chap. V.]

ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM.

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right of themselves, without its being necessary forus to constrain them to it.” 1 The great object ofhis life—in appearance at least—was to wage waron the Christians; the decree of God against whichhe never attempted to struggle . 2 Also on heretics;and in the Fatimites he saw not so much theirMahometanism as their heresy, and persecutedthis, rather more than he loved and revered that.With regard to free thinkers, or the sect whocalled themselves philosophers , he only followed hisfather in punishing them severely, and with extremeopprobrium, as atheists, and had them scourged onan ass through the whole city . 3 Towards such hewas inexorable, saying, “ Why then should wepunish robbers and highwaymen, if not those whosap the very foundations of all religion?” Havingfound a piece of money too much in the accounts,he gave it back to the treasurer, saying, “ I knowyou will think it a trifle, for which very reason Ibeg of you to accept it, since your shoulders areless weak than mine, and I am afraid it might bean injustice that would draw on me an affair withthe Omnipotent God.” 4

He was the first to render military beneficeshereditary ; small fiefs, or colonies, to receive

1 Arab. Chron., 161.

3 Id., 164, 170.

2 Id., 162.1 Id., 169.