CHAP, nr.]

ST. JOHN OT JERUSALEM.

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chiefly the grand Bailly of the German Language,inspector, until then, of St. Peter’s Libertini, butwhich fortress, for the future, to be immediatelyunder the grand masters. Esgard was a sort ofcourt of arbitration, formed of the knights forthemselves to prevent them, through respect—truesignification of the word—from the noise, loss oftime, and scandal of an open judicature. In theEsgard was neither lawyer allowed, nor writing,but only the parties to tell their own story; andthis is the most ancient tribunal of the order, andnot without something of the jury, in this that theyare the equals of the accused. The baillias are ahigh and very ancient dignity, deriving from theFrench batllez , which was the word in fashion withthe Kings of France, when conferring any place . 1If to each of the different Languages had beenassigned from the beginning, by custom, a par-ticular dignitarian to head it, as the turcopolier tothe English, yet it was for the future to be con-sidered not merely custom, but matter legalized . 2Caravan in Arabia signifying a company, it is usedin the order for the knights chosen for such agarrison, or such expedition, whether by sea or

1 Seb. Paoli: Osservazioni, i. 490, and ii. 533.—App. cxlix.

2 Cod. Dipl. Geros., ii., Hum. ccxxiv.—Appendix, cl. Theprior was bead of the order in England. The turcopolier, headof the English language everywhere.

B 2