Page:A History of the Knights of Malta, or the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.djvu/754

716 A history of ih€ Knzg/i/s of Malta. after may be, be bound to swear solemnly to the faithful observation of the said statutes, and to preserve them in perpetuity inviolate. Furthermore, if the Order should succeed in reconquering the island of Rhodes, and for that reason, or from any other cause, shall depart from these islands and their local feudatories, and shall establish their home and convent elsewhere, it shall not be lawful for them to transfer the possession of these islands to any other person without the expressed sanction of their feudal lord; but if they shall presume so to alienate them without our sanction and license, they shall, in that case, revert to us and to our successors in full sovereignty. Further, whatever artillery or engines of war now exist within the castle and city of Tripoli, as shall be specified in a proper inventory, they may retain the same for three years for the protection of the town and citadel; the obligation, however, remaining valid to restore the said artillery and machines after the lapse of three years, unless at that time our grace may, owing to the necessities of the case, see fit to prolong the time, in order that the town and citadel may have its defence more safely provided for. And further, whatever rewards or gratuities, temporary or permanent, may have been granted to certain persons in these territories, which have been given them, either on account of their merits, or from some other obligation, in whatever state they may now stand, they shall not be taken away from them without proper recompense, but shall remain in full force until the Grand-Master and convent shall see fit to provide them elsewhere with equal and similar property. And in the valuation of this recompense all difierence of opinion which might arise, and all annoyance and expense of legal proceedings shall be obviated thus: when it shall seem fit to the Grand-Master and convent to grant to any one such recompense, two judges shall be nominated; one in our name, by the viceroy of Sicily for the time being; the other by the Grand-Master and convent; who, summarily and precisely, shall define the concession of privileges to be transferred, with the arguments on both sides, without any other form or process of law; and if any recompense is to be given, they shall decree how much it should be by right. But if the two judges should, by chance, be of different and opposing opinions, by the consent of both parties let a third judge be named, and whilst the question is being adjudicated or inquired into, and the recompense fixed, the possessors shall remain in the enjoyment of their rights, and shall receive the produce of their privileges, until compensation shall have been made to them. Under which conditions, as contained and described above, and in no other manner, conceding to the aforesaid Grand-Master and convent, one and all of the said articles in feudal tenure, as have been described, as can best and most fully- and most usefully be stated and written for their convenience and benefit, and good, sound, and favourable understanding; we offer and transfer the same to the rule of the Grand-Master, convent, and Order, in useful and firm dominion irrevocably; in full right., to have and to hold, to govern, to exercise in full jurisdiction, and to retain in peace and perpetuity. And on account of this concession, and otherwise, according as it can best be