In connection with our subject, it may be mentioned as a singular fact, that Sir Sidney Smith was the first Christian ever permitted to enter the Holy City of Jerusalem armed, since the days of the Crusaders, which he was allowed to do as a special compliment, after the surrender of the French army in Egypt. By his means, also, his followers were granted the like privilege. Several official documents, relating to Sir Sidney as a Knight Templar, are inserted in the Appendix. [29] The exact condition, or relative position, of the serving Brothers in ancient times is not very perfectly known. That they sometimes held a responsible, and even high command, is proved by the following passage from Michaud's "Bibliographie des Croisades," referring to the work of an old Latin annalist,--"A la page 540 se trouve une lettre d'un _Chevalier Servant_ (Dapiferi) de la milice du Temple, addressée au Grand Maître Eberard des Barres, qui était revenu en France avec le roi Louis VII. Dans cette lettre sont peints les malheurs de la Terre Sainte après la morte du prince d'Antioche. Le Chevalier Servant prie le Grand Maître de revenir promptement porter du secours au Chrétiens, reduit à l'extremité. Cette Lettre est de 1149 ou 1150." A serving Brother here appears acting the part of chief officer in the East. [30] Equal to about 50 Francs. [31] For the Vow, vide Appendix. [32] The Order of the Hospitallers of Malta, although in these days almost unheard of, still exists through its members, scattered over Europe. Few, if any, of the old Knights who belonged to the Order in its palmy days are now alive. One of the last of these was the Chevalier Grěche, who died at Malta in 1838, where he had continued to linger amid the scenes of his Order's former greatness and glory. He was of a French family, and, it is said, spoke French of the time of Louis XIV. He was page to the last Grand Master at Malta, in which capacity there is a full-length portrait of him in the palace of a Portuguese Knight. He often used to look at this picture; pointing the while to his wrinkles and white hair, and laughing at the change from the fair face and flowing locks represented in the painting. Until he became very infirm, he was fond of society, and was frequently to be met with at the houses of the English, by whom he was much esteemed on account of his interesting recollections and traditions. It is believed that there now remains only one member of the Order as it existed before the dispersion, and he belongs to the _Langue d'Italie_. The Vow of the Knights of St John will be found in the Appendix.