304 THE HISTORY OF THE ORDER OF [book I.

tumbling down, perhaps it is that the heroes ofthe cross had disappeared, and, with the not unfairexception of the military orders, warlike virtue wasgone. The descendants of an illustrious race haddegenerated from their pristine morals, and con-tracted what may be compared to the impure stainoozing from the olive, or rust that corrodes steel . 1Nor is this the opinion of a fanatical monk alone,but also of a cool statesman. Immediately onreturn from Egypt Almeric had undertaken animploring visit to Constantinople, with confidencein his relationship to the Greek sovereigns ; but itproduced nothing . 2 A little later, he had to in-vestigate that outrage perpetrated on the Old Manof the Mountain’s merchant; and the criminalTemplar was thrown into prison, and after trial,sentenced to death, which certainly would havebeen executed, if Almeric had lived; but not beingso, the Assassins considered they had a full rightto put any new King of Jerusalem to death,as responsible for his predecessor’s neglect ofjustice . 3 Another Templar, in Armenia, hadbecome Mahometan, an Englishman, Robert de St.

1 Michaud : Hist., ii. 245.—Vitri.

2 Id: Id. 240.

3 Vertot: ii. 219, 223.—Bosio: par. 1, lib. iv., anno 1172.