Page:A History of the Knights of Malta, or the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.djvu/534

500 Toulouse and general of the galleys. Being an ambitious man he was seduced from his allegiance under the idea that he would be named La Cassière’s successor. That Grand-Master had issued a decree banishing all women of loose character from Valetta and the neighbouring casals, with a view to checking, if possible, the gross and open licentiousness then Prevalent at the convent. This decree was alleged as one of the causes for dissatisfaction which they entertained against their chief. Such a complaint in itself marks the very low tone of morality which must at that time have been prevalent in the fraternity.

All being at length ripe for the movement the mutineers openly declared themselves. They held a public meeting, in which they stated that the Grand-Master was, from age and infirmity, unable to continue in the active exercise of his functions. They therefore proposed that he should be called on to nominate a lieutenant to assist him in his duties. La Cassière, who, although old, was still in full vigour, both of mind and body, rejected the suggestion with the utmost disdain, on which the mutineers once more met together, and, taking the law into their own hands, nominated Romégas to the post of lieutenant. By selecting a French knight they evaded the suspicion which would have attached to their proceedings had they chosen a member of one of their own langues, and thus induced a considerable number of French knights to join the cabal. Not content with this appointment, they further decreed that La Cassière should be placed in close confinement in fort St. Angelo. This resolution was at once carried into effect, and the aged Grand-Master, surrounded by his rebellious confrères, was conveyed through the streets like a criminal to his appointed place of imprisonment. During the journey he was assailed with the grossest abuse, not only by the knights, but also by the frail ladies who had been banished from the city, and who now, on the subversion of his authority, had returned thither in great numbers.

These turbulent proceedings were insidiously fomented by the king of Spain. Trusting to support the mutineers, that monarch had despatched a fleet to Malta ostensibly to protect the island from a supposed invasion by the Turks, but in reality