CHAP, v.] ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM. 175

In 1742 Yilhena died, and was succeeded bySir Pinto de Fonseca, wlio came to a long trucewith the sultan; excepting that each side retainedtheir prisoners, who were in a sort of slavery. Foragainst the spirit of the knights howsoever, yet, asthe Turks would not relinquish that barbarouscustom, it was forced upon the others as equitablereprisals; which if not a good reason, at least pal-liates a bad; besides to have galleys, how to dowithout galley slaves ? Nor is it quite clearwhether it be worse to have to row, than what theFrench prisoners-of-war had to endure a few yearsago in our own hulks. But many of these calledslaves were raised from the galleys to a far easierexistence, domestic servants in the houses of nearlyall of the order, beginning with the grand masterhimself. Particularly confidential servants out oflivery, as secretaries, pages, butlers, and own men,were almost invariably Mahometans. Not but the situ-ation of slavery be not totally and entirely contrary tothe spirit of our order, and even of Christianityitself. And here it is that I observe the first indu-bitable evidence of the knights degenerating fromtheir ancestors. Far from imitating the Turks, theyshould have avoided it the more. The primitiveknights would have disdained to copy the infideleven in his good; so modern knights might well