But I see not that it is in any way incumbent on us to give up all the pleasures of life.
We are a military Order, and are all ready to fight in defence of Rhodes, as in bygone days we were ready to fight in defence of the Holy Sepulchre.

Kings and great nobles have endowed us with a large number of estates, in order to maintain us as an army against Islam; and as such we do our duty.

But to affect asceticism is out of date and ridiculous." "I have certainly no wish to be an ascetic, Ralph.

I should have no objection to hold estates, if I had them to hold.

But I think that at present, with the great danger hanging over us, it would be better if, in the first place, we were all to spend less time in idleness or amusement, and to devote all our energies to the cause.