rict than that at Rhodes.

He enjoyed both his exercises with the knights and the time spent
with the sub-chaplain, no small proportion of the hours of study being
occupied in listening to stories of chivalry; it being considered one of
the most important parts of a knight's education that he should have a
thorough acquaintance, not only with the laws of chivalry, but with the
brave deeds both of former and of living knights, with the relations of
the noble houses of Europe to each other, especially of the many great
families whose members were connected with the Order of St. John.

These matters formed, indeed, the main subject of their studies. All
were taught to read and write, but this was considered sufficient in the
way of actual instruction. The rules of the Order had to be committed
to memory. Beyond this their reading consisted largely of the lives
of saints, especially of those who distinguished themselves by their
charity or their devotion to their vows of poverty, to both of which the
members of the Order were pledged. Gervaise, however, could see around
him no signs whatever of poverty on their part. It was true that they
all lived and fed together in the auberges of their respective langues,
and that they possessed no houses or establishments of their own; but
the magnificence of their armour and attire, and the lavish expenditure
of some upon their pleasures, contrasted strangely with the poverty
to which they had vowed themselves. It was true that in many cases the
means to support the expenditure was derived from the shares the knights
received of the plunder acquired in their captures of Moslem ships; but
undoubtedly many must have possessed large private means; the bailiffs,
for example, although only required by the rules to place before the
knights at their auberges the rations they received for them, with
such luxuries as could be purchased by their yearly allowance for that
purpose, expended annually very large sums in addition, and supplied
their tables with every dainty, in order to gain popularity and goodwill
among the members of the langue.

Not only did the post of bailiff confer upon its owner a very high
position at Rhodes, but it was a stepping stone to the most lucrative
offices in their langues. The bailiffs at Rhodes had the right of
claiming any of the grand priories or bailiwicks at home that might
fall vacant, and the grand master was frequently chosen from among their
number, as,