HISTORY OF MALTA.

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of their enemies. They were supported by four thousand fivehundred regular troops, together with some companies composed ofcitizens, all of whom determined to defend themselves to the lastextremity.

A traitor to the cause was discovered among the knights,and was taken up and tried by order of the council. Neither hisgreat age, the eminent services he had formerly rendered, nor eventhe distinguished post he filled (being chancellor of the religion),could save him from the rigorous sentence of the law: he was there-fore degraded, and delivered up, according to the statutes, to secu-lar justice; by which he was tried; and sentence of death beingpronounced against him, it was immediately executed.

After a four-months’ siege, and the most glorious defence thatcould possibly be made, the place was no longer judged tenable;which induced the inhabitants, and particularly the Greeks, to usethe most pressing instances to engage the grand-master to capitu-late : but neither their complaints, their threats, nor even theadvice of the council, could shake his firmness: he alone persistedin his resolution of burying himself in the ruins of the place, soonerthan deliver it into the hands of the infidels. Two months morewnre passed in bloody and repeated combats: but the stock of gun-powder being exhausted, owing to the treason above mentioned,and Solyman himself making propositions which were thought ad-missible, L’lsle Adam at last complied with the entreaties andprayers of both the greater and lesser council, and consented todeliver up the place ; before w hich, according to the confession of

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