Page:A History of the Knights of Malta, or the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.djvu/588

554 killing him, were sentenced, in 1577, to be deprived of their habits. This was the first punishment carried into effect in the new conventual church of St. John at Valetta.

Cav. Pompeo Marmillo and Cav. Mugio Delizorri, for passing false money, were sentenced, in 1584, to be deprived of their habits.

Fr. Vineenzo La Monti, priest of obedience, for incest, was sentenced, in 1602, to serve on board the galleys for four years.

Alexander Price, servant-at-arms, for clipping money, was sentenced, in 1609, to be deprived of his habit and handed over to the civil power.

Cæsar Russo, servant-at-arms, for becoming a Moslem, was deprived of his habit in 1611.

Sister Mary Grazia Grisoni, of the Order of St. John at Florence, for poisoning Sister Porgia de Bartolini of the same Order, was sentenced, in 1583, to be deprived of her habit and handed over to the civil power.

Of course in some instances these punishments were mere formal decrees, the delinquents being out of reach at the time. Whenever the conduct of a member once professed became such as to render him unworthy to continue on the roll, he was, as a matter of form, arraigned before the council and stripped of his habit, even though he had previously absconded.

Before the islands of Malta and Gozo fell into the possession of the Order through the act of donation granted by Charles V., they had been an appanage of the Spanish monarchy, and attached to the viceroyalty of Sicily. Their local government had consisted of a hakem, or governor, who was commandant of the military within the islands, and intructed with ample power to maintain public tranquillity. Under him were four giurati, who acted as a council on all questions of finance, and two catapani. for all matters relating to food, the bulk of which was imported from Sicily. An officer, called il secreto, received the duties payable on imports, and another, called il portolano, was the superintendent of the harbours. Once a year an assembly, or parliament, was convened, which was divided into the three classes of nobles, clergy, and commons. This assembly prepared lists of