CHAP. II.]

ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM.

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private life. Never more do we hear of his med-dling with the world’s affairs. Others used his nameindeed, but he remained perfectly passive. It isprobable he abdicated about 1383, though we haveno decided proof, 1 but he is said to have lived un-til 1399; and during those final years, sent twoships at his own expense for the Smyrnian war,as well as large gifts of money to the order’streasury several times, without inquiring whatparty reigned, or who governed at Rhodes. Fare-well then, brave and glorious Heredia! Farewell,high-minded nobleman. If thou didst take thewrong side, yet so did also a large minority ofthine order, eight cardinals, and many of the finestcountries in Europe, including the whole of thynative country, Spain, and dear, lovely France!Hard for thee to decide!

Sir Richard Caracciolo, a Neapolitan gentleman,was made the thirty-third grand master; butappears never to have been at Rhodes. Andall recounted of him is, that in 1391 he establisheda house of Hospitallers at Florence; nor could anyof his acts have been of high worth, since they were

1 This is the critical date according to some, when the nomi-nation to various dignities, which until then had been con-ferred by the chapters general, was allotted to the grandmasters in council.—Bosio : par. ii., lib. iv.. anno 1383.

VOL. II.

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