of noble
birth, their duties being to minister to the order in their churches,
to the sick in the hospitals and on the field of battle.

To these two classes, who constituted the order, were added serving
brethren, called _Heimlike_ and _Soldner_, and in Latin, _Familiares_.
Many of these gave their services gratuitously from religious motives;
others received payment and were really servants. The knights selected
their esquires from among the serving brothers. All these wore a dress
of the same color as the knights, that they might be known at once to
belong to the order.

The original rules of the order were very severe. All the members
lived in common; they slept in dormitories on small and hard beds;
they took their meals together in the refectory, and their fare was
meagre and of the plainest quality. They were required to attend the
daily services in the church, and to recite certain prayers and
offices privately. They were not permitted to leave their convent, nor
to write or receive letters, without permission of their superior.
Their clothes, armor, and the harness of their horses were all of the
plainest description; all gold, jewels, and other costly ornaments
being strictly forbidden. Arms of the best temper and horses of good
breed were provided. When they marched to battle, each knight had
three or four horses, and an esquire carried his shield and lance.

The grand master was elected from the class of the knights only. Next
in rank to him was the preceptor, or grand commander, who had the
general supervision of the clergy and serving brethren, and who
presided in chapter in the absence of the grand master. Next to the
preceptor came the marshal, who acted as lieutenant-general in the
field of battle under the grand master. The third dignitary was the
grand hospitaler, who had the superintendence of the hospitals and of
all that related to their management. The fourth officer was the
trappier, who supplied the knights with their clothing and
accoutrements. And, lastly, there was the treasurer, who received and
paid all the money that passed through the hands of the order. All
these officers were removable, and were commonly changed every year.

As the order extended, new functionaries were required and were
appointed; namely, provincial masters of the several countries where
the order obtained possessions, who took rank next after the grand
master; and there were also many local officers as particular