Page:A History of the Knights of Malta, or the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.djvu/742

704 the first mass, let each of the brethren who is present offer a candle and a piece of money; which contribution, whatever may be its amount, shall be spent on the poor. And the presbyter who shall have sung the masses, if he does not belong to the convent, shall be maintained therein on those days, and his duty being finished, the superior himself shall entertain him; and let all the clothing of the deceased brother be given to the poor. But the brothers who are priests, and who shall sing these masses, let them pour forth a prayer to our Lord Jesus Christ on behalf of his soul, and let each of the priests sing a psalm, and each of the laity repeat 150 paternosters.

And with respect to all other crimes, and affairs, and complaints, let them be adjudged upon in general chapter, and let a just sentence be pronounced. And all these precepts we enjoin and impose upon you, in virtue of our authority, on behalf of Almighty God, the blessed Mary, the blessed John, and the poor; that they be observed strictly and zealously in all points. And in the convents where the Master and chapter have established a hospital, when a sick person shall make application, let him be received thus: first, after having confessed his sins to the presbyter, let him partake of the holy sacrament; and afterwards let him be carried to his bed, as though he were the Master; let him be charitably entertained every day with food before any of the brethren are supplied, and that of the best the house can afford. And on each Sabbath day let the Epistle and Gospel be sung in the Hospital, and let holy water be sprinkled around in procession. Furthermore, if any brother, having the superintendence of a convent in any foreign land, shall appeal to any secular person, rebelling against our authority, and shall give him the money appropriated to the poor, in order that, by his power, he may establish the authority of the said brother against the Master, let him be expelled from the general society of the brethren. And if two or more brethren shall be dwelling together, and if one of them shall have misconducted himself by an evil course of life, the other brothers are not to denounce him, either to the public or to the prior, but first let them chastise him by themselves, and if he will not permit himself to be chastised, let them call in the assistance of two or three others and chastise him. And if he shall amend his ways they should rejoice thereat; but if, on the other hand, he shall remain impenitent, then, detailing his crimes in a letter, they shall forward it to the Master; and whatever he and the chapter may decree, let that be done to the offender; and let no brother accuse another brother unless he is well able to prove the charge, for if he do so he is no true brother.

Furthermore, all the brethren of every convent, who shall now, or have heretofore offered themselves to God, and to the sacred Hospital of Jerusalem, shall bear upon their breasts, on their mantles, and on their robes, crosses, to the honour of God and of His sacred cross; to the end that God may protect us by that symbol of faith, works, and obedience, and shield us from the power of the devil, both in this world and in the world to come, in soul and in body, together with all our Christian benefactors.—