7 8 



The Persian Travels Book II. 



CHAP. VI. 



Of the ^ad y>bich the Author kept , Tbkw he TraVell'd the fourth 

 time into Afia , to go from Pans to Ormus. And firji of hps 

 Voyage from Marfeilles to Alexandretta. 



I Set out from ?arls in the company of Monfieur d y Ardilicre the eighteenth 

 of June) 1 6$ i. and arriv'd at Marfeilles the fixteenth of July. On the 

 twenty-fixth of Auguft we fet Sail , with a favourable North- Weft Wind 

 that blew very briskly the two next days j but at length it grew fo very flack , 

 that coming about to the North North-Eaft, we made for Sardinia. Upon the fecond 

 of September by Sun-rifing, we diicover'd the Weftern Coaft of Sardinia, fix Leagues 

 from the Land. About Noon the Wind chopping about again to the North- Weil , 

 we held on our firft Courfe-, and upon the third of September, we defcry'd the 

 Ifland Galita upon the Coaft of Africa. On the fourth we diicover'd the Ifland of 

 Zambino before Tunis, and about Evening Cape Bon, which is the moft Southerly 

 Point of all Africa. The fifth we had a fight of the Ifland of Pantalaria, and the 

 Coaft of Sicily. The fixth we diicover'd the Ifland of Goz,a , and the feventh the 

 Caftle that bears the fame name. 



We landed at Mdta upon the'day of the Nativity of the Virgin , which is a great 

 day among the Maltcfi, upon which they give fhanks to God, for that the Turks rais'd 

 their Siege upon that clay. 



The Grand-Mafter goes to the Church of St. John , accompany'd with all the 

 chief Commanders in their Robes of Command, and the greateft part of the Knights. 

 All the Country-men and Citizens are up in Arms upon that day, and march to the 

 Inn call'd the Auvernian-houfe , with the Knight that goes to fetch the Standard. 

 This Knight is clad in a Caflbck of Crimfon-Velvet , with a Crofs of the Order, be- 

 fore and behind. He wears a Helmet upon his head , and carries the Standardupon 

 his fhoulders *, and by him marches the Grand-Maftcr's Page , who carries a Sword 

 in one hand , and a Dagger in the other , both very richly Embellifh'd , and giv'n 

 to the Order by CHARLES the fifth. The Page that carry 'd the Sword and 

 Dagger was the youngeft Nephew of Pope Innocent the tenth. TheSouldicrs andCitizens 

 marching before to the Church door, make a Lane for the Knight and the Page to 

 pafs on to the Altar, where the Knight makes three bows, and having done as much to 

 the Grand-Mafter , places himfclf on the right hand of the Grand-Mafters Chair, 

 and the Page on the left. Then the Mais and the Mufick begins , and while the 

 Gofpel is reading , the Grand-Mafter takes the Sword and the Dagger out of the 

 Page's hand , and holds them with the points upward all the remaining part of the 

 Mafs. During the Elevation of theHoft, the Knights repeats the fame Ceremony 

 as at the beginning-, and then the Bells ring, the great Guns go off, and the Soul- 

 diers give three Vollies, Mafs being ended , the Grand-Mafter retires , accom- 

 pany'd as before, only that he is then attended by all the Ecclefiaftical perfons of the 

 City , and coming out of the Church , he proceeds with all the Infantry marching 

 before him toward our Lady's of Viclory , where they all go in procefljon. While 

 they make a ftand in that place, the Souldiers give another Volley, which is an- 

 IwerM by all the Canons in the Town , as alio from the Ships and Galleys. After that 

 they return to St. John's , and the Infantry Guard the Standard back to the Inn , 

 while the Grand-Mafter goes to his Palace. 



The ninth we view'd the Fortifications , which are ftor'd with very fair pieces of 

 Canon. 



The tenth we faw the Pages perform their Exercifes before the Grand-Mafter , 

 which are generally vaulting and handling their Arms , both Mufquet and 

 Pike. 



The elev'nth we view'd the Arfenal , where I was aflur'd that there were Arms 

 for twenty thoufand men, being in good order, and rarely well look'd after. 



The next day we vifited the Infirmery , where the fick are ferv'd in Plate , as 

 well the poor as rich. 



. The 



