Page:A History of the Knights of Malta, or the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.djvu/352

322 in the island, and which was considered as an equivalent. After having presided over one of the inferior commanderies for a period of five years the holder was eligible for translation to a post of superior value, provided he had administered that originally entrusted to his charge with due prudence and care. He thus continued rising in dignity and emoluments until he had attained such seniority as rendered him qualified for the office of conventual bailiff, upon nomination to which he was called upon to resign his commandery and return to the convent to assume the duties of his new station.

The conventual bailiffs were, as has been said, eight in number, and ranked in precedence immediately next to the Grand-Master. Their duties are thus defined in the statutes:—“In order that the Grand-Master may be enabled to watch over the governance of our Order with greater prudence and moderation our predecessors have appointed as assistants in his senate men of worth and good repute, who shall each be invested with a separate office. For this purpose have been established the several councillors of our Order, such as the grand-commander, the marshal, the hospitaller, the admiral, the grand-conservator, the Turcopolier, the grand-bailiff, and the grand-chancellor, who are all called conventual bailiffs, because each is the president of his langue.”

These dignitaries each resided in the palace or auberge appropriated to his Iangue, which were large and stately edifices erected for that purpose out of the public funds. The treasury issued an allowance to every bailiff for the expenses of his office, and it also granted a fixed daily ration for every person entitled to a seat at the tables which he was obliged to maintain for their use in the auberge. Every member of the langue resident at the convent, whether knight, chaplain, or serving brother, had this right, excepting only a commander, who, being a knight, held a benefice of £200 a-year, or a chaplain or serving brother holding one of £100. In such cases they were considered provided for, and therefore excluded from the table of their auberge.

The allowance issued by the treasury was by no means sufficient to cover the expense of these tables; a large proportion fell consequently upon the private resources of the bailiffs.