chap, nr.]

ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM.

35

chapter met, of which we have a regular record. 1And in this was a law about horses forthe defence of the island; and that themarshal and his staff shall be furnished with horses,clearly showing that cavalry was no longer theprincipal arm with the knights, but that, thoughthey still somewhat used the land service, it wasrather by way of exception, and that they hadalmost entirely taken the naval bent, ships andartillery occupying their chief thoughts.

And in it Sir John Bosnel appeared as represen-tative of the turcopolier (absent Avith the fleet, aswe have seen), and he and Sir John Vaquelinwerefor the English language. About Avhich time theKing of Naples sent an ambassador to beg for someof the falcons for which Rhodes Avas then so famous;and the grand master hurried off his falconers intothat part of the island where the most sacred,gentle, and best-blooded falcons are found, andexpedited several of them to his majesty; and gavestrict orders, under a heavy fine and severe com-minatories, that no one should presume to catch,such birds. 2

And a prorogation made this chapter last till the6th of the next folloAving December. 3 But on the

1 Statuti: Tit., v., Num.71.—Cod. Dipl. Geros., ii., Niim. cxxj.

2 Bosio: par. ii., lib. x., anno 1475.

3 Seb. Paoli: Osservazioni, ii. 551.

D 2