He placed the lands of the princes and the goods of the Crusaders under the protection of the Holy See during their absence; he declared that those who borrowed money for the expedition should be exempted from the payment of interest. Princes were invited to compel the Jews, who were the principal money-lenders, to remit the payment of interest to intending Crusaders. Eulers were urged to forbid the Jews to engage in any business in case of their refusal. Those who could not themselves take up the Cross were asked to provide substitutes, or at least to contribute to the expense. All who refused to give were warned that they incurred a grave responsibility. lie ordered the clergy peremptorily to contribute a fixed portion of their revenue. He forbade the Venetians to furnish the Saracens with iron, ropes, wood, arms, galleys, ships, or any munitions of war whatever. Eichard of England had made war on Philip of France.

Innocent sent a cardinal to France to conclude a treaty for five years between the two sovereigns, and wrote himself to his legate in France: "If men perish, if the churches are weakened, if the poor are oppressed, if the French and the English incur danger on account of their kings—all this is of less consequence than the loss of Palestine, than the extermination of the Christian name; and yet this is what will happen if these kings prevent their warriors from going to reconquer what has been lost, from protecting those who have been threatened." If the treaty were not accepted by the two kings, his firm resolution and that of his cardinals was to place the kingdom of the offender under an interdict, and to forbid, with the utmost rigor and severity, without regard to privileges and indulgences, the celebration of divine worship. Innocent pointed out that the time was opportune. " By the dissensions which divide the Saracens, the Lord gives to Christian people the signal for the crusade."

Wrote also to Alexis

Innocent, in his determination to leave no stone unturned for the accomplishment of his purpose, wrote also to Alexis Visit Bulgaria, the Emperor in the New Pome, asking for his aid. " Who," he asked, "can do more than you, seeing your nearness to the field where the battle must be fought, your riches and your power? Will your majesty put all other considerations on one side, and come to the help of Jesus Christ and of the country which he has won by his blood ?

The Pagans will flee before you, before your army, and you—you will share with the others in the pontifical favors." The assumption of an authority was not likely to be welcome at Constantinople, but the letter shows at least how strong was the determination of the pope to make the expedition a success.' Legates were sent to the New Rome to negotiate with the emperor and the patriarch on the subject of the expedition and of the union of the two churches. The letter and the legates were treated with the utmost respect.

The haughty tone of the pope's letter, and the experience which the Greeks had had of the last crusade, were not likely, however, to produce a favorable reply. The Emperor Alexis, in his answer, recalled that when Frederic, a few years earlier, had promised upon oath to pass through the empire peaceably, he had violated his promise. lie had done great injury; he had fought Christians as well as Pagans, and yet, in spite of this, Alexis claimed that the Greeks, out of veneration for the object of the expedition, had furnished him with all that was necessary. Notwithstanding this just cause of complaint, Alexis concluded this part of his letter by promising that if the empire were able to preserve its tranquility, he would favor the efforts which should be made for the delivery of the Holy Sepulcher.

Controversy to the examination of a council

As to the old question of the union of the two churches, the reply was that the best union would be brought about by each giving up its own will and submitting to the divine will. If the pope wished to submit the doctrines in controversy to the examination of a council, the Orthodox Church would take part in it. While admitting the zeal of the pope for the glory of God, Alexis could not conceal his astonishment at hearing the pope call the Roman Church the Universal Church, and the common mother of all the churches. That title belonged to the Church of Jerusalem. The old jealousy between the two Romes was not to be overcome, and, as usual, found vent in the religious questions which divided the two churches. Little aid was to be hoped for Constantinople; but only little had been expected.

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