Page:A History of the Knights of Malta, or the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.djvu/405

CHAPTER XV.

1522—1534.

Surrender of Rhodes and departure of the Order for Candia—Arrival at Messina—Departure for Civita Veochia—Project for bestowing Malta on the Order—Hopes of regaining Rhodes—L’Isle Adam proceeds to M&]rid—His negotiations—Visits Paris and London— Returns to Italy—Malta ceded to the Order—Antecedent history of that island—Tripoli—Its disadvantages and dangers—Description of the harbour of Malta—Expedition to Modon—Disputed appointment to the bishopric of Malta—English Reformation—Insurrection in the convent—Death of L’Isle Adam.

The surrender of Rhodes took place on the 20th December, 1522, and by the terms of the capitulation a period of twelve days was granted to the knights within which they were to carry out its stipulations. Messengers were despatched to the castle of St. Peter at Budrum, and to the island of Lango, the only two outposts which had been maintained during the siege, directing the immediate withdrawal of the garrisons, which were to retire to the island of Candia.

The provisions of the treaty were not at first carried out by the Turks with much exactitude; many foul outrages were perpetrated by the janissaries after they had obtained possession of the city; churches were desecrated, women violated, the inhabitants plundered, and other excesses committed. For these acts of barbarity the sultan can in no way be held responsible, for the moment he heard of what was taking place, he at once issued a most peremptory mandate to the aga of the janissaries, intimating that that officer should pay the penalty of any further infractions of the treaty with his head. Solyman, indeed, appears throughout this transaction to have been moved by a desire of showing magnanimity and clemency. That such clemency was not one of his usual attributes, the horrors per-