CHAP. VI.]

ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM.

219

So Solyman’s, this subsequent rescript:—“Nohealth to 31011, 0 grand master, whom with thesemy hands I mean to cut into small bits within twoor three days. And my soldiers shall have no re-gard for sex, age, or rank, but oppress your peoplewith sword and fire; that posterity shall see thissignal example of Turkish justice and Christianperfidiousness, since these Giaours have violatedpeace, and received foreign succours, nor wereashamed to murder our soldiers by surprise—notone of whom (believe me) but shall be avenged.”

“ Thus,” said the grand master, smiling, “ we arenot only besieged, but reviled. ”

Yet not probably without some spark of undyinghope he kept deferring, that succour might havetime to arrive, and sent Bajazet’s letter to D’Aubus-son, in which he cursed whomever of his descend-ants should make war on Rhodes. But it producedno good effect; indeed it seems never to have reachedSolyman ; for his Vizier Achmet the instant he sawit, tore it, and stamped upon it—assevering thatforty-four thousand Turks had been killed in arms,and fifty thousand died of sickness during the siege.Nevertheless the tyrant despatched word, he wouldabide by his first decision—which was contrary tohis native sanguinary disposition supremely irri-tated, as well as to prudential considerations.