CHAP. V.]

ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM.

153

1668

safe, day or night, from the tempest of bombs,cannon, musketry, flaming rocks, and every kindof flame; the hissing of balls, and echoing deto-nations of all sorts, but chiefly blowing up ofmines.

In November, 1668 (as during the whole war),the Order of Malta sent thither sixty knightsand three hundred of their choice soldiery,as well as a present from the grand master of onehundred and twenty-five thousand pounds ofgunpowder. Alas! Such succours prolonged,but could not prevent the loss of that town. Onlyall Christendom could have, and would not. Thehopes of Venice were in France. And indeedLouis XIV. sent a fleet with the Duke of Beaufortand twelve of the finest French regiments underthe supreme command of the Duke of Noailles,added to a selection of the ablest and noblestofficers of that kingdom; likewise three hundredof the royal guards, and two hundred picked mus-keteers, who all arrived at Candia on the 19th ofJune, 1669. But in spite of these volun- jgggteers and of the renowned Pico dellaMirandola with ten thousand Modenese levied forthe most part in his own duchy, though at theexpense of the Pope; the heroic efforts of the Vene-tian garrison, and the Hospitallers, and the faith-