CHAP. VI.]

ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM.

143

the fortifications had fallen down on the day ofL’Isle Adam’s arrival;and that a German engineerbeing sent for to rebuild it, if the Turk assailedRhodes before he came, it would be easy to takeit . 1

Soon did L’lsle Adam receive a most curious andcajoling letter from the false tyrant, congratulatinghim on his happy arrival and new principality inthat island, which his Ottoman predecessors hadalways respected as a faithful ally: “ Even so, Itoo mean to cultivate your favour . 2 Rejoice withme, then, dearest friend, that after my father’sfashion, who conquered Persia, Jerusalem, Arabia,Egypt, I have taken that strongest of fortresses,Belgrade, during last autumn, and having offeredbattle to the Giaours, Avhich they wanted courageto accept, I took several other beautiful and well-fortified cities, and slaughtered most of the in-habitants by either sword or fire, and reduced therest to slavery. Victor, and after sending mynumerous and triumphant army to their winterquarters, I myself am back in my Court of Con-stantinople.” In which the sagacity of the grandmaster saw a declaration of war, and to his councilshowed both letter and answer, which ran thus:

1 Bosio: par. ii., lib. xviii. 524

2 Cod. Dipl. Geros., ii., Kuril, clviii.