Page:A History of the Knights of Malta, or the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.djvu/442

410 maintaining fealty to the papacy, was not likely to remain long undisturbed under the new régime. Henry VIII., even before his quarrel with the Pope, had shewn a strong inclination to interfere in the affairs of the fraternity in England, and to possess himself of much of its property. Now the moment had arrived when a plausible pretext was afforded of laying hands on it all.

There still exists in the Record Office of Malta a document addressed by the king to the Grand-Master, which deals fully with the subject. This document is dated on the 7th July, 1538, at Westminster, and is in the form of letters patent. It begins by styling Henry the supreme head of the Anglican church, and the protector of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem. It then goes on to declare, first, that for himself and his successors, he gives license to brother William West, grand-prior of the priory of England, to confer the habit and receive the profession requisite to admit such English subjects as may desire to enter the Order under the usual conditions, provided always that such postulant shall have been previously required to take an oath of allegiance to the said monarch as his supreme lord, in accordance with the form duly instituted for that purpose, which oath the king exacts from all his subjects, whether lay or clerical; secondly, that any person nominated by the Grand- Master in council to a commandery, situated within the limits of the kingdom of England, shall of necessity obtain a confirmation of his appointment from the king. Such newly- appointed commander will be required to pay the revenues of the first year accruing from his commandery into the king’s treasury, nor will his nomination to the commandery be ratified until he shall previously have taken the oath of allegiance, and have paid the said year’s revenue, or, at all events, have given due security for its future payment. Thirdly, it shall not be lawful for the Order of St. John to make eleemosynary collections within the realm of England, unless in virtue of a royal warrant, which warrant shall contain the express clause that such collection was not made in pursuance of any bull