74 THE HISTORY OF THE ORDER OF [book IV.

evening by a swimmer, under water. Dismal

were the Turks, by a consciousness of disgrace;under any circumstances can they blush? Withadmirable magnanimity did the grand master, withan air of satisfaction, affirm the Christians had aglorious victory, and were in hopes that withsuccour they could resist until Toledo’s arrival;when knights, soldiers, citizens, offered themselvesimmediately, to the grand master’s great wonder.He had but to choose from numbers contesting forelection. But he would only suffer a few remarkablybrave to go, iwith much food and ammunition, leavingit at liberty -to the chiefs of St. Elmo either to acceptthe succours, or come back with them, for whichhe took care to leave room enough in the fiveboats; his intention being to save that honouredresidue, and abandon the dilapidated fortress . 1 Butthe boats, in spite of every precaution, were obligedto recede, for eighty galleys, and other vessels, andguns innumerable, closed the pass hermetically.

Meantime, the besieged (nor should a Christiandeign putting them on a level with Leonidas),showed a tranquillity above all praise, confessedone to another, and embraced cordially and de-voutly, as all utterly equal. What other sacra-

1 Bosio: par. iii. 571.