its transport to the West would be allowed as a compensation
for the fulfilment of the crusader's vow. That knight was grievously
afflicted that he could not go to the Holy Land, and earnestly prayed
God to show him how he could execute some other task equivalent to
that which he had sworn, but failed, to accomplish. His first thought
was to take relics to his own country. He consulted the two cardinals
who were then in Constantinople, who approved his idea, but charged
him not to buy these relics, because their purchase and sale were
forbidden. He accordingly determined to steal them, if such a word may
be applied to an act which was clearly regarded as praiseworthy. The
knight, in order to discover something of especial value, remained in
Constantinople until Palm Sunday in the following year. A French
priest pointed out to him a church in which the head of St. Clement
was preserved. He went there in the company of a Cistercian monk and
asked to see the relics. While one kept the persons in charge speaking
with him, the other stole a portion of the relic.

On leaving, the knight was disgusted to find that the whole head had
not been taken, and, on the pretext that he had left his gauntlet
behind, a companion regained admittance to the church, while the
knight again kept the monk in charge in conversation at the door.
Dalmatius went to the chest behind the altar where the relic had been
kept, stole the remainder, went out, mounted his horse and rode away.
The head was placed with pious joy in the chapel of his house. He
returned, disguised, some days after to the church, in order, as he
pretended, to do reverence to the relic--in order really to ascertain
that he had taken the right head, for there had been two in the chest.
He was informed that the head of St. Clement had been stolen. Then,
being satisfied as to its authenticity, he took a vow that he would
give the relic to the Church of Cluny in case he should arrive safely.
He embarked. The devil, from jealousy, sent a hurricane, but the tears
and prayers before the relic defeated him, and the knight arrived
safely home. The monks of Cluny received the precious treasure with
every demonstration of reverent joy, and in the fullest confidence
that they had secured the perpetual intercession of St. Clement on
behalf of themselves and those who did honor to his head. The relics
most sought after were those which related to the events mentioned in
the New Testament, es