Page:A History of the Knights of Malta, or the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.djvu/632

596 general issue of the struggle between the Christian and the Moslem is more than the most partial historian could venture to assert. The days when the knights of St. John were content to expend their energies and shed their blood simply in defence of their faith without regard to gain had long since pas away. Now they no longer sought in open field to crush the foe against whom their profession engaged them to maintain a constant warfare. Looking rather to their personal enrichment than to the public advantage, they strove, by means of such isolated and plundering exploits as those referred to above, to gain for their convent and themselves a rich reward.

Enraged at these repeated insults, the Turks strove, in their turn, to carry the war into the enemy’s country. In the year 1615, we therefore find them making a descent upon Malta with sixty galleys, on which occasion they disembarked 5,000 men on the island. Due precautions had, however, been taken by the inhabitants, who, on the approach of the enemy, all retreated into the towns, and the Turks gained nothing by their attempt, being driven ignominiously back into their ships with some loss.

The rule of de Vignacourt, like those of his immediate predecessors, was disturbed by the pretensions of the bishop of Malta. This ecclesiastic, whose name was Cagliares, having hail recourse to a personal visit to Rome during one of his numerous disputes with the Grand-Master and council in order to sec&e a favourable decision on his pretensions, had appointed a deputy to maintain the interests of his see during his absence. The arrogance of this deputy far exceeded even that of his chief, and the more youthful and hot headed amongst the knights were unable to restrain their indignation at his intolerable assumption. A band of these malcontents attacked the bishop’s palace by night, threatening to throw the offending prelate into the Mama Muscetto, and it was with no little difficulty that de Vignacourt was enabled to rescue him out of their hands. He despatched him to the Pope with a complaint of his conduct, and a request that he might be subjected to reproof; but Paul V., who was bent on supporting the clergy to the utmost in their pretensions, took a very high tone in the matter. So far from yielding to the request which