chap, ii.]

ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM.

195

in real independence. The weather made, fromlate in spring to early in autumn, the season ofwhat were called passages; and navigation at anyother season was considered very perilous and al-most always ended badly. So Acre could onlycount on a provision of food twice a-year, whichmade large warehouses necessary; and a com-mensurate command of ready money. Lorgneconsidering all these matters, and highly alarmedat the sultan’s threats, and that from the differentnations mixed up at Acre, this, which should be itsstrength,was its weakness, and that without Messinaand its ports in Puglia it must cease to exist, andPalestine be totally lost, set off on a mission toEurope; but could obtain nothing but good words,and from the Papacy a few soldiers of the worstdescription. He who then wore the tiara wasNicholas IV. “ poor both in money and soldiers,”says his biographer; “and the two thousand fivehundred he sent, were at his own private expense,and did more harm to the Christians than to theSaracens.’’ 1 —“ I have been assured by some Flo-rentine merchants then at Acre, that the breach oftruce was the real cause of its ruin,” says Vil-lani. 2 So without either cash or army De Lorgne

1 Platina : iii. 156.—According to others, 1500

2 Villani : Hist. Fior.—Bib. Crois., ii. 621 and 637-

o 2