Page:A History of the Knights of Malta, or the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.djvu/679

Rh Order of St. John was the first to come forward with its quota; and when afterwards the unfortunate monarch, reduced to destitution, besought assistance from the fraternity, it pledged its credit for the sum of 500,000 francs, to aid him in his attempt at flight. No diplomacy could therefore avert the fate impending over an institution which had added to the crime of being wealthy that also of fidelity to the sovereign. The steps by which its spoliation was consummated were quickly taken, and met with no effectual resistance on the part of the victims. In the first constituent assembly the Order of St. John had been defined as placed in the category of a foreign power possessing property within the French kingdom, and as such subject to all the taxes imposed on the natives. This step was soon followed by a decree enacting that any Frenchman becoming member of an order of knighthood requiring proofs of nobility should no longer be considered a citizen of France.

These preliminary measures having been taken, the great blow was struck on the 19th September, 1792, when it was enacted that the Order of Malta should cease to exist within the limits of France, and that all its property should be annexed to the national domains. At first mention was made of an indemnification, in the shape of pensions to be granted to the knights who were thus despoiled of their property; but the power of deriving benefit from this apparent concession was taken away by the condition annexed thereto, which was that to entitle a knight to his pension he must reside within the French territory—an utter impossibility at a time when the aristocracy was being exposed to the most cruel persecution. This decree was the signal for a general plunder of the cornmanderies. Such members of the fraternity as were not fortunate enough to effect their escape were thrown into prison and left to the fearful suspense incident to those dens of horror. During these scenes of anarchy and bloodshed the knights comported themselves with a dignity and firmness worthy of their institution. Their ambassador at Paris, the bailiff de la Brilhane, fulfilled his difficult and dangerous duties to the very close with unexampled determination. In thus doing his duty he naturally became liable to that imminent personal danger