Page:A History of the Knights of Malta, or the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.djvu/319

Rh All the princes of Christendom gradually began to covet the possession of one whose name would prove such a powerful auxiliary in a war against the Turks. Plots were therefore set on foot in various quarters to withdraw him from the protection of the knights of St. John. At the same time designs of a baser nature were skilfully concocted, at the instigation of Bajazet, to deprive the young prince of his life. Vigilant indeed was the watth which his escort were compelled to maintain to protect their charge from the attempts both of friend and foe; and this precaution has been distorted into an accusation that Djem was all the time a prisoner. That he was carefully guarded is no doubt a fact; but that this was against his own wishes is at variance with all trustworthy contemporary evidence. In a letter which ho wrote to the Grand-Master from Rome on the 27th October, 1494, when he was no longer under the control of the fraternity, and when he could have had no object in disguising his sentiments towards it, he thus expresses himself on the subject of the protection afforded to him whilst at Bourgneuf:—“ Most kindly and faithfully have I been served by the said knights, without being able to testify my gratitude in the slightest degree by remunerating them in the manner which I should most ardently have desired. With the warmest and most affectionate cordiality I beg of your very reverend lordship kindly to look upon them all as persons peculiarly commended to you by your love for me. I will think every favour and benefit which you bestow upon them as conferred, through your condescension, on myself personally.”

During Djem’s residence at Rhodes the Grand-Master had written a letter to the Pope, in which lie defined very clearly the conditions under which the Order had consented to grant its protection to the prince. The safe conduct stipulated for by him was Tutus aditus exitusque, a safe entry into Rhodes, and an equally safe departure therefrom. D’Aubusson proceeds to say:—“ We have brilliant expectations, and are determined to do all that is in our power. If we succeed, well and good; but if not, we must consult the interests of our island, taking care to preserve our public faith, since this must be kept inviolably even towards our deadliest enemy, whatever