“570 
it, without correcting, and offering the 
correction to Mr. Wiikinfon, cne very 
material and generally-reccived error.— 
The author who fent his intefefting ac- 
court to- cur Magazine flates, very truly 
periaps, that Malta was one of the bett 
academies for politenefs on the fuiface of 
the globe. All the Knights and Com- 
manders had much the airand deportment 
of gentlemen and men of the world.— 
«< The great politenels (he adds) obferv- 
able here might alfo partly be afcribed to 
this ; that, as the Knighis were entitied 
by law, as well as cuftom, to demand fa- 
tisfaction ofeach cther for the leaf breach 
of jt, every one of ccurfe was under a ne- 
ceflity of being very exact end circuinfpect 
with regaid to his words and actions, as 
well as to the exterior punétilios of deco- 
rum.”’ In another place -it is itated, that 
“* perhaps Malta was the only country of 
the world where duelling was authorized 
by law. They Jaid ir, rpareyer under 
dich reftriStions, as greatiy to diminiih its 
danger. The dueliiits were obliged to 
cecide their quarrels in one particular 
itreet of the city, and were moreover oblis- 
ed, under the molt fevere penalties, to put 
up their (words when ordeed to do it by 
a woman, a prieft, ora kaight. A crofs 
was always painted on the wali oppofite 
to the {pot where a knight had been inlled, 
and between twenty and aa of thee 
crciles were to be counied there about a 
dozen years ago.” 
Now the ftatutes which were deemed 
neceffary to reftrain the violence of the 
young knight, are very numerous and: fe- 
vere. It is enacted (title xviti, § 29), 
*< that fuch as fhall give ill language to a 
brother, in the Matier’s palace, Mali lofe 
eight yeais” ftanding acquired cr to be ac- 
Quired 5 if it be in an inn, they fhall lofe 
two years’ Ranaing. If they draw their 
fwords, or give a box, or kick, they fhail: 
be expelled without a poflioil ae of par- 
don. [f the perion wounded die, they 
fhail, befide the lofs of habit, be delivered 
over to the fecular arm.’” There are fe- 
veral cther ftatutes tothe fame effeét ; but 
the following (utle. xvill. § 8) is particu- 
larly to the purpofe.” It was enaéted by 
John L’Evefgue de la Caffiere, elected to the 
Grand Maftcrfluip in 1572 © As we 
are defirous to put a ftop to the impiety of 
fuch, as wit thout any regard to the we'fare 
of their fouls, fight duels, and expofe their 
bodics to be killed, we enaét, that if any 
brother fhall pive a ch lenge to another, 
by word or by writing, by a meflenger, 
ov in any other manner whatever, though 
the challenge be not-accepted, he thall be 
Retrofpee of Domeftic Literature.—Hiftory. 
deprived of the habit for ever, without 
hopes of pardon, befides the penalties de- 
creed by the Council of Trent, and the 
bull of Pope Gregory XTIil. of biefied 
memory. Ifthe perfon challenged ac- 
cepts it, though he fhould not appear on: 
the fpot, they fhall both be deprived of the 
habit without hopes of pardon. - If they 
come to the placé appointed, though no 
blood be fhed, they fhall be delivered over 
to the fecular arm. Whoever fhail give 
occafion for a duel, fhall advife, affift, or 
abet it, either in fa or right, or fhall in 
any manner whatever perfuade any body 
to cffer a challenge, or fhall ierve for a fe- 
cond ina duel, or fhall be called to be by 
as a {peStator, or fhall bee up the chal- 
lenge, or caufe it to be poted up, in any 
pete whatever, fhail likewife be- deprived — 
of the habit.” 
pete by Claude de la Sang'e it was 
enacted, * that if any brother raifes a tu- 
mult againtk another in the day or in the 
night time, with any fort of arms what- 
ever, he fhall be deprived of the habit.— 
Such, too, as fhall be found mafked in the 
night-time with offenfive weapons, either 
upon or under their clothes, going out by 
themfelves, or in company without arms, 
fhall be imprifoned in the tower for fix 
months.” 
Under the Grard Mafterfhip of An- 
thony de Paul (elected in.1623), a gent- 
ral chapter was held, in which the affairs 
of the Order were taken into confideration. 
All the old ftatutes, ordinances, and capi- 
tulars, were comprifed into ene volume, 
tranflated inte Italian, arranged under dif- 
ferent titles, &c. and_many new articles 
were added. Atthe fame time the an- - 
cient liws againft duel]ing were renewed. 
Orders were given to proceed with the ut- 
mot leverity again all novices and pro- 
felled knights who fheould either fight 
withou: the gates of the city La Valette 
cr on the baftions. This wes what occa- 
fioned duels to be generally fought with.n 
the city, that-not being {pecificd by the 
leiter of the law. Many travellers, fays 
M. Boiigelin, have mentioned one partfi- 
cular fireet where affairs of this nature 
frequently took place, and have’ falfely 
added that it was a privileged fpot. The 
truth is, it was originally chofen on ac- 
count of its fituation, and fince reforted 
to from the mere eficGt of habit. ‘The 
ciofies, continues he, which are marked 
on the walls of the houfes in this ftreet, 
were made by the Maltefe, who had an 
ancient cuftom of drawing them near the 
{pot where they imagined any perfon had 
bes a killed ; and they theught they were 
— 
