It must not be supposed that the whole of those present were animated by any strong religious feeling.  No doubt there existed a desire, which was carefully fanned by the preaching of the priests and monks, to rescue the holy sepulchre from the hands of the Saracens; but a far stronger feeling was to be found in the warlike nature of the people in those days.  Knights, men-at-arms, and indeed men of all ranks, were full of a combative spirit.  Life in the castle and hut was alike dull and monotonous, and the excitement of war and adventure was greatly looked for, both as a means of obtaining glory and booty, and for the change they afforded to the dreary monotony of life.

There is little to tell of the journey of the Earl of Evesham’s band through England to Southampton, at which place they took ship and crossed to France—­or rather to Normandy, for in those days Normandy was regarded, as indeed it formed, a part of England.

Cuthbert, as was natural to his age, was full of delight at all the varying scenes through which they passed.  The towns were to him an especial source of wonder, for he had never visited any other than that of Worcester, to which he had once or twice been taken on occasions of high festival.  Havre was in those days an important place, and being the landing-place of a great portion of the English bands, it was full of bustle and excitement.  Every day ships brought in nobles and their followings.

The King of England was already in Normandy hastening the preparations, and each band, as it landed, marched down to the meeting-place on the plains of Vezelay.  Already they began to experience a taste of the hardships which they were to endure.

In those days there was no regular supply train for an army, but each division or band supported itself by purchase or pillage, as the case might be, from the surrounding country.

As the English troops were marching through a friendly country, pillage was of course strictly forbidden; but while many of the leaders paid for all they had, it must be owned that among the smaller leaders were many who took anything that they required with or without payment.

The country was eaten up.

The population in those days was sparse, and the movement of so large a number of men along a certain route completely exhausted all the resources of the inhabitants; and although willing to pay for all that his men required, the Earl of Evesham had frequently to lie down on the turf supperless himself.

“If this is the case now,” he said to Cuthbert, “what will it be after we have joined the French army?  Methinks whatever we may do if we reach the Holy Land, that we have a fair chance of being starved before we sail.”

After a long succession of marches they arrived in sight of the great camp at Vezelay.  It was indeed rather a canvas town than a camp.  Here were gathered nearly 100,000 men, a vast host at any time, but in those days far greater in proportion to the strength of the countries than at present.  The tents of the leaders, nobles, and other knights and gentlemen, rose in regular lines, forming streets and squares.