Page:A History of the Knights of Malta, or the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.djvu/189

Rh did not reside in the convent, their presence there being only required on the occasion of a chapter-general. They were, on the contrary, presumed to fix their abode within the European possessions of their langue, of which they were the grand-priors. In the English langue there were two of these capitular bailiffs, or grand-crosses—the grand-prior of England and the grand-prior of Ireland. The bailiffs ad honores were originally appointed either by a chapter-general, or, in its default, by the Grand-Master in council, acting under the sanction of a papal bull. This prerogative was gradually found to be highly inconvenient. The princes of Europe were perpetually urging the Grand-Master to its exercise in favour of their own friends, and had their requests been always complied with, the rank would have lost its value from the number of its holders. Eventually, therefore, the Grand-Masters surrendered the privilege, whereupon the Pope assumed to himself the right thus yielded. Under papal auspices the appointments became so numerous, and such strong opposition was offered, that at length the privilege was almost entirely abolished, certain titular or honorary bailiffs being attached to each langue. There was one such in the English langue, viz., the bailiwick of the Eagle; thus giving to that langue four grand crosses: the conventual bailiff, two capitular bailiffs, and one bailiff ad honores.

The conventual bailiffs each held ex-officio an important post in the active government of the fraternity. Thus the bailiff of Provence was the grand-commander. This office made him president of the treasury, comptroller of the expenditure, superintendent of stores, governor of the arsenal, and master of the ordnance. The bailiff of Auvergne was the grand-marshal. He was commander-in-chief of all the forces, both naval and military. In those days the services were not kept distinct as they are now, and the knights served indiscriminately either on land or sea. The grand standard of the Order, the famous White Cross banner, which had waved over so many a well-fought field, was intrusted to his charge. The bailiff of France was the grand-hospitaller, under whose control came, as the name imports, the supreme direction of the hospitals and infirmaries of the Order. The bailiff of Italy was the grand-admiral. He acted as second in command to the