Gualteri Mapes. De nugis curialium distinctiones quinque

Cap. xxii.] DE NUGIS CURIALIUM. 35
Be sene Axacessi. xxii.
Contigit item quod vir auctoritatis maximse, qui senex vocatur
Axasessis,* quasi sub axe consessis imperat^ qui fuit fons reli-
gionis et fidei gentilium, a patriarcha Jerosolimitano peteret
librum evangeliorum, quo etiam eorum interpretem misit.
Acceptus est interpres et evangelium afFectuose susceptum,
missusque vir ex ijjsis bonus et magnus^ ut a patriarcha sacer-
dotes et levitas a quibus baptismum et fidei sacramenta plene
perciperent secum reduceret, quem obiter positis insidiis inter-
fecerunt oppidani templarii^utaiunt, ne fides evacueretur infidelium
ad pacis unitatem. Sunt enim, ut aiunt, Axasessi primi paganorum
infidebtatis et incredentias magistri. Senex a fraude comperta
priorem compescuit freno diaboH devotionera, sikiitque Domi-
nus facere quod spopondisse videbatur. Patriarcha dolere potuit, et
rex, ulcisci neuter ; patriarcha non potuit, quia Roma captivitatem
educit bursas et cunctis locis; rex non, quia minimus eorum digitus
major est illo. Jocelinus Saresberiensisf episcopus, fiho suo Re-
ginaldo Batoniensi, per violentiam electo, sed ad consecrationem
a Cantuariense non admisso, plangentique, respondit, " Stulte,
velox ad Papam evola, securus nihil heesitans, ipsique bursa grand)
paca bonam alapam, et vacillabit quocunque volueris." Ivit ergo,
* The best work on the history of the died in 1184. The date of his election to
sect of the Assassins is that of the baron the bishopric of Salisbury is uncertain,
von Hammer-Piirgstall, which has been His son Reginald was bishop of Bath and
translated into French and English. The Wells from 1174 to 1191, after which he
medieval Christian writers, mistaking the was for a very brief period archbishop of
meaning of the title of the chief of this Canterbury. The archbishop of Canter-
sect, always represent him as an old man bury appears to have refused to confirm
(senex). The story here told will be him in his bishopric, because he was too
found much more detailed in the History young (only 24 years of age, according to
of William of Tyre, lib. xx, cc. 31 et seq. some), and he probably accompanied him
p. 994, ed. Bongars. to Rome, for he subsequently consecrated
-f- Jocelin was a native of Lombardy, and him at San Giovanni in Savoy.