86 THE HISTORY OF THE ORDER OF [book ii.

not the Hospitallers, in continual dangers andexertion of every sort, the warm debate was closedby one of their best veterans standing up, andreverently laying back his hood thus calmly: “ Werethe regulations from our Grand Master, and myopinion unfavourable to them, I should hesitate tointerfere ; but, as I am decidedly in their favour, Ipermit myself to express it, because this peace ispropitious to grave proceedings, as our very con-versation in this hall attests; for the sanguinaryMarchtoub once commanded here in the name ofthe law of Mahomet, whereas Cceur de Lion droveoff the Saracens for ever; and if three of the besthorses were not then enough to enable me to fulfilmy various duties, but I was often obliged toborrow a fourth, and on one pressing occasion, inthe battle near Antioch, a fifth—that was a periodof war, and very different from what we see atpresent.”

And when he sat down, the turcopolier rosesmiling, “and now let every one of you judgeby what he has just heard, and give his vote with-out our losing more time in vain discourse.” Andthe sequel was that Alphonso abdicated and returnedto Lisbon, and it is said died badly, after havingtaken a prominent part in some revolutionaryattempt. And on his tombstone in that country