CHAT-, vi.] ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM. 207

Then, under colour of armistice, Buonaparte hims elfcame into the city without any fear whatsoever ; forit Avas clear the grand master had lost all power.Not however to lodge at the palace did he come;but in the house of a Maltese of consideration. Thegrand master asked Buonaparte to supper that veiynight; which he refused, and pretended on the con-trary that the grand master at the head of his knightsshould first come to Ausit him. This was too humi-liating ; still after a day or two of reluctance, Hom-pesch Avas obliged to submit to it. The interviewwas cold and of no importance whatever; as to whatwas called the capitulation, curious document, whichthen first appeared, pretending to be between thegrand master and Buonaparte, and had not the former’ssignature at all! The only Hospitaller who signed it,was Bansjat himself; no longer a member of theorder he had renounced . 1 Yet on the whole it cannot bedenied that, “ Hompesch had done what could neverbe repaired, and gave a mortal stab to his order; andhe and his party (if he had any) cannot preventthen names from being delivered doAvn to posterityamong those celebrated Anllains who have betrayedtheir country and caused all its misfortunes,” criesone of his knights not unreasonably; although per-haps with someAvhat of exaggeration as regards Hom-1 Appendix, coxxxvi.