Page:A History of the Knights of Malta, or the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.djvu/455

Rh and contributions also came in from those who were unable to render personal service either on account of age or infirmity. The Maltese militia was organized and drilled, and soon became a very effective body of soldiery, numbering upwards of 3,000, and 500 galley slaves were released under pledge of performing faithful service during the coming siege. The Sicilian viceroy, Don Garcia do Toledo, who was still prolonging his visit to the island, concerted with La Valette a project of mutual defence, and from this dignitary the Grand-Master received the most earnest pledges of assistance as soon as a sufficient force could be collected. He left his own illegitimate son under the charge of the knights, so that he might gain his first experience of war in the strife now about to commence.

La Valette was deeply gratified at the eagerness with which the flower of his Order had flocked to the island in the hour of danger. He assembled them all together, and in that glowing language which is ever the utterance of true earnestness, called upon them to stand firm in the good cause they had adopted at their first profession. They had then voluntarily devoted themselves to the defence of their religion, and if they were now called on to sacrifice their lives, it was their duty and their privilege cheerfully to lay them down. At the close of his address he led the way into the chapel of the convent, where they solemnly partook of the Holy Communion together.

Although the lapse of four centuries and a half had done much to weaken the simple and earnest religious feeling which had characterized the founders of the Order, it needed but a call like this to awaken something of the spirit of old. As they stood round their venerable chief the remembrance of many a gallant struggle was warm within their hearts. The scenes which had been witnessed at Jerusalem, at Acre, and at Rhodes, were once more to be enacted, and the devoted band determined with one heart that the renown of their predecessors should stiffer no diminution by their conduct during the coming crisis.