Page:A History of the Knights of Malta, or the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.djvu/399

Rh When these letters had had sufficient time to create the intended effect, Monilio presented himself one morning before the bastion of Auvergne, desiring an interview with Matteo de Via, one of the leading citizens of Rhodes. This request being refused, he began to urge those whom he was addressing to seek terms of capitulation. His proposals were repulsed, and he was informed that the knights of St. John only treated with the infidel sword in hand. Two days after he again made his appearance, bearing, as he said, a letter from the sultan to L’Isle Adam. This letter the Grand-Master refused to receive, and Monilio was informed that if he attempted any further parleying he would be fired on. L’IsIe Adam had long since decided that if he failed to receive help from Europe he would make the ruins of Rhodes the common grave of himself and his brethren.

Had the town contained none others than members of the Order, this resolution would indubitably have been carried into effect. It no sooner, however, became noised abroad that the subject of capitulation had been mooted from the Ottoman camp than a cabal arose in the town to urge its acceptance. There were not wanting those who preferred life to the glory of further resistance; and, indeed, it is clear that to men unfettered by religious obligations, continued opposition must have appeared perfect madness. The principal citizens therefore commissioned their metropolitan to urge upon the Grand-Master the necessity for treating with the enemy.

L’Isle Adam now found that it did not depend only on himself to carry his heroic resolutions into practice. Without the concurrence of the citizens this would be impossible, and that concurrence the archbishop positively assured him he would not obtain. A council was therefore summoned to deliberate on the matter. Whilst it was sitting a deputation appeared to present a petition signed by the principal inhabitants, in which they implored the Order to provide for the safety of their wives and children, and to rescue from the profanation of the infidel those holy relics which they all held in such high veneration. The petition closed with a threat that if the knights neglected to comply with its request the inhabitants would feel themselves bound by every law, divine and human, to secure by