CHAP. III.]

ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM.

7

remained such immense expense, that they wereobliged to mortgage some of their property. And beit reflected, before we pronounce the Papal consentsuperfluous, that to have it suited all parties, mort-gagees as well as lenders, the sellers as well as thebuyers, who often even required it as one of titledeeds; for the Pope having been original trustee tonearly every legacy or donation, the lands lostmuch of their value when sold without his assentand all due formalities; whence it was well forthe order to have it, though they were only disposingof their own. We may smile at it, and are wrong;but Sir Anthony and Rhodes were grateful. AtBasil everything tended to the reunion of all thevarious members and interests of the order, and towiping out any little remains of the great schism;nor did this chapter general break up quickly, hutto hear of its proceedings, contributed to ^the quiet of Fluvian’s deathbed; for hedied at Rhodes, in 1137, on the twenty-sixth ofOctober, 1 leaving to his order a legacy of twohundred thousand gold crowns, saved from hisprivate fortune. 2 Mild and excellent prince, hewas much regretted! At his own expense he

1 Seb. 1’aoli: Serie, ii. 468.

5 Bosio: par. ii., lib. vi., anno 1437.