64

HISTORY OF MALTA.

ment, but various reasons had prevented his restoring him to hisformer situation. La Valette, more courageous, and convinced ofthe merit and good conduct of the marshal, thought it his duty todo him the strictest justice; and, after an exact revisal of the pro-ceedings against him, he acquitted him of the unjust accusationswith which his enemies had endeavoured to blacken his character:he likewise conferred on him the title of grand-bailiff of Lango

(1559).

The order, at the emperor’s request, sent a supply to theviceroy of Sicily, of four hundred knights, fifteen hundred troops,and two hundred pioneers. The original plan was the re-conquestof Tripoli; but, contrary to that, and to the opinion of the grand-master, the viceroy applied himself in preference to the takingan inconsiderable island called Galves; where he retained his armyfor the purpose of erecting a fort, to which he gave his own name.This ill-judged vanity had the most fatal consequences ; but, for-tunately, the powerful detachment furnished by Malta had returnedthither before the entire defeat of the Christian army (1560).Three Maltese galleys, which still remained with the fleet, had thegood fortune to escape. The bashaw, Gara Mustapha, attackedthe imperial fleet, and obtained a complete victory. Doria, com-modore of the fleet, together with the viceroy, saved themselveswith difficulty; the latter reached Malta, where he endeavoured tobury in oblivion his imprudence and misfortunes ; whilst the Turkishadmiral returned to Constantinople, carrying with him twentv-eight Spanish galleys, fourteen store-ships, and twelve thousand