Among those most pleased at the appointment of Gervaise to the command
of the galley was Sir John Boswell. Ever since the adventure with the
pirates, the knight had exhibited an almost fatherly interest in him;
had encouraged him in his studies, ridden with him on such occasions as
he had permitted himself a short holiday, and had, whenever they were
together, related to him stories of war, sieges, battles, and escapes,
from which he thought the young knight might gain lessons for his future
guidance.
“I doubt, Gervaise,” he said one day, as they were riding quietly along
the road, “whether our plan of life is altogether the best. We were
founded, you know, simply as a body of monks, bound to devote ourselves
solely to the care of the sick, and to give hospitality to pilgrims in
Palestine. Now this was monkish work, and men who devoted themselves
solely to such a life of charity as that in our Hospital at Jerusalem,
might well renounce all human pleasures; but when the great change
was made by Master Raymond du Puy, and from a nursing body we became a
brotherhood in arms, it seems to me that the vows of celibacy were no
longer needful or desirable. The crusaders were, many of them, married
men, but they fought no worse for that. It would have been far better,
methinks, had we been converted into an Order pledged to resist the
infidel, but without the vows of poverty and of celibacy, which have
never been seriously regarded.
“The garrison here might be composed, as indeed it is now, principally
of young knights, of those who have not cared to marry, and of the
officers of the Order whose wives and families might dwell here with
them. This would have many advantages. Among others, the presence of so
many ladies of rank would have the excellent effect of discountenancing
and repressing extravagances and dissolute habits, which are but too
common, and are a shame to the Order. Knights possessing commanderies
throughout Europe would be no worse stewards for being married men, and
scandals, such as contributed largely to the downfall of the Templars,
would be avoided.
“The sole vow necessary, so far as I can see, would be that knights
should remain unmarried and disposable at all times for service until
ten years after making their profession, and that afterwards they should
ever be ready to obey the summons to arms, on occasions when the safety
of Rhodes, or the invasion of any Christian country by the Moslems,
rendered their services needful, when they would come out just as the
knights of Richard the Lion Heart went out as crusaders. I have spent
half my life since I joined the Order in commanderies at home, and a
dull life it was, and I was glad enough to resign my last command and
come out here. Had I been able to marry, I might now have had a son of
your age, whose career I could watch and feel a pride in. My life would
have been far happier in England, and in all respects I should be a
better man than I am now. Methinks it would strengthen rather than
weaken the Order. As a fighting body we should be in no way inferior
to what we are now, and we should be more liked and more respected
throughout Europe, for naturally the sight of so many men leading a
luxurious life in commanderies causes a feeling against them.”
“But I suppose, Sir John, that there is no great difficulty in obtaining
a dispensation from our vows?”
“In this, as in all other matters, everything depends upon interest or
money. Of course, dispensations are not common; but doubtless any knight
when he had served his term of active service could, especially if
his request were backed by the grand master, obtain from the Pope
a dispensation of his vows. If he had a commandery it would make a
vacancy, and give the grand prior, or the grand master, or the council,
in whosoever's gift it might be, an opportunity of rewarding services or
of gratifying some powerful family.”
“I agree with you that it would have been much better, Sir John. I can
understand that monks, ever living a quiet life apart from the world,
should be content so to continue; but among a body of warlike knights
there must be many who, in time, must come to regret the vows they took
when boys. The cadet of a noble family might, by the death of elder
brothers, come to be the head of a great family, the ruler over wide
domains. Surely it would be desirable that such a man should be able to
marry and have heirs.”
“Doubtless it could be managed in such cases, Gervaise, but it is a pity
that it should have to be managed. I can see no reason in the world why
a knight, after doing ten years of service here, should not be free
to marry, providing he takes a vow to render full service to the Order
whenever called upon to do so. Already the vow of poverty is everywhere
broken. Already, in defiance of their oaths, too many knights lead idle
and dissolute lives. Already, knights, when in their own countries,
disregard the rule that they shall draw sword in no cause save that of
the Holy Sepulchre, and, like other knights and nobles, take part in
civil strife or foreign wars. All this is a scandal, and it were better
by far to do away with all oaths, save that of obedience and willingness
to war with the infidel, than to make vows that all men know are
constantly and shamelessly broken.
“I am fond of you, Gervaise. I am proud of you, as one who has brought
honour to our langue, and who, in time, will bring more honour. I am
glad that, so far as there can be between a young knight and one of
middle age, there is a friendship between us. But see what greater
pleasure it would give to my life were you my son, for whom I could
lay by such funds as I could well spare, instead of spending all my
appointments on myself, and having neither kith nor kin to give a sigh
of regret when the news comes that I have fallen in some engagement with
the infidels. I often think of all these things, and sometimes talk them
over with comrades, and there are few who do not hold, with me, that it
would be far better that we should become a purely military Order, like
some of the military Orders in the courts of the European sovereigns,
than remain as we are, half monk, half soldier--a mixture that, so far
as I can see, accords but badly with either morality or public repute.
“However, I see no chance of such a change coming, and we must be
content to observe our vows as well as may be, so long as we are willing
to remain monks and try to obtain dispensation from our vows should we
desire to alter our mode of life. We ought either to have remained monks
pure and simple, spending our lives in deeds of charity, a life which
suits many men, and against which I should be the last to say anything,
or else soldiers pure and simple, as were the crusaders, who wrested
the Holy Sepulchre from the hands of the infidels. At present, Gervaise,
your vocation lies wholly in the way of fighting, but it may be that the
time will come when you may have other aims and ambitions, and when the
vows of the Order will gall you.”
“I hope not, Sir John,” Gervaise said earnestly.
“You are young yet,” the knight replied, with an indulgent smile. “Some
day you may think differently. Now,” he went on, changing the subject
abruptly, “when will your galley be ready?”
“This is my last ride, Sir John. The shipwrights will have finished
tomorrow, and the next day we shall take possession of her, and begin to
practise, so that each man shall know his duties, and the galley slaves
learn to row well, before we have orders to sail. I wish you were going
with us, Sir John.”
“I should like it, lad, in many respects. It does one good to see the
enthusiasm of young men, and doubtless you will be a merry party.
But, on the other hand, unless I mistake, you will be undertaking wild
adventures, and my time for these is well nigh passed. When the Turk
comes here, if he ever comes--and of that I have little doubt--I
shall be ready to take my full share of the fighting; but I shall seek
adventures no longer, and shall go no more to sea. Next only to the
bailiff, I am the senior of our auberge, and--but this is between
ourselves, lad--am like to succeed to the grand priory of England when
it becomes vacant, and if not I shall, as the grand master has told me,
have the offer of the next high office vacant in the palace.”
Two days later Gervaise and his company of young knights went down to
the port to take part in the launch of the new galley. This was the
occasion of a solemn ceremony, the grand master and a large number of
knights being present. A religious service first took place on her
poop, and she was named by the grand master the Santa Barbara. When the
ceremony was over, Gervaise was solemnly invested with the command of
the galley by the grand marshal of the navy; then the shores were struck
away, and the galley glided into the water, amid the firing of guns, the
blowing of trumpets, and the cheers of the spectators who had gathered
at the port to witness the ceremony.
The next morning a gang of galley slaves were marched down. A third of
these had been drawn from the crews of other galleys, their places being
supplied by new hands. The remainder were taken from the men employed
on the fortifications. Three weeks were occupied in teaching the rowers
their work, and getting them well together. They were a fine crew, for
the governor of St. Pelagius, grateful to Gervaise for the discovery of
the plot, had ordered the overseers to pick out from the various gangs
men specially suited by age and strength for the work.
The dye by this time had entirely worn off his face, and although his
hair was still several shades darker than of old, it differed even more
widely from the ebon hue that it had been when he was in prison. Thus,
although he recognised three or four men upon the benches who had been
fellow occupants of his cell, he had no fear whatever of their detecting
in the commander of the galley their late companion in misfortune.
Only a portion of the knights had been out each day while the crew were
learning to row, as there was but little for them to learn. The galley
carried no sails, and the knights were soldiers rather than sailors, and
fought on the deck of their ship, as if defending a breach, or storming
one held by the enemy. Moreover, as all of them had already made one or
more voyages, they were accustomed to such duties as they would have to
discharge on board.
All were glad when an order was published for the galley to sail. On the
eve of departure Gervaise was sent for by the grand master. The general
of the galleys was with him when Gervaise entered the room. The bailiff
of Auvergne always held the position of grand marshal, and the bailiff
of Italy that of second in command, with the title of grand admiral.
These officials, however, as heads of their respective langues, had many
other duties to perform, and it was only on great occasions that they
took any practical share in the work of which they were nominally heads.
The real control in all naval questions rested with the general of the
galleys, who was elected by the council, but on the nomination of the
grand master.
His power when at sea with the fleet was absolute. He could suspend any
officer from duty, and had unquestioned power of life and death over
the crews. He had been frequently on board the galley since she had been
launched, and had been pleased with the attention paid by Gervaise to
his duties, and with the ready manner in which the young knights carried
out his orders.
“Sir Gervaise Tresham,” he said, “it is usual, as you know, to appoint
each galley to a certain cruising ground, to which it is confined during
its three months' absence. At present there is a galley on each of these
stations, and as the last relief took place but a month since, it is
better that they should remain at the stations allotted to them. I
have therefore, after consultation with his Highness the grand master,
decided to give you a free hand. You are as likely to meet with pirates
in one quarter as in another, and you will pick up from vessels you
may overhaul news of their doings, which will enable you to direct your
course to the point where you will be most useful.”
“In the first place, however, you will proceed to the coast of Tunis.
Visconti's galley is already there, but the coast swarms with corsairs,
and we have had many complaints as to their depredations. The Court of
Spain has twice represented to us lately that the pirates have grown
so bold that vessels have been carried off, even when coasting from one
Spanish port to another. Visconti is specially watching the coast near
Tunis, and you will therefore perhaps do better to proceed farther west,
for every village from Tunis to Tangier is little better than a nest
of pirates. I should imagine that you will find ample employment there
during your three months' cruise. When I say that you are free to
choose your own cruising ground, I do not mean that you should go up the
Levant, or to the east of the Mediterranean, but that you are not bound
to keep close along the African coast, but may, should you obtain any
information to warrant your doing so, seek the pirates along the shores
of Spain, Sardinia, Corsica, or Sicily.
“I need not warn you to act with prudence as well as courage, for you
have proved that you possess both qualities. Do not allow yourself to
be carried away by the impetuosity of your knights; it is more often
the duty of a commander to restrain than to encourage his crew, and with
such young blood as you have under your command the necessity will be
greater than usual. Be kind to your slaves, but be ever watchful;
yet this I need not tell you. Maintain a strict but not over severe
discipline. You are all knights and comrades of the Order, and equals
when on shore, but on board you are the captain and they are your
soldiers. I have this afternoon had a meeting of your knights, and have
urged upon them very strongly that, having volunteered to serve under
you, they must obey your orders as promptly and willingly as if you were
the senior knight of the Order, and that it behooves them specially
upon the present occasion, when the crew is composed entirely of young
knights, to show themselves worthy of the honour that has been done to
them by entrusting a galley of the Order to their charge. I told them
I should regard your report of their individual conduct with the same
attention and respect with which I should that of any other commander,
and that they might greatly make or mar their future prospects in the
Order by their conduct during the cruise. I am convinced, from what I
know of you, that you will exercise no undue harshness, but will act
with tact and discretion, as well as firmness.”
“I will try to do so, your Excellency. I feel that it is a heavy
responsibility and will spare no pains to justify the unmerited honour
that has been bestowed upon me.”
“You have seen that the taking in of stores is complete, and that
nothing is wanting for the voyage?”
“Yes, sir. I stood by while the overseer of stores checked off every
sack and barrel as it came on board. The water is to be brought off this
evening, and as I was unable to be present, Sir Ralph Harcourt is there
to count the barrels and see that all are full.”
“Goodbye, Sir Gervaise,” the grand master said, as the interview
terminated.
“Hitherto you have given me, from the time you reached the Island,
naught but reason for satisfaction at my nomination of you as page,
and I have no fear that you will fail this time. Remember that valour,
however great, cannot prevail against overpowering odds. You had a
lesson of that when you served under Ricord, though finally the affair
turned out well. I do not say, don't attempt desperate undertakings, but
don't attempt impossible ones. Be careful of the lives of your knights.
Remember that ere long every sword may be of the utmost consequence in
the defence of Rhodes, and that even the capture of pirates may be too
dearly purchased; but that, at the same time, the honour of the flag
of the Order must be upheld at all hazards. Ah!” he broke off, seeing
a slight smile on the young knight's face, “you think my orders
contradictory? It may be so; but you know what I mean, and I fear not
that you will blunder in carrying them out. Be prudent, and yet not
over prudent. I mean, be not rash, unless there are such benefits to be
obtained as would justify great risk in obtaining them.”
On returning to the auberge, Gervaise had a long chat with Ralph.
“I think the admiral's talk with us this afternoon had an excellent
effect, Gervaise. I do not say that every one was not before disposed
to obey you in all things, willingly and cheerfully; but he put it so
strongly to them that they had volunteered specially for service in this
galley, knowing well who was to be its commander, and the circumstance
that the crew was to consist solely of young knights, and had therefore
specially pledged their honour so to act that the enterprise should be
in all respects a successful one. To render it so, obedience was even
a greater necessity than valour. This was the most important of all the
vows taken by the knights of the Order, and it was only by the strictest
and most unquestioning obedience on the part of all to the orders of
their superiors, that the work of a vast community could be carried
on. Passing over the fact that you were their superior in rank, both as
being a secular knight and a knight commander of the Order, you had
been specially appointed by the grand master and council, as well as
by himself, and that they bestowed upon you while at sea, and in
the absence of any officers of superior rank, their full powers and
authority. You were, in fact, their representative and agent, and
therefore to be regarded with the same deference and respect that would
be due to the oldest knight similarly placed. 'Lastly,' he said, in a
less serious tone, 'you must remember that this is an experiment, and,
as some think, a somewhat rash one. Never before did a galley, manned
entirely from among the youngest of our knights, put to sea; and you may
be sure that, unless successful, the experiment is not likely to be ever
repeated. You have been selected from among many other candidates, and
you have not only to justify the choice, but to uphold the reputation
and honour of the young knights of your Order, by all of whom your
doings will be regarded with special interest, as reflecting credit not
only upon yourselves individually, but as representatives and champions
of them all.'
“I could see that his words had a great effect. He had placed me beside
him, and I marked their faces as he spoke. Each face lit up at his
appeal, and I do not think there was one but silently registered a vow
to do all in his power to prove himself worthy of the confidence placed
in him and his companions by the grand master and admiral. I had before
no shadow of fear that everything would not go well. I knew almost all
of them personally, and if I myself had had the selection from among
the whole body of knights in the convent, I could not have made a choice
that would have suited me better. It seems to me that in each auberge
the bailiff has endeavoured to pick out the seven young knights whom he
considered would most worthily support the honour of the langue. Still,
confident as I was before, I feel more so now, after the admiral's
address to us.”
“I had no fear either, Ralph, though doubtless the admiral's words
will carry great weight with them. It was thoughtlessness rather than
anything else that I dreaded; but now that the admiral himself has
spoken to them, there is no fear that anything will occur to give us
trouble. I have particularly noticed that when we have been on board,
and have been laughing and chatting together before we got under way,
their manner changed directly the first order was given, and that all
the commands were carried out with as much goodwill and alacrity as if
they were under Ricord himself.”
On the following morning the knights all went on board the Santa
Barbara. Their baggage was carried down by slaves, and by the personal
servants from each auberge who were to go as their attendants during
the voyage. The grand master had advanced Gervaise a sum equal to half a
year's income of his commandery, and with this he had purchased a stock
of the best wines, and various other luxuries, to supplement the rations
supplied from the funds of the Order to knights when at sea. Gervaise
had to go round early to the admiral to sign the receipt for stores and
to receive his final orders in writing. All were, therefore, on board
before him and, when he arrived, were drawn up in military order to
receive him.
Every knight was in full armour, and as, at a word from Ralph, they
drew their swords and saluted the young commander, Gervaise felt with a
thrill of pleasure and of confidence that with such a following he
need not fear any encounter with a pirate force, unless in overwhelming
numbers.
The young knights were all, with the exception only of Ralph Harcourt,
between the ages of seventeen and nineteen, and their young faces, free
in most cases even from the suspicion of a moustache, looked almost
those of boys. But there was no mistaking the ardour and enthusiasm in
their faces, and the lack of breadth and weight, that years alone would
give to them, was compensated by skill in their weapons, acquired by
long and severe training, and by the activity and tireless energy of
youth.
“Knights and comrades,” Gervaise said as, after walking through the
double line to the end of the poop he turned and faced them, “I am
proud indeed to command so gallant a body of knights. The success of our
expedition depends upon you rather than upon me, and as I feel assured
of your warm cooperation I have no fear as to what the result will be,
if Dame Fortune will but favour us by throwing in our way some of those
scourges of the sea in search of whom we are about to set out. Many of
us have already encountered them, and, fighting side by side with older
knights, have borne our share of the work, while those who have not done
so will, I am sure, do equally well when the opportunity arrives. We
shall not this voyage have the encouragement and confidence inspired by
the presence of those who have long and valiantly borne the standard of
the Order; but, on the other hand, we have to show that we are worthy
of the confidence reposed in us, and that the young knights of the Order
can be trusted to emulate the deeds of those who have rendered the name
of the Hospitallers a terror to the infidel.”
A shout of approbation greeted the close of his address. Gervaise then
walked forward to the end of the poop, and looked down upon the slaves,
who, with their oars out, were awaiting the order to row.
“Men,” he said in Turkish, “it is my desire that, while it is necessary
that you should do your work, your lot shall be no heavier than can be
avoided. You will not be taxed beyond your powers, save when the enemy
is in sight, or there is supreme need for haste, but then you must be
called upon for your utmost exertions. I wish your work to be willing.
I abhor the use of the lash, and so long as each man does his fair quota
of work, I have given the strictest orders that it shall never be used.
I have, at my own cost, made provision that your daily rations shall be
improved while under my command. Meat will be served out to you daily,
when it can be obtained, and for those of you who hold that the strict
tenets of your religion may be relaxed while engaged in such severe
labour, a ration of wine will also be served out; and such other
indulgences as are compatible with the discipline and safety of the
ship, will also be granted to you.”
There was a murmur of gratitude among the slaves. Gervaise then gave the
order to row, and the galley started on her voyage. The knights had now
fallen out from their ranks, and were soon laughing and talking gaily.
Being all of noble families and knightly rank, there was, except when on
actual duty, a tone of perfect equality and good fellowship prevailing
among them. French was the common language, for as the Order was of
French foundation, and three of the seven langues belonged to that
country, most of the high dignitaries being chosen from their ranks,
it was natural that the French language should be the general medium of
communication between them.
Until noon the slaves rowed steadily and well. Work was then stopped,
for there was scarce a breath of wind stirring the water. Even under the
awning that had, as the sun gained power, been erected over the poop,
the heat was oppressive. The knights had all divested themselves of
their armour, and most of them retired below for a siesta. As soon as
the slaves stopped rowing, an awning, which Gervaise had purchased,
and which was rolled up under the break of the poop, was, to their
astonishment, drawn over them.
“Don't you think you are spoiling your slaves, Sir Gervaise?” one of the
Spanish knights asked doubtfully.
“On the contrary, Sir Pedro, I hope that I am improving them. You have
not worked as a galley slave, but I have, and I can assure you that I
used to feel the hours when we were lying broiling in the sun, doing
nothing, much more trying than those during which I was at work. I used
to be quite giddy and sick with the heat, and on getting out the
oars again had scarce strength to work them. But this is not the most
important point. In port the slaves always sleep in the prison, but at
sea they must rest on their benches; and to do so with clothes soaked
with the heavy dew must be a severe trial, and most prejudicial to the
health. The awning cost but a few ducats, and I reckon that, putting
aside the comfort to the slaves, it will be very speedily repaid by
their better health and capacity for labour. When away in the galley
with Sir Louis Ricord, I used to feel the greatest pity for the
unfortunate wretches when at daybreak, in their drenched clothes, and
shivering with cold and wet, they rose to commence their work. I then
took a vow that if ever I should come to command a galley I would
provide an awning for the slaves.”
Two or three of the knights standing by expressed their warm approval
of what Gervaise said. There was, in those days, but little of that
sentiment of humanity that is now prevalent, and slaves were everywhere
regarded as mere beasts of burden rather than as human beings. When,
however, they had the question put to them, as Gervaise had done, they
were ready to give a hearty agreement, although it was the utilitarian
rather than the humanitarian side of the question that recommended it
to them. After three hours' rest the journey was renewed, and just
at nightfall the galley anchored off an islet lying to the north of
Carpathos.
While the servants were laying the tables along the poop for the
evening meal, Gervaise went down to see that his orders were carried out
regarding the food for the slaves. They were already eating their
bread and meat with an air of satisfaction that showed how warmly they
appreciated the unusual indulgence, while there were few indeed who did
not hold up their drinking horns as a servant passed along between the
benches with a skin of wine. Gervaise spoke to many of them.
“Ah, my lord,” one of them said, “if we were always treated like this,
slavery would be endurable. For ten years have I rowed in Christian
galleys, but never before has an awning been spread to keep off the sun
or the dew. We shall not forget your kindness, my lord, and will row our
hardest right cheerfully when you call upon us for an effort.”
There was a murmur of assent from the galley slaves around.
“May Allah be merciful to you, as you are merciful to us!” another slave
exclaimed. “The blessing of those whom you regard as infidels can at
least do you no harm.”
“On the contrary, it can do me good,” Gervaise said. “The God you
Moslems and we Christians worship is, I believe, the same, though under
another name.”
Gervaise had, indeed, during his long conversations with Suleiman Ali,
often discussed with him the matter of his faith, and had come, in
consequence, to regard it in a very different light to that in which it
was viewed by his companions. There was faith in one God at the
bottom of both Mohammedanism and Christianity. The Mohammedans held
in reverence the lawgivers and prophets of the Old Testament, and even
regarded Christ Himself as being a prophet. They had been grievously led
away by Mahomet, whom Gervaise regarded as a false teacher; but as he
had seen innumerable instances of the fidelity of the Moslems to their
creed, and the punctuality and devotion with which the slaves said their
daily prayers, exposed though they were to the scorn and even the anger
of their taskmasters, he had quite lost, during his nine months
of constant association with Suleiman Ali, the bigoted hatred of
Mohammedanism so universal at the time. He regarded Moslems as foes to
be opposed to the death; but he felt that it was unfair to hate them for
being hostile to Christianity, of which they knew nothing.