CHAP. IV.]

ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM.

45

Turks, and we’ll not be backward to requite you.You shall have to do with no effeminate Asiatics,but with us, and valorous knights, and the mostexcellent soldiers from every Christian nation.”Yet was there some rhodomontade in this, perhapsto stir up courage in themselves, and even keep offthe enemy by that show, and letting him perceivethey were not alone, but leaning on the securestof human pi’otectors; for, in spite of a multitude ofexceptions, the Rhodians were rather mild andfickle, or voluble, than very perseveringly valiant.Those undismayed knights seem to have infusedtheir own spirit, during the sanguinary struggles,into the whole population, male and female, andconverted them into intrepid veterans. 1

A few days previous to 1480, a noted Ferraresephysician sent an astrological prediction to Cor-vinus of Hungary, that both Belgrade and Rhodeswould be taken by the Turk, which, no doubt, wasconsidered, by the public, as referring to the thenpresent; yet was not, but was unfortunately to berealized several years later. 2 Yet who rung in thecelebrated year but the Pope, in his bull, -^gQdated January, 1480? 3 And assuredly its

1 Bosio: par. ii., lib. xi. and xix.

2 Seb. Paoli: Osservazioni, ii. 570_Appendix, clxviii.

3 Cod. Dipl. Geros., ii., Num. cxxiv.