chap, i.] ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM. 5

and so they did, and formed a sort of military re-public. Some years later the hardy veterans, reli-gious but inaccessible to scruples, overthrew a largePapal army—or rather multitudinous rabble withthe Pope at its head; but victors, they unhelmed andknelt down to the Pope himself on the same field,and craved his forgiveness and blessing ; which,with or against his will, he gave, and erected what-ever they had conquered, or should conquer in thoseparts, into a feudal patrimony under the protectionof St. Peter. Thus constituting himself feudal lordover lands to which he had no right whatever; andgaining more by having lost, than he could haveby having Avon a battle. Another Norman gen-tleman, who had twelve sons, sent them to seektheir fortune in a like manner; and most of themrose to royal rank. The youngest, Avhose sole pa-trimony was one horse, worked up to be king ofthat rich island, which had been the granary ofimperial Pome. What if he and his young bridehad once travelled straddle legs on the samehorse ? He had no other. But the day was athand when he was to be a potent and wealthymonarch; where he and queen might (so they liked)sit on their throne, as quietly as Sir John takinghis ease in his inn. And Avhen he wore a crown,he gave his historian special directions to