e again in the
ground, commanding him, when the city was won from the infidels, to go
with twelve chosen men, and dig it up again in the same place. The
Apostle then transported him back to his tent, and the two vanished
from his sight. He had neglected, he said, to deliver this message,
afraid that his wonderful tale would not obtain credence from men of
such high rank. After some days he again saw the holy vision, as he was
gone out of the camp to look for food. This time the divine eyes of
the younger looked reproachfully upon him. He implored the Apostle to
choose some one else more fitted for the mission, but the Apostle
refused, and smote him with a disorder of the eyes, as a punishment for
his disobedience. With an obstinacy unaccountable even to himself, he
had still delayed. A third time the Apostle and his companion had
appeared to him, as he was in a tent with his master William at St.
Simeon. On that occasion St. Andrew told him to bear his command to the
Count of Toulouse not to bathe in the waters of the Jordan when he came
to it, but to cross over in a boat, clad in a shirt and breeches of
linen, which he should sprinkle with the sacred waters of the river.
These clothes he was afterwards to preserve along with the holy lance.
His master William, although he could not see the saint, distinctly
heard the voice giving orders to that effect. Again he neglected to
execute the commission, and again the saints appeared to him, when he
was at the port of Mamistra, about to sail for Cyprus, and St. Andrew
threatened him with eternal perdition if he refused longer. Upon this
he made up his mind to divulge all that had been revealed to him.
The Count of Toulouse, who, in all probability, concocted this precious
tale with the priest, appeared struck with the recital, and sent
immediately for the Bishop of Puy and Raymond of Altapulto. The Bishop
at once expressed his disbelief of the whole story, and refused to have
anything to do in the matter. The Count of Toulouse, on the contrary,
saw abundant motives, if not for believing, for pretending to believe;
and, in the end, he so impressed upon the mind of the Bishop the
advantage that might be derived from it, in working up the popular mind
to its former excitement, that the latter reluctantly agreed to make
search in due form for the holy weapon. The day after the morrow was
fixed upon for the ceremony, and, in the mean time, Peter was consigned
to the care of Raym
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