cnAr.v.]

ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM.

133

And before bis arrival, commencement was givento the Council of Lateran, under Julius II., guardedby Knights of Rhodes, whose captain was FabriciusCarretto, their ambassador at Rome, but only bysuch as were in Italy already; the rest beingdetained at Rhodes for the Turkish war, accordingto the interregnum’s precise injunctions. Such thepretext; but under those courteous words washidden a determination not to be lured even by anambitious Pope into any breach of their swornneutrality . 1

But Blancliefort died far too soon to verify theuniversal hopes of a grand mastery to equal hisglorious uncle’s, but called away in the midst ofhis days, only proved his attachment to the orderby his heroic death; for being in France wheninformed of his election, and perceiving the am-bitious disposition which had already forced theorder to refuse doing what would have been againstits sworn duties, which is perfect neutrality betweenChristians, and so, fearful that if he died in Europenot unseized would be the opportunity of naminga grand master by the Papacy itself, under somedecent excuse—he embarked hastily,though unwell,and refused to land in Sicily, when he mightperhaps have been cured, but went to expire off1 Yertot: viM. 234.