HISTORY OF MALTA.

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tion, with the consent of all the Hospitaller nuns, returned to theirobedience, and acknowledged the authority of the order of St.John.Having thus resolved to hold no longer of the holy see, they wrotetheir intentions to Malta, where this intelligence was received withthe greater joy from its being unexpected.

La Cassiere, though seventy years old, succeeded Peter DeMonte * as grand-master. He owed his elevation to this high dig-nity, to his valour—the services he had rendered the order—hispiety, and his prudence; notwithstanding which, his reign w r as farfrom tranquil and happy; for, with these great virtues, he had con-siderable faults in his character, to which indeed he principally owedall his misfortunes. He was obstinate, harsh, and violent; and, inthe transports of passion, he did not scruple making use of improperexpressions, and speaking in a very injurious manner against themost distinguished knights of the order; he had therefore manypow erful intestine enemies to cope with, w ho, indeed, very frequentlyconspired against him. One of the most dangerous, both to him andhis successors, was the inquisitor.

In former times the sovereign council of the order alonetook cognisance of every thing relating to articles of faith and reli-gion in general. This authority, so legitimate in the hand of a sove-reign, had been frequently attacked by the bishops of Malta. Theorder, justly offended, applied to the pope for redress. G regory XIII.,who at that time (1574) occupied St. Peter’s chair, agreed to send

* Died the 26th of June, 1572.

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