Page:The Book of Orders of Knighthood and Decorations of Honour of All Nations.djvu/671

312 military Commandery without prejudice to their decoration ; but, when a simple Knight comes into possession of such a Commandery, he must resign the Cross and pension.

A Knight Grand Cross is styled ‘Excellency,’ has free access to the royal palace, and is saluted with all the honours attached to the title.

The Knights enjoy the same rights and privileges as do the members of the four military orders, or of the Order of St. John, but are not allowed to marry, without the consent of the Council.

At the nomination, the Knight must swear to live and die in the established religion of the country, to defend the myste- rious doctrine of the Immaculate Conception, to be true to the throne, to defend the rights of the crown and the nation, to protect loyal subjects, and to assist the sick and the poor, especially those of the Order. Foreigners only swear to live and die in the Catholic religion, to defend the doctrine of the Conception, and acknowledge the Sovereign, as the head of the Order.

The other duties of the members are: to take the sacrament on Conception day, or on the following Sunday, to say daily the prescribed prayers, and to possess a copy of the statutes. The management of the Order is conducted by a committee, consisting of a Grand Chancellor, Deputy Chairman (in the name of the monarch), four Knights of the Grand Cross, Secretary, Treasurer, Master of Ceremonies, Attorney-General and four pensioned Knights. The council is to meet at least once every month in the royal castle, in the office occu- pied by the Grand Chancellor, who is the head manager of the affairs of the Order, and is always one of the most eminent Prelates of the kingdom.

The expenses are usually defrayed from a part of the revenues derived from the vacant Commanderies of the four military Orders, from a portion of the income of the