Page:A History of the Knights of Malta, or the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.djvu/144

118 Eventually Villaret found himself abandoned by all, except the members of his own fraternity, who, having staked everything on the cast, had determined to stand with him the hazard of the die.

Under these adverse circumstances all further attempts at the capture of the city were for the moment out of the question, and it was not long before Villaret found himself surrounded by the enemy, and in a state of siege within the limits of his own camp. Aroused by the audacity of this league of Greeks and Saracens, Villaret assembled all that yet remained to him of the invading army, and, after a brief and spirited harangue, he led them forth to the assault. The position was certainly very desperate, and he determined either to clear the country of the enemy, or sacrifice the slender remains of his force in the attempt. The struggle was long and obstinate, and the loss of the Hospitallers such as in their weakened state they could but ill afford. Desperation at length inclined the balance in their favour, and ere that evening’s sun had set, Villaret had the satisfaction of standing undisputed master of the field, and of witnessing the complete dispersion of the numerous battalions by which he had been surrounded.

The routed Greeks and Saracens, under cover of night, flung themselves into their galleys, and crossing over to the mainland, spread throughout the province of Lycia the intelligence of their utter defeat. Meanwhile Viliaret, having re-assembled the proud relics of his force, returned once more to his attempts upon the city. Finding himself far too enfeebled to achieve its capture by assault, he changed his tactics, and converted his attack into a blockade, determining to await the arrival of reinforcements from Europe before proceeding to more active measures. His steady perseverance and indomitable energy carried him triumphantly through the difficulties of the crisis. He succeeded in obtaining a large sum of money by way of loan from the Florentine bankers upon the security of the revenues of his Order, which he had no hesitation in pledging for the purpose; a security which at that time could hardly have been considered a very safe one, and which must have required no little financial talent on his part to render marketable. Provided thus with the sinews of war, he was not