Page:A History of the Knights of Malta, or the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.djvu/545

Rh 3rd. He received customs, excise, and stamp duties to the amount of upwards of £20,000 a year.

4th. He was paid a table allowance from the treasury of £600 a year.

The election of a Grand-Master took place on the third day alter the occurrence of a vacancy. The reason for this prompt action was that the Pope assumed the right of nomination so long as the post remained vacant, but his claim lapsed as soon as a successor had been duly appointed by the Order. The Pope also possessed the privilege of vetoing the candidature of any knight, provided such veto were announced before the election had been completed, but not otherwise. Immediately on the death of a Grand-Master a lieutenant was nominated, and in his hands the government was vested during the interregnum. The qualifications for a voter at the election were, that he must be eighteen years of age, and have resided in Malta for three years, that he had performed three caravans, and that he was not in debt to the treasury for a larger sum than ten crowns. Lists of such members as had complied with these conditions were prepared for each langue separately, and affixed to the door of St. John’s church for verification and general information. A board of three knights was also named by the council to receive payments on behalf of the treasury from those who, being in its debt, were desirous of freeing themselves of liability in time to participate in the coming election.

On the third day the proceedings commenced by the celebration of mass in St. John’s church, the whole of the electors being present. After this the members of the various langues retired into their respective chapels, with the exception of the one to which the lieutenant of the Mastery belonged, and that remained in the body of the church. Each langue then elected by ballot three of its members, into whose hands it confided the further conduct of the election. The three thus selected were all bound to be knights of justice. The only exceptions to this rule were the bishop of Malta and the prior of the church, who, although belonging to the class of conventual chaplains, were, nevertheless, permitted, on account of the dignity of their offices, to join with the knights on this occasion. Should the lieutenant of the Mastery be selected as one of the electors for