Maltha

Sources from old books

1685. Geographia universalis: the present state of the whole world by Pierre Duval.

The Isle of Maltha.

MAltha, about the midst of the Mediterranean-Sea, was formerly call'd Melita, by reason of its Honey. 'Tis attributed to Africk, because nearer it than the firm Land of Europe, and because the Maltheses have great conformity with the Africans in point of manners. Its Land and its Stones have Vertues altogether singular: if there be Serpents, they have no venome. Some appropriate to this Island, the particulars of the Shipwrack of St. Paul, and those of the little Dogs, which others affirm to have been in the Isle of Melada, in the Gulph of Venice.

The Isle of Maltha has often had the same Soveraigns with Sicily: at present it is the abode of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem, under a Prince, whom they call the Great Master. The Patron of the Order is St. John Baptist, and, nevertheless, the Name of St. John was given it, upon occasion of the place, where that Order was first of all establish'd, and by reason of a St. John, Bishop of Alexandria, celebrated for his great and bountiful Alms. The Emperour, Charles the Fifth, gave it to the Knights, who had no setled abode, since the loss of Rhodes, and who before had resided at Jerusalem, at Margat, Acre, and Limisso, in the Isle of Cyprus. The Order is compos'd of eight Tongues, which are as many principal Nations; Provence, Auvergne, France, Italy, Aragon, England, Germany, and Castile. To each of 'em belong some considerable Dignities, Priories, and Commanderies. The three Tongues of France have full three hundred Commanderies, and the five others together have not many more. The Name of Knight was not in use in the beginning of the institution of the Order. The Religious were then called Hospitallers of St. John of Jerusalem. One of the Statutes of the Order, bears, That the Knights ought rather to lose their Lives, than yield up the Places that are confided to their keeping.

The Island produces several good Fruits; as it has little Corn and Wine to nourish seventy five or eighty thousand persons: Sicily does commonly supply that want. They make account there of fifteen thousand Men, fit for service; and they now keep there eight good Galleys. It is but ten Leagues in length, and five in breadth, with several Harbours and Roads, that are called Calles and Marsa. It is the best fortified of the World, as being the principal Rampart and Bulwark of Christendom, and its Fortresses have above three hundred pieces of Canon. By reason of its strength, and the valour of its Knights, they say, Maltha fior del Mondo. There are four Towns; the City, which is about the midst of the Island; Valetta, a new City; the victorious Burg City, which repulsed the Turks in the Year 1565; and St. Michael, which is now called the Isle de la Sangle: the three last are near one another, and seem to make but one.

La Goza, a small Island near that of Maltha, affords good Hawks; the Great Master styles himself the Prince of it. They call those young Knights, whom they mean to droll upon for their Bravading, by the Title of Prince of Forfola, which is a Rock near the Coast.