Page 54 - A Knight of the White Cross

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, by being present at

Rhodes, they had many advantages in the way of making themselves
popular among the electors. The emoluments of some of these provincial
bailiwicks were large; and as the bailiffs at Rhodes were generally elected

by seniority -- although younger knights who had greatly distinguished
themselves were sometimes chosen -- they were usually glad to resign the

heavy work and responsibility of their position at Rhodes, and to retire to
the far easier position of a provincial bailiff. In the majority of cases,
doubtless, the fortunes of the high officials were obtained from the money

amassed when in possession of rich commanderies at home; but even this
was assuredly incompatible with their vows of poverty.

His hours of leisure Gervaise spent either on the water or in the saddle, and
his love of exercise of all sorts excited the wonder and even the amusement

of his companions, who for the most part preferred spending the time at
their disposal in sleep, in idly looking out from a shaded room at what was

going on outside, or in visits to friends and relations at the auberges of the
langues to which they belonged. The natural consequence was, that by the