Prayers and alms were offered for departed souls, in the notion that
they were gone to Purgatory, a place where it was said their sins would
be purged away by suffering before the Day of Judgment, and whence their
friends might, as they imagined, assist them by their offerings.
People used to go on pilgrimage, and especially such as had fallen into
any great sin, would go through everything to pray at the Holy Sepulchre
for forgiveness. The Saracens, who had not been unkind to the pilgrims,
were subdued by a much fiercer set of Mahometans, the Turcomans, who
did everything to profane the holy places, and robbed and misused the
Christians who came to worship there. The news of this profanation
stirred up all Europe to deliver the Sanctuary from the unbeliever.
Monks went about preaching the holy war, and multitudes took the cross,
that is, fastened on their shoulder one cut out in cloth, and vowed to
win back Jerusalem. The Pope took upon himself to say that whoever was
killed in such a cause, would have all his sins forgiven, and be in no
danger of purgatory; and this be called an indulgence. These wars were
called Crusades.
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