HISTORY OT MALTA*

7

those who proved refractory with the heaviest vengeance of thechurch.

LTsle Adam determining not to abandon the inhabitants ofRhodes, the greatest part of whom were sick, was one of the lastwho arrived at Messina, where the ships of war belonging to his fleethad been for some time. Before he landed in Sicily, he had beenforced to touch at Gallipoli, a town in the kingdom of Naples,situated in the gulf of Otranto. The grand-master, upon landingon this hospitable island*, was received in the most flattering man-ner ; which indeed his conduct truly merited. In order to provehimself still more worthy, he immediately—almost insensible to thehonours paid him—established an hospital, not only in the palaceprepared for his reception, but in the neighbouring houses; where,assisted by all the other knights, he himself attended the wmunded.Imagination cannot paint a more affecting spectacle than thesemen, once so formidable in arms, animated alone by the spirit ofcharity, emplojmd in the meanest offices—carrying broth to thesick, making their beds, and entirely occupied in contributing totheir relief. Such was the fate of Sicily, that it was destined, morethan two hundred years afterwards, again to see the knights ofSt. John, and to admire their charitable virtues in the exertionswhich they made for the relief of the unfortunate objects wffioescaped the dreadful catastrophe occasioned by the earthquakein 1783.

* Towards the end of April..