(_Continued from_ Vol. viii., p. 558.)
I am now enabled to forward, according to my promise, literal
translations, so far as they could be made, of three more letters, which
were written in the Latin language, and addressed by Henry VIII. to the
Grand Masters of Malta. The first two were directed to Philip de
Villiers L'Isle Adam, and the last to his successor Pierino Dupont, an
Italian knight, who, from his very advanced age, and consequent
infirmity, was little disposed to accept of the high dignity which his
brethren of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem had unanimously conferred
upon him. The life of Dupont was spared "long enough," not only for him
to take an active part in the expedition which Charles V. sent against
Tunis at his suggestion, to reinstate Muley Hassan on the throne of that
kingdom, but also to see his knights return to the convent covered with
glory, and galleys laden with plunder.
No. IV. Fol. 6th.
Henry by the Grace of God, King of England and France, Defender
of the Faith, and Lord of Ireland, to our Reverend Father in
Christ, Dominus F. de Villiers L'Isle Adam, our most dear
friend--Greeting:
For a long period of time, Master Peter Vanes, of _Luca_, has
been serving as private secretary; and as we have always found
his service loving and faithful, we not only love him from our
heart, and hold him dear, but we are also extremely desirous of
his interest and advancement. As he has declared to us that his
most ardent wish is by our influence and favour to be in some
way invested with honour in his own country, we have most
willingly promised to do for him in this matter whatever lay in
our power; and we trust that from the good offices which your
most worthy Reverence has always received from us, this our
desire with regard to promoting the aforesaid Master Peter will
be furthered, and the more readily on this account, because what
we beg for may be granted without injury to any one. Since,
then, a certain Dominus Livius, concerning whom your Reverend
Lordship will be more fully informed by our same Secretary, is
in possession of a Priory in the Collegiate Church of SS. John
and Riparata in the city of _Luca_, we most earnestly desire
that the said Livius, through your Reverend Lordship's
intercession, may resign the said Priory and Collegiate Church
to our said Latin Secretary, on this condition, however, that
your Reverend Lordship, as a special favour to us, will provide
the said Dominus Livius with a Commandery of equal or of greater
value. We therefore most earnestly entreat that you will have a
care of this matter, so that we may obtain the object of our
wishes; and we shall be greatly indebted to your Reverend
Lordship, to whom, when occasion offers, we will make a return
for the twofold favour, in a matter of like or of greater
moment.
May all happiness attend you.
From our palace of Greenwich,
13th day of January, 1526,
Your good friend,
HENRY REX.
No. V. Fol. 9th.
Henry by the Grace of God, King of England and France, Defender
of the Faith, and Lord of Ireland, to our Reverend Father in
Christ, Dominus F. de Villiers L'Isle Adam, our most dear
friend--Greeting:
Although, by many proofs, we have often before been convinced
that our Reverend Lordship, and your venerable Brethren, after
the loss of Rhodes, have had nothing more to heart than that by
your actions you might deserve most highly of the Christian
republic, and that you might sometimes give proof of this by
your deeds, that you have zealously sought for some convenient
spot where you might at length fix your abode; nevertheless,
what we have lately learnt from the letters of your Reverend
Lordship, and from the conversation and prudent discourse of
your venerable Brother De Dentirville has caused us the greatest
joy; and although, with regard to the recovery of Rhodes,
complete success has not answered your intentions, nevertheless
we think that this your Order of Jerusalem has always wished to
seek after whatever it has judged might in any {100} manner tend
to the propagation of the Catholic Faith and the tranquillity of
the Christian Republic. But that his Imperial Majesty has
granted to your Order the _island_ of _Malta_, Gozo, and
Tripoli, we cannot but rejoice; places which, as we hear, are
most strongly fortified by nature, and most excellently adapted
for repelling the attacks of the Infidels, should have now come
into your hands, where your Order can assemble in all safety,
recover its strength, and settle and confirm its position.[5]
And we wish to convince you that fresh increase is daily made to
the affection with which we have always cherished this Order of
Jerusalem, inasmuch as we perceive that your actions have been
directed to a good and upright end, both because these
undertakings of your Reverend Lordship, and of your venerable
Brethren, are approved by us as highly beneficial and
profitable; and because we trust that your favour and protection
will ever be ready to assist our nation, if there be any need;
nor shall we on our part be ever wanting in any friendly office
which we can perform towards preserving and protecting your
Order, as your Reverend Lordship will gather more at length of
our well affected mind towards you from Dominus Dentirville, the
bearer of these presents.
May all happiness attend you.
From our Palace at Hampton Court,
The 22nd day of November, 1530.
Your good friend,
HENRY REX.
No. VI.
Henry by the Grace of God, King of England and France, Defender
of the Faith, and Lord of Ireland, to our Reverend Father in
Christ, Don Pierino de Ponte, Grand Master of Jerusalem.
Our most dear friend--Greeting:
We had conceived so great a hope and opinion of the probity,
integrity, and prudence of your predecessor, that, from his care
and vigilance, we securely trusted that the business and affairs
of this your Order, which hitherto has always wont to be of no
slight assistance to our most Holy Faith, and to the Christian
name, would as far as was needful have been amended and settled
most quietly and effectually with God and his Holy Religion.
From the love then and affection which we have hitherto shown in
no ordinary manner to your Order, for the sake of the
propagation of the Christian Faith, we were not a little grieved
at the death of your predecessor, because we very much feared
that serious loss would in consequence be entailed on that
Religion. But since, both from your letters and from the
discourse of others, we now hear that your venerable Brethren
agreed by their unanimous voice and consent to choose your
Reverence as the {101} person to whom the care and government of
so weighty an office should be intrusted, considering this dignity
to be especially worthy of you and your spirit of Religion, we
cannot but sincerely be glad; and rejoice especially if, by your
eminent virtues, it shall be effected that only such matters
shall be undertaken, and presided over by the strength and
counsels of the Order of Jerusalem, as are most in accordance
with the True Religion of Christ our Redeemer, and best adapted
to the propagation of his doctrine and Faith. And if you shall
seriously apply your mind to this, as you are especially bound
to, we shall by no means repent of the favours which we have
bestowed neither seldom nor secretly upon this your Order, nay
rather this object shall be attained that you shall have no
reason to think that you have been foiled in that your
confidence, and in our protection and the guardianship which we
extend over your concerns through reverence for the Almighty
God. And we shall not find that this guardianship and protection
of your Order, assumed by us, has been borne for so long a
period by us without any fruit.
Those things which the Reverend Prior of our Kingdom, and the
person who brought your Reverend Lordship's letter to us, have
listened to with attention and kindness, and returned an answer
to, as we doubt not will be intimated by them to your Reverend
Lordship.
May all happiness attend you.
From our Palace at Westminster,
The 17th day of November, 1534.
HENRY REX.
From the date and superscription of the above truly Catholic letter, it
will be seen that it was written about the period of the Reformation in
England, and addressed to the Grand Master of an Order, which for four
centuries had been at all times engaged in Paynim war; and won for
itself among the Catholic powers of Europe, by its many noble and daring
achievements, the style and title of being the "bulwark of the Christian
faith." Bound as the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem were in all ages
to pay a perfect obedience to the Roman Pontiffs, it is not surprising
that this should be the last letter which we have found filed away in
the archives of their Order, bearing the autograph of Henry VIII.