HISTORY or MALTA.

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knight, was sent to the grand-master to give an account of the stateof the fort, and to solicit supplies. In order to obtain them, thisofficer, made eloquent by fear, exaggerated the danger of the garri-son : La Valette appeared surprised at his account; and felt greatlyincensed against him for having been so imprudent as to declare,before a great number of knights, that no one could expect so weaka place could hold out more than eight days—“ What then has beenyour loss,” replied the grand-master, “ that you thus call out forsuccour.”—“ My lord,” answered Lacerda, “ the castle may becompared to a worn-out patient, whose strength can only be keptup by medicine and constant nourishment.”—“ I myself then willact as physician,” said the grand-master, inwardly offended and in-dignant, u and will carry others with me, who, if they cannot suc-ceed in curing you of your fears, will at least, by their valour, pre-vent the castle from falling into the hands of the infidels.”

This prince certainly did not flatter himself that he should beable to hold out the siege for any time, and he secretly deplored thefate of those knights who were employed in so dangerous a service.But the safety of the island entirely depending on the preservationof this fort (the viceroy of Sicily having promised relief only onthose terms), La Valette was resolved to go thither himself, andperish with the rest, sooner than be forced, by a feeble defence, toenter into a precipitate capitulation with the infidels. lie wastherefore preparing to head the re-inforcement, when the counciland the whole convent strongly opposed his departure; and so manyof the knights entreated to be honoured with this commission, that

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