Page:A History of the Knights of Malta, or the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.djvu/659

Rh friscs returned as they corn. After them corn in a boat four fryars and cam round about our ship, puld off their hatta and capps, saluted us with congjes and departed. After them cam a boat of musitians, played severall lessons as they rowed gently round about us and went their way.

“August 4.—This morning our captain was invited to dine with the Grand-Master which hindered our departure. In the meantime wee have severall of the Malteese com to visit us all extremely courteous. And now wee are preparing to sail for Trypoly. Deus vortat bene.”

Here the worthy chaplain, apparently excited with his subject, drops into poetry:—

This civility on the part of the Grand-Master and town was amply requited, as the expedition to Tripoli referred to, ended in the liberation of a large body of Christian slaves, amongst whom were no less than fifty knights, who were rescued by the gallant English. Cottoner appears to have taken advantage later on of the powerful support of the British fleet to obtain the liberation of another knight, a German named Robert von Sael, who was languishing in chains at Algiers. He wrote on the subject to Charles on the 15th August, 1678, when the English were preparing a fresh expedition against the Algerines. lie received the following reply:—

“Most eminent prince, our well-beloved cousin and friend. The thanks which your eminence, by your letters, written under date of the 15th of August last, returns to us on account of the fifty knights of your Order liberated by our assistance from the slavery of the barbarians, could hardly be more acceptable to us than the prayers adjoined to the above-mentioned letters for the liberation from the slavery of the Algerines of another member of your holy Order, the German John Robert A. Stael. We, in consequence, in order that we may not appear to be wanting either in the will or in affection towards your eminence, have communicated our orders to our