Nor  could  it  be  other  wife :  for  the  moft  atro-
cious offenders,  in  all  parts  of  Chriflendom,
were,  by  the  mode  of  devotion  which  then
prevailed,  fent  thither  to  gain  a  remillion  of
their  fins,  or  fought  a  fecure  afylum  there
againfl  the  vindidive  juflice  of  their  feveral
countries.     The  king  himielf  had  been  one
of  thefe  fugitive  criminals :  whereas  Saladin
(excepting  a  boundlefs  ambition  which  had
impelled  him  to  many  unjufl  ufurpations)
appears  to  have  had  no  one  vice,  but  to  have
excelled  in  all  virtues ;  and  the  good  example
he  gave,  with  the  ftriftnefs  of  his  juflice^
made  his  fubje^ts  more  obedient  to  all  the
moral  laws  or  civil  fociety,  than  moil  others  '
in  the  world.     His  ufurpations  themfelves
were  excufed  by  the  zealous  Mahometans,  as
conducive  to  what  the  fpirit  of  their  religion,
and  the  pofitive  precepts  of  their  law,  taught
them  to  think  a  mofl  meritorious  defign,  the
uniting  of  all  the  Mufulmen  under  his  or-
ders, to  make  war  on  the  Franks,  and  drive
&dad.  Viu    them  out  of  the  Eafl*    "  With  this  purpofe
^  ^  '      .«  (fays


cp  King  HENRY  11.  287.
«  (fays  the  author  of  his  Life  before  cited)  his  BOOKV.
