4 THE HISTORY OE THE ORDER OE [book'iv.

markably fine corps.” His son was a promisingyouth, and took the habit.

Finally, Yaletta, begging of Toledo some profes-sional counsel for his conduct during the import-ant siege, the experienced Spaniard, after somemodest reluctance, uttered these three maxims;first, that the council-of-war be restricted to veryfew, and excellent veterans, it appearing to himbest for prompt decisions and secrecy; second, notto allow sorties and skirmishing, but husband hispeople for resisting assaults ; third, above all, totake care of his own person, on whom the wholedepends; for that the sovereign’s death has oftencaused overthrows, and loss of victories. 1

That nevertheless Yaletta was not even thenquite certain the Turk could come against Malta,or not rather against some other spot of Christen-dom, is proved by his letter to the Pope a momentafter Toledo’s departure, on the 10th of April, andwonderful it is how he could have written soquietly and wisely at so critical a juncture. 2

Many of the preparations intended (like sus-pending the building of the new city months be-fore, when the rock was only cut down half ofwhat was prescribed by the model), with regard

1 Bosio : par. iii., lib. xxiv. 500.

2 Cod. Dipl. Geros., ii., cxcvi. 1.—Appendix, ccxix.