Page:A History of the Knights of Malta, or the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.djvu/302

Rhodes indulged in a little pardonable jocosity. Whilst •witnessing the process of broiling to which the corpses were being subjected, they observed that the Turks were like the “beccafichi,” or ortolans, and derived their plumpness from the quantity of figs they had devoured. The general joy was much increased when it became known that the Grand-Master, whose wounds had originally been pronounced mortal, was likely to recover; and when, after the lapse of a few weeks, he had so far advanced towards convalescence as to be present in person at the laying of the first stone of a church to celebrate the defence, their satisfaction was complete. This church was built at the extreme eastern horn of the crescent formed by the town, and was therefore nearly due north of, and not far from, the Jews’ quarter. It was dedicated to Notre Dame de la Victoire, and still exists. It is curious to observe the different reasons assigned by the historians on both sides for the unlooked-for result of this extraordinary siege. The Turkish writer Khodgia, who has given a very detailed and vivid account of it, coloured, naturally, by a strong partiality for his own nation, asserts that the sole cause of their failure was the avarice of Paleologus. He states that the pasha, after having excited the cupidity of his troops by promising to abandon the town to indiscriminate pillage, recalled that promise at the last moment, when they had established themselves on the Jews’ rampart, and proclaimed that the wealth of the city was to be reserved for the use of the sultan. From this moment, says Khodgia, the energy of the assailants declined visibly. Peeling themselves cheated of their promised prey at the very moment when its acquisition seemed secure, they were no longer in a frame of mind to withstand firmly the impetuous onset made by D’Aubusson and his knights. To this cause he attributes the panic, and consequent failure of the enterprise. Turkish historians have never scrupled to invent reasons for the non-success of their armies, and a little consideration will show the improbability of this story. It had been the invariable practice of Ottoman emperors and of their pashas to give over to pillage all towns taken by assault, as indeed has been the recognized custom of war amongst even Christian nations.