THE RETREAT OF THE ORDER OF ST JOHN

(KNIGHTS OF MALTA) FROM RHODES

In former numbers of the Malta Penny Magazine, we have recorded the exploits and disasters of the Order of St. John. We now follow them in their celebrated retreat from the island of Rhodes, after a possession of two hundred years, during which long period they carried on incessant hostilities against the Turks, with their accustomed valour.

The brilliant exploits performed by the Knights naturally excited the attention and envy of the Turks, and the young Solyman, elated with his success in Hungary, sought more glory in the siege and expulsion of the Knights from Rhodes, who, to say the truth, greatly harrassed the commerce of His Imperial Highness, and insulted his flag in the face of his capital.

In June 26th 1522, an army of a hundred and fifty thousand men landed on the Island of Rhodes, followed shortly after by Solyman in person. To this overwhelming

force the Grandmaster L' Isle Adam could only muster six hundred Knights, and some four thousand native auxiliaries and reguJar troops, but these Christian warriors had adopted the intrepid maxim "never to count the number of the enemy.

Traitors are found in every cause, and one was found andgiven up to a righteous vengeance, though having the high post of Chancellor!

After a four months' siege, and the most glorious defence that could possibly be made, the place was no longer judged tenable, which raised a most clamorous demand amongst the inhabitants to capitulate. But nothing could move the firmness of the Grandmaster, who determined to bury himself in the ruins of the city rather than surrender it into the hands of the infidels. Nature however has her limit, and destiny prevails over the stoutest heart. Owing to the treason mentioned above, the whole stock of gun-powder was exhausted, and Solyman making admissible nay honourable propositions, the Grandmaster consented to surrender at last, but not before

eighty thousand Turks had been killed in the assault and many thousands had perished from sickness.

Solyman, notwithstanding his terrible jealousy which led him into the commis. sion of domestic crimes of the deepest stain, yet had so much magnanimity in public transactions that he was a glorious exception to the line of the perfidious Ottoman. Four thousand Janissaries who commenced the plunder of the city and the profanation of the churches were instantly made to desist by the magnanimous Sultan; and afterwards desiring to see his new conquest, being visited by L' Isle Adam, he treated the Grandmaster with the greatest affability exhorting him to support with courage the reverse of fortune, and assuring him that he might embark all his effects, and the archives and celebrated relics of the Order. with leisure-thus giving an example of moderation and generosity to the generals of the most enlightened nations, which, unfortunately, has since been scarcely ever followed. Solyman, upon quitting L' Isle Adam, said to his general officer, "It is not without some degree of pain that I force this Christian, at this time of life, to leave his dwelling.

The small number of Knights who had survived this murderous siege, together with four thousand inhabitants, embarked onboard the vessels belonging to the Order. L'Isle Adam, like a tender parent watching over his children, was the last to embark and leave the land of his glory.

After many afflictive circumstances at sea from disaffection among his followers and violent tempests, the Grandmaster, with three or four thousand of the inhabitants of Rhodes, who followed the fortunes of the Order, arrived at Messina. “Before he landed in Sicily," says the historian, he had been forced to touch at Gallipoli, where he was received in the most flattering manner. order to prove himself still more worthy, he immediately almost insensible to the honours paid him, established an hospital, not only in the palace prepared for his reception, but in the neighbouring houses; where assisted by all the other knights, he

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himself attended the wounded. Imagination | cannot paint a more affecting spectacle than these men, once so formidable in arms animated by the spirit of charity, employed in the meanest offices, carrying broth to the sick, making their beds, and entirely occupied in contributing to their relief! Such was the fate of Sicily; that it was destined, more than two hundred years afterwards, again to see the Knights of St. John, and to admire their charitable virtues in the exertions which they made for the relief of the unfortunate objects who escaped the dreadful catastrophe by the earthquake of 1783.

No sooner were the duties of that charity performed which the Order imperatively taught them to practice, than they commenced an inquiry into the proceedings of those who were sent with succours for the defence of Rhodes, and it appeared, that the weather had been so boisterous that no vessel could proceed to sea. Only one ship ventured, commanded by an old English naval officer and knight, named Newport, who contending with the stormy element, with undaunted courage, was unfortunately wrecked off Cape Desert.

The tribunal having found no persons guilty," God for ever be praised! exclaimed L Isle Adam, "who in our common misfortunes, has had the goodness to prove to me, that the loss of Rhodes could not be attributed to the negligence of any of my Order.

ON ORDER.

THE subject of Order is well worth your consideration, for it is one that may have an influence over the affairs of every day, and every waking hour of your lives. Now, try to go with me in my view of the matter, and do not pass it over as a trifling affair. None can speak so feelingly of an advantage as he who has suffered by his folly in neglecting it. The trouble that I have endured in years gone by, through carelessness and neglect of orderly habits, in some degree qualifies me to give advice.

It would be difficult to determine which

is the greater; the comfort derived from order, or, the inconvenience brought about by disorder. Order renders all affairs clearer; disorder confuses them. Order relieves the memory; disorder increases the duties it has to perform. it has to perform. Order removes a burden from the back, disorder lays an additional load on the shoulders. If you have ever seen an impatient girl unravelling a knotted skein of silk, or a peevish boy vainly trying to undo the tangled tail of his kite, you have seen a lively illustration of the additional trouble which a want of order will produce.

The poet says, "Order is Heaven's firs, law;" but as poets are not always the most diligent readers of the Bible; nor the most fervent petitioners at the throne of grace for Divine illumination, so I consider they are not the best authorities in heavenly things. We will, therefore, leave this point, and rest satisfied in knowing that, whether order be the first law or not, it is a very essential and striking principle in God's creation.

System is seen in God's almighty power,

In bird and beast, in herb, and fruit, and flower;
And all throughout the vast expanse above,
Sun, moon, and stars, in matchless order move.

Order, though of great use, even in hand work, is especially so where the head is much employed. In intellectual things, it is wonderful how little can be done without

order, and how much with it.

I knew a worthy man, (he has long since worn a crown of glory,) who used every morning to mark down the most important things necessary to be done in the day. If, by any unlooked-for circumstance, he did not get through the whole list, he carried on the remainder to the day following: by this orderly mode he seemed, in the midst of an active life, always to have time at his disposal. But I have a particular instance of order to mention. The other day I popped into the study of an author, who, if he were not orderly, could never, by any possibility, get through the fourth part of the literary labours he performs. You may be sure that I looked around me; but bear in mind that I am no pryer into the secret of others: I would feel ashamed if my roving eye fell upon an opened letter, or a confidential paper, with which I have nothing to do. No!

no! I would not willingly tread on forbidden. ground in these matters.

Any one unaccustomed to literary pursuits, would have been frightened at the very thought of finding his way through the mass of papers piled around. Books of all sizes were there, some opened, and some shut; some in leathern jackets, and some fresh from the printer, without any jackets at all. Some black lettered, hundreds of years old; and some common type, of which the printing ink was scarcely dry; files of letters, packets of papers, folded sheets of closely-written foolscap, scraps, periodicals, engravings, and wood cuts. These things would have driven me half crazy.

While I stole a glance on the right hand and on the left, the author went to one side of the room, and slided back a kind of shutter, behind which were a number of snug pigeon-holes, well supplied with papers. Being allowed to examine these pigeon-holes, I saw that they were all labelled in a very orderly manner.

Now, it must be plain to you, that this method of reducing a mass of papers into order, is an excellent one. It simplifies what is complicated, and greatly adds to the despatch of important buisness.

The lesson to be gathered from what I have told you is this, that if concerns of such magnitude can be orderly arranged, surely you and I may conduct our little affairs without confusion. There is so much power, and so much peace, communicated by orderly habits, that we sadly stand in our own light when we neglect them.

After writing in my parlour thus far on the subject of order, I had occasion to tramp up-stairs into my study, when the large round table in the centre, and the chairs near it, presented a spectacle so completely at variance with the orderly opinions which had so recently dribbled from my pen, that I stood amazed with my remarks in my mind.

Whether a young relation of mine, who sometimes coaxes me over to let him enter my study, had been there among my papers; or whether the kitten had been endeavouring to dechipher them, or cutting

her capers in the middle of them, I will not decide; but if one or both of these events had taken place, scarcely could my literary establishment have appeared in a more unfavourable plight.

Now, when I came seriously to take myself to the task, and recollected, that forsome days 1 had sat down in my parlour, not having been well; when I considered, too, that during that time I had frequently gone into the study, and put things down carelessly, here and there, and taken up others hastily, there seemed almost enough evidence to convict me of being the author of my study's disorder. I could not, with a safe conscience, accuse either the kitten or my young relation, and I felt an accusing glow on my cheeks, that either went to or came from my very heart.

Without waiting a moment longer, I set to work. The chairs were soon emptied; the letters assorted, and tied up in separate bundles; the papers were placed in an orderly manner; and at the moment I am noting down these remarks, my study makes a very creditable appearance.

You see that I have not spared myself; mind that you spare not yourselves in this matter, for order is an excellent thing. Ahithopel, though bent on self-destruction set his house in order; David desired his very steps might be ordered of God; Solomon set his proverbs in order; Job ordered his cause before his Almighty Judge; Luke set in order the truths of the Gospel of Christ; and Paul promised to order the affairs of the church of Corinth when he came among them.

In our worldly affairs, in our attendance on the word of God, in our religious exercises, and our appeals to a throne of grace, let us be orderly. In short, "Let all things be done decently and in order," and, with a blessing from above, we shall reap from the practice incalculable advantage. Old Humphry

No. 120.

STATE OF MALTA AT THE PERIOD WHEN THE KNIGHTS WERE TAKING POSSESSION OF IT.

The Knights retired from Messina on account of the plague, thence they proceeded to the coast of Italy, when the Grandmaster L'Isle Adam visited Rome, where the greatest honours awaited him. The Knights were also consoled in their misfortunes by the election, after the death of Adrian', of Clement VII., one of their own Order and the first who ever became a Pope.

Of the many plans for the re-establishment of the Order one was the reconquest of Rhodes, which however failed by the enterprise being discovered.

The Grandmaster then visited the different Courts of Europe, and got all the confiscated property of the Order restored, the princes of Europe, counting on the suppression of the Order, having broken up the commandaries. In Spain he also mediated between the two great rival princes Charles V. and Francis I. and was very successful in abating their mutual jealousies and animosities. On one occasion, he was called upon to decide a subject of little public importance but of exceeding delicacy. Charles and Francis going out together, the emperor gave precedence to the king of France, which that prince refused to accept. The Grandmaster being called upon to decide, answered: "I pray God that no dispute of a more important nature may ever happen between your majesties;" and addressing himself to the king of France, he added, “Sire, no person can deny that the emperor is the first of Christian princes, but being in his own dominions, nay, even in his own palace, I am of opinion that you cannot refuse the marks of respect which he thinks due to the greatest prince in Europe." The emperor was so pleased with his reply that he assured him he would make the Pope arbitrator in the infeoffment of Malta.

Price 1d.

The success of the Grandmaster was equally great with the magnanimous tyrant of England Henry VIII. This prince knew how to appreciate brilliant actions and military fame, and frequently conversed with L'Isle Adam upon the justly renowned siege of Rhodes and its noble defence. Henry treated the hoary-headed Christian warrior with the most distinguished and cordial hospitality, supplied him with arms, and on taking leave sent him in his own name, and that of his queen, a golden bason and ewer, enriched with precious stones, which were afterwards placed in the treasury, and constituted one of the most magnificent ornaments.

In the meanwhile, a commission had been sent to Malta to inquire into the state of Malta, Gozo, (and Tripoli.)

It is said by some that the historians of the Order, being chiefly of the Order, have, to make the merit of the Order greater in populating, civilizing, and embellishing with cities the islands of Malta and Gozo, represented the state of the islands, both as to their natural culture, and the social condition of their people, much more miserable than they really were. than they really were. But unfortunately, if we attempt to controvert the Report of the Commissioners, we have no documents at hand to do so, and none have yet been published that we have seen, neither do those historians, who assert this, furnish any authorities for their statement. Confessedly, the island flourished, ages before, when successively occupied by the Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians and Romans; but the deterioration which commenced under the Saracens, (or even under the domination of the Byzantine emperors,) and at the close of their power prostrated the country, never met any sufficient opposing force of reparation during the succeeding times till the arrival of the Hospitallers.