HISTORY OF MALTA.

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TABLE I.

GENERAL RECEIPT.

Article I.

Annual Receipt, on an average of ten years,from 1719 to 1788, inclusive.

V----

Maltese Money.

Crowns. T. G.

liesponsions.

These were a general tax assessed upon allthe dignities and commanderies of the order.

This appears to have been first levied towards thethirteenth century, and has since varied accordingto circumstances. The order, in a general chap-ter, had the power of compelling the commandersto pay into the common treasury the quarter, andeven the half, of their income, and this at plea-sure : it had likewise the sole authority both toimpose and to regulate these taxes.

The last responsions paid in the last generalchapter, held in 1775, ought to have amounted tothe sum of 500,000 crowns* ; but on a represent-ation being made by the German language, adiminution was granted, and reduced the respon-sions to 467,757 . 475,207 4 6

This tax was afterwards encreasedby the resti-tution of the priory in Poland, and the creationof that in Bavaria.

The responsions from Poland were received forthe first time in 1782, and produced 6000 ci'owns

English Money.£. s, ,1.

47,520 14 8r

* A Maltese crown contains twelve tarins and twenty Maltese grains. A crown is worthtwo English shillings, and a tarin two pence.