ciiap. iii.]

ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM.

119

The very ground on which Yaletta was builtwas bought from the Maltese, and paid to them bythe knights; in which sense also it has a right tobe called a cosmopolitan city, and belonged muchmore to all Christians than to a nation, who hadscarcely ever a single member in the order. Thefirst name given to it by the knights was Humblest.And to assimilate themselves in some degree, exte-riorly at least, a bye-law condemned them for thefuture to wear plain black; except in uniform andduring campaigns. And that chapter met certainlyin the humblest of halls—two temporary woodenhuts, which the grand master had erected to defendhimself and chancery from sun and rain, that he mightbe near the buildings, few of them, as yet, coveredin. However, it was there he received an ambas-sador, sent expressly by the French King to ask thegrand cross for his brother, the Duke of Angou-leme; who professed, with the hope of one day becom-ing Prior of the Language of France. 1

But Selim, however unwarlike himself, headeda nation that loved war with the Christian; so pre-pared an expedition against Malta. And ^ ^

it being now the winter of 1567, the grandmaster was persuaded the threatened siege wouldtake place next spring; so sent a citation to every1 Bosio: par. iii., lib. xxxvii. 793.