Page:A History of the Knights of Malta, or the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.djvu/375

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.

the Knights of Malta.

345

been borrowed for the occasion. In this manner L’Isle Adam satisfied himself of the complete preparation of his little force.

The number of English knights present at the siege has not been recorded. Mention has only been made of the names of twenty, but this must have fallen far short of the number actually present. Conspicuous among these stands John Bouch, or Buck, the Turcopolier, who was selected as one of four leaders of supporting bodies destined to act as reserves, to be in readiness to carry succour wherever their services might seem to be most urgently needed. The commander of the English bastion, or tower of St. Mary, was Nicholas Hussey, whilst the leader of the troops apportioned for the defence of the English quarter was William Onascon.^[1]

In like manner L’Isle Adam himself undertook the defence

↑ The names of the English knights which have been preserved are as follows:—
John Bouch, or Buck, Turcopolier, killed.
Nicholas Hussey, commander of the English bastion, or tower of St. Mary.
William Onascon, commander of the English quarter.
Thomas Sheffield, commander of the palace postern.
Nicholas Farfan, in the suite of the Grand-Master.
Henry Mansel, in the suite of the Grand-Master, killed.
William Weston.
John Ranson, or Rawson.
William Tuest (? West).
John Baron.
Thomas Remberton, or Pemberton.
George Asfelz.
John Lotu.
Francis Buet (? Butt).
Giles Rosel (? Russell).
George Emer (? Aylmer).
Michael Roux.
Nicholas Usel.
Otho de Montselli, or Monteilli.
Nicholas Roberts.
The last-named knight wrote an account of the siege to the earl of Surrey (vide Appendix No. 8). It has been suggested, and with much probability, that the William Onascon, commander of the English quarter, is the same as the William Weston who stands a little below him on the list. The latter was a very distinguished knight, and was not long after made grand-prior of England. He would, therefore, have been a likely person to be selected as commander of the quarter for that langue. If this be so, the number of names would be reduced to nineteen. Although there is no record of the deaths of any of these knights except Buck and Mansell, it is probable that the majority of them lost their lives in the siege, as it is stated that, owing to the numerous casualties amongst the members of the English langue, the defence of the tower of St. Mary had eventually to be transferred to knights of other langues.

[1] The names of the English knights which have been preserved are as follows:—
John Bouch, or Buck, Turcopolier, killed.
Nicholas Hussey, commander of the English bastion, or tower of St. Mary.
William Onascon, commander of the English quarter.
Thomas Sheffield, commander of the palace postern.
Nicholas Farfan, in the suite of the Grand-Master.
Henry Mansel, in the suite of the Grand-Master, killed.
William Weston.
John Ranson, or Rawson.
William Tuest (? West).
John Baron.
Thomas Remberton, or Pemberton.
George Asfelz.
John Lotu.
Francis Buet (? Butt).
Giles Rosel (? Russell).
George Emer (? Aylmer).
Michael Roux.
Nicholas Usel.
Otho de Montselli, or Monteilli.
Nicholas Roberts.
The last-named knight wrote an account of the siege to the earl of Surrey (vide Appendix No. 8). It has been suggested, and with much probability, that the William Onascon, commander of the English quarter, is the same as the William Weston who stands a little below him on the list. The latter was a very distinguished knight, and was not long after made grand-prior of England. He would, therefore, have been a likely person to be selected as commander of the quarter for that langue. If this be so, the number of names would be reduced to nineteen. Although there is no record of the deaths of any of these knights except Buck and Mansell, it is probable that the majority of them lost their lives in the siege, as it is stated that, owing to the numerous casualties amongst the members of the English langue, the defence of the tower of St. Mary had eventually to be transferred to knights of other langues.

[1]