146

THE HISTORY OF THE ORDER OF [book iv.

arms, and having servants twenty years of age at

least; otherwise they should be deprived of the

cross and insignia, besides other severities, and this

to front the siege of Malta, which the Turk is said

to be about undertaking, January 24th, 1645. 1

To corroborate which the King of Spain1645 . ,

wrote to the grand master, to promise

prompt succour, in case the Turks invaded Malta. 2The real cause of this warlike threat—no more thana threat respecting the island of Malta—for thestorm burst on Candia—was according to Pozzo, theanger of the Grand Turk at the taking of hisfavourite sultana and child, by the Maltese ships,who were admitted into Candia, where the beautifulyoung mother expired, having been already poisonedby a rival in the Constantinopolitan seraglio; buther infant was given to the grand master, who hadhim bred up a Christian, with real care, and after-wards he travelled through Europe, and came backPrior of Porto Salvo, to Malta—his home until hisdeath, in 1676. The story at large is very romantic,but probably true. 3 The council’s decree by whichthe volunteer, Yiscomte d’Arpaion, is made captain

1 Cod. Dipl. Geros., ii., Num. cccxlii.

2 Mi may Amado Amigo. Yo el Roy. De Zaragoza a 9 deApril de 1645.—Cpd. Dipl. Geros., ii., Yum. occxliii.

3 Pozzo: Istoria, ii. 91.