Page:A History of the Knights of Malta, or the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.djvu/413

Rh sidered likely to lend their aid in a movement tending to enfeeble the Ottoman empire. To L’Isle Adam he addressed himself more particularly, informing him that he had it within his power to restore to the fraternity its lost stronghold of Rhodes. The new commander of fort St. Nicholas was, he said, a creature of his own, who, if an adequate force were landed on the island, would surrender his post and join the invaders. L’Isle Adam was so struck with the plausibility of the scheme that he despatched the commander Bosio to Rhodes disguised as a merchant, that he might inquire into the general state of the island, and enter, if possible, into a negotiation with the commandant of fort St. Nicholas.

This knight performed his mission with admirable tact, and on his return to Viterbo gave a promising picture of the feasibility of the enterprise. The fortifications had been left unrepaired since the siege, and were consequently in a ruinous condition. The Christian inhabitants of the island had found the Turkish yoke very different from the just government of the knights, and were eager to enter into any project for the recovery of the fortress. The commandant of St. Nicholas had pledged himself to join the movement provided it were supported by an adequate force; it therefore only remained for L’Isle Adam to collect sufficient troops and at once take possession of his old home. Unfortunately this, simple as it seemed, was a matter involving much delay, since the Order, in its then beggared position, did not possess the means of raising such a force, but was compelled to seek assistance for the purpose. This there was but little present hope of obtaining, owing to the distracted condition of European politics. The king of France was at that moment a prisoner in the hands of the emperor, having been captured at the battle of Pavia, and a league was being formed between the Pope and the rulers of France and England to check, if possible, the overpowering advance of Charles.

At this juncture, L’Isle Adam was requested by the regent of France to act as an escort to the duchess of Alençon, the sister of the captive monarch. That fair lady trusted to her charms, which were very great, for she was one of the most beautiful women in Europe, and to her wit, to obtain terms for