MAJOR PORTER'S HISTORY OF THE HOSPITALLERS Oil KNIGHTS OF MALTA.*

DEATH, especially if accompanied with a touch of mystery, is often an advantage for historical preeminence, as is particularly shown in the ease of the Knights Templars. During the period when the Templars and Hospitallers held Palestine against the infidel, there was little difference between them in point of virtue or of services. Individuals might disgrace either order to the extreme of treason, or even of cowardice ; when the early reli- gious enthusiasm had passed away, loose living was too much a characteristic of both orders ; favourers of one side or the other may pick out stories discreditable to the rival order—as Major Porter tells how on one occasion the Grand Master of the Temple was bribed, while the Hospitallers scorned the temptation—how a Templar Grand Master gave Guy de Lusignan wrong advice, and caused his defeat—how a dozen Templars were hanged for surrendering a post which was tenable, at least in the opinion of those who hanged them. Still there is no clear balance on either side. Both orders in Gibbon's language "neglected to live, but were prepared to die in the service of Christ." In every siege or stricken field during the two centuries of their occupa- tion of the Holy Land, the red and the white cross banners were equally conspicuous in danger, and their followers the first to ad- vance and the last to retreat, when retreat they did. On the sad day when Acre succumbed to the power of the Mahometans, and the cross as an emblem of empire was driven from Palestine, the Templars occupied the most prominent position. Their Grand Master was commander-in-chief ; he fell in the last and triumph- ant assault of the infidel ; the larger portion of his followers, falling back upon the Temple, perished within or under its falling walls ; while the more prudent Hospitallers made good a timely retreat to the ships. And it may be remarked, as a curious fea- ture, that this hopeless defence was the only great occasion on which either order appeared as other than a subordinate, or at best as an auxiliary power.

With the expulsion of the two orders from Palestine their equality ceases. The few surviving Templars returned to Europe to subsist with their following in slothful ease on their immense possessions ; and in twenty years the order was abolished, and a great number of its members ignominiously executed. Imme-

• A History of the Knights of Malta of the Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem. By Major Whitworth Porter, Royal Engineers. In two volumes. Published by Longmans and Co.

diately upon the fall of Acre, the Knights HosPitaltem. Ah ! fuge at Cyprus, where they were kindly received by 5fenry of Lusignan. At first they contented themselves with little more than extending the hospital duties in which the order originated, and employed their galleys in transporting poor pilgrims to the Holy Land. Soon after they waged a profitable naval war against the infidel ; and while the Templars were passing away, the Hospitallers under Fulk de Villaret, their Grand Master, con- quered Rhodes. During the two centuries for which they held it, the order, if not the strongest bulwark, was the first outpost of Christendom, and on two great occasions defied the whole power of the Ottoman empire. The forces of Mehemet the Second, the captor of Constantinople, were compelled to retire with fearful loss from the Beige of Rhodes. The city and island indeed yielded to Solyman the magnificent in person, but after a defence which forms one of the great seiges of the world ; and drew from the Emperor Charles the Fifth the remark, that "there had been nothing in the world so well lost as Rhodes." The Emperor did more. Having assisted with the rest of Europe to lose Rhodes by neglecting to furnish succour, he after several years' delay, ceded Malta to the order, whence their more popular name of Knights of Malta. Here it was the fate of the order, under La Valette, to stand a still more celebrated seige than the leaguer of Rhodes. On this occasion the forces of Solyman had to retreat with a loss of three-fourths of their number, and fortunately for the order the great Sultan died before the expedition could be prepared which he intended to lead in person. This was the culmination of their glory, but for upwards of a century, longer they still continued a military power contending with the Turk.,

But though the Templars, as a military order, were not superior to the Hospitallers, while the latter rose to the dignity of a ruling power connected with great historical events, yet the Templars fill a greater space in popular literature, and have a greater in- terest in the popular mind, than their rivals who accomplished so much more. The cruel persecution of the Knights of the Temple —the impenetrable mystery connected with the charges brought against them—the solemn protestations of innocence and the heroic deaths of their last Grand Master and his principal officers —have a romantic interest which open historical transactions can never possess. Then the Templars were suddenly cut off in their prime. The Knights of Malta lived through a not very creditable old age, and died at last, or at least surrendered their strong- hold, (for the order still survives,) to Bonaparte, in a very dis-

ful manner. It is likely that the knights were as profligate during their palmy days, as the easy bachelors who fig:nr.e4 as ru- lers of Malta during the last century. But we arc less offended by remote vice. A drunkard, at least to the sober, is better in poetry than in bodily presence. Various works have been published on these remarkable orders though most of them are passe, or special ; and none are of the highest kind. The best as popular histories are Addison's. Knights-Templarst which is a careful painstaking work, though slightly ponderous ; and Vertot's once famous iTistoire des C7se- callers de Malthe, a brilliant and attractive, but lengthy and su- perficial narrative ; though as historiographer to the order, he had ample means within his reach, had he possessed industry to make use of them. A better history might be written upon the received, plan, of either order, or of both orders. We still want a philo- sophic history which, by a careful exposition of times and circumstances should exhibit the necessities that rendered these orders useful, or indeed possible ; and by a careful study of contemporary authorities should be able to infuse something of living character into the narrative, without suspending the story to write "essays " or " sketches." This Major Porter has not done. He has written a narrative of events, varied by portraits of the prominent persons, in a readable but somewhat rhe- torical manner, and without any particular acumen, in the passing reflexions. What is more singular in a scientific soldier is, that the warfare if not vaguely is very gene-

rally done. The principles of war are ever the same, but the modes continually vary with the mechanical and other knowledge of the age ; while climate and country have their influence. The European and Asiatic systems of warfare during the crusades were very opposite, and the Asiatics differed among themselves as the Arab or Saracenic from that of theTurks. Yet the reader of these volumes has scarcely a glimpse of these things ; and very little of strategy or tactics. On the contrary, the Major of Engineers deals in such literary commonplaces as. "scattering like chaff before the wind," " hurling themselves in resistless multitudes," though it appears that the "resistless" was resisted for a time. The three great sieges are the best done ; but their historical prominence has taken off their novelty ; es- pecially that of Malta, which from its connection with the affairs of Western Europe has been often told, and by Mr. Prescott within these few years. Strange to say the internal economy and civil management of the order are the best and freshest parts of Major Porter's book. This arises from his residence at Malta, where he employed his leisure in toiling among the manuscript archives of the knights, and poring over ponderous tomes in the public library. Modern research has discovered other documents ; and amongst them a

very curious report or survey of the state of the properties of the. Order in England, in 1338, which has been printed by the Camden Society. From these materials Major Porter has drawn up interesting amounts of the internal state of the hospitallers

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Cries and oir...:A.er eminence in Palestine, though this is some- ,tai curt ; a view of their condition while in Rhodes ; and a iller exhibition of the sojourn at Malta which, though not the nest glowing, is the most curious parts of their career.

The fame acquired by the defeat of the Turks before Malta, and the prestige attaching to the Knights of Malta as defenders of Chnstendom, gave to their flag in the Mediterranean a somewhat similar preeminence to that which England possessed in the nar- row seas. The flag of the order was saluted first : and Louis the Fourteenth himself submitted to this claim In 1765 a sort of paper-war took place with England upon the subject, though Sir John Narbrough, it would seem, only demanded the salute given / to the flags of France and Spain. The authorities must have mis- / understood the Admiral, or Sir John misunderstood them. There is some correspondence on the matter between Charles the Second himself and the Grand Master ; but the pith is here.

" What this complaint of Sir John Narbrough's consisted in is not very clear, since, by the annexed extract from the journal of the Reverend Henry Teonge, chaplain on board H. M. S. Assistance, one of Narbrough's squa- dron, there appeared no reluctance on the part of the town to return their salute, or at all events they consented eventually to do so, and that after considerable rudeness and unnecessary bluster on the part of the captain of the Assistance, such as in the present day would not have been patiently tolerated by the weakest power. ' August 1st, 1675. This morn wee corn near Malta ; before wee coin to the cytty, a boate with the Malteese flagg in it coma to us to know whence wee cam. Wee told them from England ; they asked if wee had a bill of health for prattick, viz. entertaynment ; our captain told them he had no bill but what was in his guns' mouths. Wee cam on and anchored in the harbour betweene the old towne and the new, about nine of the clock ; but must wait the governour's leasnre to have leave to coin on shoare, which was detarded because our captain would not salute the cytty, except they would retaliate. At last cam the consult with his at- tendants to our ship, (but would not coin on board till our captain had been on shoare,) to tell us that we had leave to coin on shoare, six, or eight, or ten, at a time, and might have anything that was there to be had ; with a promise to accept our salute kindly. Whereupon our captain tooke a glass of sack, and drank a health to King Charles, and fyred seven gunns ; the cytty gave us five again°' which was more than they had don to all our men of warr that cam thither before.'

" It is evident from the date of this entry, which was the 1st of August 1675, that this condescension on the part of Malta, although, according to Mr. Teonge, it was more than had ever been yielded previously, did not sa- tisfy the punctilious admiral, since he penned the letter given above, the date of which is seven weeks subsequent to that incident. That the Grand- Master did eventually yield to the demands of the admiral, and salute his flag to his heart's content, is clear by the following extract from Teonge's diary, under date February 11th, 1676.

" Sir John Narbrough cam in from Trypoly, and four more ships with him. The noble Malteese salute him with forty-five gunns ; he answered them with so many that I could not count them. And what with our sa- lutes antl'ioat answers there was nothing but fyre and smoake for almost two Mins.' the lie&-Tiour of the townspeople appears throughout to have been cordial and courteous, as witness the following extracts. " August 2, 1675.—This Bitty is compassed almost clean round with the sea, which makes severall safe harbours for hundreds of shipps. Thepeople are generally extremely courteouse, but especially to the English. A man cannot demonstrate all their excellenoys and ingenuitys. Let it suffice to say thus much of this place, viz.—Had a man no other business to invite him, vet it were sufficiently worth a man's cost and paines to make a voyage out of England, on purpose to see that noble cytty of Malta, and their works and fortifications about it. Several of their knights and cavaliers cam on board us, six at one time, men of sufficient courage and friendly carriage, wishing us good successe in our voyage ; with whom I had much discourse, I being the only entertainer, because I could speak Leine, for which I was highly esteemed, and much invited on shoare again.

" August 3.--This morning a boate of lads, with their musick, to our ship's syd, and bottels of wine with them. They went severall times about our ship, and sang several songs very sweetly; very rich in habitt, and very courteous in behaviour ; but would not come on board, though invited ; but having taken their friscs, returned as they cam. After them cam in a boat four fryers, and cam round about our ship, puld off their hatts and capps, saluted us with congjea, and departed. After them cam a boat of musitians, playa severall lessons as they rowed gently round about us, and went their way. " August 4.—This morning our captain was invited to dine with the Grand-Master, which hindered our departure. In the mean time, wee have severall of the Malteese coin to visit us, all extremely courteous. And now wee are preparing to sail for Trypoly. Dens vortat bene.

' Thus wee, the Assistance, and the new Sattee, Doe steare our course poynt blanke for Trypoly; Our ship new rigged, well stord with pigg and ghoose-a, Henns, decks, and turkeys, and wine cald Syracoosa.'

"This civility on the part of the Order of St. John and the Maltese towards the fleet of Sir John Narbrough was amply requited, since the ex- pedition to Tripoli alluded to in the above quaint stanza ended in the libera- tion of a large body of Christian slaves from their bonds in that principality, amongst whom were fifty knights, who were restored to their homes by the gallant English."

The decline of the military discipline and power of the Knights kept pace with that of the Turks, and the funds that were wont to be expended in the defence of Aouth Eastern Christendom, were finally devoted to themselves. The conquest of Rhodes had early given the Grand Master a sort of princely, if not regal, position; there was a good deal of state kept up at Malta, mingled with Romish mortification ; perhaps slightly ridiculous, when compared with the actual power possessed.

It was contrary to etiquette for a Grand-Master to pay any visits, and this rule was but seldom deviated from, and then only on most important occa- sions. He was, however, sufficiently gallant to pay a visit of congratula- tion to the three convents of St. Ursula, St. Catherine, and St. Magdalen, both at Christmas and Easter. He also called upon the Benedictine nuns of the Citta Vittoriosa,. when he took formal possession of that city, upon assuming the magisterial dignity. He was bound to inspect the Hospital of the fraternity periodically? and upon this occasion he tied an apron round his waist, and personally distributed their respective portions of food to each patient. He was supposed in this manner to fulfil his duties as a reli- gious Hospitaller."

Like the royalty of the old regime the Grand Master dined in public, though not so frequently as the genuine crowned head—

perhaps the expense would have dipped too deeply into his 40,0001. a year. The washing hands before dinner seems to have been a tradition of Syria, one of those frequent instances where manners pass into forms.

"The ceremonial of the table, when the Grand-Master dined in public, was observed with the greatest possible nicety; the grandest occasions being the festivals of Christmas and Easter. The private invitations to these feasts were issued two days beforehand by one of the chamberlains, but on the day itself the principal maitre d'hotel gave a public invitation during the cele- bration of high mass in St. John's Church. For this purpose he came into the body of the church, immediately after the offertory, bearing in his hand the wand of his office. Saluting the members of council one after the other, he in a loud voice invited them to partake of a repast which the Grand- Master proposed to give on that day in honour of the Order. At half-past ten o'clock, or thereabouts, the dignitaries who had received invitations pro- ceeded to the palace, and were ushered into the audience chamber, where the Grand-Master was in waiting to receive them. The dinner was placed on the table at eleven o'clock, and when all was in readiness the principal maitre d'hôtel announced the fact to his eminence, who thereupon rose and proceeded to the dining hall. At its entrance the cup-bearer presented him with a basin in which to wash his hands, the seneschal holding the towel. Whilst this ceremonial was proceeding the prior of the church advanced to the head of the table and gave the benediction. He then retired into the ante-chamber, where the guests were washing their hands, in readiness to return with them as soon as the Grand-Master was seated. That dignitary, after having washed his hands and wiped them in the towel which the seneschal held for that purpose, took his seat at the head of the table upon a couch of crimson velvet beneath a dais. The guests then entered the apart- ment, and seated themselves according to their rank upon either side of the table, replacing their caps on their heads as they did so. The dinner then commenced, the carvers performing their office, and the pages waiting on the guests.

"It was a point of etiquette upon these occasions that none should pre- sume to drink until the Grand-Master had set the example. As soon, there- fore, as the soup was removed his eminence called for wine, and rising with his cup in his hand drank to the health of those who sat at table with him. The guests thereupon also rose and removed their caps, remaining in that position whilst he drank, and until the moment when, after finishing his draught, he once more bowed all around and reseated himself. The guests then in their turn drank to the health of their host, standing up as they did so and bowing to him. The second toast given by the Grand-Master was the officers of his household, and the guests took that opportunity of pledg- ing each other, and at the third toast they also drank to the household. At the conclusion of the repast the Grand-Master gave the health of the Pope, and this was the signal for the close of the ceremonial."