however, in llie distant laud of Palestine, was a useless and almost impracticable undertaking, and it is only on the journeys of the Master to Europe, that we hear of the convocation of the Grand Priors of the West to attend upon their chief. The general chapters called together by the Master in Europe were held at Paris, and the Grand Prior of England always received a summons to attend. The ordinary business and the government of the fraternity in secular matters were conducted by the Master with tbe assistance of his particular chapter of the Latin kingdom, which was composed of such of the Grand Priors and chief dignitaries of the Temple as happened to be present in the East, and such of the knights as were deemed the wisest and most fit to give counsel. In these last chapters visitors-general were appointed to examine into the administration of the western provinces. The western nations or provinces of the order were presided over by the provincial Masters,* otherwise Grand Priors or Grand Preceptors, who were originally appointed by the chief Master at Jerusalem, and were iti theory mere trustees or bare administrators of the revenues of the fraternity, accountable to the treasurer general at Jerusalem, and removeable at the pleasure of the Chief Master. As the numbers, possessions, and wealth of the Templars, however, increased, various abuses sprang up. The members of the order, after their admittance to the Yows, very frequently, instead of proceeding direct to Palestine to war tigaist the infidels, settled down upon their property in Europe, and consumed at. home a large proportion of those revenues which ought to have been faithfully and strictly forwarded to the general treasury at the Holy City. They erected numerous • The title Master of the Temple was so generally applied to the superiors of the *e*tern provinces, thnt we find in the Greek of the lower empire, the words ΤίμχΚοο Μαΐ(τ»ν -OwtMpc* Gloss.