Page:A History of the Knights of Malta, or the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.djvu/306

278 sources, although, as he himself says, “The public acts were not recorded during the siege, but after the victory was gained its history was compiled by William Caoursin, vice-chancellor of the Order, which account has been divulged by the press all over the world, previous to which nothing had been recorded.” The other document is a history of the events which took place during the years immediately subsequent, including the romantic episode of the unfortunate prince Djem, or Zizim, of whom there will be occasion to speak shortly.

The Grand-Master himself also wrote a brief account of the siege, which he forwarded for the information of the emperor of Germany. This document, in its perspicuity, conciseness, and modesty will bear a favourable comparison with almost any despatch of later days. it is much to be regretted that no record has been kept of the strength of the garrison during the siege, or of the names or even the number of the killed. The archives only record those ‘who held official positions, a very small number out of the total who were present. The list framed from this data consists of ninety-two French commanders, thirty-five Spanish and Portuguese, thirty-five Italians, eight German, and five English, together with eighteen chaplains and servants-at-arms of the various langues holding the same dignity. Subsequent researches have raised the English list to fourteen, and even that number is supposed to fall far short of the reality. The names thus rescued from oblivion are as follow:—