Page:A History of the Knights of Malta, or the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.djvu/374

344 from the shores of Rhodes. The commanderies had all furnished such contingents as it was in their power to contribute, and it became clear to L’Isle Adam that he would have to trust for success far more to the spirit of his troops than to their numbers. Only one of the numerous embassies which he had despatched was prosperous in its issue, and this was the mission to Candia, which he had intrusted to Anthony Bosio, a serving- brother of considerable talent and sagacity, and related to the celebrated historian of the Order. This able negotiator succeeded in bringing back with him not only an ample supply of stores, but also 500 Cretan archers, in those days highly esteemed for their skill with the cross-bow. He had likewise attracted into the service of the knights the Venetian engineer, Gabriel Martinigo, whose reputation as a master of that science stood so high that his presence in Rhodes was hailed with enthusiasm.

Martinigo was so much impressed with the devotion and zeal which he noticed on every side, that he formed a desire to join the ranks of the fraternity, and made an application to that effect to the Grand-Master. As Martinigo was a man of good family and unmarried, no obstacle was placed in the way of accomplishing his wishes, and the knights greeted with joy this important acquisition to their ranks. He was at once named a grand-cross, and a large pension assigned to him, the whole charge of the fortifications being vested in his hands. Various additions were at his suggestion made to the defences; the gates were covered with ravelins, casemates were constructed in the flanks of the bastions, and the counterscarps were mined at such points as seemed most likely to be made use of by assaulting columns. Within the town barricades were erected in the principal streets, in the hope of protracting the contest even after the ramparts had been penetrated.

L’Isle Adam now caused a careful inspection to be made of his little garrison. The members of each langue were drawn up in front of their respective auberges, fully armed and accoutred, each being inspected by a knight of a different langue. Every individual was called on in turn to swear with his hand on the cross hilt of his sword that the equipments in which he was then paraded were his own property, and had not