Written and compiled by Jamie Seidel (omicron@adelaide.dialix.oz.au) October 1996
What are the Hospitallers? The Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta is the oldest Order of Chivalry in existence. It is also the third oldest surviving Religious Order in Christendom.
But the Hospitallers are made up of monks with a difference. They have not abandoned the world; nor are they priests. They wear no distinguishing costume other than the cross. The Knights of St. John are free to move about the world, but at the same time are expected to respect their vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. It is a strange and difficult vocation.
They are men of the sword whose job is fighting, protecting and serving. But they are also men of charity, aiding the sick and in distress whenever encountered.
But the struggle to preserve and promote the inherent goodness of mankind is one that cannot be abandoned. The Militant Orders know that Armageddon will come once humanity reaches its lowest ebb.
The Knights of Christ must delay this. While Judgement Day is inevitable, every single human soul is incredibly valuable. Each and every one must be given the chance to redeem itself.
For this to happen, mankind must be kept free of the soulless -- the vampires, the shapechangers and all other Hellspawn.
When the Final Day dawns upon mankind, the Knights Hospitaller picture themselves fighting a desperate but valiant rear-guard action -- beating off the minions of evil from the last free souls as they flee toward the comfort and protection of their Lord.
They see their service not as a tedious responsibility, but as a vitally necessary contribution to the well-being of mankind. Humility and devotion is a way of life. Even though death and despair forever surrounds them.
The historical Hospitaller was more than just a knight like any other. Even more so than the Templars and Teutones, the knights of St. John took their monastic role very seriously -- particularly their vow to serve the poor and the sick.
It was this vow that led the Order of St. John into conflict with vampires and other supernatural creatures. Vampires held particular repugnance as they fed on those least capable of defending themselves -- the poor -- and inflicted great suffering and pain upon their victims.
Nothing spurs on the righteous indignation of a knight of St. John more than the sight of a sick and weakened blood-doll. Mankind has been marked by God to be more than just a food animal. Any demon that seeks to corrupt the proper order of things deserves eternal expulsion from God's creation.
This concern for the welfare of the general populace earned the knights of St. John great respect.
This devotion and sense of honour still holds true today. The old ways are the best ways for they are unspoiled by "modern" philosophies and beliefs. Tradition is strong, pure and reliable.
Ever vigilant and always prepared, the Hospitallers refuse to submit to the "ways of the world." The Knights of St. John consider themselves a fortress of the Faith: with the despairing hordes Satan's servants crashing against the walls of belief and devotion. But it must be remembered the fortress exists only to provide sanctuary to the weak and helpless: not as an icon to the Order's own piety.
In these days of atheism and apathy, fewer and fewer seek this refuge. Despair and unbelief has a choke-hold upon society.
But the Knights must hold the gate against the Apocalypse until the last free soul is safely through.
The knights of Malta were privileged beings, subject to discipline according to the statutes of the Order and not the laws of the land. While immune from the attentions of local police, it did not mean he was free to do whatever he liked. If he broke the rules, he could be arrested -- but only at the direct command of the Pilier (commander) of his particular Tongue (division). He would stand trial before his equals, and, if convicted, could only be jailed in the towers of St. Angelo and St. Elmo in Valetta, Malta.
The supreme penalty was dismissal from the Order, but life imprisonment was more common.
But the international flavour of the Hospitallers wilted under the nationalism of the monarchs of Europe: only in Malta were national differences ignored, for they were Knight Hospitallers first and foremost on an island where all Christian monarchs were equally honoured. But even this became an anachronism by 1798, with the wars of Europe reflected in the internal relations of members of the Order.
By the end of the 18th century, there were too few good men in the Order to keep it effective and useful. The really good men made careers for themselves in the service of their own monarchs, while the mediocre stood out for their rights and lived correct, dutiful but unrewarding lives. The lazy ones, greedy ones, the rebellious ones quarrelled among themselves, and, with little else to do, tore the fabric of the Order, thread by threat, to tatters.
The Order's professed knights still live a monastic life, while those not under vows contribute greatly to hospitaller activities ranging from Peru to Pakistan, from California to the Caucasus -- funding and administering hospitals, ambulance brigades and medical relief efforts. Often before them are the active Knights of St. John: sent in to "clear the way" of potential harm -- particularly supernatural.
The Militant Knights of St. John live a life parallel to that of the charitable Order. Their ranks overlap, but the true nature of an active knight is concealed by the Order's overt humanitarian activities.
Knights seek to keep their activities secret, but are permitted to use any of the Order of St. John's resources in their pursuit of supernatural foe.
When not fighting Satan's servants, the knights serve the sick and needy like all other brethren.
Membership of the Order imposes the solemn duty, at all times and in all circumstances, of defending the Faith as enshrined in the teachings, doctrines and traditions of the Holy Roman Catholic and Apostolic Church. Personal loyalty to His Holiness the Pope as Christ's Vicar on Earth is a duty that takes precedence over every other obligation. If the knights remain steadfast in their duty of serving the Church and their Rule, they will enter a second millennium of service to Our Lords the Sick -- and will survive for centuries to come.
It was 1435 which saw the formal unification of the established Clans under the Camarilla. The most senior vampires of each Clan held a seat on its high council, with their most trusted servants helping to form and enact its policy.
The first move of this council was to establish a new law of Masquerade. As many as possible Cainites were contacted and informed of ways and means to conceal their presence from the authorities and the Church.
This was to take several centuries to fully enact, but time is something vampires have plenty of.
But all through this time the Hospitallers were a thorn in the Camarilla's side. These knights roamed Europe, free of all secular control.
It did not matter if a local prince was under a vampire's prey: his word had no hold over a Knight of St. John. Open conflict would have only brought down the anger of the Church -- with the ensuing Edict attracting Inquisitors and witch-hunters of all kinds and traditions.
The first organised action against the Hospitallers was to have the Clans based in the Eastern Mediterranean manipulate their subjects to invade Rhodes in 1444. This invasion was repulsed.
In fact, the Order of the Hospital seemed almost impervious to direct assault. Even when expelled from Rhodes, it found for itself a new impregnable fortress on Malta. The Camarilla searched in vain for a "hook" on which to lay charges similar to those used to bring down the Templars. But the Hospitallers were too popular for their charitous work. By occupying a strategic island in the middle of the Mediterranean, turning a European monarch against the Order would not work either -- any assault would precipitate a continent-wide war.
In the 18th century the Camarilla decided to adopt a new approach: destroy the Order from within. It was much too difficult to insert "plants" within the Order. But the youthful and high-spirited novices were prone to the same weaknesses of all their age, pParticularly beautiful women.
Some of the more obscure bloodlines associated with the Camarilla were called into action. Their combined talents as the Amazons gradually weakened the moral strength upon which the Order was based. Inevitably, the Order fell.
Now, the Amazons remain a threat -- holding status within the Camarilla as knight-hunters.
What was to become the largest and most influential of all the Militant Orders had its origins in 1048 as a hospital for pilgrims set up in the heart of Jerusalem by Benedictine monks.
These pious monks came from the Italian merchant town of Amalfi, and were sponsored by merchants who wanted to ensure Europe's pilgrims would live long enough to pay their fare for the trip "home."
It was immediately recognised by both Christian and Moslem alike for its generous and devoted charity work: though their techniques were "primitive."
By the time of the First Crusade in the late 1090s, the struggling band of medical monks was led by Brother Gerard de Amalfi.
Legend has it that Brother Gerard was not expelled from Jerusalem like other Christians when the Crusaders laid siege to it in 1099. He was allowed to stay to provide medical assistance for the city's residence. But he did not only help the sick, hungry and wounded of the city. The Order's traditions tell of him providing bread to the Crusaders by having loaves thrown over the walls during the night. The legend says:
". . . it was said that, together with the other inhabitants, he was ordered to help defend Jerusalem. He knew that the crusaders outside the walls were hungry, and so each day took small loaves up on to the parapet and hurled these at the Franks instead of stones. He was seen by the Arab guards who arrested him and took him before the governor. But when the loaves were produced in evidence of his crime, they had turned into stones and he was released."
Whatever role Brother Gerard played in the siege, he was certainly held in high regard by the Crusaders and the fortunes of his hospital improved dramatically after the city fell.
Many dying men made lavish gifts to the small band of monks that tried to comfort them in their last hours and many who recovered felt compelled to shower the monks in money and land.
The sainthood of Brother Gerard has been stressed by the Order ever since and there is little doubt he was a good and pious man. He was also a good organiser and very practical. Before he died in 1120 he had firmly laid the foundations of an Order that was to endure into the 20th century. Daughter houses began to appear in Europe along the pilgrim routes -- especially at the major Mediterranean ports.
His epitaph reads: "Here lies Gerard, the most humble man in the East and the servant of the poor." This became the unofficial motto of the Hospitallers for 800 years. His successor, Raymond du Puy, built upon the foundations so well laid by his predecessor. Under his guidance the Hospitallers took on prevention, instead of cure. Like the emerging Templars, the Hospitallers began recruiting knights who had stayed after the first crusade to live in the Holy Land. As these recruits did not make useful nurses or terribly pious monks, the role of guardian to travelling pilgrim seemed highly appropriate.
The first firm step toward becoming a Militant Order occurred in 1136 when the border castle of Bethgeblin in southern Palestine was bequeathed to the Order, who, in turn, had to provide for its defence.
By 1178 the militant arm of the monastic order had grown to its full potential. It is recorded as sending 500 fully armed and mounted knights together with about 1000 supporting troops on a crusade into Egypt.
Not all of the Order's campaigns were defensive. The Master of the Hospitallers, like his Templar counterpart, was removed enough from the murk of politics to objectively analyse threats to Christendom's tenuous hold on the Holy Land. Several times the Hospitallers and Templars banded together to launch "interdictory" raids and campaigns in order to prevent neighbouring Moslem nations from becoming "too strong." The aim was to disrupt the assembly of armies that would be much too large for the kingdom of Jerusalem to meet head-on at a later date.
By the end of the 12th century the Hospitallers were rivalled only by the Templars in terms of wealth and power. Even in Jerusalem, a large military barracks was positioned alongside their famous hospital.
During the Order's 200 years defending the Holy Land it acquired and built a strong "curtain" of castles extending from north to south, guarding important passes and crossroads. The most famous of these, Crak de Chevallier, is recognised as the strongest concentric castle ever built.
But all the strongest castles in the world could not hold Outremer. There simply were never enough knights to garrison them all and provide a standing army to intercept any invader.
With Outremer engaged in a long civil war for the last 50 years of its existence, defeat eventually became simply a matter of time. The Orders pursued their own policies while princes and barons fought over the right to rule. Cooperation came too late.
The Langues corresponded to regional groupings of priories, the priories themselves groupings of commanderies. The commanderies could simply be estates, or houses where lay people were allowed to live and share some of the spiritual life of the Order (the corrodaries), or men and women who did not meet the nobiliary requirements (the confratres or donats), or where novitiates prepared for their vows. Some houses were convents of monks and nuns. The Langues were expected to send a set number of Knights to the main Convent.
The requirements to be a knight were initially to be of knightly family, but over time they became more stringent: in the 1350s nobility of both parents, in 1428 nobility of four generations on the father's side, in 1550 nobility of four quarters (all grandparents). The Langues each had their own requirements which could be stiffer: the French called for 8 quarters, the Italians 200 years in all four lines, the Germans 16 quarters, etc. In the 17th century nobility of robe or office was excluded.
Knights entered the novitiate, took simple vows after 1 year and solemn vows after the age of 21. Professed members (be they knights, chaplains or sergeants) were called "of Justice." The sergeants wore the "half-cross." Individuals who did not meet the nobiliary requirements but had otherwise distinguished themselves could be made Knights of Grace (the painter Caravaggio in 1608), while Knights of Justice who had to renounce their vows and marry for family obligations could become Knights of Devotion. The Donats were also entitled to the half-cross. In the 1630s there were about 1700 knights in the Order.
The early statutes of the Order demanded exceptional qualities from its members. They were religious, obliged to take monastic vows; they were soldiers obliged to have both the physique and means for their profession. In the service of God all men are equal, but in the service of the Hospitallers, inheritance and skill with the sword and lance were pre-eminent qualities. The Order of St. John was a democracy, but the membership of this democracy was open only to the well-born. To become a Knight of the Order one had to prove an unblemished, noble and Catholic parentage. Maltese nobles were not allowed to become Knights, though any Maltese could join the order as a Man-at-Arm, retainer or cleric.
Secondary, though equally enforced, to these vital words were the following clauses:
The Order took these vows very seriously, as this incident illustrates: In july 1570, while cruising in the vicinity of Malta, heedless of the warning of the Turkish fleet lying nearby, Chevalier Jean Francois de St. Clement was surprised by an overwhelming force led by Lucciali, a Turkish general. Clement fled ignominiously after losing three ships -- the Capitana, the San Giovanni and the Sant'Anna -- only the Santa Maria della Vittoria escaped capture. In the disaster that followed, eight knights and large number of Maltese soldiers and sailors, perished.
A general outburst of indignation ensued on the island, and on his return to Malta, St. Clement barely escaped being lynched. He was tried, found guilty, and was stripped of his habit. Condemned to death, he was strangled in prison, and, his body, enclosed in a sack filled with stones, was thrown into the sea a few miles outside Grand Harbour.
The Hospitaller Rule was very different from that of the Templars -- from which it drew no inspiration. Knights did not have to wear short hair and long beards. But their garb was uniform and unadorned.
Rules relating to women and contact with those outside the Order were strict, but not to the extent of secrecy applied by the Templars. In fact, most individual knights were given much greater personal responsibility than many other Orders. Even Sergeants (serving brothers) could command an Estate in Europe.
In the 13th century the black uniform changed to red, with the white cross adopting its recognisable eight-pointed form. Many variations of this uniform were developed according to changes in armour types and needs.
By the 16th century, knights outside of Rhodes or Malta were allowed to wear the secular dress of their kingdom or province. But they were required to wear about their neck a black collar with the Maltese Cross as a symbol of their status. The knights stationed in the convents of Malta faced stricter standards of dress. The Rule stipulated no brocade or cloth of gold or silver, no lace fringes or trimmings, no gold or silver buttons, nor knots of bow or thread were permitted. The penalty for breaching this rule was three-years confinement in St. Elmo and the awarding of the offending garment to the person who informed. Needless to say, the Rule was effective in abolishing fashion competition among the knights of varying nations.
On ceremonial occasions in the presence of kings, queens and Cardinals, knights wore their full formal dress: captains of the galleys appeared in red surcoats and gold braid, the officers wore tricornes and white stockings, all with a red silk soubrevest blazoned with the white cross of St. John.
In the convents they were expected to wear their standard habit, a black cloak with a white cross embroidered over their left shoulder, black vest, breeches and hose. They could carry a sword, though it was attached to a stole that hung from the neck down the left side, embroidered with the symbols of the passion. This costume was worn on formal, though not ceremonial, occasions.
Clothes worn while travelling could be modestly cut in the fashion of the day, with the Order's cross about their neck.
Knights of the Order were above the law. They were answerable only to their Pilier, Grand Master and ultimately the Pope.
No constable, duke, king or emperor could legally lay their hands on a Knight of Malta for any reason. They could only make formal complaints to the superior officers of the Order.
This freedom gave the knights great flexibility in openly defying the schemes and machinations of their supernatural opponents: whether they were economic, social or physical actions.
Knights could, and would, go where they liked when they liked. They were not subject to tolls on bridges or ferries. They did not have to pay for transportation by river barge, unless travelling in large groups.
Even towns under Church Edict -- religious banishment and siege -- were open to the attention of an inquiring knight. Excommunicated men and women, strictly shunned under Church law, could be spoken to and assisted. The Templars were even allowed to recruit from among their ranks.
All this has changed with the nationalisation of Europe and the decline of the power of the Church. Now the Knights of Malta have to rely upon other sources of strength and support. Instead of immunity from the law, knights now have to rely upon diplomatic immunity to get themselves out of difficult situations. Travel across national borders in Europe has recently been made easier with the Union, but the Order's own passports are respected enough to allow access without question into most countries. Commoners no longer fear the horse-mounted knights of the Church, but the international network of relief and ambulance agencies ensure support is always near to hand. The world has changed, and the Order with it.
In the name of God, I Raymond Servant of Christ's poor and Warden of the Hospital of Jerusalem, with the counsel of all the Chapter, both clerical and lay brethren, have established these commandments in the House of the Hospital of Jerusalem..
1. How the brethren should make their profession: Firstly, I ordain that all the brethren, engaging in the service of the poor, should keep the three things with the aid of God which they have promised to God, that is to say, chastity and obedience, which means whatever thing is commanded them by their masters, and to live without property of their own: because God will require these three things of them at the Last Judgement....
2. What the brethren should claim as their due: And let them not claim more as their due than bread and water and raiment, which things are promised to them. And their clothing should be humble, because Our Lord's poor, whose servants we confess ourselves to be, go naked. And it is a thing wrong and improper for the servant that he should be proud, and his Lord should be humble....
3. Concerning the conduct of the brethren and the reception of the sick: Moreover this is decreed that their conduct should be decorous in church, and that their conversation should be appropriate; that is to say, that the clerics, deacons and sub-deacons, should serve the priest at the alter in white raiment, and if the thing shall be necessary another cleric should render the service, and there should be a light every day in the church, both by day and by night, and the priest should go in white raiment to visit the sick, bearing reverently the Body of Our Lord, and the deacon and the sub-deacon, or at least an acolyte should go before, bearing a lantern with a candle burning, and the sponge with the holy water....
4. How the brethren should go abroad and behave: Moreover, when the brethren shall go to the cities and castles, let them not go alone but two or three together, and they shall not go there with those whom they would, but with those whom their Master shall order, and when they shall become there where they would go, let them remain together as united in their conduct as in their dress. And let nothing be done in their movements which might offend the eyes of anyone, but only that which reveals their holiness. Moreover, when they shall be in a church or in a house or in any other place where there are women, let them keep guard over their modesty, and let no women wash their heads or their feet, or make their beds. May Our Lord, who dwells among his saints, keep guard over them in this matter....
5. How alms should be sought: Also let religious persons, both clerical and lay brethren, go forth to seek alms for the holy poor; also when they shall seek for a lodging (hostel), let them go to the church or to some suitable person and let them ask of him their food for charity sake, and let them buy nothing else. But if they should not find anyone who will give them the necessaries, let them buy by measure one meal only, on which they shall live....
6. Concerning the alms obtained and concerning the produce of the houses: Also let them take neither land nor security from the alms collected, but let them deliver them up to the Master with an account in writing, and let the Master deliver them up with his own account in writing to the poor in the hospital; and let the Master receive from all the Obediences the third part of the bread and wine and of all food, and that which shall be surplus should be added to the alms, and let him hand it over in Jerusalem to the poor with his own account in writing....
7. Who and in what manner they should go abroad to preach: And let not any of the brethren, of whatever Obedience they may be, go to preach or to make collections, except only those whom the Chapter and the Master of the Church shall send. And let those same brethren, who shall go to make collections, be received in whatever Obedience they shall come, and let them receive such food as the brethren have ordained among themselves, and let them demand no other thing. Also let them carry with them a light, and in whatever house they shall be lodged (herbergie), let them cause the light to burn before them....
8. Concerning the clothing and food of the brethren: Furthermore also we forbid the brethren to wear at any time brightly coloured cloth (dras ysambruns ne galembruns) or furs of animals (pennes sauvages) or fustian. Also let them not eat more than twice in the day, and let them eat no meat on Wednesdays or .Saturdays, or from Septuagesima until Easter, except those who are sick or feeble; and let them never lie down naked, but clothed in shirts or linen or wool, or in other similar garments....
9. Concerning fornication: But if any of the brethren, and may such a thing never happen, through sinful passion shall fall into fornication, if he shall sin in secret, let him do his penance in secret, and let him impose upon himself suitable penance; and if it shall be well known and proved absolutely for certain, then in that town in which he shall have committed the sin, on the Sunday after Mass, when the people shall have left the church, let him be severely beaten and flogged with hard rods (verges) or leather thongs (corroies) in the sight of all by his Master or by other brethren commanded by the Master, and let him be expelled out of all our company: and after wards if Our Lord shall enlighten the heart of that man, and he shall return to the House of the Poor, and shall confess himself to be guilty and a sinner and the transgressor against the law of God, and shall promise amendment, he should be received and for a whole year should be treated as a stranger, and the brethren should observe during this period of time whether he be satisfactory, and afterwards let them do as shall seem good to them..
10. Concerning brethren quarrelling and striking one another: Also if any brother dispute with another brother, and the Procurator of the House shall have heard the complaint, the penance should be as follows: he shall fast for seven days, the Wednesday and the Friday on bread and water, and he shall eat seated on the ground without table and without napkin (toaille). And if the brother shall strike another brother he shall fast for forty days. And if he shall depart from the House, or the Master under whose authority he shall be, wilfully an without the leave of his Master, and afterwards he shall return, he shall eat for forty days seated on the ground, and shall fast on Wednesdays and Fridays on bread and water; and for as long a time as he has been absent, let him be treated as a stranger, unless by chance the time should have been so long that the Chapter should think proper to modify it....
11. Concerning silence of the brethren: Also at table, as the Apostle says, let each one eat his bread in silence, and let him not drink after Compline. Also let the brethren keep silence in their beds.
12. Concerning brethren misbehaving: And if any brother shall not conduct himself well, and shall be admonished and corrected by his Master or by other brethren twice or three times, and if, at the instigation of the Devil, he will not amend his ways not obey, he should be sent to us on foot with a written report of his sin; and always a small allowance (procuration) should be given to him sufficient to enable him to come to us, and we will correct him; and also no brother should strike the sergeants subject to him for any fault or sin they may commit, but let the Master of the House and the brethren exact vengeance in the presence of all; but always let the sentence (justice) of the House be maintained completely.
13. Concerning brethren found with private property: And if any of the brethren have made a disposition of private property at his death, he shall have concealed it from his Master, and afterwards it shall be found upon him, let that money be tied round his neck, and let him be led naked through the Hospital of Jerusalem, or through the other houses where he dwells, and let him be beaten severely by another brother and do penance for forty days, and he shall fast on Wednesdays and Fridays on bread and water.
14. What office should be celebrated for the deceased brethren: Moreover we command that this statue should be made, which is most necessary for us all, and we ordain it in commanding that for all the brethren who die in your Obedience thirty Masses should be chanted for the soul of each; and at the first Mass each of the brethren, who shall be present, shall offer one candle with one Denier. Which Deniers, as many as there shall be, should be given to the poor for God's sake; and the priest who shall chant the Masses, if he be not of the House, should have provision in the Obedience on those days; and on completion of the office, the Master should render charity to the said priest, and let all the garments of the deceased brother be given to the poor; also let the brother priests, who shall sing the Masses, pray for his soul to Our Lord Jesus Christ, and let each of the clerics chant the Psalter, and each of the lay brothers 150 paternosters. And also concerning all other sins and matters and complaints let them judge and decide in Chapter with righteous judgement...
15. How the things here detailed are to be firmly maintained: All these things we command and ordain in the Name of Almighty God, and of the Blessed Mary, and of the Blessed St. John, and of the poor, that these same things should be kept with the utmost strictness...
16. How our lords the sick should be received and served: And in that Obedience in which the Master and the Chapter of the Hospital shall permit, when the sick man shall come there, let him be received thus, let him partake of the Holy Sacrament, first having confessed his sins to the priest, and afterwards let him be carried to bed, and there as if he were a Lord, each day before the brethren to eat, let him be refreshed with food charitably according to the ability of the House; also on every Sunday let the Epistle and the Gospel be chanted in that House, and let the House be sprinkled with holy water at the procession. Also if any of the brethren, who hold Obedience in different lands, coming to any secular person offering allegiance and giving him the money of the poor, in order that those persons should cause the said brethren to prevail by force against the Master, let such brethren be cast out of all the company..
17. How brethren may correct brethren: Also if two or more brethren shall be together, and one of them shall conduct himself outrageously be evil living, the other of the brethren should not denounce him to the people nor to the Prior, but first let him chastise him by himself, and if he would not be chastised, let him join with himself two or three brethren to chastise him. And if he should amend his ways, they should rejoice at it; but if he be not willing to amend his ways, then let him write down the guilt of the brother, and let him send it to the Master privately, and according at the Master and the Chapter shall order let it be done concerning him...
18. Concerning accusations: Let no brother accuse another brother unless he be well able to prove it; and if he shall accuse him and be unable to prove it, he is no true brother...
19. That the brethren bear on their breasts the sign of the cross: Also let all the brethren of all the Obediences, who now and henceforward shall offer themselves to God and to the Holy Hospital of Jerusalem, bear on their breasts the cross, on their cassocks (chapes) and on their mantles, to the honour of God and the Holy Cross that God by that banner (gonfanon), and through faith and works and obedienc, may guard and defend us in soul and in body, with all our Christian benefactors from the power of the Devil in this world and the next. Amen..
1. The first morning Mass should not be begun before it is day, nor should the Commander of any house order the priest to chant mass. And no priest should chant mass twice in a day, unless by chance the body of the dead person be there, and then in this manner, first should be chanted the mass for the day, if it be a Sunday or a day of Festival, and afterwards should be chanted that for the dead, if a body be present there. And everywhere where a deceased (brother) of the hospital shall be buried, the day of his death should be written in the calendar. And for thirty days masses should be chanted for his soul. And when the Trental shall be completed, the day the anniversary should always be celebrated for his soul, and when the church where the Trental shall be celebrated has three priests, one should celebrate the Trental, and the other two chant the masses for the day.
And if two priests only be there where the Trental should be celebrated, the service should be shared between them, and the gratuity. And when there shall be there no more than one priest, they shall obtain another a stranger to celebrate the service of the Trental.
2. And when it shall be celebrated, one besant and a new shirt and breeches, according to the custom of the House, should be given to him. And if it be impossible to find a stranger priest and the priest of the house be without the company of another priest, the Trental should be celebrated in this manner, that is to say that every day he should chant for the dead except on Sundays and days of solemn festival; and then afterwards he should make the commemoration and remembrance for the brother that is departed. But when the thirty days shall be passed, and after the number of days on which commemoration should be made only for the soul of the brother shall be fulfilled by the Trental, and there should be given to the priest the charity aforesaid. And if by chance these thing should happen in Lent in the houses where there shall be no more than one priest, let it be postponed until after Easter, and then let celebration be made for the soul of the brother without delay.
3. And let the brethren always take care to have a light in the church, and let the chalice for administration be of silver, and the censor of silver.
4. And it is commanded that the bodies of pilgrims or of other Christians, who shall die after the Hour of Vespers, should be left until the next day; and in the Hospital, where they shall have died, let them not lie upon their biers without a light. And the next day before Prime they should be carried to the church, and after Mass should be buried; the biers of the dead should be like those that are in Jerusalem.
5. The bodies of the brethren should be watched in the church, and the clerics should be around them chanting their psalms, and the tapers should be lighted. Of the charity that is given to the priests for the Trental the house should retain nothing; but for the Trentals of strangers the brethren should retain the half. 6. For the public and private masses the priests should have nothing for themselves, except so much as the brethren should wish to give them of their own free will.
7. Of the payments from confessions the sixth part should be given to the priests and the clerics, not by contract but of grace; but in casales where there shall be no burgesses, and no one except one priest, the arrangements aforesaid shall be at the discretion of the Commander of the house, and the gratuity of the clerics he shall give as shall seem good to him.
8. Of the wills and legacies, which shall be made to vicars up to one besant, the half should be given to them; but the legacies and wills, which shall be left to the Hospital , when they shall be paid over, the brethren should receive them without deduction.
Solemn vows were made before the cross, and to the person it symbolised, Jesu Christo.
The eight-pointed cross, now commonly known as the Maltese Cross, owes its origin to the Maritime Republic of Amalfi, Italy.
This region the birthplace of some pious merchants who founded the first hospice in Jerusalem in 1048 -- particularly the founding father of the Hospitallers Brother Gerard du Amalfi.
It has ever since been an emblem of the Knights Hospitaller.
The eight-pointed cross has generally been associated with the Order's monastic work. Knights in combat for much of their history wore a plain white Latin cross -- initially upon a black background and then on red.
It was not until the 15th and 16th Centuries that the eight-pointed cross came to be emblazoned upon a knight's armour and surcoats.
Novices were usually drawn from the minor nobility of virtually all European nations. However, the only significant requirements upon application was a lack of Moslem or Jewish background.
For the first 150 years of the Order's existence, the background of members was deemed irrelevant. Nobility was considered a merit of the spirit, not of birth. Knights, novices and sergeants all wore the same black robes. While the title knight was still granted only to those of knightly heritage, the sergeants held equal rights in terms of rank, powers and privileges. It was not until the late 13th century that the Order began to adopt the strong pressures and limitations of nobility -- as the Templars had done right from the very beginning.
A youth who wished to become a Knight of Justice usually had to enroll in the Order when he was at least 16, but he had to start his novitiate before his 20th birthday.
From the late 13th century the Hospitallers required proof of nobility: "Four quarters" of high blood was often the standard set. This meant the noble birth of both the paternal and maternal grandparents. The application of this rule varied with the Tongue involved. In all cases, each candidate's application was closely scrutinised. The local priory established a committee of four knights and sergeants to examine the documents, call witnesses and to visit the candidate's family, friends and associates. The "proofs" were then sent to Malta, and re-examined by the head of each "Tongue" followed by a recruitment council.
It was finally submitted before the Venerable Council of the Order for final approval. Copies of the acceptance document were forwarded to the Holy See for papal consideration.
Only the Pope could grant special dispensation for applicants found to be of insufficiently noble blood for the status of knighthood. While not a rare occurrence, this was uncommon enough for it not to be seen as an easy option.
A novitiate was usually spent in a communal house in Jerusalem, Rhodes or Malta. Novices were under the command of the Master of Novices, always a Knight Grand Cross, and two other knights.
Exercise at swordsmanship, sabering and musketry were required three days a week. Riding and sailing were frequent additions to the course.
The rest of a novice's time was spent studying the Rule and the Gospels, assigned to assist knights and squires, or observing the procedures of the Grand Council or other governing bodies.
Once possessing suitable skills, the novice would be assigned to a "caravan" (tour of duty) with the Order's navy. This would often take two years, interspaced with duty in the Order's hospital.
Once the novitiate was over, the applicant would be assigned to his Tongue of origin and returned -- or assigned -- to a Priory. After a further six months, if all reports were favourable, the local Knight Commander or Grand Prior would accept the novice's vows. This ancient ceremony was usually carried out in the Priory church in front of a gathering of all local knights and sergeants.
Novices were generally treated well within the Order. It was recognised that these were the children and grand children of the Order's patrons. Food was good. Lodgings were good. Even holidays and free time were allowed. As many noble sons often failed to achieve knighthood, or were simply there to receive one of the best educations in Europe, looking back upon a novitiate with nostalgic enjoyment was beneficial to the Order on many levels.
Eventually the increasing freedoms conferred upon the novices would contribute toward the downfall of the Order. They were youthful, energetic and susceptible to the temptations of the world. The Camarilla knew this, and sent the Amazons to exploit this one unavoidable weakness
A limited number of boys, generally a hundred, were allowed to enter the Order at birth. These could be the children of nobles, or foundlings left at the doorsteps of any Hospital of St. John.
These children were "fostered" to relatives of the Order's officers during their youngest years, and were given an allowance to pay for access to exclusive public schools. They were raised as nobles, being taught all the intricacies of courtesy, politics and church doctrine before being sent on to Malta at age twelve
The best performing of these boys -- and those from the poorest families -- would be chosen to become one of the Grand Master's 12 pages. These pages waited upon the Master at meals and acted as messengers and "gofers" during the afternoons. All continued their formal education, at the Grand Master's expense, from senior knights and private tutors. At 15 the page was allowed to return to his family or foster family for up to a year. During this time he was expected to "digest" his experiences and training, and expected to make the decision about becoming a committed knight. Those who rejected the calling could not get away that easily: they were required to become affiliates of the Order until they had paid-back their education expenses.
Once these boys turned 16, they immediately became Knights of the Order. Initially they were given the probationary term of one year, acting in the capacity of Squires. Later, they were required to wait until their 18th birthday before becoming fully professed knights.
All pages, squires and novices were billeted in their own separate communal house, presided over by a Knight Grand Cross and two other senior knights. Their time was passed, or should have been passed, in religious services and communal prayers. They were exercised three days a week at swordsmanship, sabering and musketry. Regular boating sessions were also held, teaching vital skills of rope-handling and rudimentary navigation.
The candidate presents himself in smart formal dress to the gathered Chapter of knights and sergeants. A conventional church service is conducted where the applicant is absolved of his sins by a knight assigned to receive him.
The candidate would carry a lighted candle to represent Charity. This would be held throughout mass, at the end of which he would receive communion.
Once mass was given, the candle was taken away and the candidate and his knight-sponsor would approach the altar where the priest would sprinkle the sword to be awarded to the new knight with holy water.
Once the sword had been blessed the priest would turn and hand the sword to the candidate with the words:
"Receive this sword; its brightness stands for faith, its point for hope, its guard for charity. Use it well.
Take the sword in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, and use it to defend yourself and the Holy Church of God and to confound the enemies of the Cross of Christ and of the Christian Faith, and never to hurt anyone unjustly with it."
The knight sponsoring would take the sword from the priest and turn to the candidate, reminding him of the seriousness of his vows before asking four questions with theological implications far beyond their words:
Are you already a member of any religious order?
Are you married?
Do you owe money? Are you an unredeemed slave?
The answers were solemn undertakings to defend the Church even at the risk of his own life and to help and defend at all times widows, children, orphans and all people in distress.
The candidate then made the following promise:
"I vow to God, to Saint Mary, to St. John the Baptist, to render henceforth, and for ever, by the grace of God, a true obedience to the Superior which it pleases Him to give me and who will be the choice of our Religion, to live without property and to guard my chastity."
The candidate was handed the unsheathed sword by the knight-sponsor as a symbol of fulfiling these undertakings. The sword was sheathed as the sponsor girded the candidate with the sword's belt as a reminder of the vow of chastity.
Kneeling in front of the sponsor, the candidate would unsheathe his sword and return it to the knight. The sword was used to touch the novice's shoulders three times while he was exhorted to fulfil his promises. The newly dubbed knight then waved the sword aloft three times as a challenge to the enemies of the Church.
The sword's blade was then wiped on the candidate's left sleeve as a sign that he carried a clean sword (and conscience). Thus the candidate was consecrated to the defence of the Church. The receiving knight then exhorts the applicant to flee from all vices and the exercise the four cardinal virtues. Prudence, Justice, Fortitude and Temperance.
Two fellow knights would then approach with golden spurs, which they place upon the heels of their new companion. He was reminded these spurs were meant to stimulate him in the exercise of Christian virtues, to honour God by his actions, and to show the world that he spurned all worldly things. This is why golden items were placed at his feet. The sponsor then took up a black mantle with the eight-pointed cross held outward: "Do you believe that this is the Holy Cross upon which Jesus Christ was secured and died for the redemption of our sins? This is the sign of our Order which we command you always to wear.
The black gown reminds us of our vow of obedience, while the white cross signifies our lifelong duty to carrying the cross of our Lord on our heart, so that by our right hand we may defend the holy emblem and all it stood for: eight beatitudes symbolised by the eight points of the cross, the four cardinal virtues, and the death and resurrection of our Lord."
The new knight kissed the cross and the knightly mantle was then place across his shoulders, the cross covering his heart. He was then warned:
"If ever in fighting for Jesus Christ against the enemies of the Faith he should turn his back and abandon the standard of the cross to take flight in a war so just, he will be despoiled of the Holy Sign as a prevaricator and cut off from the Order like a rotten and gangrenous limb."
The mantle was then secured around his neck.
"Receive the yoke of the Lord because it is sweet and light, under which you will find repose for your soul. We promise you only bread and water, and no delicacies, and a modest habit of no price."
Finally a long stole with various symbols of Christ's passion was handed to the knight with the advice that it should act as a reminder of Christ's suffering.
"This is a sign of the yoke that you must bear in patience and charity as benefits a worth member of our Order. Such a yoke should be a sweet burden, rewarding you with grace in this world and eternal glory in the one to come."
Finally the knight-commander would lead the new brother-knight to the steps of the alter where the priest would read Psalms 47 and 132, ending the ceremony with a blessing of all those present.
This simple ceremony was a final commitment. It could only be dissolved by death, papal dispensation or disgrace.
The Hospitallers took great pride in considering the founder of their Order, Hugh de Amalfi, as a Saint.
St. Hugh of Genoa was the epitome of what a good knight of the Hospital was supposed to be. He was a mystic noted for his sense of asceticism. He always slept at the hospital near the sick, performing the humblest duties such as washing patients or laying out corpses. However, to have attained the rank of Commander of Genoa, Fra Hugh must have seen plenty of fighting.
Saint Gerland de Pologne proved that a brother knight's good qualities were not confined to nursing. The diplomat and Commander of Calatagirona had the unenviable task of representing the Master of St. John at the excommunicated Emperor Frederick's court. St. Gerland quickly developed a legendary reputation as "father to the Sicilian poor" and was famed for his gifted ability of mending broken friendships.
Another saint to emerge from the Order of the Hospital was Fra Gerard Mercati, who died in 1241. His took his position as a serving brother -- or chaplain -- of the Order to great lengths. Many sick and poor considered him to be their "guardian angel", always there to lend whatever support was needed.
Even the sisters of the Order produced a Saint. Her name was Ubaldesca, and like St. Gerland, was best noted for her ability to make friends out of anyone and mediate any crisis.
Membership of the Order was divided into three main grades namely: Knights of Justice who were aristocrats from all over Europe. They wore the eight pointed white cross on a black background (now know as the Maltese Cross) on their chest. The second grade was that of the Conventual Chaplains who, although not necessarily of noble lineage, had still to be of "respectable origins." They worked in the hospitals, the churches, in the galleys and as clerks.
The third grade was that of Sergeants at Arms. They served as soldiers and nurses and were recruited from the common people. While not noble, a Sergeant held the right to wear the distinctive eight-pointed cross, enjoyed a vote in the Councils and was eligible for promotion to very senior rank.
The Knights were further grouped into langues or "tongues" -- loosely defined regions based on language rather than geo-political boundaries. These were Provence, Auvergne, France, Aragon, Castile, Italy, Germany and England. During the 16th C after the Reformation, the English arm ceased to exist as an effective force, as only a few Knights stayed on, disobeying their Protestant King. However a joint tongue of England and Bavaria was instituted in 1784.
The Order was governed by a Grand Master who was elected by a council for life. All the members of the Order owed allegiance only to him, and he in turn owed allegiance only to the Pope. He also had absolute authority -- though tempered by a series of committees and councils.
Sergeant-at-arms could be considered as squires to the knights in their duties and functions, or as almost-knights who fought on foot rather than horseback. They shared most of the privileges of a knight and wore a very similar uniform. The only difference was in the embellishments on the collar holding the white cross about their necks. Sergeants could earn the spurs of a full knight through valourous deeds and personal merits. Even as a sergeant they could end up commanding large estates and bodies of men. They had the right to vote in the councils of their Tongue, and to a more limited extent the higher councils and election of a Grand Master.
A Knight of Justice was the title awarded to a fully initiated member of the Order of St. John. It represented the individuals total commitment to the Order, through undertaking the vows of Poverty, Obedience and Chastity. These were the true Knights of Christ. Other knightly ranks were conferred by the Order, such as Knights of Grace, but these were mostly honourary titles.
The "Grand Cross" was a mark of a knight's seniority, mainly gained through years of service. However, outstanding feats of valour or other noteworthy performance was often rewarded with the granting of this desirable status. It was an honourific that gave the bearer the right to attend, or be selected for, most of the higher bodies of power that executed the Order's law and Rule.
The Bailiffs (Knights Captain) were the highest dignitaries of the Order. Originally the Bailiffs were the heads of the priories of the Holy Land, with Grand Priors being the heads of the European estates. After the fall of Outremer, the title was maintained for those belonging to the Order's highest ranks. In all there were 22 Bailiffs, and 22 Grand Priors. All Bailiffs (who held the Grand Cross) could sit on the Sacred Council. But the most important Bailiffs were the heads of the eight Tongues. They were given the additional title of Pilier.
The Pilier (Preceptor) was always a Bailiff Grand Cross. Each was the head of their particular Tongue, and there were always eight of them. They were usually old men by the time they were appointed through seniority to this position but they were allocated a younger Lieutenant to assist with the workload. Each of the eight positions of Pilier had a specific role associated with it: The Pilier of Italy was the Grand Admiral. The Pilier of France was the Grand Hospitaller. The Pilier of Provence was the Grand Commander and President of the Treasury. The Pilier of Auvergne was the Grand Marshal, the senior military commander of the Order. The Pilier of Castile was the Grand Chancellor, responsible for documentation and the seals. The Pilier of Aragon was the Grand Conservator, responsible for charities and daily expenditure. The Pilier of Germany was the Grand Bailiff, in charge of the fortresses and lookouts. The Pilier of England was the Grand Turcopilier, in charge of all mercenaries and affiliates of the Order.
The Grand Master held power in two capacities: Firstly as head of a religious order and as prince of a papal state -- Malta. Secondly, he was a feudal prince of a sovereign nation, equal to the princes of any European kingdom.
However, the pope held absolute spiritual dominion over the Order and had to approve every decision that affected it.
Grand Masters held office for life, and when one died another had to be elected within three days.
This limit restricted selection of a replacement to those knights on the island: a deliberate ploy to ensure a committed knight would gain the position instead of political intriguists sitting pretty in their European commanderies. But political intrigue could not be avoided: the "death watch" often dragged on for years, with hopefuls checking daily on the Grand Master's health.
Every voter in the election of a new Grand Master had to be at least 18 years old and have had completed three caravans (tours of duty).
A Grand Lieutenant was elected by the Sacred Council once the Grand Master became unable to continue his duties. This lieutenant could not take part in the election of a new Grand Master.
Each of the eight Tongues elected three Knights Grand Cross by secret ballot to represent their concerns on the elective body. The 24 representatives then nominated a President of the Election who presided over the election process -- but was put out of the running himself. At this point the Grand Lieutenant was required to stand down.
A triumvirate of one knight, one sergeant and one chaplain was then elected. This group of three chose a fourth member, and the quadrumvirate then selected a fifth . . . and so on until there were eight members of this committee -- one from each Tongue. This committee of eight then chose another eight, this time from the ranks of sergeants and knights not of Grand-Cross rank.
The final body comprised 11 knights, two chaplains and three sergeants. The President of the Election chaired their meetings and held the casting vote.
This body had to choose a new Grand Master before the end of the third day. This complicated process proved virtually immune to bribery, corruption and vote-rigging.
The Grand Master was the single-most powerful man within the Order but he was not a dictator. His activities were limited to the powers granted to him by the Rule and the various governing councils of the day. His word was final, unless in the case of a dispute between him and one of his Piliers or Bailiffs. In this case a special session of the eight Piliers -- called the Sguardio -- was summoned to determine who was in the right.
The Grand Master was addressed as Serene Highness and Eminence as he enjoyed a rank within the Church equal o that of a cardinal deacon. He was given the title Prince of the Empire by the Holy Roman Emperor in 1607. These were not empty honours: the Order recognised their value in maintaining a prominent standing among the increasingly nationalistic courts of Europe. Among his other titles were Father of the Poor, and Protector of the Gates of Malta.
The Grand master was given a modest-size palace in the heart of Valetta. He had an entourage of 12 pages to run his errands, and received a significant allowance to "keep up appearances."
A personal bodyguard of 150 hand-picked knights and sergeants were stationed in and around the palace. His personal staff included four secretaries, a master of pages, an almoner, four chaplains and an accountant. A Maltese official was also on his staff, relating news and issues affecting the island's populace. Any number of knights could be seconded to the Grand Masters service.
The Grand Master wore on ceremonial occasions a long black mantle, full like a cardinals, with an ermine-lined soutane of black silk emblazoned with the eight-pointed cross. he was girt with a silk cord and a small crip that denoted him the Father of the Poor, and on his head was placed the fluted, flat-topped biretta that was his distinctive headgear.
The Sguardio was the council of the eight Piliers called to arbitrate and judge in any dispute involving the Grand Master and a senior officer of the Order.
The Venerable Council was the work-house of the Order's policy and decision-making actions. It was a committee of 16 made up of a Pilier and one knight from each Tongue: each with a specific role to represent such as treasurer, admiral, surgeon etc.
The Complete Council was made up of the above members of the Venerable Council, along with a further two representatives from every Tongue and a selection of knights holding the rank Grand Cross. This acted as the highest criminal court before which all offenders were tried. It could also be called upon to ratify the decisions of the Sacred Council.
The Sacred Council, comprised of every knight with the rank of Grand Cross, was responsible for policy decisions on the questions of statecraft. It was an unwieldy body, as no member could legally be excluded from any meeting. But this ensured all issues were fully and fairly discussed before a democratic decision was made.
The Chapter General was the supreme legislative authority in the Order of St. John. It was required to be held every five years, and all professed knights and sergeants that were able to attend had to do so. This was the only body that was able to amend the constitution and Rule of the Order. But the day-to-day administration of the Order was conducted by councils: leading these was the Venerable Council, made up of the Order's most senior knights. Other committees included the Congregation of War (a war planning council), along with many others.
Initially present only in the hospital of St. John in Jerusalem, their popularity grew with the fortunes of their Order. The first nursing sisters in Europe were attached to Hospitaller commanderies, along with the knights and sergeants. Later they were given their own commanderies where they were cloistered together like other female religious houses.
The first such convent was at Sigena in Aragon, established in 1188. Their most famous was an English convent at Buckland in Somerset. It was founded by the summoning of all the nursing sisters in England and was also a headquarters of the chaplain brethren. Such commanderies were given the same status and power as those inhabited and led by knights. They also had the same responsibilities -- namely forwarding revenues to the Grand Master.
They led a contemplative life, praying for the brethren who fought the infidel. But they also served their local communities, moving among the poor and providing charity services similar to that offered by the modern Salvation Army. If the Order maintained a hospital nearby, it was the sisters who provided a continuous presence and experienced support for the visiting doctors.
Initially their habit was red and they wore the white-crossed black robe. Their habit later changed to a rich purple.
Just as the Order's relative acceptance of women in its early history served as an unexpected boon, its modern reluctance to accept women as equals is becoming a hindrance.
No active Knight, Chaplain or Serving Brother is permitted to be female. However, honourary titles and recognition of association with the Order are still conveyed through ranks such as the Knights and Dames of Magisterial Grace.
The Order's convents are still in existence, though shrinking just like all other Catholic nunneries. Many of the Order's female associates have been lost to the Templars, and, increasingly, the Teutones, as the Hospital will not allow them an active role in the fight against Satan's minions.
While the women associated with the Order cry out against this injustice, the hierarchy appears to be set firm in its position.
The Knights of St. John are not likely to capitulate on the issue until the Pope himself issues the instruction.
Assisting the sick was the raison d'etre of the Order of St. John. It was for this purpose that the monastic order was originally formed in about 1080, serving in this capacity even before the First Crusade and the capture of Jerusalem by Christian forces in 1099. The knights of St. John were always famous for their hospitals. During the 12th century, the hospital of Jerusalem was world famous for its size and facilities -- attracting much debate over the validity of some of its medical practices. It was here the knights learnt from the "heathen" saracens about the basic concepts of hygiene, infection control and contagious disease.
When the knights captured Rhodes in 1309 their first task was to build a new hospital -- even before attending to the walls and defenses of the city
Similar importance was placed in the hospital of Malta -- considered unmatched in size or facilities in Europe right up until the early 20th century. It offered 370 partitioned beds and 365 open beds. The average number of patients was usually about 400. In one year the Order's records show a total number of 153,333 patients being treated. "Tis so broade that twelve en may with ease walke abreast up the midst of it; and the bedds are on each syd, standing on four yron pillars, with white curtens and vallands and covering, extremely neate, and kept cleane and sweete."
It was a significant cost to tend all these people for free, but the Order's estate's provided sufficiently. But the value of the service went beyond treating the sick: the European noble families and general population saw the Hospital as a truly charitous organisation, willing to go to great expense in order to assist those in need. This probably saved the Hospitallers during the purges of the early 14th century. The Templars drew no such positive perceptions from their banking enterprises.
Knights and novices of the Order were expected to help as nursesin the hospitals maintained throughout Europe. Each Tongue had its rotational roster of duty. Even the Grand Master was expected to don the humble costume of a Hospitaller nurse and wait upon the poorest of the sick.
The Knights Hospitaller were obliged to provide for the sick and wounded of all races, creeds and colours, free of charge. No sick man was denied treatment, though if he was not of the Catholic faith he was confined to a separate ward. Slaves were admitted, as were Moslems -- both treated in the same manner as any sick European noble. Sick knights were initially considered the same as other inpatients, but by the 18th century they were given private rooms separate from the main wards. The only mark of distinction was the allocation of two sheets to a knight, instead of the usual one. All patients were served with silver plates and goblets. This served a double purpose: reinforcing the Order's commitment to their "lords the sick", as well as the way such items showed up any dirty marks -- ensuring a higher degree of hygiene than would be expected from normal clay plateware.
The Order's modern-day disaster relief and first-aid work is no new phenomenon. In 1783 the Servants of the Poor lived up to their reputation when a sudden and cataclysmic earthquake destroyed Messina and Reggio in Calabria. The Grand Master at once ordered the galleys to sea with the doctors from the hospital, twenty chests of medical supplies and 200 beds and tents. The knights had to navigate the still-turbulent waters to land on the shattered district of Reggio, but the local bishop, who had heard the disaster was worse across the straight, sent them on to Messina. There the hillsides were covered with frightened and homeless people. However, upon hearing of the knight's arrival, the local sheriff curtly refused all offers of help on the grounds that the King of Naples had amply provided for the sufferers. He received the Hospitaller deputation in a barn with a sumptuous meal on rich furniture salvaged from the wreck of the town. Outside the famished and half-naked Sicilians crowded around the door, begging for food. Bailiff de Freson, Knight-General of the Hospitallers, was a bluff Frenchman and he unashamedly bullied the sheriff for permission to land his surgeons and set up a food kitchen. Once this was achieved, the knights had to drive off a frenzied crowd of starving men, women and children with the flats of their swords to prevent the whole operation being thrown into the sea.
The food assistance was quickly consumed, but the tents and medical attendance were greatly appreciated. De Freson sent word back to Malta for a rushed shipment of grain and biscuits.
The King of Naples, none too favourably disposed towards the Order at that time, was nudged into reluctant gratitude.
A First Hand Account: A most valuable contribution to the research of the early history of the Order of St. John was made by Berthold Count of Waldstein-Wartenberg's book "Die Vasallen Christi" in 1988. He discovered a report of an unknown German monk, who he thinks might be identical with John of Würzburg or Theodericus, in the Bavarian State Library, Munich (Germany). The author reports, that he had been inside the walls of Jerusalem before the conquest of the Crusaders and that he himself had been admitted to the Hospital. The charity work which he experienced there was quite a contrast to the worldly life in the city itself. This encouraged him to write a tract on charity, which contains an elaborate description of the nursing care of the Order of St. John. He did not want to bother the doctors and nurses with the many questions a reporter usually asks. Therefore he just wrote down what he observed, which makes his report even more valuable. The reporter is obviously not able to distinguish between knights and serving brothers and he also mixes up their titles. He probably has not known the statutes either, although his report is in going with the prescriptions of the hospital regulations, which just reveals, that the brethren of the Order observed their Rule.
According to him the hospital admitted sick people of all nations, ranks and classes, men and women, Christians and Non-Christians. Every sick person, no matter what sex or religion he or she belonged to, was considered a neighbour of Christ, who had to be admitted and nursed. The Hospital is called the "Palace of the Sick" and consequently belongs to them. For the sick the best was just good enough. Therefore the hospital may also have employed oriental doctors, which encouraged the local people even more to come to the Hospital for treatment.
If sick people could not come to the hospital by their own means, the serving brothers of the hospital went to their home and transported them carefully to the hospital. There was even a kind of ambulance service, which accompanied the crusaders on their way. Even full time employed surgeons belonged to that service, who erected tents or canopies on the battle fields, where the casualties were brought to and even their mounts, which were then used to transport the wounded to the hospital. If those were not sufficient the brethren had to put their own pack animals to the patients' disposal, thus showing that they only had lent those from their Lords, the sick, anyway.
As soon as the sick had arrived in the hospital the porter had to receive and treat them like Lords. They were first brought to a priest, where they could confess their sins and receive as the first food, the "remedy of heavenly medicine", i.e. Holy Communion. (This practise the Order had adopted from the Medical School of Salerno). Thereafter the sick were brought to the ward.
The Hospital was divided into eleven wards, which were obviously segregated according to the kind of sickness or injury of the patients. One ward had between 90 and 180 beds. Every ward was catered for by a special nursing team consisting of twelve nurses who were subject to a master. The women's ward, mainly serving as a maternity ward, was situated in a separate building. Waldstein-Wartenberg (Vasallen Christi) assumes it may have been situated in the western wing of the hospital adjacent to the Maria Latina Maior Convent. The nurses there may originally have belonged to St. Magdalene's Convent and later have become nuns of the Order of St. John.
The beds were big and covered with a bedspread and a linen sheet and feather cushions, so that the sick did neither "have to suffer from the roughness of the shaggy blankets nor through the hardness of the bed". The private clothing of the sick was secured in sealed bags and they were provided with coats, furs and shoes, so that they neither had to suffer from the coldness of the marble floor nor that they would make themselves dirty.
The nurses had to prepare the beds, to straighten the blankets and to loosen the cushions. They had to be of assistance to the sick in every respect, to cover them, to set them up and to support them in walking. Their hands were washed and dried with a towel as often as necessary. When it was time for meals a "tablecloth" was put on top of their beds. Bread was distributed in special baskets. Every sick person got his own loaf of bread, to avoid giving an unequal share. To intensify the appetite of the sick, even the sort of bread was changed frequently, so that no aversion would develop. The food for the sick was usually prepared in the monastery kitchen, where they cooked beef and mutton on Tuesdays and Thursdays, whereas Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays flummery was cooked. The members of the Order, knights, serving brothers and sisters served the food to the sick and got afterwards exactly the same food. The nurses had to watch that the food was well prepared and of good quality. When the quality of the food was poor or the sick did not have a good appetite, the nurses had to make a note of that fact and they had to see to it that the patients got supplementary food like chicken, doves, partridges, lamb, bucks, at times also eggs or fish. The nursing staff had to buy regularly pomegranates, pears, plums, chestnuts, almonds, grapes, dried figs and vegetables like lettuce, chicory, turnips, parsley, celery, cucumber, pumpkin, sweet melons etc. The treasury of the Order provided every ward with a budget of 20 to 30 Solidi per week for such additional food. The doctors of the hospital prescribed which patients had to get a special diet. Generally forbidden for all patients were beans, lintels, sea-onions, moray eels, meat from mother pigs, every smoked meat, biltong or fat meat or innards.
Certain Brethren had the special task to wash the head and trim the beard of every patient. They had to wash the feet and clean the soles with a pumice stone every Monday and Thursday. They had to go through all the wards during food distribution and sprinkle everybody with water and apply incense. This was done by burning Thyrus wood, the so-called oriental tree of life. This general oriental custom was supposed to disinfect, but chased away the insects in any case.
"Because doctors have learnt a lot and have practical knowledge," our reporter concludes, "the community of the Order entrusts the practical healing to the experience of science, that the sick might not be deprived from what is possible to man." The number and knowledge of learned European doctors was not very considerable. Therefore Jews, Arabs, Armenians and Syrians were recruited as doctors. The doctors visited the wards every morning and evening. They were accompanied by two nurses. One of them had to get the medicines, the other one had to hold the urinal (urine analysis played a central role in medical examination in those days) and write down the prescriptions.
The hospital employed also barbers (village quacks), which were recommended by the doctors. It was their task to bleed the patients according to the prescriptions of the doctors. {The medieval conception of patho-physiology ascribed many sickness to an imbalance of what they considered the four body liquids, blood (Latin: sanguis), phlegm (Greek: flegma [phlegma]), bile (Greek: [chole] means also anger and rage) and black bile (Greek: melaina chole [melaina chole]), which had its effect even in the mood of a person. If there was too much blood, the person is sanguine; too much phlegm makes him phlegmatic; too much bile causes one to be choleric and too much black bile makes a melancholic. To interfere with such an imbalance, e.g. through bleeding somebody was considered a necessary medical treatment.}.
To the very surprise of the contemporary witness, terminally ill patients were nursed with the same care as those who had a good prognosis.
At dusk the day shift ended and two brothers per ward took over night shift. The brothers had to light three to four lamps in the ward "in order to prevent the sick from illusions, errors and dubiousness." One of the brothers had to go round with a candle in the left and a wine jar in the right hand and call out dearly to them: "You Lords, wine from God." Whoever wanted to drink had to be served. The other brother did the same with a jug of water calling out: "You Lords, water from God." When all had quenched their thirst, both came with a copper full of warm water calling: "Warm water, in God's name." It was their task to wash the sick and they used to do it "without force, but mild persuasion". Afterwards they just had to walk around in the ward continuously to watch even those sick who were asleep. Those who were uncovered had to be covered, who was lying uncomfortably, had to be repositioned. In case of necessity the priest had to be called and the deceased had to be removed.
Our reporter does not mention that the priests had to pray daily after dark with the patients. In a prayer text from the 12 century the "Lords Sick" were asked to pray for peace, the fruits of the earth, the pope, the cardinals, the patriarch of Jerusalem, the delegates, archbishops and bishops, for the Master of the Order and the Holy Land, the brothers of the Order, the kings of England etc., for all pilgrims, benefactors, the prisoners of war in the hands of the Saracens, for the Sick, the donates and the Sisters, who work in the hospital, for the spiritual and financial supporters, and finally for their own parents. It seems strange, that the sick were asked to pray, but they were believed to be closer to Christ and therefore their prayers were considered more effective. After the brothers had prayed the nocturne, all brothers on night duty met to form a procession by candlelight. Together they proceeded through all wards and could notice "if one of the wardens was careless or disorderly or even antagonistic to this task." Afterwards they elected a brother from among themselves, who had to supervise them. This brother continuously walked through all wards and kept an eye on the guards, that nobody fell asleep, was careless or even behaved improperly when nursing the sick. If he discovered any mistake in the care, he amended this mistake immediately, but he was entitled to sentence the careless guard with flagellation, which was executed on the following day. Such severe punishment was imposed on those who maltreated the sick in words and deeds. Who did so repeatedly was immediately suspended from service and replaced by another brother. The evildoer was sentenced by the Hospitaller or his deputy, who had jurisdiction over all nursing and medical staff, to imprisonment of 40 days at water and bread.
Our reporter also mentions a hospital for women, which is situated in a separate building. His description is quite short, presumably he had no access to the department. He calls the nurses "Mothers of St. John" and nuns. They are most probably Nuns of the Order of St. John evolving from St. Magdalene's Convent. The female hospital was mainly a maternity ward. The delivering mothers got warm baths and all what they needed for their body hygiene. The commissioner of the hospital provides napkins for the newly born children which were laid into a cradle next to their mother. There was only an exception made, if the mother was poor, very ill or negligent with the infant because of her "stepmotherly harshness." In such cases the child was passed on to a wet nurse. As soon as the mother's condition had improved, the child was returned not later than a fortnight after birth. If the mother was not in a position to raise her child because of poverty, the master of the hospital visited her and arranged the transfer of the child to a foster mother. That happened quite often, as our reporter writes, with about up to one thousand children who had to be supported by the hospital at the yearly cost of twelve talents each.
In what appeared to be one deft stroke, the Inquisition fell upon the Templars like starving dogs -- ripping its pious respectability to shreds.
The Hospitallers themselves fell victim to this insidious campaign to destroy the Templars. The demonic whispers that had set the two Orders against each other so often in the Holy Land bore rich fruit once King Philip The Fair brought allegations against the Templars in 1307. The Hospitallers became suspicious that such events were pending, but did nothing to warn their Templar brothers-in-arms.
Instead, the Knights of St. John immediately set about convincing pope Clement V that they were the most worthy recipient of the Templar's lands and riches -- even before the guilty verdict was reached.
Many have considered the true motivations behind this move. Was the Order corrupted by greed? Had its key posts been infiltrated so as to prevent any serious move to aid the Templars? Or was it simply a recognition that the Hospital was equally vulnerable to political attack and that it needed to keep its head down until a new base could be established on Rhodes?
Despite later attempts to attack the reputation of the Hospitallers in a similar manner to that of the Templars, the Order stood safe and firm. For the Hospitallers had always been much closer to the community than other Militant Orders. Its hospitals still treated the sick, with its knights serving in the wards. The Order did not seem as aloof as the Templars because it was less strict about noble entry at this time. It also held a strong reputation among the women of Europe because of its nursing sisters.
This relative humility saved the Order from destruction for another 400 years. But the lessons of the Templars were quickly forgotten. Eventually the Hospitallers fell afoul of the same pride and avarice. The demonic vices of greed, lechery and arrogance took their toll. By the time Napoleon arrived in 1798 the Order had no discipline left to mount an effective resistance.
The Knights of St. John had been destroyed from within long before the first shots were fired.