all things before the marriage of the Princess Charlota and was afterwards in little esteem reveng'd the Queen's and her own disgrace by poysoning the Duke of Conimbria She had a Son whom she passionately lov'd and whom during her grandeur she had made a kind of absolute Minister of State The death of the Prince restor'd to the Mother and the Son the authority which they had lost But as persons of mean Birth usually forget themselves when rais'd above themselves the insolence of the one and the other was so excessive that they us'd the Dutchess most contemptuously Charlota deeply resented both the death of her Husband and the scorns put upon her when she was a Widow She complain'd to her Brother James de Lusignan and her Complaints were not in vain for this natural Son of the King equally cruel and ambitious kill'd with his own hand the Nurses Son not so much to satisfie his Sister as to govern in his room and to open to himself by that means a way to the Throne The Queen who tenderly lov'd her Nurse could not be brought to pardon James whom she mortally hated besides so that to avoid the anger of a Woman a Queen and a Mother-in-Law he was forc'd to conceal himself in the Venetian Consuls House and at length to quit the Kingdom In the mean while the Dutchess of Conimbria who was in the flower of her age and in the full splendor of her beauty was remarried with Lewis Son to the Duke of Savoy Soon after this marriage the King and the Queen dy'd The King by his Will declar'd Charlota his only Heir But the natural Son whom ambition blinded had no regard either to the Laws of Nature or the last words of a dying Prince He made War upon his Sister and his Brother-in-Law by the assistance of the Soldan of Egypt who rather chose to have a Grecian Prince his Tributary then any other Marc Cornaro a Gentleman of Venice who liv'd at Nicossa and was very rich did not a little help the Bastard to make himself Master of the Isle and usurp the Crown The Usurper therefore to acknowledge his services and to fix the Venetians at the same time to his interests espoused Katharine the Daughter of Carnaro after the Commonwealth had adopted her But this new Dominion was too unjust to endure long or happy The Uncles of Katharine who shar'd in the Government poyson'd the King of Cyprus with a design to raign themselves And it was in favour of his Widow that Michael Salamon came to Rhodes on the behalf of General Loredano who was gone to Cyprus to restore Katharine to the possession of her Kingdom The Venetian Ambassadors deliver'd a Letter to the Grand Master from the Duke of Venice full of reproaching and menacing Language Afterwards he himself declar'd with much haughtiness that since the Common-wealth had adopted Katharine Cornara that it was an injury done to the Venetians to favour Rebels that caball'd against a Daughter of St. Mark and their lawful Queen So proud and surly an Embassy no way pleas'd the Grand Master however he thought it not convenient to provoke the Venetians by too severe an answer at a time when the order had their hands full Nor could he stoop to qualify them with an answer too much beneath himself And therefore he answer'd with a Gentility and sowreness mix'd both together that the Knights of St. John neither meddl'd with the differences in the Kingdom of Cyprus nor would they suffer any Traitors in Rhodes but that the Island being a free Island they denied admittance to no Christians who desir'd to live among them like Christians Salamon was not satisfy'd with the Grand Masters answer and Loredano less He thought his own presence would do more then his Embassador for which reason he hastens away to Rhodes When his Gallies enter'd the Port the Master sent four of the Grand Crosses to congratulate his arrival and to present him with all sorts of fresh Victuals but being informed of the occasion of his coming he sent to tell him plainly that he could make him no other answer then what he had already given him That concise Declaration caus'd the General to understand that his Voyage was lost so that without considering any farther with himself or so much as setting foot ashore he return'd with all the choler that could inspire a fierce and daring person for having tak'n so much pains so little to the purpose The haughtiness of the Venetians was not the only cause of the ill success of their Embassie The kindness which the Grand Master had for Charlota de Lusignan had a deep share therein Though the Knights of St. John had never openly declar'd for Katherine Cornara nor were willing to contest with the Venetians about their affair certain it is that in their hearts they were all for Charlota de Lusignan whether it were that they were satisfy'd in the Justice of her cause or that the compassion which they took upon her misfortunes caus'd them to embrace her interests or whether it were that the most of them were taken with the Charms of her beauty They had seen her several times at Rhodes she was as yet young enough for her misfortunes had not defac'd her beauty nor depriv'd her of her natural gayity of humour She spoke very pleasingly and readily according to the natural Genius of the Greeks she drest her self after the French mode and her disposition her air and manners plainly shewed her to be of Royal Extraction The Grand Master had always admir'd in the person of Charlota besides the graces of her body and mind a prudence that exceeded age and a constancy above all her sex But the chiefest motive was that she had put her self under the protection of the Knights and for that she had already receiv'd all the assisting kindnesses that she could in reason expect Her acknowledgment also oblig'd them to shew her new marks of their esteem and affection For she publickly declared that she had been more oblig'd to the Knights of Rhodes then to all her nearest Relations and because the Commonwealth had adopted her Enemy she was wont pleasently to say that if Katharine Cornara were the Daughter of St. Mark of Venice Charlota de Lusignan was the Daughter of St. John of Jerusalem But perhaps the great esteem they had for Lewis of Savoy her husband contributed more then any other reason to make the Grand Master and Knights favourable to her interests They were all perswaded that the order of St. John were beholding for their preservation to the house of Savoy and it was a common opinion among them that Amadeus the fifth surnam'd the Great coming to the relief of Rhodes and having constrain'd Ottoman to raise his Seige took for his impress these four Letters F. E. R. T. that is Fortitudo ejus Rhodum tenuit his Fortitude kept Rhodes And that in his arms he chang'd the Eagle of Savoy into the
all the Estates of the Order The most part of the absent Commanders who lead lives irregular enough and for whom great Revenues were not large enough to maintain their luxury refus'd to pay that which was their due However to excuse themselves in some measure they cry'd out that the Tax was too high that Zacosta sought only to ruine them and enrich himself and that his Government grew every day more and more tyrannical They also did him ill offices to the Princes which they found enclin'd to hear them The Italians and French did all they could to animate against him the Duke of Venice and the King of Naples but the Spaniards render'd him altogether odious to the King of Arragon already provok'd for that the Council of Rhodes had tak'n from an Arragonois the Commandery of Emposta to put Zacosta in his room That Prince who was one of the Greatest of his time and who wanted not for credit at Rome inform'd the Pope of all and advis'd him to send for the Grand Master and to examine how he had carry'd himself The Pope believ'd the King of Arragon but to save in some measure the honour of the party accus'd he order'd the General Chapter which should have been held at Rhodes to be held at Rome where the affairs of the Order might be better consulted then in any other place Zacosta who was ignorant of the evil designs of his enemies blindly obeys the Orders of the Pope and his innocency seem'd to afford him strength to undergo the toil of a Voyage in the extremity of old age In this famous Assembly it was wherein Paul the second presided in Person that the Commander D'Aubusson was highly preferr'd For besides that at the opening of the Chapter he was chosen for one of the Procurators of the Treasury he was one of the sixteen Knights that were afterwards elected and who according to the Statutes of the Order had a joint power to look after the most important affairs But his principal business was to justifie the innocence of the Grand Master Zacosta to which purpose he ply'd Cardinal Vrsini and the Arch-Bishop of Milan who were brought into the Chapter by the Popes order being persons in whom the Pope had a great confidence After he had well inform'd them of the loose life of the Knights who refus'd to pay the Tax he easily made them understand that the Complaints which they made against the Grand Master had no other foundation then the dissoluteness of his Enemies But to remove out of the Popes thoughts all apprehensions of any tyrannical Government exercis'd by the Grand Master he engag'd several of the most sober and prudent Knights to give testimony to the Pope of the conduct and management of Zacosta The Pope was asham'd that he so easily believ'd the accusers of Zacosta and to make him some kind of publick satisfaction he caress'd him and shew'd him more then ordinary favours before all the world But as his Holiness had been inform'd by Cardinal Vrsini and the Arch-Bishop of Milan of the debauchery of the disobedient Knights he consulted with the Grand Master how to reduce them to their duty He also made a speech in Latin to the Knights that were assembled upon the obligation that lay upon them all together to lead a life not only vertuous and regular but holy and irreproachable The zeal of the Pope rais'd up that of the Chapter They seriously fell to consider what way to take to remedy the disorders that were crept into the Order and made Laws for the Reformation of Manners which after they had been examin'd by the sixteen Knights and some of the Cardinals were approv'd and confirm'd by the Pope himself Aubusson was extreamly rejoic'd that he had not labour'd in vain but he had not the satisfaction to see the Grand Master himself put the Laws in execution Zacosta dy'd as soon as the Assembly was broke up The Pope was so much the more aggriev'd at it because he lookt upon himself to be in some sort the cause of his death for it was the general report that this journey to Rome had shorten'd the days of that venerable old man He was buried with a magnificence extraordinary in the Church of St. Peter before the Chappel of St. Gregory The Marble that was laid over him sufficiently testifies him to have been illustrious in piety in charity and in wisdom and his Epitaph might have serv'd him for an Apology had he had any need of it after his death Baptista Vrsini Prior of Rome was elected Grand Master before the Knights were separated He departed for Rhodes presently after his election upon information that his presence was absolutely necessary there When he came there he found the Treasury wasted the Fortifications decay'd good part of the Ammunition spent and all the Inhabitants of the Island alarm'd at Mahomets preparations The Barbarian puft up with his former Conquests advanc'd every day like a surious Torrent that finds no resistance or which becomes more impetuous and rapid by the resistance which it meets with The death of the generous Scanderbeg made him more insolent then ever insomuch that when he heard the news he said that he would now be soon Master of Christendom since she had lost her Sword and Buckler The first step which the Grand Master made to remedy these disorders was to recall all the Knights which the journey to Rome had scatter'd or which the pleasures of Italy or the affairs of the Order hinder'd from returning The Commander Aubusson who was recall'd by name came to Rhodes at the same time that two Gallies were preparing to succour the Island of Negropont into which Mahomet was enter'd by land with an Army of two hundred thousand men by the help of wooden Bridges built upon great Barks in the Streight of Saint Mark while Basha Mahomet his Favourite assail'd it by Sea with a Navy of two hundred Sail. The impatience which Aubusson had to fight the Infidels made him eager for employment upon this occasion The Grand Master had already nam'd the Knight Cardona to command the Gallies so that all he could do for Aubusson was to give him the Command of a Troop of stout men that were order'd to be the Companions of Cardona's Fortune When the Gallies were ready they set sail and join'd with the Venetian Fleet which the Republick sent to the relief of Negropont The Fleet appear'd in view of the Isle when the Barbarians were ready for the assault and Mahomet who saw them coming was not a little troubled But all that preparation came to nothing and the Knights were forc'd to lye still and behold the City taken before their faces through the cowardice or imprudence of the Venetians who having the Wind and Tide favourable instead of making use of the opportunity stopt short and fell to consultation when it was time to act The Grand Signior was so enrag'd at the succour which the Order had given
concern'd the honour of the order and the General Interest of Christendom that his person should not be expos'd to the Assassinates of Bajazet he orderd that the Knight de Blanchefort should take as many Knights as he pleased for the Guard of Zizim commanding strictly those that were nam'd to obey him without any more to do declaring withall that such as should be bound to attend upon Zizim should enjoy all the prerogatives of Residence and precedency as if they had stay'd at Rhodes THE HISTORY OF Peter D'Aubusson Grand Master of RHODES Book Fifth WHILST Zizim had a private and obscure life in France one Bajazett almost unknown till then appear'd in the world resolv'd to take advantage of the divisions of the two Ottoman Brothers He was their Uncle being the Brother of Mahomet and Son of Amurath After the loss of Constantinople he was taken by the Christians in his Infant years and carry'd to Rome in the Pontificat of Nicholas the fifth who took care himself of his Education The Instructions which he receiv'd were not altogether unpofitable For he renounc'd the law of his fals Prophet and became a Christian He apply'd himself afterwards to the study of humane Learning and as he wanted not wit he perfectly attain'd the Latine Language But Nicholas the Fift being dead he left Italy to travell into Germany There he was well receiv'd and the Germans lookt upon him as a person that might be useful to them in their Wars against the Turks After he had stay'd sometime in the Emperor Fredericks Court he went into Hungary and there settl'd himself not dreaming to raise his fortune any higher for the example of the brave and vertuous Matthias made so little impression upon him that he only minded his repose and pleasure in the Court altogether Warlike and altogether Christian But the Quarrel between Bajazet and Zizim which made such a noise over all Asia and Europe awak'nd him out of that dream wherein he lay and rous'd his ambition by causing him to remember his birth The flight of Zizim begat in him a desire to make war against Bajazet He revolv'd in his mind that having but one enemy to deale with he might without fear dispute for the Empire but at the same time he thought there was no way for him to compass his design but by the assistance of the Knights of Rhodes And he had a belief that infallibly he should attain his ends provided he could engage the Grand Master to his side To this purpose he wrote to him a long Letter in Latin Wherein he first declar'd himself the only heir to the Ottoman Crown as lawful Son of Amurath pretending that Mahomet was but his bastard then he spoke of his great feats of arms like a true Knight errant and because the Christian world might not be so well inform'd he referr'd the Grand Master to the Turks for a clearer understanding of things But the Turks knew him not so well as the Christians for he was carry'd away so young from Constantinople that it was impossible for him to have done any thing remarkable in Turky At last he highly extold the services he could do for Christendom and the information he could give the Grand Master touching several important secrets of affairs advising him not to let slip so fair an opportunity earnestly desiring his speedy answer The letter was written with his own hand but as if he had the management of all the business in the world he concluded that it was writ in haste They were not convinc'd at Rhodes of Bajazett of Hungaries reasons That Braggadochio stile wherewith he thought to win the assistance of the Knights was in part the reason why they refus'd it him On the other side the Grand Master who had a tender love for Zizim and was loath to embroil himself with the Port took no care to listen to the Propositions of an Adventurer of whom he had no knowledge and to who he had no engagement so that this new Actor soon return'd to that obscurity wherein he had alwaies liv'd and which he so much the rather deserv'd because he had sought too late to quit it The Grand Signior took it the most kindly in the world that he had behav'd himself in that manner and as a mark of his acknowledgment he began from that time to pay him the forty thousand Duckets which he had promised him The first payment was made by Vssambei one of the Principal Officers of the Port. He was sent expresly to Rhodes with order nevertheless to go for France under pretence to thank Charles the Eighth for receiving Zizim into his Territories but indeed to learn certain intelligence of his Brother However Bajazett fearing lest Vssambei should find some obstacle in his Embassy conjur'd the Grand Master that he should give him letters of recommendation for France But the Grand Master did not think it enough to write to the King He was resolv'd that the Hospitalier of the Order should accompany the Turkish Embassador to be his Guide and to introduce him into the Court. And indeed Vssambei was better receiv'd than Zizim had been for the complements of Bajazett highly pleas'd the French In the mean time the war of Terrara rais'd many combustions in Italy and was meditating to have brought the Infidels into Italy For Hercules D'Este became so proud through the Alliance of Ferdinand King of Naples who had giv'n him his Daughter Elenor in Marriage that he loftily scorn'd the friendship of the Venetians which the Dukes his predecessors had alwaies highly sought for He came to that degree of contempt that he usurp'd their Lands abus'd their subjects not considering the kindnesses which he had receiv'd from the Republick when after the death of his elder Brother the Son of his other Brother took up Arms to have depriv'd him of his Dominions The Venetians could not brook the loftiness nor ingratitude of the Duke of Terrara They rais'd puissant Armies against him and leagu'd themselves again with the Pope who was displeas'd with the King of Naples both because that Prince had retain'd in his service about four hundred Turks of the Garrison of Otranto and because he took little care in his Kingdom of the duties of the Holy See Ferdinand sent Alphonso Duke of Calabria to the succour of Hercules his Son-in-law of whom the Common wealth had got great advantages Alphonso had already pass'd the Mark of Ancona and was advancing with his forces toward the Terraras's when the Colonna's and Cavelli who were risen up against the Pope invited him to joyn with them in the Compagna of Rome Robert Malateste who commanded the Army of the Republick was soon at his heels gave him battel and absolutely defeated him Which Victory fill'd the Venetians full of hopes and undertakings but while they ransack'd the Ferraresi and were going to make themselves Masters of Ferrara the Pope of a suddain abandons them whether he were gain'd by the
after an extraordinary manner either because the Court had a great esteem for him or because they had a design to keep him in delay He saw through the gentleness and caresses which he receiv'd which way the Court stood affected toward the Holy-war The King would not undertake it by any means whether he thought his Kingdom too much exhausted to defray the expence of a war that might prove of a long continuance or whether he minded nothing but his Repose after his past toiles or that the Charms of the fair Agnes had cool'd his zeal which he formerly had for the interest of the Church or whether it were that he would not submit to the inclinations of his Son who was retir'd male-content to Philip Duke of Burgundie the most zealous of all the Christian Princes and one that had declar'd himself so much an enemy of the Turk that he solemnly swore to make war upon them The Cardinal Legate who was a Frenchman and very understanding ing in affairs appli'd himself wholly to effect this Negotiation After many Conferences in vain with the publick Ministers he treated at last in particular with the King not being able to obtain any thing Calistus being advertis'd of the Kings disposition writ to him very sharp Letters threatning him at length with the Thunderbolts of Rome and the Malediction of Heaven if he refus'd the holy League Those Letters wrought no effect if they did not make it worse The King was incens'd at the Popes threats and not perswaded by his reasons In such a ticklish conjuncture there appear'd no probability of hopes for the Commander D'Aubusson However he ceas'd not to act and in regard that besides the character of an Embassador he had other good qualities which made him esteem'd by the King and his Ministers he was heard more favourably then the Legate He represented at first that Christendom was never in more eminent danger and that there was nothing which we had not to fear if the Progress of the Infidels were not quickly stopp'd that Mahomet since the taking of Constantinople aim'd at nothing but Rome that he was fall'n into Hungaria to enter into Germany with a purpose to make his way that way into Italy That it was one of his maxims that as there is but one God in Heaven so there could not be but one Monarch upon Earth That he had been constrain'd to raise his siege before Belgrade because he had not taken the right course and for that he had been wounded himself but that his misfortune had no way disincourag'd him that he was one of those great men that make the best advantage of their errors and misfortunes or rather that he was like the fiercer sort of Beasts who when they have receiv'd a wound and feel their blood begin to flow are never more furious till then That since his ill success in Hungary he had drawn to his side the Soldan of Egypt the Caraman and the Tartar and that he would return with fresh forces to the siege of the Belgrade and that his Generals who had tak'n almost all the Isles in the Archipelago would soon powre their fury upon Rhodes In short that those two Ramparts of Christendom being forc'd not any of the Dominions of the Christian Princes could be safe either by Sea or Land Aubusson afterwards represented to the King that being the eldest Son the Church he could not forsake their interest without dishonour to himself That as for the transportment of the Pope it was but a transportment of zeal and that his good intentions deserv'd the pardon of a few sharp expressions He added at length that because there were in Rhodes more Knights of the French then of any other Nations in the world the Monarch of France could not in justice dispence with succouring the Island at a time when it lay only in his power to do it That Alphonsus King of Aragon so wise and so brave before he came into Italy was not only effeminated by the delights of Naples but embroyl'd with Pope Calixtus who though a native of Arragon had refus'd to give him the investiture of the Kingdom of Sicily and to assure the succession to Ferdinand his natural son That Henry King of Castile as poor spirited and more vitious then his Father had business at home and abroad and that his Rebellious subjects found him as much work as the Moors of Granada his Neighbours and Enemies Thas Henry of England was not Master at home and that the Duke of York who had usurp'd the Government minded nothing but to sustain himself against his Rivals That the Emperor Frederick liv'd an idle life minding neither his own honor nor the safety of Christendom That besides the war grew hot between the Empire and Hungary and that Ladislaus at the same time was to make head against the Emperor and the Turk That civil dissentions turmoyl'd all Italy and that the Kingdoms of Sweedland Danemark were full of troubles Christiern had been set up in the place of Charles whose irregularities and crimes had render'd him unworthy of the Crown That Alphonso King of Portugal quiet enough at home wanted not a good will but that all he could do was but very little if a Prince more potent then himself did not assist him That thus France being the only Kingdom in Europe that enjoy'd a true peace it was only from France that they could expect relief sufficient to ruine the designes of the Port and for that reason parhaps it was that Heaven had freed it from the power of the English All these reasons propounded after a smart and insinuating manner made a deep impression upon Charles's thoughts That Prince who was so averse before to the Holy-war began to desire it and awaking from the profound sleep wherein his pleasures had lull'd him he only follow'd the motions of his Piety and Courage He gave liberty to Cardinal D'Avignon to leavy a tenth upon the Clergy to defray the expence of the war he entred into a League against Mahomet with Hungarie and that there might be no question of his faithful inclinations he confirm'd the League by the marriage of Magdalene of France his Daughter with King ' Ladislaus As for the Knights he promis'd them all assistance and immediately caus'd sixtie thousand Crowns in Gold to be paid to the Embassador of Rhodes Aubusson lay'd out that mony for provisions of war according to the orders he receiv'd and freighted away Ships laden with Canon Armes Powder and Lead Then he departed himself after he had collected most of the money which was due to the Order in several parts of Europe The success of the Embassie and the Letter which he presented to the Grand-Master from the King of France made him to be acceptably receiv'd by the Knights and all the people The Letter was very generous and very obliging For the King after he had only spok'n a word or two touching the gratifying of their desires
sixteen Electors whom the Assembly chose out of the whole number of Languages to elect whom they should think most capable of the supreme power gave their suffrages with one consent for Peter D'Aubusson Grand Prior of Auvergne At the name of Aubusson the whole Assembly with redoubl'd shouts and acclamations testify'd their unparallel'd joy He only was sorry when he heard himself nam'd and at first he refus'd a Command of which he did not think himself worthy But I know not by what inward motive which afterward prevail'd he was forc'd to accept it almost against his own will Yet could he not refrain from tears when according to the custom he was carry'd in his Seat to the Great Altar upon the Shoulders of the principal Commanders There it was that confessing his weakness to sustain so great a burthen he receiv'd the submissions of the Knights after he had solemnly sworn upon the Evangelists to observe the Statutes of the Order The news of this Election was no sooner spread over the Island but the people made Bonfires and testify'd all the signs of publick joy This caus'd every body to hope for a happy Government neither was Mahomet so much fear'd when they understood that the Grand Prior of Auvergne had the Authority in his hands THE HISTORY OF Peter D'Aubusson Grand Master of RHODES Book Second SO soon as the Grand Master was acknowledg'd in Rhodes his first care was to render to Pope Sixtus the Fourth that Obedience which is due from the Chief of an Order wholly devoted to the Sacred See To that purpose he held a Council the next day after his Election and nominated the Prior of Lombardy together with the Prior of Rome for that Embassy Then he apply'd all his thoughts to the Government of a Dominion of which he had taken possession And not to loose time he began at the very first to act as Grand Master Though the Ottoman Army were as yet far enough from Rhodes nevertheless the Island was not a little infested by the incursions of the Barbarians The Pyrats who landed day and night in several parts pillaged the Cities burnt the Houses massacred and carried away many of the Christians The Grand Master thought it convenient to put a stop to these disorders that so sensibly afflicted him and for that purpose to build upon the Coast at such such distances several Forts and Towers to hinder the landing of the Pyrats But because this design requir'd a great sum of Money and that these Pyracies had very much exhausted the Grand Masters Revenue he ordain'd for the raising those works that all those Knights who obtain'd Commanderies by favour only should pay the value of the first years Revenue to the Order so soon as they receiv'd their Commissions without which payment the Donation should be void The Grand Master also took in hand again and went on with all those works which were discontinu'd by the death of the Grand Master More especially he forwarded the new Wall of the Arsenal and took upon himself the charge of looking after it But in regard it was of high importance to look after the security of the Port he order'd the Grand Prior of St. Gilles to provide a Chain to shut it up He also at the same time gave order to the Chevalier Raymond who commanded in the Castle of St. Peter to widen the Mote so far for the Sea to fill it that the Brigantines of the Castle might ride there secure from Enemies and Tempests The Castle St. Peter which we shall have often an occasion to mention was a strong place scituated in Cana between two Arms of the Sea which form'd a Peninsula built upon the ruines of the ancient City Halicarnassus near the place where was formerly the Sepulcher of Mausolus so famous for the love and grief of Artemisia The Order of St. John is beholding for that Fortress to the prudence and valour of one of the French Grand Masters For Philibert of Nailac Grand Master of Rhodes desirous to make his best advantage of the consternation of the Infidels after the Battel wherein Tamerlain had taken Bajazet Prisoner fitted out the Gallies of the Order and sailed directly for Caria with the choicest Knights of the Order He took a Castle there from the Turks the scituation whereof seem'd to him to be of so much advantage that he built in the same place another almost impregnable which he call'd the Castle of St. Peter This place it was which in the midst of the Turks Dominions serv'd as a Sanctuary for the poor Christian Slaves that can get away from their Masters And here it was if we may believe the Writers of that age that certain Dogs of a particular breed who by a strange instinct of nature watch'd all the night long and would fly upon the Turks and fawn upon the Christians as if they had known the one from the other Among all the Knights which the Grand Master employ'd according to the variety of occurrences and which were always nearest his person there was not one in whom he put more confidence then in Charles de Montholon He was a person of a very good judgment and one that bare the character of being fierce in fight temperate in counsel and one that had a genius capable of every thing This Knight acquitted himself of several Trusts that were put upon him for the defence of the City and he it was that had the charge of fortifying St. Nicholas Fort. While the Grand Master issued out his orders and labour'd himself to have all things in readiness to sustain a Siege Antonio Loredano General of the Venetian Fleet in the Island of Cyprus understanding that Riccio de Marino a Cipriot by birth and a person born for intrigue and one of the most zealous Servitors of Charlote de Lusignan negotiated at Rhodes to the prejudice of Katharine Carnara he sent an Ambassador to complain in the name of the Duke of Venice for that the Knights did entertain those that were Rebels to the Republick It is impossible to understand the grounds of that Embassy nor the answer of the Grand Master without being inform'd beforehand of the Claims of those two Princesses to the Kingdom of Cyprus and wherefore the Republick took Katharine's part and oppos'd Charlota John de Lusignan King of Cyprus one of the weakest and most effeminate Princes that ever sway'd a Scepter had only one natural Son who was nam'd James de Lusignan when he espous'd his Second Wife Helena of the House of the Paleologi and Daughter of the Despote of Moria By this second Wife he had a Daughter nam'd Charlote who was married to John of Portugal Duke of Conimbria This Prince who had both wit and courage being at the Court of Cyprus easily wound himself into the management of affairs and depriv'd the Queen of all that authority which the weakness of the King had permitted her to use The Queens Nurse who govern'd
many people Upon which consideration it was resolv'd to send before to Ravestein to desire him to stay at Cape St. Angelo there to attend till the Master came himself to bring them into some good Harbour Ravestein was already entred into the Archepelago and steer'd directly to the Island of Metelin to signalize himself immediately by some notable action But in regard he hated Dependency and was covetous of all the Honour to himself so far was he from following the Orders of the Grand Master that not vouchsafing to follow his Counsel he onely sent to invite him to come and joyn with him However though this seem'd a very disobliging act of Ravestein yet the Grand Master more resented the ill-timing of the Enterprize then the ill-behaviour of Ravestein knowing well it was contrary to the King's Pleasure and that the wills of Princes are usually ill obey'd when those that are employ'd take upon them to follow their own inclinations And indeed this Bad beginning of the League created an ill opinion of the Event Nor did the slowness of the Pope less trouble him then the forwardness of the French The fifteen Galleys that were to appear with the first were not to be heard of neither was there any news of the Bishop of Tivoli who had order to conduct them How zealous soever the Grand Master was to advance the Affairs of the Croisade he could not determine with himself to joyn with the French before the arrival of the Pope's Fleet. He consider'd that having no Instructions from his Holiness touching the Duties of his Office it behov'd him not to begin the Exercise of it He consider'd also that in difficulties which might happen the other Captains would be subject to dispute his power when they found the Galleys of his Holiness absent To avoid all these inconveniences he press'd the Pope to keep his word representing to him with an extraordinary respect and zeal mix'd together that his Holiness being the Chief and Soul of the Enterprise there was nothing to be done without him That the Fleets of the Christian Princes would come in vain into the Levant if he did not appear in the head of them That as for his part he desir'd onely to acquit himself of the Charge wherewith he had been pleas'd to honour him as having all his life-time onely sought a fair opportunity to ruine the Mahumetan Puissance Ravestein who had unadvisedly engag'd himself in the Siege of Metelin and began to see his fault endeavour'd all he could to re-fix himself in the good opinion of the Grand Master and to oblige him to come to his relief He sent to him by the Knight de Gavaston who was come to him on the behalf of the Order that the Venetians having drawn him to Meteline before the arrival of the Knight he could not avoid besieging the City That at first he had rais'd a Battery which had no success as being planted against the strongest part of the Wall but that having chang'd his Battery the Canon wrought wonders but that he could not determine with himself to make a general Onset without him believing withall that the Event of the Storm would not prove successful unless the Knights of Rhodes had their share That the Venetians had thirty Galleys before Meteline not counting his That for the Popes Galleys they were not to be expected nor did he know where his Holiness should have fifteen for that being at Naples he knew he had but two which the Duke of Valentinois made use of against the Prince of Piombino and that he could not learn that he had made any Preparations against the Turk concluding at last that he acknowledg'd the Grand Master for General of the Christian Fleet and that he would not proceed any more without his Orders The Grand Master hearing no news of the Pope's fifteen Galleys and not enduring that any thing should be acted against the Turk wherein he had not his share resolv'd to sacrifice his Resentments to his Honour and the Interests of the Church He thought himself oblig'd also for the Reputation of the Arms of France not to desert Ravestein what ever reason he had to be displeas'd with him Therefore that he might act with Honour besides the four Galleys and four Barks which he was to set forth by the Articles of the League he resolv'd to take along with him the Great Ship belonging to the Order twelve great Galliots several Brigantines several Foists with some Italian and Catalonian Vessels which he had hir'd At his departure he left very good Orders behind him for having declar'd the Grand Commander Cossa his Lieutenant to govern with the Council he prescrib'd him every week to give publick Audience to the People and in case any of the Knights should withstand him to proceed against them according to the Forms and Rigour of the Statutes The management of the Treasure for a time he committed to the care of the Admiral and particularly charg'd the Grand Marshal to be exact in doing Justice to the Knights For the security of Rhodes he gave order that Guards should be kept in all the Posts of the Languages as if the place were Besieg'd and he himself nam'd such and such Knights to ride their Rounds about the Island to hinder the Landing of the Barbarians The Council in requital to shew the particular esteem which they had for the Grand Master order'd That all the Knights that accompani'd him should enjoy the priviledges of Residence as if present at Rhodes That all Elections of Priors and Bailiffs should surcease in his absence that he might deliberate upon such Affairs as should present themselves and that his Decrees should be of the same force and authority as if issu'd out of his Palace and that in regard a great number of Knights were to attend the Grand Master it was ordain'd that after their departure no Knight should stir out of the Island but upon the urgent affairs of the Order Things being thus setled and twelve Vessels of the Fleet being gone before to stay for the Knights at Lango the Grand Master embark'd the 21 of November attended to the Sea by a great throng of People who could not but let fall tears at his departure especially when they saw him threaten'd by a rising Tempest ere he was out of sight His impatience to be at the assault of Meteline caus'd him to make all the haste imaginable Scarcely had he reach'd Lango when the Knight Baldovin whom he had sent before to advertize the French and Venetians of his coming brought him news that the Siege was rais'd at the same time delivering him Letters from Ravestein and Pesaro Ravestein signifi'd to him in a few words That the Siege of Meteline being an Enterprise much more difficult then it had seem'd to be to men of very good judgment he thought fit to leave it off That the Season being far spent his care was how to be gone before it grew worse