CHAP. VI.]

ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM.

219

paper ( whose real value was extremely problematic,whatever the nominal), and the remainder, less thanfour thousand pounds, was all he got in money, andcould reasonably he sure of; with this too, that hewas to embark for Trieste, not on board a ship ofwar, but of a common merchantman, and that who-ever pleased to accompany him, would be held to beindividuals at them own expense, and not formingany part of his suite ; and that to keep him to hiscourse, and prevent him touching land anywhere else,or having any correspondence with the enemy, he likeany other convict,should be subject to the inspection ofthe marine police, a corvette, until at a certain point.The cruel and humiliating interview over the nightpreceding, he embarked about a couple of horns after,and cleared the harbour just at sunrise on the 19thof June, 1798, accompanied by five knights, a page,and two servants-at-arms.

Thus, far from their natural orbit, sort of exilefrom the land of their predilection, in the smallisland of Malta, ill adapted to their duties of hos-pitality, yet endeavouring to consult utility to man-kind, main scope of then profession, even there didthe knights continue through their fourth period ofabove two centimes and a half, under twenty-sevengrand masters. 1

1 Appendix, Num. ccxxxvii.