Page:A History of the Knights of Malta, or the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.djvu/550

516 of residence in Malta, which every member was obliged to complete before he could become eligible for office. Two of these pages were in daily attendance at the palace, and accompanied the Grand-Master wherever he went. Should he return after dark, six others lined the staircase with torches. When he dined in public they waited on him at table, and one of them performed the duties of taster. The guests were permitted to give them sweetmeats from the board, but no other kind of food. During the carnival, which was always observed with great magnificence, these youths formed one of the most attractive features of the display. They were mounted on a splendidly decorated car, drawn by six richly caparisoned mules, and preceded by two trumpeters and a kettle-drummer on horseback.

The ceremonial of the table, when the Grand-Master dined iii public, was very elaborate, the grandest occasions being at the festivals of Christmas and Easter. The private invitations to these banquets were given two days beforehand, but on the morning itself the principal maître d’hotel gave a public invitation during the celebration of high mas at St. John’s church. For this purpose, immediately after the collection of the offertory he rose, staff in hand, and saluting the members of the council, invited them to partake of a repast which the Grand- Master proposed to give on that day in honour of the Order. At hall-past ten a.m. the guests proceeded to the palace, where they were ushered into the audience-chamber; here they found their host waiting to receive them. The dinner was served at eleven o’clock. At the entrance to the dining-hall the cup-bearer tendered a basin in which the Grand-Master washed his hands, the seneschal holding the towel. Whilst this ceremony was proceeding, the prior of the church advanced to the head of the table and said grace. He then retired into the ante-chamber, where the guests were also washing their hands, in readiness to return with them as soon as his Eminence was seated. That dignitary, having completed his ablutions, took his place at the head of the table, upon a couch of crimson velvet, beneath a canopy. The guests then entered the apartment, seated themselves according to rank on either side, placed their caps on their heads, and the dinner commenced. It was a point of etiquette that no one should drink until the Grand-