Edit. Gr. Lat. Parisiis, 1615.Gregorie Nyssene saith, who lived in the fourth Centurie, in which time voluntary Pilgrimages first began; though before there were necessarie Pilgrimes, forced to wander from their countrey by persecution. Where, saith he, our Lord pronounceth men blessed, he reckoneth not going to Jerusalem to be amongst those good deeds which direct to happinesse. And afterwards, speaking of the going of single-women in those long travels; A woman; saith he, cannot go such long journeys without a man to conduct her; and then whatsoever we may suppose, whether she hireth a stranger or hath a friend to wait on her, on neither side can she escape reproof, and keep the law of continencie. Moreover; If there were more Divine grace in the places of Jerusalem, sinne would not be so frequent and customarie amongst those that live there: Now there is no kind of uncleannesse which there they dare not commit; malice, adultery, thefts, idolatrie, poysonings, envies and slaughters. But you will say unto me, If it be not worth the pains, why then did you go to Jerusalem? Let them heare therefore how I defend my self: I was appointed to go into Arabia to an holy Councel, held for the reforming of that Church: and Arabia being neare to Jerusalem, I promised those that went with me, that I would go to Jerusalem to discourse with them which were presidents of the churches there; where matters were in a very troubled state, and they wanted one to be a mediatour in their discords. We knew that Christ was a man born of a Virgin, before we saw Bethlehem; we beleeved his resurrection from death, before we saw his sepulchre; we confessed his ascension into heaven, before we saw mount Olivet: But we got so much profit by our journey, that by comparing them, we found *foreign.our own more holy then those outward things. Wherefore you that fear God, praise him in what place you are. Change of place maketh not God nearer unto us: wheresoever thou art, God will come to thee, if the Inne of thy soul be found such, as the Lord may dwell and walk in thee, &c.
A patrone of Pilgrimages not able to void the blow yet willing to break the stroke of so pregnant and plain a testimonie, thus seeketh to ward it; That indeed Pilgrimages are unfitting for women, yet fitting for men. But sure God never appointed such means to heighten devotion necessary thereunto, whereof the half of mankind (all women) are by their very creation made uncapable.
Secondly, he pleadeth, That it is lawfull for secular and laymen to go on Pilgrimages, but not for Friars, who lived recluse in their cells, out of which they were not to come: and against such (saith he) is Nyssens speech directed. But then, I pray, what was Peter, the leader of this long dance, but an Hermite? and (if I mistake not) his profession was the very dungeon of the Monasticall prison, the strictest and severest of all other Orders. And though there were not so many cowls as helmets in this warre, yet alwayes was the Holy armie well stocked with such cattel: So that on all sides it is confessed that the Pilgrimages of such persons were utterly unlawfull.