CHAP. IV.]

ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM.

149

can.” Rome, 26th January, 1658. 1 But that G. M.died on the 6th of February, 1660, in the ^seventieth year of his life. And Clermontde Chattes Gessan, who reigned next, had beenBailiff of Lyons, and was indeed of an ancientroyal house, but in three fugitive months afterhis elevation (in consequence of the breakingout of an old wound received in his youth, in theAfrican wars) he expired on the second of June, inthe same 1660.

On which succeeded Sir Raphael Cotoner, Bailiff ofMajorca, and as the Candian war may be as properlycalled Maltese, his first act as grand master was tosend a party to aid the Venetians in the Levant.

So it was to R. Cotoner, to whom was directedthe letter of the Doge of Venice, Domenico Contarini,that in the war of so many years, the sacred crossof Malta has ever been ready and true, in all cir-cumstances, to the standard of St. Marc, nor willthe Venetian republic be slow in due gratitudeto the conspicuous and glorious deeds whichhave been worthy of the sincerest esteem and love;17th of August, 1661. 2

On the 1st of October of that same year anotherletter from Doge Contarini to the same grand

1 Cod. Dipl. Geros., ii., Hum. ccclii.

2 Id. Id., Id. cooliii.