CHAP. V.]

ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM.

125

In five chapters general holden by him, manylaws of exceeding importance were enacted. Likehis far-off predecessor, the second of the order’schiefs, almost all his disciples, one by one, as theysurvived, were elevated to the grand mastery. Itwas the way his grateful brethren showed their ownfeelings and his popularity. If it be an exaggera-tion to say he was equal to any hero of antiquity,which may smack of the days of Louis XIV., whendrakes were swans; yet the sixteenth century’sopinion may be adopted as perfectly exact, thatD’Aubusson was far superior to any man of histimes, as well as of those immediately preceding;and that many years must elapse before the worldcould have his equal. Without contrast, happy inhis illustrious biographers, it is an encomium to havesuch; and well did he deserve to be proposed toChristian princes as their model . 1 He was nowaged—above eighty—and a shattered, weak cane;and generous-minded invalid, magnanimous oldchief; grieved am I to add it was from Rome 2 cameshocks that produced first the seeds of death, andby frequent repetition his final sickness, which,exasperated by his clear foresight of mighty evils to

1 Bosio: par. ii., lib. xvi., anno 1503.—Bouhours : Yie D’Au-busson, vi. 340.

2 Cod. Dipl. Geros., ii., Yum. cxlii..