HISTORY OF MALTA.

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that generous contempt of death which can alone render us in-vincible/’ Thus saying, he proceeded to the church, followed byall his knights, who, approaching the holy table, performed theirChristian duties, and returned like men newly regenerated. Nosooner were they filled with the bread of life, than every speciesof weakness disappeared, all divisions and private animosities ceased,and, what was still more difficult, they broke through every tenderengagement so dear to the heart of man. From that momentthey gave up all connexion with the other sex, of however inno-cent a nature. The knights embraced each other with that tendereffusion of heart which universal charity must ever produce, andloudly protested that they would shed the last drop of their bloodin defence of the Christian religion and its holy altars.

At the conclusion of this solemn ceremony, the grand-masterappointed the knights to their different posts, and prepared everything for the defence of the various strong places of the island.

The Turkish fleet at last appeared off Malta. It was com-posed of one hundred and fifty-nine vessels with oars, containingthirty thousand land troops, Janissaries and Spahis, the bravestsoldiers of that nation. A considerable number of store-ships fol-lowed the fleet, carrying heavy artillery, the horses belonging to theSpahis, together with provisions and ammunition.

The Turks landed at St. Thomas’s Creek, by some called theLadder-port. Some of the troops separated themselves from themain body in order to pillage in the country, but they were killedby the military dispersed throughout the island, and thus perishedVOL. II. L