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THE HISTORY OF THE ORDER OF [book ill.

Grand Commander of Cyprus in 1471. 1 So therewere two Langstrothers—William and John, con-temporary Knights of Rhodes. After the murder ofIrene, began Mahomet’s movements towards Rhodes.His way of declaring war was curious. A heraldlanded at Rhodes, and proclaimed the sultan’sdemand of two thousand ducats of annual tributefrom the knights, which Lastic as solemnly in thequietest terms refused, he being an independentsovereign, and the knights from all the chief Euro-pean families; so that they could do nothing with-out consulting the various sovereigns, and above all,the head of their common religion at Rome. 2 Onthis the Turkish herald announced war, and thathis master would come, conquer, and destroy theisland and the islets immediately, and again sailed.Instantly was sent off the Commander D’Aubussonon an embassy to Charles VII., King of France, totell him all that, less from any hope that his suc-cours could arrive in time, than to leave no meansuntried, or duty undone, when—to a dead man hadeven our Henry VI. been writing; for his letter isdated 24th of July, 1454, and Lastic (who was aged)had expired on the 19th May of that year. 3 Though

1 Set). Paoli: Osservazioni, ii. 550.

2 Id.: Id., ii. 551.

3 Id.: Serie, ii. 469.

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