in the wars of his master, commanded on land,
and Pi[=a]li was admiral of the fleet. Dragut was to join them
immediately, and the Sultan's order was that nothing should be done
till he arrived.

The Knights had not remained ignorant of the preparations that were
making against them. They sent to all Europe for help, and the Pope
gave money, and Spain promises: the Viceroy of Sicily would send
Spanish reinforcements by the 15th of June. They worked unceasingly at
their defences and did all that men could do to meet the advancing
storm. All told, they mustered but seven hundred Knights, and between
eight and nine thousand mercenaries of various nations, but chiefly
Maltese, who could only be trusted behind walls.

The Order was fortunate in its Grand Master. Jean de la Valette, born
in 1494, a Knight of St. John before he was of age, and a defender of
Rhodes forty-three years ago, though now an old man retained to the
full the courage and generalship which had made his career as
commander of the galleys memorable in the annals of Mediterranean
wars. He had been a captive among the Turks, and knew their languages
and their modes of warfare; and his sufferings had increased his
hatred of the Infidel. A tall, handsome man, with an air of calm
resolution, he communicated his iron nerve to all his followers. Cold
and even cruel in his severity, he was yet devoutly religious, and
passionately devoted to his Order and his Faith. A true hero, but of
the reasoning, merciless, bigoted sort: not the generous, reckless
enthusiast who inspires by sympathy and glowing example.

When he knew that the day of trial was at hand, Jean de la Valette
assembled the Order together, and bade them first be reconciled with
God and one another, and then prepare to lay down their lives for the
Faith they had sworn to defend. Before the altar each Knight foreswore
all enmities, renounced all pleasures, buried all ambitions; and
joining together in the sacred fellowship of the Supper of the Lord,
once more dedicated their blood to the service of the Cross.

At the very outset a grave mischance befell the Turks; Dragut was a
fortnight late at the rendezvous. His voice would have enforced
Pi[=a]li's advice, to land the entire force and attack the Burg and
St. Michael from the heights behind. Mustafa, the Seraskier, was
determined to reduce the outlying Fort of St. Elmo on the promontory
of Sceberras before attacking the main position, and according