HISTORY OP MALTA.

21

which it had discharged a debt incurred by king Alphonso and theNava family, to whom the king of Spain, in reward of its faithfulservices, had given the castellany (government of the castle) of St.Angelo. The knights were put in possession of this fort, upon con-dition only of paying a pension for life to Alvarez de Nava, thehead of that family.

A short time afterwards, the grand-master sent two galleysand a galleon, with a sufficient number of knights, to Tripoli, inAfrica, in order to take possession of that ill-conditioned place;which the emperor absolutely insisted the knights should undertaketo defend. Nothing now w r as wanting for the entire establishmentof the order in Malta, but the landing of the grand-master andcouncil on that island. The people from llhodes, who followed thefortunes of the knights of St. John, were the first who embarked infive galleys, two large caravels, and other transports. The effectsand titles of the order were shipped at the same time, together withgoods, provisions, and ammunition. Immediately upon the arrivalof LTsle Adam*, the order gave into his hands, in quality of theirchief, all monarchical pow r er; after which he took possession of thesovereignty of the island. He was placed under a canopy, andcarried by the jurats into the capital of the island, the gates ofwhich were shut: but having sworn, upon his cross, to preserve theprivileges of the inhabitants, the keys were presented to him; andhe made his entry into the Citta Notabile amidst the acclamations

* October 26, 1530.