Page:A History of the Knights of Malta, or the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.djvu/132

CHAPTER V.

1291—1311.

Establishment of the Order in Cyprus—Its first naval armaments—Death of John de Villiers and election of Odon de Pms—His monastic seclusion - Dissatisfaction of the Order—His death, and accession of William de Villaret—Expedition into Palestine—Project for the capture of Rhodes—Preparations for that operation—Death of William de Villaret and accession of Fulk de Villaret—Capture of Rhodes—Destruction of the Order of the Temple.

The slender and dispirited relics of the unfortunate garrison of Acre found shelter in the island of Cyprus, where Henry de Lusignan, anxious to remove the stain cast upon his name by his dastardly flight from the beleaguered city, welcomed them with open arms. The town of Limasol was accorded to them as a residence, and here the Hospitallers for the fourth time re-established their convent, and after a brief repose began making such arrangements for the re-organization of their body as the exigencies of the case seemed to require.

An imperative order was at once issued for each grand-priory to despatch thither, without delay, all the, available members who might be residing within its limits. This injunction was obeyed with so much enthusiasm that before the expiration of many months the attenuated ranks of the fraternity at Limasol once more became augmented into something like their former numbers. Nor was it in men only that assistance poured in from Europe; the coffers of every priory were drained to the utmost for the assistance of the general treasury, so that they were soon able once more to open their Hospital and to re-commence the exercise of those charitable duties which had been so rudely disturbed by the aggressions of the infidel.

Although the Holy Land had now completely passed away