HISTORY OF MALTA,,

181

BOOK II.

ON THE CONSTITUTION AND FINANCES OF THE ORDER OF MALTA.

CHAPTER I.

Constitution of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, from its originalFoundation to the present Times. Changes it has undergone . TheLegislative and Executive Poxoer , in whom vested. The Authority ofthe Grand-Master, hozv far limitted. Extent of the said Authorityover the Knights. To what Degree the Order was dependent on thePope and other Christian Powers. Independence the principal Basisof its Government. Its Right of Sovereignty acknowledged, and itsRank assigned in the different Courts in Europe. Places in the Giftof the Grand-Master.

In order to give a just, and complete idea of the governmentof Malta, it will be necessary to go back to its original institu-tion, and to describe the different changes it has successivelyundergone.

The knights of Malta were at first merely hospitallers ofSt. John, and as such were not subject to any particular rules;but being become members of a religious order, they followedthose of the Augustins. Having once employed the force of