ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM.

19

CIIAP. III.]

it lias been said that F nlk de Villaret was calledGrand Master, it appears, from what is in theorder’s chancery, that Lastic was the first to whomthat title was officially and generally given. 1 Onthe 1st of June, 1454, 2 was chosen for thirty-seventhGrand Master Sir James de Milly, Grand Com-mander of Cyprus, Captain-General of the Fleet,and lastly Grand Prior of Auvergne, which mayimply his birth, but no proof. Wondering that ata time when there yet were numbers of English inthe order, we find no grand masters of our nationsince ever it came to Rhodes, although full surelythere were, only their names are too concealed in thetranslations, I blame myself severely for my wantof perspicacity to discern them. Mere sound, to besure, is insufficient evidence, or rather none at all.Montalt, Montegon, Montherme, Morevic, Moreville,Montfort, Munchensi, Montfichet, Molines, Mes-chimes, Mussard, and several others, without goingout of the M, are good old English names, 3 thoughthey have little the appearance of it to the ear.Who would know them if translated? Even with-out that operation, they are not very cognizable atpresent.

1 Bosio: par. ii., lib. vii., anno 1454.

2 Seb. Paoli: Serie, ii. 469.

3 Any book of heraldry. What lies on every table ■will do. SirHams Nicolas : Synopsis of the Peerage, ii.

c 2