Page:A History of the Knights of Malta, or the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.djvu/757

Appendix IX. 719 mode, law, and form in which we could and should, best and most validly perform the same, do make, create, constitute, and solemnly ordain you our venerable brothers, Hugo de Copons and John Boniface, here prt sent, and undertaking this office, as procurators, agents, factors, and promoters of our business; and as general and special nuncios, in such a manner, that the generality thereof shall not derogate from the specialty, or the contrary, fnr us and our Order, and the whole convent. To promise and engage most efficaciously, with the requisite solemn oaths, in our name and in that of our Order and convent, for us and for our successors, specially and expressly, according to the tenor of the said grant; to observe, keep, and for ever to preserve each and all of the conditions contained in the aforesaid grant, and especially to take the oaths at the hand of the most illustrious lord, Don Hector Pignatelli, duke of Mount Leon, and most honourable viceroy of the kingdom of Sicily, and captain-general of the army, representing in these parts the person of his imperial and catholic majesty, the king of Sicily and its adjacent islands; also to make a stipulation and agreement to restore all the artillery which shall have been consigned to us, and of which an account has been taken, in the citadel or fortress of the aforesaid Tripoli, as specified in the said grant, and after the same form; and also to seek anti obtain executive deeds, and commissioners deputed and authorized to hand over and yield, to acquire and obtain for us true and actual, civil and natural, peaceable and quiet possession of the said places, according to the form and tenor of the said imperial grant conceded to us and to our Order in perpetuity. We give and concede to you, our procurators, in and concerning the aforesaid matters, full and free powers, and our entire authority, by virtue of which you will be empowered to do and complete such things as we ourselves could do if we had been present, even though they should be such things as would require more special authority than is expressed in the above. We promise and agree to maintain in good faith, as ratified, acceptable, and fixed for all future time, whatever shall have been done, agreed to, decided, promised, sworn, and executed by you, our procurators, in one and all of the above-nentioned matters. Under the gage and security of our property, and that of our Order, now and in times to come, wherever it may exist, we desire one and all of the brothers of our house, whatever dignity, authority, or office they may be in the enjoyment of, now or in times to come, that they shall never presume to contravene or oppose these our letters of authority to our procurators and envoys, but shall study to preserve the same inviolate. In witness of which our common leaden seal is attached to the above. Given at Syracuse, on the 24th day of the month of May, l3O.