2 THE HISTORY OF THE ORDER OF [hook IV.

intelligence. Stupendous armament! Was it notthe same Solyman who had taken Rhodes? Suchartillery, heavy, light, of all sorts, so numerous,such immense stores of every kind, so vast an army,a cavalry so equipped and mounted, so magnificenta fleet, such various machines to besiege fortresses,beyond what the Ottoman house had ever beforebrought together! Nor did he neglect any resource,but to make the sure still surer, had likewise hisspies everywhere. But principally at Malta, tworenegade engineers, one a Sclavonian, the other aGreek, who bad noted every gun, and measuredevery battery there; and got back safe to theGolden Horn, where they assured the sultanMalta could be taken in a few days, without needto dig a trench, for that Borgo was without whatmerited to be called fortifications, and unable toresist a brisk coup-de-main. New buildings cannotpossibly be strong, and whatever be pretended inshow, yet in reality would not be tenable for aweek, even less; and as for the fort of St. Elmo,it was too small to be of much avail, and would bequickly knocked to pieces by the Turkish heavy can-non. The rest of the island contained nothing towithstand the crescent a moment. Yet wouldMalta be a most serviceable conquest, and to defraythe expenditure, were there not the bequest of the