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HISTORY OF MALTA.

fused to accept. The grand-master was called upon to decide, whoimmediately answered : “ I pray God that no dispute of a moreimportant nature may ever happen between your majesties.” And,addressing himself to the king of France, he added : “ Sire, no per-son can deny that the emperor is the first of Christian princes ;but, being in his own dominions—nay, even in his own palace, Iam of opinion you cannot refuse the marks of respect which hethinks due to the greatest prince in Europe.” The emperor waspleased with his reply; and permitted him to depart, with theassurance that he would make the pope arbitrator in the infeoff-ment of Malta.

L’lsle Adam terminated a very important affair with Portugal,before he quitted Spain. The king, after the capture of Rhodes,thought he might either seize upon the possessions of the religion,or dispose of them to the prejudice of the statutes of the order:but upon the just representations made to the sovereign, of theseizure of those riches which had ever been employed to protectthe Christian standard against the insults of the infidels, he solemnlypromised not to molest the knights in the enjoyment of their com-manderies. They likewise obtained a confirmation of all the rightsand privileges granted to the order by the kings of Portugal, hispredecessors.

Ilenry VIII A, of England, made use of the same pretext as

* The comte cl Antraigues has communicated to me a history he has writtenof this monarch, which is so interesting a performance, that it is to be hoped itwill one day he made public.