chap. ii.] ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM. 311

the twentieth of March, 1365,' demonstrates howexpeditious Sir Raymond was, to have planned andexecuted such a feat in two winter months. A fewweeks later he wrote letters to the Pope, the Em-peror, the Kings of France, Hungary, England,Scotland, Arragon, Dacia, Poland, the Queen ofNaples, the two Archdukes of Austria, and theDoge of Venice, to each a separate letter in Latin,imploring their aid for Christendom. 1 2 But whatdid that noble commencement avail? The letterswere unattended to, and worse still, the divisioninto Languages began already to produce its dread-ful effects. That between the Languages of Pro-vence and of Italy had got high, so began hisdoubts of his own ability for the grand master-ship, and that another of more skill would succeedbetter, and he wished to abdicate; but the Poperefused his consent. 3 Do not ask what the Popehad to do with it; for the Pope was their spiritualhead, and then stood very high in the estimationof all men.

In 1366, some refugee Armenians were permittedto establish in the island of Samos, and we see whatindustrious Bosio could not have seen; a brief to

1 Cod. Dipl. Geros., ii., Hum. lxxvi.

a Bosio : par. ii., lib. iii., anno 1366.

3 Id. : Id., anno 1373.