CHAP. I.]

ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM.

91

Acre. 1 And these besieging Tripoli and threateningAcre, the new king marched out and made hisvalour be admired on the field of battle. Still hehad no other than that shadow of feudal superiority,and no army to defend it. 2 That most shameful ofcrusades (with which, thank Heaven, the order hadnothing to do), that against the Albigeois, in everysense belonged to Europe, and “ from their perse-cution,” says the French historian, “ came the In-quisition, that disgrace to humanity, religion, andour country.” 3 I am glad to copy that ferventCatholic’s words. What has been said about theearthquakes, is by some referred to May, 1202 ;but such dates are uncertain, and let me observeonce for all, that it is only the chronology in themargin that can pretend to documentary certainty,while that in the text is only extremely probable.But not only Godfrey Lo Rath was Grand Masterin 1205, immediately on Alphonso’s abdication, ashas been shown, but also we have a deed of his theyear next following which even Seb. Paoli ^seems not to have read with attention,probably from its coming too late. 4 And the samegrand master was living in May of 1207 (though

1 Michaud: Hist., iii. 260.—Arab. Chron., 379.

2 Id.: Id., 266. 3 Michaud: Hist., iii. 271.

4 Cod. Dipl. Geros., Hum. clxxv., i. 217.—Appendix, lvii.