that there was scarcity of ammunition; and that the place could not hold out much longer.

It is believed that the traitor D'Amaral supplied similar information, and Solyman determined to sit down before the city to starve and weary the garrison into surrender. Mining was continued, and frequent encounters occurred; in one of which Martinengo the engineer, who had so ably conducted the defence, received a wound in the eye which incapacitated him from attending to his duties.

L'Isle Adam immediately sent the wounded man to his own palace, and took upon himself his duties, never leaving the fortifications, and only getting a little sleep upon a mattress under the walls.

In the month of October suspicion fell for the first time upon D'Amaral; one of his servants being caught in the act of sending a message to the enemy tied to an arrow. D'Amaral was arrested, tried, and executed; though to the last he protested that he was innocent.

CHAPTER XIII.

Succour for Rhodes not forthcoming-Distress within the city— The Grand Master urged to capitulate-A treaty proposed and accepted-L'Isle Adam visits the Sultan-Rhodes evacuated by the Order of St. John-The knights land at Messina-A general chapter summoned The Grand Master retires to NaplesSearch for a new home-Report on Malta and Tripoli-The Order suppressed in England-Its position in other countries— Influence of L'Isle Adam-Malta offered and accepted- New difficulties-The Grand Master lands in Malta-Death of L'Isle

Adam.

"De tous les ordres qui prirent naissance a l'occasion des guerries de la Terre Sainte, celui de St. Jean est le seul qui, conservant l'esprit de sa première institution, a toujours continué depuis à défendre la religion."-HENAULT.

THE eyes of all Europe were now upon Rhodes. This second siege had rivalled the first in its duration, in the terrible slaughter of the besiegers, and in the suffering and constancy of the besieged.

It was hoped that the Turks would retire a second time baffled and disappointed, and there is little doubt that it would have been so if reinforcements had been sent from Europe. But the Emperor was still employing all his forces to subdue France, and France required all hers to defend herself. The Pope made a show of sending help; but ultimately changed his mind. Some French knights of the Order were on their way, but were wrecked in a storm and never arrived. A similar fate befell the English knights under Sir Thomas de Newport, and

the Spanish contingent fell in with a Turkish fleet and were so roughly handled that they too were of no use to Rhodes.

The Grand Master therefore and his faithful band, who had survived the six months' siege, were left alone.

Solyman now endeavoured to persuade or intimidate the garrison into surrender. He sent threatening messages that the town, if taken by assault, should be given up to pillage, and every one knew by this time what horrors the Turks were capable of perpetrating upon those who were at their mercy. The townspeople also began to petition L'Isle Adam to come to terms on account of their present miseries, and of the greater and more terrible calamities which they feared for themselves and their wives and children, if the enemy succeeded in capturing the city by storm. This was no longer improbable; everywhere the walls were broken down, breached, and weakened, and there were places on all sides where a surprise might enable the enemy to walk straight into the city.

The Grand Master, however, stood firm. He declared that his Order must fight and not make terms with the enemies of Christ; that he was ready to die at his post, but would not surrender.

The people nevertheless continued to plead with him day by day, till he was obliged to call the Grand Council together, and consider the question of capitulation. His knights were of one mind with

him as to their duty, and were ready to sacrifice themselves; but they represented to the Grand Master that there was another question to be considered-whether they had a right to abandon their subjects to the cruelties that awaited them, if they themselves fell and could no longer defend them.

It was finally determined that if the Sultan offered honourable terms, they should be accepted.

Soon after, on December 10, proposals were received, but no agreement was come to, and hostilities were renewed. But finally, after one or two other unsuccessful attempts, a treaty was drawn up and signed. By this it was arranged that the city should be delivered up on the following conditions: that the churches should not be desecrated ; that no children should be taken from their parents to be made Janizaries; that the Christians should enjoy the free exercise of their religion, and should be exempt from all taxation for five years; that all who chose to leave the island should have liberty to do so; that vessels should be furnished them by the Turks, if necessary; that twelve days should be allowed for embarkation; that all relics, church vessels, and ornaments, all the records and documents of the Order, and a sufficient number of cannon for the defence of the ships should be taken away; that the main body of the Turkish army should be removed to a distance till the evacuation had been completed, and only a body of Janizaries should occupy the city.

The Grand Master gave twenty-five knights as hostages during the execution of the treaty, and, after some hesitation, agreed to visit the sultan as he had demanded. He was kept waiting nearly a whole day in cold and snow, but at last admitted to Solyman's presence, where his noble bearing commanded respect. The Sultan gazed earnestly and silently at him for some time, and then beckoned him nearer, and consoled him for the misfortune that had overtaken him; and, finally, offered him the highest honours and dignities if he would enter upon his service.

This, of course, the Grand Master firmly but respectfully told him was impossible; but he asked that time might be granted to the people to effect their peaceable departure.

When he took his leave, Solyman expressed his warm admiration for this great man, adding, "I cannot help being concerned, that I force this Christian at his age to go out of his house," and further spoke, with bitter contempt, of the Christian kings who had left this noble soldier without aid in his extremity. Never before had a Christian city received such favourable terms on its capitulation to the Turks as Rhodes received from Solyman, and they were doubtless granted out of that prince's admiration for the character of L'Isle Adam.

On January 1, 1523, the Grand Master and his followers, numbering nearly five thousand, embarked and quitted Rhodes for ever; the Order having held it for two hundred and twenty years.