CHAP. I.]

ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM.

313

by his father Philip Strozzi in the prison wherehe committed suicide, c Exortare aliquis nostrisex ossibus ultor ,’ most certain thing it is thathis aspirations of vengeance, along with those ofhis brother Peter Strozzi, who they say has alreadyobtained from the King of France the title of alterego , and captain general of his army in Italy, andGovernor of Sienna, under pretext of restoringliberty to his country, he could not but plunge usinto a war that would lead to our ruin. Yery farfrom applying his fine intellect to calm us down,and govern mildly as a grand master should, witha matured, quiet, reposed, most religious rule, andabove all a temper from which are rooted out everyprivate feeling of partiality or prejudice, that hemay wish to know how, and be able to preserve thefriendship of all the different princes in Christendom,on whom our properties entirely depend—thePrior of Capua, on the contrary, would use all hispower, and authority, and substance, and industry,to foment our passions, and direct them to his ownprivate designs, whence would derive the utteroverthrow of our order. Neutrality betweenChristians, in all their contentions, is, and alwayshas been, the basis of our institution, as we allknow, and that against the infidels alone we candraw our swords. With such a grand master,