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THE HISTORY OF THE ORDER OF [book iv.

tion, any other Englishman than Sir Oliver Starkeyappearing, the English Language had to be repre-sented by a foreign knight.

One or two days after, Sir Peter del Monte tookthe usual coronation oath:—I swear solemnly, inthe Divine presence, to observe the established andgood ancient usages of our order, and to act in allstate affairs by the advice of the members of thecouncil. So help me, God! 1

On the 25th of the same month he ordered thelate grand master’s corpse to be carried into thenew city founded by him, and buried there as hehad prescribed. To his epitaph were added, andcut on the tombstone, some Latin verses composedon the occasion by Sir Oliver Starkey, a goodscholar, then Lieutenant to the Turcopolier, andafterwards Bailiff of the Eagle. 2

Del Monte had distinguished himself as head ofthe Italian Language during the siege—then beingseventy. The order’s marshal having died inFrance, his place was given to the CommanderJohn le Yesque de la Cassiere. Again was SirOliver’s rather quaint Latinity put in requisition,and over one of the gates of the new city is still tobe read. 3

1 Bosio: par. iii. 822. 2 Id. : par. iii. 825.

3 Id.: id. 828.—Appendix, cexx.