a kind of benefice or fixed revenue belonging to a military order, and conferred on ancient knights who had done considerable services to the order.

There are strict or regular commandries, obtained in order, and by merit; there are others of grace and favour, conferred at the pleasure of the grand master; there are also commandries for the religious, in the orders of St Bernard and St Anthony. The kings of France have converted several of the hospitals for lepers into commandries of the order of St Lazarus.

The commandries of Malta are of different kinds; for as the order consists of knights, chaplains, and brothers-servitors, there are peculiar commandries or revenues attached to each. The knight to whom one of these benefices or commandries is given is called commander: which agrees pretty nearly with the proprius fet over the monks in places at a distance from the monastery, whose administration was called obedientia; because depending entirely upon the abbot who gave him his commission. Thus it is with the simple commanders of Malta, who are rather farmers of the order than beneficiaries; paying a certain tribute or rent, called reponso, to the common treasure of the order.