ABSTRACT

Introduction In late 1756, just a few months following the setting up of the State-owned and monopolistic printing press in Malta, the government of the Order of St John expressed its intention to re-print a quite hefty volume in Latin, originally printed in Seville in 1664 and authored by Ferdinando de Escaño. The publication delved into various historical, constitutional, theological and jurisdictional aspects pertaining to the Order. 1 The Roman Inquisition in Malta, however, successfully objected to its re-printing and that second edition never came out.