CHAP. IV.]

ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM.

221

Christian Greeks, long before the first crusade,and fought at Nice, and other places of AsiaMinor. If the turcopili originated with the Tur-comans, these were generally light cavalry, notmuch dissimilar from the Cossacks, though morerichly accoutred, since some of them had lanceswith heads of gold. Forty thousand Tartars aresaid to have been so equipped . 1 The marshal w asa military dignity, and chiefly directed theinfantry.

The pincerna, or cup-bearer, and the chancellor,and the treasurer, date equally from Gerard’sdays . 2 The hospitaller of the halls, or receiver ofguests, was almost always then a charge confined toone of the clergy. The preceptor was the fourthcharge in the order, and was over all respectingthe finances. A chronicler tells us the name wasparticular to the Hospitallers; for others called himprocurator, or economist. But the Templars andTeutonics followed the Hospitallers in this, as inmany things; and called their procurator, pre-ceptor . 3 So in speaking of them as being (toa certain extent) all three one whole in thoseancient times, is only to do what they did them-selves. We hear of the preceptor’s being then on

1 Chron. Corn. Zanffiet, 3.—Bib. Crois. i. 336.

2 P. A. Paoli : 302. 3 P. A. Paoli : 295.