134 THE HISTORY OF THE ORDER OF [book ill.

Zante—in spite of all the prayers and exhortativesof the knights who were with him. He gave themhis orders quietly, to have a fleet small galley ready,with great force of oars, to hurry for Rhodes theinstant breath was out of him, and get the councilto meet instantly and at any hour, day or night,and choose a chief before the news of his deathcould reach Rome. In which be praised not he,but his advisers, says Bosio; yet whose their in-structions? That there were three galleys to havea race which should be the first, or insure thearrival of one, was probably the factwhich wasexecuted, and the famous Sir Fabricius Carrettochosen, as D’Aubusson had prophesied.

Such pressing preparations were making for aTurkish invasion of Rhodes, that Carretto had re-ceived orders to quit his embassy, and accompanytwo or three great ships, loaded with corn and other1513 s ^ ores ’ f° r which he had authority to bindcertain property of the order, or even seU it,but to be sure to arrive at Rhodes at latest, in May,1513; which he did punctually, and was there veryopportunely, when the tidings of Blanchefort’sdeath arrived in the night of October 13th.

In the election which immediately took place,were Sir William Dorrell, Turcopolier, and the1 Bosio : par. ii., lib. xviii., anno 1513, 506.