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diff --git a/38593.txt b/38593.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..149261d --- /dev/null +++ b/38593.txt @@ -0,0 +1,13969 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The History of the Knights Templars, the +Temple Church, and the Temple, by Charles G. Addison + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The History of the Knights Templars, the Temple Church, and the Temple + +Author: Charles G. Addison + +Release Date: January 17, 2012 [EBook #38593] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HISTORY OF KNIGHTS TEMPLARS *** + + + + +Produced by The Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images +generously made available by The Internet Archive/Canadian +Libraries.) + + + + + + + + + + THE HISTORY OF + The Knights Templars, + THE TEMPLE CHURCH, AND THE TEMPLE. + + + BY CHARLES G. ADDISON, ESQ. + OF THE INNER TEMPLE. + + + [Illustration: TESTIS SVM AGNI.] + + + LONDON: + LONGMAN, BROWN, GREEN, AND LONGMANS, + PATERNOSTER ROW. + 1842. + + + + + LONDON: + PRINTED BY G. J. PALMER, SAVOY STREET, STRAND. + + + + + TO THE + MASTERS OF THE BENCH OF THE HONOURABLE SOCIETIES + OF THE + Inner and Middle Temple, + THE RESTORERS + OF + The Antient Church of the Knights Templars, + THIS WORK + IS + RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED + BY + THE AUTHOR. + + + + +PREFACE. + + +The extraordinary and romantic career of the Knights Templars, their +exploits and their misfortunes, render their history a subject of peculiar +interest. + +Born during the first fervour of the Crusades, they were flattered and +aggrandized as long as their great military power and religious fanaticism +could be made available for the support of the Eastern church and the +retention of the Holy Land, but when the crescent had ultimately triumphed +over the cross, and the religio-military enthusiasm of Christendom had +died away, they encountered the basest ingratitude in return for the +services they had rendered to the christian faith, and were plundered, +persecuted, and condemned to a cruel death, by those who ought in justice +to have been their defenders and supporters. The memory of these holy +warriors is embalmed in all our recollections of the wars of the cross; +they were the bulwarks of the Latin kingdom of Jerusalem during the short +period of its existence, and were the last band of Europe's host that +contended for the possession of Palestine. + +To the vows of the monk and the austere life of the convent, the Templars +added the discipline of the camp, and the stern duties of the military +life, joining + + "The fine vocation of the sword and lance, + With the gross aims, and body-bending toil + Of a poor brotherhood, who walk the earth + Pitied." + +The vulgar notion that the Templars were as _wicked_ as they were fearless +and brave, has not yet been entirely exploded; but it is hoped that the +copious account of the proceedings against the order in this country, +given in the ninth and tenth chapters of the ensuing volume, will tend to +dispel many unfounded prejudices still entertained against the fraternity, +and excite emotions of admiration for their constancy and courage, and of +pity for their unmerited and cruel fate. + +Matthew Paris, who wrote at _St. Albans_, concerning events in +_Palestine_, tells us that the emulation between the Templars and +Hospitallers frequently broke out into open warfare to the great scandal +and prejudice of Christendom, and that, in a pitched battle fought between +them, the Templars were slain to a man. The solitary testimony of Matthew +Paris, who was no friend to the two orders, is invalidated by the silence +of contemporary historians, who wrote on the spot; and it is quite evident +from the letters of the pope, addressed to the Hospitallers, the year +after the date of the alleged battle, that such an occurrence never could +have taken place. + +The accounts, even of the best of the antient writers, should not be +adopted without examination, and a careful comparison with other sources +of information. William of Tyre, for instance, tells us that +_Nassr-ed-deen_, son of sultan _Abbas_, was taken prisoner by the +Templars, and whilst in their hands became a convert to the Christian +religion; that he had learned the rudiments of the Latin language, and +earnestly sought to be baptized, but that the Templars were bribed with +sixty thousand pieces of gold to surrender him to his enemies in Egypt, +where certain death awaited him; and that they stood by to see him bound +hand and foot with chains, and placed in an iron cage, to be conducted +across the desert to Cairo. Now the Arabian historians of that period tell +us that _Nassr-ed-deen_ and his father murdered the caliph and threw his +body into a well, and then fled with their retainers and treasure into +Palestine; that the sister of the murdered caliph wrote immediately to the +commandant at Gaza, which place was garrisoned by the Knights Templars, +offering a handsome reward for the capture of the fugitives; that they +were accordingly intercepted, and _Nassr-ed-deen_ was sent to Cairo, where +the female relations of the caliph caused his body to be cut into small +pieces in the seraglio. The above act has constantly been made a matter of +grave accusation against the Templars; but what a different complexion +does the case assume on the testimony of the Arabian authorities! + +It must be remembered that William archbishop of Tyre was hostile to the +order on account of its vast powers and privileges, and carried his +complaints to a general council of the church at Rome. He is abandoned, in +everything that he says to the prejudice of the fraternity, by James of +Vitry, bishop of Acre, a learned and most talented prelate, who wrote in +Palestine subsequently to William of Tyre, and has copied largely from the +history of the latter. The bishop of Acre speaks of the Templars in the +highest terms, and declares that they were universally loved by all men +for their piety and humility. "_Nulli molesti erant!_" says he, "_sed ab +omnibus propter humilitatem et religionem amabantur._" + +The celebrated orientalist _Von Hammer_ has recently brought forward +various extraordinary and unfounded charges, destitute of all authority, +against the Templars; and _Wilcke_, who has written a German history of +the order, seems to have imbibed all the vulgar prejudices against the +fraternity. I might have added to the interest of the ensuing work, by +making the Templars horrible and atrocious villains; but I have +endeavoured to write a fair and impartial account of the order, not +slavishly adopting everything I find detailed in antient writers, but such +matters only as I believe, after a careful examination of the best +authorities, to be _true_. + +It is a subject of congratulation to us that we possess, in the Temple +Church at London, the most beautiful and perfect memorial of the order of +the Knights Templars now in existence. No one who has seen that building +in its late dress of plaster and whitewash will recognize it when restored +to its antient magnificence. This venerable structure was one of the chief +ecclesiastical edifices of the Knights Templars in Europe, and stood next +in rank to the Temple at Jerusalem. As I have performed the pilgrimage to +the Holy City, and wandered amid the courts of the antient Temple of the +Knights Templars on Mount Moriah, I could not but regard with more than +ordinary interest the restoration by the societies of the Inner and the +Middle Temple of their beautiful Temple Church. + +The greatest zeal and energy have been displayed by them in that +praiseworthy undertaking, and no expense has been spared to repair the +ravages of time, and to bring back the structure to _what it was_ in the +time of the Templars. + +In the summer I had the pleasure of accompanying one of the chief and most +enthusiastic promoters of the restoration of the church (Mr. Burge, Q.C.) +over the interesting fabric, and at his suggestion the present work was +commenced. I am afraid that it will hardly answer his expectations, and am +sorry that the interesting task has not been undertaken by an abler hand. + +Temple, Nov. 17, 1841. + +P.S. Mr. Willement, who is preparing some exquisitely stained glass +windows for the Temple Church, has just drawn my attention to the +nineteenth volume of the "MEMOIRES DE LA SOCIETE ROYALE DES ANTIQUAIRES DE +FRANCE," published last year. It contains a most curious and interesting +account of the church of Brelevennez, in the department des Cotes-du-Nord, +supposed to have formerly belonged to the order of the Temple, written by +the Chevalier du FREMANVILLE. Amongst various curious devices, crosses, +and symbols found upon the windows and the tombs of the church, is a +copper medallion, which appears to have been suspended from the neck by a +chain. This decoration consists of a small circle, within which are +inscribed two equilateral triangles placed one upon the other, so as to +form a six-pointed star. In the midst of the star is a second circle, +containing within it the LAMB of the order of the Temple holding the +banner in its fore-paw, similar to what we see on the antient seal of the +order delineated in the title-page of this work. Mr. Willement has +informed me that he has received an offer from a gentleman in Brittany to +send over casts of the decorations and devices lately discovered in that +church. He has kindly referred the letter to me for consideration, but I +have not thought it advisable to delay the publication of the present work +for the purpose of procuring them. + +Mr. Willement has also drawn my attention to a very distinct impression of +the reverse of the seal of the Temple described in page 106, whereon I +read very plainly the interesting motto, "TESTIS SVM AGNI." + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + CHAPTER I. + + Origin of the Templars--The pilgrimages to Jerusalem--The + dangers to which pilgrims were exposed--The formation of the + brotherhood of the poor fellow-soldiers of Jesus Christ to + protect them--Their location in the Temple--A description of + the Temple--Origin of the name Templars--Hugh de Payens + chosen Master of the Temple--Is sent to Europe by King + Baldwin--Is introduced to the Pope--The assembling of the + Council of Troyes--The formation of a rule for the government + of the Templars _Page_ 1 + + + CHAPTER II. + + Regula Pauperum Commilitonum Christi et Templi Salomonis. + + The most curious parts of the rule displayed--The confirmation + of the rule by the Pope--The visit of Hugh de Payens, the + Master of the Temple, to England--His cordial reception--The + foundation of the Order in this country--Lands and money + granted to the Templars--Their popularity in Europe--The rapid + increase of their fraternity--St. Bernard takes up the pen in + their behalf--He displays their valour and piety 15 + + + CHAPTER III. + + Hugh de Payens returns to Palestine--His death--Robert de + Craon made Master--Success of the Infidels--The second + Crusade--The Templars assume the Red Cross--Their gallant + actions and high discipline--Lands, manors, and churches + granted them in England--Bernard de Tremelay made Master--He + is slain by the Infidels--Bertrand de Blanquefort made + Master--He is taken prisoner, and sent in chains to Aleppo-- + The Pope writes letters in praise of the Templars--Their + religious and military enthusiasm--Their war banner called + _Beauseant_--The rise of the rival religio-military order of + the Hospital of St. John 36 + + + CHAPTER IV. + + The contests between Saladin and the Templars--The vast + privileges of the Templars--The publication of the bull, _omne + datum optimum_--The Pope declares himself the immediate Bishop + of the entire Order--The different classes of Templars--The + knights--Priests--Serving brethren--The hired soldiers--The + great officers of the Temple--Punishment of cowardice--The + Master of the Temple is taken prisoner, and dies in a + dungeon--Saladin's great successes--The Christians purchase a + truce--The Master of the Temple and the Patriarch Heraclius + proceed to England for succour--The consecration of the TEMPLE + CHURCH at LONDON 60 + + + CHAPTER V. + + The Temple at London--The vast possessions of the Templars in + England--The territorial divisions of the order--The different + preceptories in this country--The privileges conferred on the + Templars by the kings of England--The Masters of the Temple at + London--Their power and importance 81 + + + CHAPTER VI. + + The Patriarch Heraclius quarrels with the king of England--He + returns to Palestine without succour--The disappointments and + gloomy forebodings of the Templars--They prepare to resist + Saladin--Their defeat and slaughter--The valiant deeds of the + Marshal of the Temple--The fatal battle of Tiberias--The + captivity of the Grand Master and the true Cross--The captive + Templars are offered the Koran or death--They choose the + latter, and are beheaded--The fall of Jerusalem--The Moslems + take possession of the Temple--They purify it with rose-water, + say prayers, and hear a sermon--The Templars retire to + Antioch--Their letters to the king of England and the Master + of the Temple at London--Their exploits at the siege of Acre 114 + + + CHAPTER VII. + + Richard Coeur de Lion joins the Templars before Acre--The city + surrenders, and the Templars establish the chief house of + their order within it--Coeur de Lion takes up his abode with + them--He sells to them the island of Cyprus--The Templars form + the van of his army--Their foraging expeditions and great + exploits--Coeur de Lion quits the Holy Land in the disguise of + a Knight Templar--The Templars build the Pilgrim's Castle in + Palestine--The state of the order in England--King John + resides in the Temple at London--The barons come to him at + that place, and demand MAGNA CHARTA--The exploits of the + Templars in Egypt--The letters of the Grand Master to the + Master of the Temple at London--The Templars reconquer + Jerusalem 141 + + + CHAPTER VIII. + + The conquest of Jerusalem by the Carizmians--The slaughter of + the Templars, and the death of the Grand Master--The exploits + of the Templars in Egypt--King Louis of France visits the + Templars in Palestine--He assists them in putting the country + into a defensible state--Henry II., king of England, visits + the Temple at Paris--The magnificent hospitality of the + Templars in England and France--Benocdar, sultan of Egypt, + invades Palestine--He defeats the Templars, takes their strong + fortresses, and decapitates six hundred of their brethren--The + Grand Master comes to England for succour--The renewal of the + war--The fall of Acre, and the final extinction of the + Templars in Palestine 165 + + + CHAPTER IX. + + The downfall of the Templars--The cause thereof--The Grand + Master comes to Europe at the request of the Pope--He is + imprisoned, with all the Templars in France, by command of + king Philip--They are put to the torture, and confessions of + the guilt of heresy and idolatry are extracted from them-- + Edward II. king of England stands up in defence of the + Templars, but afterwards persecutes them at the instance of + the Pope--The imprisonment of the Master of the Temple and + all his brethren in England--Their examination upon + eighty-seven horrible and ridiculous articles of accusation + before foreign inquisitors appointed by the Pope--A council + of the church assembles at London to pass sentence upon + them--The curious evidence adduced as to the mode of admission + into the order, and of the customs and observances of the + fraternity 193 + + + CHAPTER X. + + The Templars in France revoke their rack-extorted + confessions--They are tried as relapsed heretics, and burnt at + the stake--The progress of the inquiry in England--The curious + evidence adduced as to the mode of holding the chapters of the + order--As to the penance enjoined therein, and the absolution + pronounced by the Master--The Templars draw up a written + defence, which they present to the ecclesiastical council-- + They are placed in separate dungeons, and put to the torture-- + Two serving brethren and a chaplain of the order then make + confessions--Many other Templars acknowledge themselves guilty + of heresy in respect of their belief in the religious + authority of their Master--They make their recantations, and + are reconciled to the church before the south door of Saint + Paul's cathedral--The order of the Temple is abolished by the + Pope--The last of the Masters of the Temple in England dies in + the Tower--The disposal of the property of the order-- + Observations on the downfall of the Templars 239 + + + CHAPTER XI. + + THE TEMPLE CHURCH. + + The restoration of the Temple Church--The beauty and + magnificence of the venerable building--The various styles of + architecture displayed in it--The discoveries made during the + recent restoration--The sacrarium--The marble piscina--The + sacramental niches--The penitential cell--The ancient Chapel + of St. Anne--Historical matters connected with the Temple + Church--The holy relics anciently preserved therein--The + interesting monumental remains 289 + + + CHAPTER XII. + + THE TEMPLE CHURCH. + + THE MONUMENTS OF THE CRUSADERS--The tomb and effigy of Sir + Geoffrey de Magnaville, earl of Essex, and constable of the + Tower--His life and death, and famous exploits--Of William + Marshall, earl of Pembroke, Protector of England--Of the Lord + de Ross--Of William and Gilbert Marshall, earls of Pembroke-- + Of William Plantagenet, fifth son of Henry the Third--The + anxious desire manifested by king Henry the Third, queen + Eleanor, and various persons of rank, to be buried in the + Temple Church 309 + + + CHAPTER XIII. + + THE TEMPLE. + + Antiquities in the Temple--The history of the place subsequent + to the dissolution of the order of the Knights Templars--The + establishment of a society of lawyers in the Temple--The + antiquity of this society--Its connexion with the antient + society of the Knights Templars--An order of knights and + serving brethren established in the law--The degree of _frere + serjen_, or _frater serviens_, borrowed from the antient + Templars--The modern Templars divide themselves into the two + societies of the Inner and Middle Temple 342 + + + CHAPTER XIV. + + THE TEMPLE. + + The Temple Garden--The erection of new buildings in the + Temple--The dissolution of the order of the Hospital of Saint + John--The law societies become lessees of the crown--The + erection of the magnificent Middle Temple Hall--The conversion + of the old hall into chambers--The grant of the inheritance of + the Temple to the two law societies--Their magnificent present + to his Majesty--Their antient orders and customs, and antient + hospitality--Their grand entertainments--Reader's feasts-- + Grand Christmasses and Revels--The fox-hunt in the hall--The + dispute with the Lord Mayor--The quarrel with the _custos_ of + the Temple Church 373 + + + + +ERRATA. + + + In note, page 6, _for_ infinitus, _read_ infinitis. + 29, _for_ carrissime, _read_ carissime. + 42, _for_ Angli, _read_ Anglia. + 79, _for_ promptia, _read_ promptior. + 79, _for_ principos, _read_ principes. + 80, _for_ Patriarcha, _read_ patriarcham. + + + + +THE KNIGHTS TEMPLARS. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + + Origin of the Templars--The pilgrimages to Jerusalem--The dangers to + which pilgrims were exposed--The formation of the brotherhood of the + poor fellow-soldiers of Jesus Christ to protect them--Their location + in the Temple--A description of the Temple--Origin of the name + Templars--Hugh de Payens chosen Master of the Temple--Is sent to + Europe by King Baldwin--Is introduced to the Pope--The assembling of + the Council of Troyes--The formation of a rule for the government of + the Templars. + + "Yet 'midst her towering fanes in ruin laid, + The pilgrim saint his murmuring vespers paid; + 'Twas his to mount the tufted rocks, and rove + The chequer'd twilight of the olive-grove: + 'Twas his to bend beneath the sacred gloom, + And wear with many a kiss Messiah's tomb." + + +The extraordinary and romantic institution of the Knights Templars, those +military friars who so strangely blended the character of the monk with +that of the soldier, took its origin in the following manner:-- + +On the miraculous discovery of the Holy sepulchre by the Empress Helena, +the mother of Constantine, about 298 years after the death of Christ, and +the consequent erection, by command of the first christian emperor, of +the magnificent church of the Resurrection, or, as it is now called, the +Church of the Holy Sepulchre, over the sacred monument, the tide of +pilgrimage set in towards Jerusalem, and went on increasing in strength as +Christianity gradually spread throughout Europe. On the surrender of the +Holy City to the victorious Arabians, (A. D. 637,) the privileges and the +security of the christian population were provided for in the following +guarantee, given under the hand and seal of the Caliph Omar to Sophronius +the Patriarch. + +"From OMAR EBNO 'L ALCHITAB to the inhabitants of AELIA." + +"They shall be protected and secured both in their lives and fortunes, and +their churches shall neither be pulled down nor made use of by any but +themselves."[1] + +Under the government of the Arabians, the pilgrimages continued steadily +to increase; the old and the young, women and children, flocked in crowds +to Jerusalem, and in the year 1064 the Holy Sepulchre was visited by an +enthusiastic band of seven thousand pilgrims, headed by the Archbishop of +Mentz and the Bishops of Utrecht, Bamberg, and Ratisbon.[2] The year +following, however, Jerusalem was conquered by the wild Turcomans. Three +thousand of the citizens were indiscriminately massacred, and the +hereditary command over the Holy City and territory was confided to the +Emir Ortok, the chief of a savage pastoral tribe. + +Under the iron yoke of these fierce Northern strangers, the Christians +were fearfully oppressed; they were driven from their churches; divine +worship was ridiculed and interrupted; and the patriarch of the Holy City +was dragged by the hair of his head over the sacred pavement of the church +of the Resurrection, and cast into a dungeon, to extort a ransom from the +sympathy of his flock. The pilgrims who, through innumerable perils, had +reached the gates of the Holy City, were plundered, imprisoned, and +frequently massacred; an _aureus_, or piece of gold, was exacted as the +price of admission to the holy sepulchre, and many, unable to pay the tax, +were driven by the swords of the Turcomans from the very threshold of the +object of all their hopes, the bourne of their long pilgrimage, and were +compelled to retrace their weary steps in sorrow and anguish to their +distant homes.[3] The melancholy intelligence of the profanation of the +holy places, and of the oppression and cruelty of the Turcomans, aroused +the religious chivalry of Christendom; "a nerve was touched of exquisite +feeling, and the sensation vibrated to the heart of Europe." + +Then arose the wild enthusiasm of the crusades; men of all ranks, and even +monks and priests, animated by the exhortations of the pope and the +preachings of Peter the Hermit, flew to arms, and enthusiastically +undertook "the pious and glorious enterprize" of rescuing the holy +sepulchre of Christ from the foul abominations of the heathen. + +When intelligence of the capture of Jerusalem by the Crusaders (A. D. +1099) had been conveyed to Europe, the zeal of pilgrimage blazed forth +with increased fierceness; it had gathered intensity from the interval of +its suppression by the wild Turcomans, and promiscuous crowds of both +sexes, old men and children, virgins and matrons, thinking the road then +open and the journey practicable, successively pressed forwards towards +the Holy City, with the passionate desire of contemplating the original +monuments of the Redemption.[4] The infidels had indeed been driven out +of Jerusalem, but not out of Palestine. The lofty mountains bordering the +sea-coast were infested by bold and warlike bands of fugitive Mussulmen, +who maintained themselves in various impregnable castles and strongholds, +from whence they issued forth upon the high-roads, cut off the +communication between Jerusalem and the sea-ports, and revenged themselves +for the loss of their habitations and property by the indiscriminate +pillage of all travellers. The Bedouin horsemen, moreover, making rapid +incursions from beyond the Jordan, frequently kept up a desultory and +irregular warfare in the plains; and the pilgrims, consequently, whether +they approached the Holy City by land or by sea, were alike exposed to +almost daily hostility, to plunder, and to death. + +To alleviate the dangers and distresses to which these pious enthusiasts +were exposed, to guard the honour of the saintly virgins and matrons,[5] +and to protect the gray hairs of the venerable palmer, nine noble knights +formed a holy brotherhood in arms, and entered into a solemn compact to +aid one another in clearing the highways of infidels, and of robbers, and +in protecting the pilgrims through the passes and defiles of the mountains +to the Holy City. Warmed with the religious and military fervour of the +day, and animated by the sacredness of the cause to which they had devoted +their swords, they called themselves the _Poor Fellow-soldiers of Jesus +Christ_. They renounced the world and its pleasures, and in the holy +church of the Resurrection, in the presence of the patriarch of Jerusalem, +they embraced vows of perpetual chastity, obedience, and poverty, after +the manner of monks.[6] Uniting in themselves the two most popular +qualities of the age, devotion and valour, and exercising them in the most +popular of all enterprises, the protection of the pilgrims and of the road +to the holy sepulchre, they speedily acquired a vast reputation and a +splendid renown. + +At first, we are told, they had no church and no particular place of +abode, but in the year of our Lord 1118, (nineteen years after the +conquest of Jerusalem by the Crusaders,) they had rendered such good and +acceptable service to the Christians, that Baldwin the Second, king of +Jerusalem, granted them a place of habitation within the sacred inclosure +of the Temple on Mount Moriah, amid those holy and magnificent structures, +partly erected by the christian Emperor Justinian, and partly built by the +Caliph Omar, which were then exhibited by the monks and priests of +Jerusalem, whose restless zeal led them to practise on the credulity of +the pilgrims, and to multiply relics and all objects likely to be sacred +in their eyes, as the _Temple of Solomon_, whence the Poor Fellow-soldiers +of Jesus Christ came thenceforth to be known by the name of "_the +Knighthood of the Temple of Solomon_."[7] + +A few remarks in elucidation of the name Templars, or Knights of the +Temple, may not be altogether unacceptable. + +By the Mussulmen, the site of the great Jewish temple on Mount Moriah has +always been regarded with peculiar veneration. Mahomet, in the first year +of the publication of the Koran, directed his followers, when at prayer, +to turn their faces towards it, and pilgrimages have constantly been made +to the holy spot by devout Moslems. On the conquest of Jerusalem by the +Arabians, it was the first care of the Caliph Omar to rebuild "the Temple +of the Lord." Assisted by the principal chieftains of his army, the +Commander of the Faithful undertook the pious office of clearing the +ground with his own hands, and of tracing out the foundations of the +magnificent mosque which now crowns with its dark and swelling dome the +elevated summit of Mount Moriah.[8] + +This great house of prayer, the most holy Mussulman Temple in the world +after that of Mecca, is erected over the spot where "Solomon began to +build the house of the Lord at Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the Lord +appeared unto David his father, in the place that David had prepared in +the threshing-floor of Ornan the Jebusite." It remains to this day in a +state of perfect preservation, and is one of the finest specimens of +Saracenic architecture in existence. It is entered by four spacious +doorways, each door facing one of the cardinal points; the _Bab el +D'jannat_, or gate of the garden, on the north; the _Bab el Kebla_, or +gate of prayer, on the south; the _Bab ib'n el Daoud_, or the gate of the +son of David, on the east; and the _Bab el Garbi_, on the west. By the +Arabian geographers it is called _Beit Allah_, the house of God, also +_Beit Almokaddas_, or _Beit Almacdes_, the holy house. From it Jerusalem +derives its Arabic name, _el Kods_, the holy, _el Schereef_, the noble, +and _el Mobarek_, the blessed; while the governors of the city, instead of +the customary high-sounding titles of sovereignty and dominion, take the +simple title of _Hami_, or protectors. + +On the conquest of Jerusalem by the crusaders, the crescent was torn down +from the summit of this famous Mussulman Temple, and was replaced by an +immense golden cross, and the edifice was then consecrated to the services +of the christian religion, but retained its simple appellation of "The +Temple of the Lord." William, Archbishop of Tyre and Chancellor of the +Kingdom of Jerusalem, gives an interesting account of this famous edifice +as it existed in his time, during the Latin dominion. He speaks of the +splendid mosaic work, of the Arabic characters setting forth the name of +the founder, and the cost of the undertaking, and of the famous rock under +the centre of the dome, which is to this day shown by the Moslems as the +spot whereon the destroying angel stood, "with his drawn sword in his hand +stretched out over Jerusalem."[9] This rock he informs us was left +exposed and uncovered for the space of fifteen years after the conquest of +the holy city by the crusaders, but was, after that period, cased with a +handsome altar of white marble, upon which the priests daily said mass. + +To the south of this holy Mussulman temple, on the extreme edge of the +summit of Mount Moriah, and resting against the modern walls of the town +of Jerusalem, stands the venerable christian church of the Virgin, erected +by the Emperor Justinian, whose stupendous foundations, remaining to this +day, fully justify the astonishing description given of the building by +Procopius. That writer informs us that in order to get a level surface for +the erection of the edifice, it was necessary, on the east and south sides +of the hill, to raise up a wall of masonry from the valley below, and to +construct a vast foundation, partly composed of solid stone and partly of +arches and pillars. The stones were of such magnitude, that each block +required to be transported in a truck drawn by forty of the emperor's +strongest oxen; and to admit of the passage of these trucks it was +necessary to widen the roads leading to Jerusalem. The forests of Lebanon +yielded their choicest cedars for the timbers of the roof, and a quarry of +variegated marble, seasonably discovered in the adjoining mountains, +furnished the edifice with superb marble columns.[10] The interior of this +interesting structure, which still remains at Jerusalem, after a lapse of +more than thirteen centuries, in an excellent state of preservation, is +adorned with six rows of columns, from whence spring arches supporting the +cedar beams and timbers of the roof; and at the end of the building is a +round tower, surmounted by a dome. The vast stones, the walls of masonry, +and the subterranean colonnade raised to support the south-east angle of +the platform whereon the church is erected, are truly wonderful, and may +still be seen by penetrating through a small door, and descending several +flights of steps at the south-east corner of the inclosure. Adjoining the +sacred edifice, the emperor erected hospitals, or houses of refuge, for +travellers, sick people, and mendicants of all nations; the foundations +whereof, composed of handsome Roman masonry, are still visible on either +side of the southern end of the building. + +On the conquest of Jerusalem by the Moslems, this venerable church was +converted into a mosque, and was called _D'jame al Acsa_; it was enclosed, +together with the great Mussulman Temple of the Lord erected by the Caliph +Omar, within a large area by a high stone wall, which runs around the edge +of the summit of Mount Moriah, and guards from the profane tread of the +unbeliever the whole of that sacred ground whereon once stood the gorgeous +temple of the wisest of kings.[11] + +When the Holy City was taken by the crusaders, the _D'jame al Acsa_, with +the various buildings constructed around it, became the property of the +kings of Jerusalem; and is denominated by William of Tyre "the palace," or +"royal house to the south of the Temple of the Lord, vulgarly called _the +Temple of Solomon_."[12] It was this edifice or temple on Mount Moriah +which was appropriated to the use of the poor fellow-soldiers of Jesus +Christ, as they had no _church_ and no particular place of abode, and +from it they derived their name of Knights Templars.[13] + +James of Vitry, Bishop of Acre, who gives an interesting account of the +holy places, thus speaks of the Temple of the Knights Templars. "There is, +moreover, at Jerusalem another temple of immense spaciousness and extent, +from which the brethren of the knighthood of the Temple derive their name +of Templars, which is called the Temple of Solomon, perhaps to distinguish +it from the one above described, which is specially called the Temple of +the Lord."[14] He moreover informs us in his oriental history, that "in +the Temple of the Lord there is an abbot and canons regular; and be it +known that the one is the Temple of the _Lord_, and the other the Temple +of the _Chivalry_. These are _clerks_, the others are _knights_."[15] + +The canons of the Temple of the Lord conceded to the poor fellow-soldiers +of Jesus Christ the large court extending between that building and the +Temple of Solomon; the king, the patriarch, and the prelates of Jerusalem, +and the barons of the Latin kingdom, assigned them various gifts and +revenues for their maintenance and support,[16] and the order being now +settled in a regular place of abode, the knights soon began to entertain +more extended views, and to seek a larger theatre for the exercise of +their holy profession. + +Their first aim and object had been, as before mentioned, simply to +protect the poor pilgrims, on their journey backwards and forwards, from +the sea-coast to Jerusalem;[17] but as the hostile tribes of Mussulmen, +which everywhere surrounded the Latin kingdom, were gradually recovering +from the stupifying terror into which they had been plunged by the +successful and exterminating warfare of the first crusaders, and were +assuming an aggressive and threatening attitude, it was determined that +the holy warriors of the Temple should, in addition to the protection of +pilgrims, make the defence of the christian kingdom of Jerusalem, of the +eastern church, and of all the holy places, a part of their particular +profession. + +The two most distinguished members of the fraternity were Hugh de Payens +and Geoffrey de St. Aldemar, or St. Omer, two valiant soldiers of the +cross, who had fought with great credit and renown at the siege of +Jerusalem. Hugh de Payens was chosen by the knights to be the superior of +the new religious and military society, by the title of "The Master of the +Temple;" and he has, consequently, generally been called the founder of +the order. + +The name and reputation of the Knights _Templars_ speedily spread +throughout Europe, and various illustrious pilgrims from the far west +aspired to become members of the holy fraternity. Among these was Fulk, +Count of Anjou, who joined the society as a married brother, (A. D. 1120,) +and annually remitted the order thirty pounds of silver. Baldwin, king of +Jerusalem, foreseeing that great advantages would accrue to the Latin +kingdom by the increase of the power and numbers of these holy warriors, +exerted himself to extend the order throughout all Christendom, so that he +might, by means of so politic an institution, keep alive the holy +enthusiasm of the west, and draw a constant succour from the bold and +warlike races of Europe for the support of his christian throne and +kingdom. + +St. Bernard, the holy abbot of Clairvaux, had been a great admirer of the +Templars. He wrote a letter to the Count of Champagne, on his entering the +order, (A. D. 1123,) praising the act as one of eminent merit in the sight +of God; and it was determined to enlist the all-powerful influence of this +great ecclesiastic in favour of the fraternity. "By a vow of poverty and +penance, by closing his eyes against the visible world, by the refusal of +all ecclesiastical dignities, the Abbot of Clairvaux became the oracle of +Europe, and the founder of one hundred and sixty convents. Princes and +pontiffs trembled at the freedom of his apostolical censures: France, +England, and Milan, consulted and obeyed his judgment in a schism of the +church: the debt was repaid by the gratitude of Innocent the Second; and +his successor, Eugenius the Third, was the friend and disciple of the holy +St. Bernard."[18] + +To this learned and devout prelate two knights templars were despatched +with the following letter: + +"Baldwin, by the grace of the Lord JESUS CHRIST, King of Jerusalem, and +Prince of Antioch, to the venerable Father Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux, +health and regard. + +"The Brothers of the Temple, whom the Lord hath deigned to raise up, and +whom by an especial Providence he preserves for the defence of this +kingdom, desiring to obtain from the Holy See the confirmation of their +institution, and a rule for their particular guidance, we have determined +to send to you the two knights, Andrew and Gondemar, men as much +distinguished by their military exploits as by the splendour of their +birth, to obtain from the Pope the approbation of their order, and to +dispose his holiness to send succour and subsidies against the enemies of +the faith, reunited in their design to destroy us, and to invade our +christian territories. + +"Well knowing the weight of your mediation with God and his vicar upon +earth, as well as with the princes and powers of Europe, we have thought +fit to confide to you these two important matters, whose successful issue +cannot be otherwise than most agreeable to ourselves. The statutes we ask +of you should be so ordered and arranged as to be reconcilable with the +tumult of the camp and the profession of arms; they must, in fact, be of +such a nature as to obtain favour and popularity with the christian +princes. + +"Do you then so manage, that we may, through you, have the happiness of +seeing this important affair brought to a successful issue, and address +for us to heaven the incense of your prayers."[19] + +Soon after the above letter had been despatched to St. Bernard, Hugh de +Payens himself proceeded to Rome, accompanied by Geoffrey de St. Aldemar, +and four other brothers of the order, viz. Brother Payen de Montdidier, +Brother Gorall, Brother Geoffrey Bisol, and Brother Archambauld de St. +Amand. They were received with great honour and distinction by Pope +Honorius, who warmly approved of the objects and designs of the holy +fraternity. St. Bernard had, in the mean time, taken the affair greatly to +heart; he negotiated with the Pope, the legate, and the bishops of France, +and obtained the convocation of a great ecclesiastical council at Troyes, +(A. D. 1128,) which Hugh de Payens and his brethren were invited to +attend. This council consisted of several archbishops, bishops, and +abbots, among which last was St. Bernard himself. The rules to which the +Templars had subjected themselves were there described by the master, and +to the holy Abbot of Clairvaux was confided the task of revising and +correcting these rules, and of framing a code of statutes fit and proper +for the governance of the great religious and military fraternity of the +Temple. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +Regula Pauperum Commilitonum Christi et Templi Salomonis.[20] + + The most curious parts of the rule displayed--The confirmation of the + rule by the Pope--The visit of Hugh de Payens, the Master of the + Temple, to England--His cordial reception--The foundation of the Order + in this country--Lands and money granted to the Templars--Their + popularity in Europe--The rapid increase of their fraternity--St. + Bernard takes up the pen in their behalf--He displays their valour and + piety. + + "Parmi les contradictions qui entrent dans le gouvernement de ce monde + ce n'en est pas un petite que cette institution de _moines armees_ qui + font voeu de vivre la a fois en _anachoretes_ et en + _soldats_."--_Voltaire sur les Moeurs et l'Esprit des Nations._ + + +"THE RULE OF THE POOR FELLOW-SOLDIERS OF JESUS CHRIST AND OF THE TEMPLE OF +SOLOMON," arranged by St. Bernard, and sanctioned by the Holy Fathers of +the Council of Troyes, for the government and regulation of the monastic +and military society of the Temple, is principally of a religious +character, and of an austere and gloomy cast. It is divided into +seventy-two heads or chapters, and is preceded by a short prologue, +addressed "to all who disdain to follow after their own wills, and desire +with purity of mind to fight for the most high and true king," exhorting +them to put on the armour of obedience, and to associate themselves +together with piety and humility for the defence of the holy catholic +church; and to employ a pure diligence, and a steady perseverance in the +exercise of their sacred profession, so that they might share in the happy +destiny reserved for the holy warriors who had given up their lives for +Christ. + +The rule enjoins severe devotional exercises, self-mortification, fasting, +and prayer, and a constant attendance at matins, vespers, and on all the +services of the church, "that being refreshed and satisfied with heavenly +food, instructed and stablished with heavenly precepts, after the +consummation of the divine mysteries," none might be afraid of the +_fight_, but be prepared for the _crown_. If unable to attend the regular +service of God, the absent brother is for matins to say over thirteen +pater-nosters, for every hour _seven_, and for vespers _nine_. When any +templar draweth nigh unto death, the chaplains and clerk are to assemble +and offer up a solemn mass for his soul; the surrounding brethren are to +spend the night in prayer, and a hundred pater-nosters are to be repeated +for the dead brother. "Moreover," say the holy Fathers, "we do strictly +enjoin you, that with divine and most tender charity ye do daily bestow as +much meat and drink as was given to that brother when alive, unto some +poor man for forty days." The brethren are, on all occasions, to speak +sparingly, and to wear a grave and serious deportment. They are to be +constant in the exercise of charity and almsgiving, to have a watchful +care over all sick brethren, and to support and sustain all old men. They +are not to receive letters from their parents, relations, or friends, +without the license of the master, and all gifts are immediately to be +taken to the latter, or to the treasurer, to be disposed of as he may +direct. They are, moreover, to receive no service or attendance from a +woman, and are commanded, above all things, to shun _feminine kisses_. + +There is much that is highly praiseworthy in this rule, and some extracts +therefrom will be read with interest. + +"VIII. In one common hall, or refectory, we will that you take meat +together, where, if your wants cannot be made known by signs, ye are +softly and privately to ask for what you want. If at any time the thing +you require is not to be found, you must seek it with all gentleness, and +with submission and reverence to the board, in remembrance of the words of +the apostle: _Eat thy bread in silence_, and in emulation of the psalmist, +who says, _I have set a watch upon my mouth_; that is, I have communed +with myself that I may not offend, that is, with my tongue; that is, I +have guarded my mouth, that I may not speak evil. + +"IX. At dinner and at supper, let there be always some sacred reading. If +we love the Lord, we ought anxiously to long for, and we ought to hear +with most earnest attention, his wholesome words and precepts.... + +"X. Let a repast of flesh three times a week suffice you, excepting at +Christmas, or Easter, or the feast of the Blessed Mary, or of All +Saints.... On Sunday we think it clearly fitting and expedient that two +messes of flesh should be served up to the knights and the chaplains. But +let the rest, to wit, the esquires and retainers, remain contented with +one, and be thankful therefor. + +"XI. Two and two ought in general to eat together, that one may have an +eye upon another.... + +"XII. On the second and fourth days of the week, and upon Saturday, we +think two or three dishes of pulse, or other vegetables, will be +sufficient for all of you, and so we enjoin it to be observed; and +whosoever cannot eat of the one may feed upon the other. + +"XIII. But on the sixth day (Friday) we recommend the Lenten food, in +reverence of the Passion, to all of you, excepting such as be sick; and +from the feast of All Saints until Easter, it must be eaten but once a +day, unless it happen to be Christmas-day, or the feast of Saint Mary, or +of the Apostles, when they may eat thereof twice; and so at other times, +unless a general fast should take place. + +"XIV. After dinner and supper, we peremptorily command thanks to be given +to Christ, the great Provider of all things, with a humble heart, as it +becomes you, in the church, if it be near at hand, and if it be not, in +the place where food has been eaten. The fragments (the whole loaves being +reserved) should be given with brotherly charity to the domestics, or to +poor people. And so we order it. + +"XV. Although the reward of poverty, which is the kingdom of heaven, be +doubtless due unto the poor, yet we command you to give daily unto the +almoner the tenth of your bread for distribution, a thing which the +Christian religion assuredly recommends as regards the poor. + +"XVI. When the sun leaveth the eastern region, and descends into the west, +at the ringing of the bell, or other customary signal, ye must all go to +_compline_ (evening prayer;) but we wish you beforehand to take a general +repast. But this repast we leave to the regulation and judgment of the +Master, that when he pleaseth you may have water, and when he commandeth +you may receive it kindly tempered with wine: but this must not be done +too plentifully, but sparingly, because we see even wise men fall away +through wine. + +"XVII. The compline being ended, you must go to bed. After the brothers +have once departed from the hall, it must not be permitted any one to +speak in public, except it be upon urgent necessity. But whatever is +spoken must be said in an under tone by the knight to his esquire. +Perchance, however, in the interval between prayers and sleep, it may +behove you, from urgent necessity, no opportunity having occurred during +the day, to speak on some military matter, or concerning the state of your +house, with some portion of the brethren, or with the Master, or with him +to whom the government of the house has been confided: this, then, we +order to be done in conformity with that which hath been written: _In many +words thou shalt not avoid sin_; and in another place, _Life and death are +in the hands of the tongue_. In that discourse, therefore, we utterly +prohibit scurrility and idle words moving unto laughter, and on going to +bed, if any one amongst you hath uttered a foolish saying, we enjoin him, +in all humility, and with purity of devotion, to repeat the Lord's Prayer. + +"XVIII. We do not require the wearied soldiers to rise to matins, as it +is plain the others must, but with the assent of the Master, or of him who +hath been put in authority by the Master, they may take their rest; they +must, nevertheless, sing thirteen appointed prayers, so that their minds +be in unison with their voices, in accordance with that of the prophet: +_Sing wisely unto the Lord_, and again, _I will sing unto thee in the +sight of the angels_. This, however, should always be left to the judgment +of the Master.... + +"XX. ... To all the professed knights, both in winter and summer, we give, +if they can be procured, white garments, that those who have cast behind +them a dark life may know that they are to commend themselves to their +Creator by a pure and white life. For what is whiteness but perfect +chastity, and chastity is the security of the soul and the health of the +body. And unless every knight shall continue chaste, he shall not come to +perpetual rest, nor see God, as the apostle Paul witnesseth: _Follow after +peace with all men, and chastity, without which no man shall see God_.... + +"XXI. ... Let all the esquires and retainers be clothed in black garments; +but if such cannot be found, let them have what can be procured in the +province where they live, so that they be of one colour, and such as is of +a meaner character, viz. brown. + +"XXII. It is granted to none to wear white habits, or to have white +mantles, excepting the above-named knights of Christ. + +"XXIII. We have decreed in common council, that no brother shall wear +skins or cloaks, or anything serving as a covering for the body in the +winter, even the cassock made of skins, except they be the _skins of lambs +or of rams_.... + +"XXV. If any brother wisheth as a matter of right, or from motives of +pride, to have the fairest or best habit, for such presumption without +doubt he merits the very worst.... + +"XXX. To each one of the knights let there be allotted three horses. The +noted poverty of the House of God, and of the Temple of Solomon, does not +at present permit an increase of the number, unless it be with the license +of the Master.... + +"XXXI. For the same reason we grant unto each knight only one esquire; +but if that esquire serve any knight gratis, and for charity, it is not +lawful to chide him, nor to strike him for any fault. + +"XXXII. We order you to purchase for all the knights desiring to serve +Christ in purity of spirit, horses fit for their daily occasions, and +whatever is necessary for the due discharge of their profession. And we +judge it fitting and expedient to have the horses valued by either party +equally, and let the price be kept in writing, that it may not be +forgotten. And whatsoever shall be necessary for the knight, or his +horses, or his esquire, adding the furniture requisite for the horses, let +it be bestowed out of the same house, according to the ability of that +house. If, in the meanwhile, by some mischance it should happen that the +knight has lost his horses in the service, it is the duty of the Master +and of the house to find him others; but, on this being done, the knight +himself, through the love of God, should pay half the price, the +remainder, if it so please him, he may receive from the community of the +brethren. + +"XXXIII. ... It is to be holden, that when anything shall have been +enjoined by the Master, or by him to whom the Master hath given authority, +there must be no hesitation, but the thing must be done without delay, as +though it had been enjoined from heaven: as the truth itself says, _In the +hearing of the ear he hath obeyed me_. + + * * * * * + +"XXXV. ... When in the field, after they shall have been sent to their +quarters, no knight, or esquire, or servant, shall go to the quarters of +other knights to see them, or to speak to them, without the order of the +superior before mentioned. We, moreover, in council, strictly command, +that in this house, ordained of God, no man shall make war or make peace +of his own free will, but shall wholly incline himself to the will of the +Master, so that he may follow the saying of the Lord, _I came not to do +mine own will, but the will of him that sent me_. + + * * * * * + +"XXXVII. We will not that gold or silver, which is the mark of private +wealth, should ever be seen on your bridles, breastplates, or spurs, nor +should it be permitted to any brother to buy such. If, indeed, such like +furniture shall have been charitably bestowed upon you, the gold and +silver must be so coloured, that its splendour and beauty may not impart +to the wearer an appearance of arrogance beyond his fellows. + + * * * * * + +"XL. Bags and trunks, with locks and keys, are not granted, nor can any +one have them without the license of the Master, or of him to whom the +business of the house is intrusted after the Master. In this regulation, +however, the procurators (preceptors) governing in the different provinces +are not understood to be included, nor the Master himself. + +"XLI. It is in nowise lawful for any of the brothers to receive letters +from his parents, or from any man, or to send letters, without the license +of the Master, or of the procurator. After the brother shall have had +leave, they must be read in the presence of the Master, if it so pleaseth +him. If, indeed, anything whatever shall have been directed to him from +his parents, let him not presume to receive it until information has been +first given to the Master. But in this regulation the Master and the +procurators of the houses are not included. + +"XLII. Since every idle word is known to beget sin, what can those who +boast of their own faults say before the strict Judge? The prophet showeth +wisely, that if we ought sometimes to be silent, and to refrain from good +discourse for the sake of silence, how much the rather should we refrain +from evil words, on account of the punishment of sin. We forbid therefore, +and we resolutely condemn, all tales related by any brother, of the +follies and irregularities of which he hath been guilty in the world, or +in military matters, either with his brother or with any other man. It +shall not be permitted him to speak with his brother of the irregularities +of other men, nor of the delights of the flesh with miserable women; and +if by chance he should hear another discoursing of such things, he shall +make him silent, or with the swift foot of obedience he shall depart from +him as soon as he is able, and shall lend not the ear of the heart to the +vender of idle tales. + +"XLIII. If any gift shall be made to a brother, let it be taken to the +Master or the treasurer. If, indeed, his friend or his parent will consent +to make the gift only on condition that he useth it himself, he must not +receive it until permission hath been obtained from the Master. And +whosoever shall have received a present, let it not grieve him if it be +given to another. Yea, let him know assuredly, that if he be angry at it, +he striveth against God. + + * * * * * + +"XLVI. We are all of opinion that none of you should dare to follow the +sport of catching one bird with another: for it is not agreeable unto +religion for you to be addicted unto worldly delights, but rather +willingly to hear the precepts of the Lord, constantly to kneel down to +prayer, and daily to confess your sins before God with sighs and tears. +Let no brother, for the above especial reason, presume to go forth with a +man following such diversions with a hawk, or with any other bird. + +"XLVII. Forasmuch as it becometh all religion to behave decently and +humbly without laughter, and to speak sparingly but sensibly, and not in a +loud tone, we specially command and direct every professed brother that he +venture not to shoot in the woods either with a long-bow or a cross-bow; +and for the same reason, that he venture not to accompany another who +shall do the like, except it be for the purpose of protecting him from the +perfidious infidel; neither shall he dare to halloo, or to talk to a dog, +nor shall he spur his horse with a desire of securing the game. + + * * * * * + +"LI. Under Divine Providence, as we do believe, this new kind of religion +was introduced by you in the holy places, that is to say, the union of +warfare with religion, so that religion, being armed, maketh her way by +the sword, and smiteth the enemy without sin. Therefore we do rightly +adjudge, since ye are called KNIGHTS OF THE TEMPLE, that for your renowned +merit, and especial gift of godliness, ye ought to have lands and men, and +possess husbandmen and justly govern them, and the customary services +ought to be specially rendered unto you. + +"LII. Above all things, a most watchful care is to be bestowed upon sick +brothers, and let their wants be attended to as though Christ himself was +the sufferer, bearing in mind the blessed words of the Gospel, _I was +sick, and ye visited me_. These are indeed carefully and patiently to be +fostered, for by such is acquired a heavenly reward. + +"LIII. We direct the attendants of those who are sick, with every +attention, and with the most watchful care, diligently and faithfully to +administer to them whatever is necessary for their several infirmities, +according to the ability of the houses, for example, flesh and fowls and +other things, until they are restored to health. + + * * * * * + +"LV. We permit you to have married brothers in this manner, if such should +seek to participate in the benefit of your fraternity; let both the man +and his wife grant, from and after their death, their respective portions +of property, and whatever more they acquire in after life, to the unity of +the common chapter; and, in the interim, let them exercise an honest life, +and labour to do good to the brethren: but they are not permitted to +appear in the white habit and white mantle. If the husband dies first, he +must leave his portion of the patrimony to the brethren, and the wife +shall have her maintenance out of the residue, and let her depart +forthwith; for we consider it most improper that such women should remain +in one and the same house with the brethren who have promised chastity +unto God. + +"LVI. It is moreover exceedingly dangerous to join sisters with you in +your holy profession, for the ancient enemy hath drawn many away from the +right path to paradise through the society of women: therefore, dear +brothers, that the flower of righteousness may always flourish amongst +you, let this custom from henceforth be utterly done away with. + + * * * * * + +"LVIII. If any knight out of the mass of perdition, or any secular man, +wisheth to renounce the world and to choose your life and communion, he +shall not be immediately received, but, according to the saying of Paul, +_Prove the spirits, whether they be of God_; and if so, let him be +admitted. Let the rule, therefore, be read in his presence; and if he +shall have undertaken diligently to obey the precepts thereof, then, if it +please the Master and the brothers to receive him, let the brothers be +called together, and let him make known with sincerity of mind his desire +and petition unto all. Then, indeed, the term of probation should +altogether rest in the consideration and forethought of the Master, +according to the honesty of life of the petitioner. + +"LIX. We do not order all the brothers to be called, in every instance, to +the council, but those only whom the Master shall know to be circumspect, +and fit to give advice; when, however, important matters are to be treated +of, such as the granting of the land of the fraternity, or when the thing +debated immediately affects the order itself, or when a brother is to be +received, then it is fit that the whole society should be called together, +if it please the Master, and the advice of the common chapter having been +heard, the thing which the Master considereth the best and the most +useful, that let him do.... + +"LXII. Although the rule of the holy fathers sanctions the dedication of +children to a religious life, yet we will not suffer you to be burdened +with them, but he who kindly desireth to give his own son or his kinsman +to the military religion, let him bring him up until he arrives at an age +when he can, with an armed hand, manfully root out the enemies of Christ +from the Holy Land. Then, in accordance with our rule, let the father or +the parents place him in the midst of the brothers, and lay open his +petition to them all. For it is better not to vow in childhood, lest +afterwards the grown man should foully fall away. + +"LXIII. It behoves you to support, with pious consideration, all old men, +according to their feebleness and weakness, and dutifully to honour them, +and let them in nowise be restricted from the enjoyment of such things as +may be necessary for the body; the authority of the rule, however, being +preserved. + +"LXIV. The brothers who are journeying through different provinces should +observe the rule, so far as they are able, in their meat and drink, and +let them attend to it in other matters, and live irreproachably, that they +may get a good name out of doors. Let them not tarnish their religious +purpose either by word or deed; let them afford to all with whom they may +be associated, an example of wisdom, and a perseverance in all good works. +Let him with whom they lodge be a man of the best repute, and, if it be +possible, let not the house of the host on that night be without a light, +lest the dark enemy (from whom God preserve us) should find some +opportunity. But where they shall hear of knights not excommunicated +meeting together, we order them to hasten thither, not considering so +much their temporal profit as the eternal safety of their souls.... + +"LXVII. If any brother shall transgress in speaking, or fighting, or in +any other light matter, let him voluntarily show his fault unto the Master +by way of satisfaction. If there be no customary punishment for light +faults, let there be a light penance; but if, he remaining silent, the +fault should come to be known through the medium of another, he must be +subjected to greater and more severe discipline and correction. If indeed +the offence shall be grave, let him be withdrawn from the companionship of +his fellows, let him not eat with them at the same table, but take his +repast alone. The whole matter is left to the judgment and discretion of +the Master, that his soul may be saved at the day of judgment. + +"LXVIII. But, above all things, care must be taken that no brother, +powerful or weak, strong or feeble, desirous of exalting himself, becoming +proud by degrees, or defending his own fault, remain unchastened. If he +showeth a disposition to amend, let a stricter system of correction be +added: but if by godly admonition and earnest reasoning he will not be +amended, but will go on more and more lifting himself up with pride, then +let him be cast out of the holy flock in obedience to the apostle, _Take +away evil from among you_. It is necessary that from the society of the +Faithful Brothers the dying sheep be removed. But let the Master, who +_ought to hold the staff and the rod in his hand_, that is to say, the +staff that he may support the infirmities of the weak, and the rod that he +may with the zeal of rectitude strike down the vices of delinquents; let +him study, with the counsel of the patriarch and with spiritual +circumspection, to act so that, as blessed Maximus saith, The sinner be +not encouraged by easy lenity, nor the sinner hardened in his iniquity by +immoderate severity.... + +"LXXI. Contentions, envyings, spite, murmurings, backbiting, slander, we +command you, with godly admonition, to avoid, and do ye flee therefrom as +from the plague. Let every one of you, therefore, dear brothers, study +with a watchful mind that he do not secretly slander his brother, nor +accuse him, but let him studiously ponder upon the saying of the apostle, +_Be not thou an accuser or a whisperer among the people_. But when he +knoweth clearly that his brother hath offended, let him gently and with +brotherly kindness reprove him in private, according to the commandment of +the Lord; and if he will not hear him, let him take to him another +brother, and if he shall take no heed of both, let him be publicly +reproved in the assembly before all. For they have indeed much blindness +who take little pains to guard against spite, and thence become swallowed +up in the ancient wickedness of the subtle adversary. + +"LASTLY. We hold it dangerous to all religion to gaze too much on the +countenance of women; and therefore no brother shall presume to kiss +neither widow, nor virgin, nor mother, nor sister, nor aunt, nor any other +woman. Let the knighthood of Christ shun _feminine kisses_, through which +men have very often been drawn into danger, so that each, with a pure +conscience and secure life, may be able to walk everlastingly in the sight +of God."[21] + +The above rule having been confirmed by a Papal bull, Hugh de Payens +proceeded to France, and from thence he came to England, and the following +account is given of his arrival, in the Saxon chronicle. + +"This same year, (A. D. 1128,) Hugh of the Temple came from Jerusalem to +the king in Normandy, and the king received him with much honour, and gave +him much treasure in gold and silver, and afterwards he sent him into +England, and there he was well received by all good men, and all gave him +treasure, and in Scotland also, and they sent in all a great sum in gold +and silver by him to Jerusalem, and there went with him and after him so +great a number as never before since the days of Pope Urban."[22] Grants +of land, as well as of money, were at the same time made to Hugh de +Payens and his brethren, some of which were shortly afterwards confirmed +by King Stephen on his accession to the throne, (A. D. 1135.) Among these +is a grant of the manor of Bistelesham made to the Templars by Count +Robert de Ferrara, and a grant of the church of Langeforde in Bedfordshire +made by Simon de Wahull, and Sibylla his wife, and Walter their son. + +Hugh de Payens, before his departure, placed a Knight Templar at the head +of the order in this country, who was called the Prior of the Temple, and +was the procurator and vicegerent of the Master. It was his duty to manage +the estates granted to the fraternity, and to transmit the revenues to +Jerusalem. He was also delegated with the power of admitting members into +the order, subject to the control and direction of the Master, and was to +provide means of transport for such newly-admitted brethren to the far +east, to enable them to fulfil the duties of their profession. As the +houses of the Temple increased in number in England, sub-priors came to be +appointed, and the superior of the order in this country was then called +the Grand Prior, and afterwards Master of the Temple. + +Many illustrious knights of the best families in Europe aspired to the +habit and the vows, but however exalted their rank, they were not received +within the bosom of the fraternity until they had proved themselves by +their conduct worthy of such a fellowship. Thus, when Hugh d'Amboise, who +had harassed and oppressed the people of Marmontier by unjust exactions, +and had refused to submit to the judicial decision of the Count of Anjou, +desired to enter the order, Hugh de Payens refused to admit him to the +vows, until he had humbled himself, renounced his pretensions, and given +perfect satisfaction to those whom he had injured.[23] The candidates, +moreover, previous to their admission, were required to make reparation +and satisfaction for all damage done by them at any time to churches, and +to public or private property. + +An astonishing enthusiasm was excited throughout Christendom in behalf of +the Templars; princes and nobles, sovereigns and their subjects, vied with +each other in heaping gifts and benefits upon them, and scarce a will of +importance was made without an article in it in their favour. Many +illustrious persons on their deathbeds took the vows, that they might be +buried in the habit of the order; and sovereigns, quitting the government +of their kingdoms, enrolled themselves amongst the holy fraternity, and +bequeathed even their dominions to the Master and the brethren of the +Temple. + +Thus, Raymond Berenger, Count of Barcelona and Provence, at a very +advanced age, abdicating his throne, and shaking off the ensigns of royal +authority, retired to the house of the Templars at Barcelona, and +pronounced his vows (A. D. 1130) before brother Hugh de Rigauld, the +Prior. His infirmities not allowing him to proceed in person to the chief +house of the order at Jerusalem, he sent vast sums of money thither, and +immuring himself in a small cell in the Temple at Barcelona, he there +remained in the constant exercise of the religious duties of his +profession until the day of his death.[24] At the same period, the Emperor +Lothaire bestowed on the order a large portion of his patrimony of +Supplinburg; and the year following, (A. D. 1131,) Alphonso the First, +king of Navarre and Arragon, also styled Emperor of Spain, one of the +greatest warriors of the age, by his will declared the Knights of the +Temple his heirs and successors in the crowns of Navarre and Arragon, and +a few hours before his death he caused this will to be ratified and signed +by most of the barons of both kingdoms. The validity of this document, +however, was disputed, and the claims of the Templars were successfully +resisted by the nobles of Navarre; but in Arragon they obtained, by way of +compromise, lands, and castles, and considerable dependencies, a portion +of the customs and duties levied throughout the kingdom, and of the +contributions raised from the Moors.[25] + +To increase the enthusiasm in favour of the Templars, and still further to +swell their ranks with the best and bravest of the European chivalry, St. +Bernard, at the request of Hugh de Payens,[26] took up his powerful pen in +their behalf. In a famous discourse "In praise of the New Chivalry," the +holy abbot sets forth, in eloquent and enthusiastic terms, the spiritual +advantages and blessings enjoyed by the military friars of the Temple over +all other warriors. He draws a curious picture of the relative situations +and circumstances of the _secular_ soldiery and the soldiery of _Christ_, +and shows how different in the sight of God are the bloodshed and +slaughter perpetrated by the one, from that committed by the other. + +This extraordinary discourse is written with great spirit; it is addressed +"To Hugh, Knight of Christ, and Master of the Knighthood of Christ," is +divided into fourteen parts or chapters, and commences with a short +prologue. It is curiously illustrative of the spirit of the times, and +some of its most striking passages will be read with interest. + +The holy abbot thus pursues his comparison between the soldier of the +world and the soldier of Christ--the _secular_ and the _religious_ +warrior. + +"As often as thou who wagest a secular warfare marchest forth to battle, +it is greatly to be feared lest when thou slayest thine enemy in the body, +he should destroy thee in the spirit, or lest peradventure thou shouldst +be at once slain by him both in body and soul. From the disposition of the +heart, indeed, not by the event of the fight, is to be estimated either +the jeopardy or the victory of the Christian. If, fighting with the desire +of killing another, thou shouldest chance to get killed thyself, thou +diest a man-slayer; if, on the other hand, thou prevailest, and through a +desire of conquest or revenge killest a man, thou livest a man-slayer.... +O unfortunate victory, when in overcoming thine adversary thou fallest +into sin, and anger or pride having the mastery over thee, in vain thou +gloriest over the vanquished.... + +"What, therefore, is the fruit of this secular, I will not say +'_militia_,' but '_malitia_,' if the slayer committeth a deadly sin, and +the slain perisheth eternally? Verily, to use the words of the apostle, he +that ploweth should plow in hope, and he that thresheth should be partaker +of his hope. Whence, therefore, O soldiers, cometh this so stupendous +error? What insufferable madness is this--to wage war with so great cost +and labour, but with no pay except either death or crime? Ye cover your +horses with silken trappings, and I know not how much fine cloth hangs +pendent from your coats of mail. Ye paint your spears, shields, and +saddles; your bridles and spurs are adorned on all sides with gold, and +silver, and gems, and with all this pomp, with a shameful fury and a +reckless insensibility, ye rush on to death. Are these military ensigns, +or are they not rather the garnishments of women? Can it happen that the +sharp-pointed sword of the enemy will respect gold, will it spare gems, +will it be unable to penetrate the silken garment? Lastly, as ye +yourselves have often experienced, three things are indispensably +necessary to the success of the soldier; he must, for example, be bold, +active, and circumspect; quick in running, prompt in striking; ye, +however, to the disgust of the eye, nourish your hair after the manner of +women, ye gather around your footsteps long and flowing vestures, ye bury +up your delicate and tender hands in ample and wide-spreading sleeves. +Among you indeed, nought provoketh war or awakeneth strife, but either an +irrational impulse of anger, or an insane lust of glory, or the covetous +desire of possessing another man's lands and possessions. In such causes +it is neither safe to slay nor to be slain.... + +III. "But the soldiers of CHRIST indeed securely fight the battles of +their Lord, in no wise fearing sin either from the slaughter of the enemy, +or danger from their own death. When indeed death is to be given or +received for Christ, it has nought of crime in it, but much of glory.... + +"And now for an example, or to the confusion of our soldiers fighting not +manifestly for God but for the devil, we will briefly display the mode of +life of the Knights of Christ, such as it is in the field and in the +convent, by which means it will be made plainly manifest to what extent +the soldiery of GOD and the soldiery of the WORLD differ from one +another.... The soldiers of Christ live together in common in an agreeable +but frugal manner, without wives and without children; and that nothing +may be wanting to evangelical perfection, they dwell together without +property of any kind,[27] in one house, under one rule, careful to +preserve the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. You may say, that +to the whole multitude there is but one heart and one soul, as each one in +no respect followeth after his own will or desire, but is diligent to do +the will of the Master. They are never idle nor rambling abroad, but when +they are not in the field, that they may not eat their bread in idleness, +they are fitting and repairing their armour and their clothing, or +employing themselves in such occupations as the will of the Master +requireth, or their common necessities render expedient. Among them there +is no distinction of persons; respect is paid to the best and most +virtuous, not the most noble. They participate in each other's honour, +they bear one another's burthens, that they may fulfil the law of Christ. +An insolent expression, a useless undertaking, immoderate laughter, the +least murmur or whispering, if found out, passeth not without severe +rebuke. They detest cards and dice, they shun the sports of the field, and +take no delight in that ludicrous catching of birds, (hawking,) which men +are wont to indulge in. Jesters, and soothsayers, and storytellers, +scurrilous songs, shows and games, they contemptuously despise and +abominate as vanities and mad follies. They cut their hair, knowing that, +according to the apostle, it is not seemly in a man to have long hair. +They are never combed, seldom washed, but appear rather with rough +neglected hair, foul with dust, and with skins browned by the sun and +their coats of mail. + +"Moreover, on the approach of battle they fortify themselves with faith +within, and with steel without, and not with gold, so that, armed and not +adorned, they may strike terror into the enemy, rather than awaken his +lust of plunder. They strive earnestly to possess strong and swift horses, +but not garnished with ornaments or decked with trappings, thinking of +battle and of victory, and not of pomp and show, and studying to inspire +fear rather than admiration.... + +"Such hath God chosen for his own, and hath collected together as his +ministers from the ends of the earth, from among the bravest of Israel, +who indeed vigilantly and faithfully guard the holy sepulchre, all armed +with the sword, and most learned in the art of war...." + + +"Concerning the TEMPLE." + +"There is indeed a Temple at Jerusalem in which they dwell together, +unequal, it is true, as a building, to that ancient and most famous one +of Solomon, but not inferior in glory. For truly, the entire magnificence +of that consisted in corrupt things, in gold and silver, in carved stone, +and in a variety of woods; but the whole beauty of this resteth in the +adornment of an agreeable conversation, in the godly devotion of its +inmates, and their beautifully-ordered mode of life. That was admired for +its various external beauties, this is venerated for its different virtues +and sacred actions, as becomes the sanctity of the house of God, who +delighteth not so much in polished marbles as in well-ordered behaviour, +and regardeth pure minds more than gilded walls. The face likewise of this +Temple is adorned with arms, not with gems, and the wall, instead of the +ancient golden chapiters, is covered around with pendent shields. Instead +of the ancient candelabra, censers, and lavers, the house is on all sides +furnished with bridles, saddles, and lances, all which plainly demonstrate +that the soldiers burn with the same zeal for the house of God, as that +which formerly animated their great leader, when, vehemently enraged, he +entered into the Temple, and with that most sacred hand, armed not with +steel, but with a scourge which he had made of small thongs, drove out the +merchants, poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables of +them that sold doves; most indignantly condemning the pollution of the +house of prayer, by the making of it a place of merchandize." + +"The devout army of Christ, therefore, earnestly incited by the example of +its king, thinking indeed that the holy places are much more impiously and +insufferably polluted by the infidels than when defiled by merchants, +abide in the holy house with horses and with arms, so that from that, as +well as all the other sacred places, all filthy and diabolical madness of +infidelity being driven out, they may occupy themselves by day and by +night in honourable and useful offices. They emulously honour the Temple +of God with sedulous and sincere oblations, offering sacrifices therein +with constant devotion, not indeed of the flesh of cattle after the +manner of the ancients, but peaceful sacrifices, brotherly love, devout +obedience, voluntary poverty." + +"These things are done perpetually at Jerusalem, and the world is aroused, +the islands hear, and the nations take heed from afar...." + +St. Bernard then congratulates Jerusalem on the advent of the soldiers of +Christ, and declares that the holy city will rejoice with a double joy in +being rid of all her oppressors, the ungodly, the robbers, the +blasphemers, murderers, perjurers, and adulterers; and in receiving her +faithful defenders and sweet consolers, under the shadow of whose +protection "Mount Zion shall rejoice, and the daughters of Judah sing for +joy." + +"Be joyful, O Jerusalem," says he, in the words of the prophet Isaiah, +"and know that the time of thy visitation hath arrived. Arise now, shake +thyself from the dust, O virgin captive, daughter of Zion; arise, I say, +and stand forth amongst the mighty, and see the pleasantness that cometh +unto thee from thy God. Thou shalt no more be termed _forsaken_, neither +shall thy land any more be termed _desolate_.... Lift up thine eyes round +about, and behold; all these gather themselves together, and come to thee. +This is the assistance sent unto thee from on High. Now, now, indeed, +through these is that ancient promise made to thee thoroughly to be +performed. 'I will make thee an eternal joy, a glory from generation to +generation.' + + * * * * * + +"HAIL, therefore, O holy city, hallowed by the tabernacle of the Most +High! HAIL, city of the great King, wherein so many wonderful and welcome +miracles have been perpetually displayed. HAIL, mistress of the nations, +princess of provinces, possession of patriarchs, mother of the prophets +and apostles, initiatress of the faith, glory of the christian people, +whom God hath on that account always from the beginning permitted to be +visited with affliction, that thou mightest thus be the occasion of virtue +as well as of salvation to brave men. HAIL, land of promise, which, +formerly flowing only with milk and honey for thy possessors, now +stretchest forth the food of life, and the means of salvation to the +entire world. Most excellent and happy land, I say, which receiving the +celestial grain from the recess of the paternal heart in that most +fruitful bosom of thine, hast produced such rich harvests of martyrs from +the heavenly seed, and whose fertile soil hast no less manifoldly +engendered fruit a thirtieth, sixtieth, and a hundredfold in the remaining +race of all the faithful throughout the entire world. Whence most +agreeably satiated, and most abundantly crammed with the great store of +thy pleasantness, those who have seen thee diffuse around them +(_eructant_) in every place the remembrance of thy abundant sweetness, and +tell of the magnificence of thy glory to the very end of the earth to +those who have not seen thee, and relate the wonderful things that are +done in thee." + +"Glorious things are spoken concerning thee, CITY OF GOD!" + + + + +CHAPTER III. + + Hugh de Payens returns to Palestine--His death--Robert de Craon made + Master--Success of the Infidels--The second Crusade--The Templars + assume the Red Cross--Their gallant actions and high + discipline--Lands, manors, and churches granted them in + England--Bernard de Tremelay made Master--He is slain by the + Infidels--Bertrand de Blanquefort made Master--He is taken prisoner, + and sent in chains to Aleppo--The Pope writes letters in praise of the + Templars--Their religious and military enthusiasm--Their war banner + called _Beauseant_--The rise of the rival religio-military order of + the Hospital of St. John. + + "We heard the _tecbir_, so the Arabs call + Their shouts of onset, when with loud appeal + They challenge _heaven_, as if demanding conquest." + + +[Sidenote: HUGH DE PAYENS. A. D. 1129.] + +Hugh de Payens, having now laid in Europe the foundations of the great +monastic and military institution of the Temple, which was destined +shortly to spread its ramifications to the remotest quarters of +Christendom, returned to Palestine at the head of a valiant band of +newly-elected Templars, drawn principally from England and France. + +On their arrival at Jerusalem they were received with great distinction by +the king, the clergy, and the barons of the Latin kingdom, a grand council +was called together, at which Hugh de Payens assisted, and various warlike +measures were undertaken for the extension and protection of the christian +territories. + +[Sidenote: ROBERT DE CRAON. A. D. 1136.] + +Hugh de Payens died, however, shortly after his return, and was succeeded +(A. D. 1136) by the Lord Robert, surnamed the Burgundian, (son-in-law of +Anselm, Archbishop of Canterbury,) who, after the death of his wife, had +taken the vows and the habit of the Templars.[28] He was a valiant and +skilful general,[29] but the utmost exertions of himself and his military +monks were found insufficient to sustain the tottering empire of the Latin +Christians. + +The fierce religious and military enthusiasm of the Mussulmen had been +again aroused by the warlike Zinghis and his son Noureddin, two of the +most famous chieftains of the age, who were regarded by the disciples of +Mahomet as champions that could avenge the cause of the prophet, and +recover to the civil and religious authority of the caliph the lost city +of Jerusalem, and all the holy places so deeply venerated by the Moslems. +The one was named _Emod-ed-deen_, "Pillar of religion;" and the other +_Nour-ed-deen_, "Light of religion," vulgarly, Noureddin. The Templars +were worsted by overpowering numbers in several battles; and in one of +these the valiant Templar, Brother Odo de Montfaucon, was slain.[30] +Emodeddeen took Taenza, Estarel, Hizam, Hesn-arruk, Hesn-Collis, &c. &c., +and closed his victorious career by the capture of the important city of +Edessa. Noureddin followed in the footsteps of the father: he obtained +possession of the fortresses of Arlene, Mamoula, Basarfont, Kafarlatha; +and overthrew with terrific slaughter the young Jocelyn de Courtenay, in a +rash attempt to recover possession of his principality of Edessa.[31] The +Latin kingdom of Jerusalem was shaken to its foundations, and the oriental +clergy in trepidation and alarm sent urgent letters to the Pope for +assistance. The holy pontiff accordingly commissioned St. Bernard to +preach the second crusade. + +[Sidenote: EVERARD DES BARRES. A. D. 1146.] + +The Lord Robert, Master of the Temple, was at this period (A. D. 1146) +succeeded by Everard des Barres, Prior of France, who convened a general +chapter of the order at Paris, which was attended by Pope Eugenius the +Third, Louis the Seventh, king of France, and many prelates, princes, and +nobles, from all parts of Christendom. The second crusade was there +arranged, and the Templars, with the sanction of the Pope, assumed the +blood-red cross, the symbol of martyrdom, as the distinguishing badge of +the order, which was appointed to be worn on their habits and mantles on +the left side of the breast over the heart, whence they came afterwards to +be known by the name of the _Red Friars_ and the _Red Cross Knights_.[32] + +At this famous assembly various donations were made to the Templars, to +enable them to provide more effectually for the defence of the Holy Land. +Bernard Baliol, through love of God and for the good of his soul, granted +them his estate of Wedelee, in Hertfordshire, which afterwards formed part +of the preceptory of Temple Dynnesley. This grant is expressed to be made +at the chapter held at Easter, in Paris, in the presence of the Pope, the +king of France, several archbishops, and one hundred and thirty Knights +Templars clad in white mantles.[33] Shortly before this, the Dukes of +Brittany and Lorraine, and the Counts of Brabant and Fourcalquier, had +given to the order various lands and estates; and the possessions and +power of the fraternity continued rapidly to increase in every part of +Europe.[34] + +[Sidenote: A. D. 1147.] + +Brother Everard des Barres, the newly-elected Master of the Temple, having +collected together all the brethren from the western provinces, joined the +standard of Louis, the French king, and accompanied the crusaders to +Palestine. + +During the march through Asia Minor, the rear of the christian army was +protected by the Templars, who greatly signalized themselves on every +occasion. Odo of Deuil or Diagolum, the chaplain of King Louis, and his +constant attendant upon this expedition, informs us that the king loved to +see the frugality and simplicity of the Templars, and to imitate it; he +praised their union and disinterestedness, admired above all things the +attention they paid to their accoutrements, and their care in husbanding +and preserving their equipage and munitions of war: he proposed them as a +model to the rest of the army, and in a council of war it was solemnly +ordered that all the soldiers and officers should bind themselves in +confraternity with the Templars, and should march under their orders.[35] + +Conrad, emperor of Germany, had preceded King Louis at the head of a +powerful army, which was cut to pieces by the infidels in the north of +Asia; he fled to Constantinople, embarked on board some merchant vessels, +and arrived with only a few attendants at Jerusalem, where he was received +and entertained by the Templars, and was lodged in the Temple in the Holy +City.[36] Shortly afterwards King Louis arrived, accompanied by the new +Master of the Temple, Everard des Barres; and the Templars now unfolded +for the first time the red-cross banner in the field of battle. This was a +white standard made of woollen stuff, having in the centre of it the +blood-red cross granted by Pope Eugenius. The two monarchs, Louis and +Conrad, took the field, supported by the Templars, and laid siege to the +magnificent city of Damascus, "the Queen of Syria," which was defended by +the great Noureddin, "Light of religion," and his brother _Saif-eddin_, +"Sword of the faith." + +[Sidenote: A. D. 1148.] + +The services rendered by the Templars are thus gratefully recorded in the +following letter sent by Louis, the French king, to his minister and +vicegerent, the famous Suger, abbot of St. Denis. + +"Louis, by the grace of God king of France and Aquitaine, to his beloved +and most faithful friend Suger, the very reverend Abbot of St. Denis, +health and good wishes. + +"... I cannot imagine how we could have subsisted for even the smallest +space of time in these parts, had it not been for their (the Templars') +support and assistance, which have never failed me from the first day I +set foot in these lands up to the time of my despatching this letter--a +succour ably afforded and generously persevered in. I therefore earnestly +beseech you, that as these brothers of the Temple have hitherto been +blessed with the love of God, so now they may be gladdened and sustained +by our love and favour. + +"I have to inform you that they have lent me a considerable sum of money, +which must be repaid to them quickly, that their house may not suffer, and +that I may keep my word...."[37] + +Among the English nobility who enlisted in the second crusade were the two +renowned warriors, Roger de Mowbray and William de Warrenne.[38] Roger de +Mowbray was one of the most powerful and warlike of the barons of England, +and was one of the victorious leaders at the famous battle of the +standard: he marched with King Louis to Palestine; fought under the +banners of the Temple against the infidels, and, smitten with admiration +of the piety and valour of the holy warriors of the order, he gave them, +on his return to England, many valuable estates and possessions. Among +these were the manors of Kileby and Witheley, divers lands in the isle of +Axholme, the town of Balshall in the county of Warwick, and various places +in Yorkshire; and so munificent were his donations, that the Templars +conceded to him and to his heirs this special privilege, that as often as +the said Roger or his heirs should find any brother of the order of the +Temple exposed to public penance, according to the rule and custom of the +religion of the Templars, it should be lawful for the said Roger and his +heirs to release such brother from the punishment of his public penance, +without the interference or contradiction of any brother of the order.[39] + +[Sidenote: A. D. 1149.] + +About the same period, Stephen, king of England, for the health of his own +soul and that of Queen Matilda his wife, and for the good of the souls of +King Henry, his grandfather, and Eustace, his son, and all his other +children, granted and confirmed to God and the blessed Virgin Mary, and to +the brethren of the knighthood of the Temple of Solomon at Jerusalem, all +the manor of Cressynge, with the advowson of the church of the same manor, +and also the manors of Egle and Witham.[40] Queen Matilda, likewise, for +the good of the souls of Earl Eustace, her father, the Lord Stephen, king +of England, her husband, and of all her other children, granted "to the +brethren of the Temple at Jerusalem" the manor of Covele or Cowley in +Oxfordshire, two mills in the same county, common of pasture in Shotover +forest, and the church of Stretton in Rutland.[41] Ralph de Hastings and +William de Hastings also gave to the Templars, in the same reign, (A. D. +1152,) lands at Hurst and Wyxham in Yorkshire, afterwards formed into the +preceptory of Temple Hurst. William Asheby granted them the estate whereon +the house and church of Temple Bruere were afterwards erected;[42] and the +order continued rapidly to increase in power and wealth in England and in +all parts of Europe, through the charitable donations of pious Christians. + +After the miserable failure of the second crusade,[43] brother Everard des +Barres, the Master of the Temple, returned to Paris, with his friend and +patron Louis, the French king; and the Templars, deprived of their chief, +were now left alone and unaided to withstand the victorious career of the +fanatical Mussulmen. Their miserable situation is thus portrayed in a +melancholy letter from the treasurer of the order, written to the Master, +Everard des Barres, during his sojourn at the court of the king of France. + +"Since we have been deprived of your beloved presence, we have had the +misfortune to lose in battle the prince of Antioch[44] and all his +nobility. To this catastrophe has succeeded another. The infidels invaded +the territory of Antioch; they drove all before them, and threw garrisons +into several strong places. On the first intelligence of this disaster, +our brethren assembled in arms, and in concert with the king of Jerusalem +went to the succour of the desolated province. We could only get together +for this expedition one hundred and twenty knights and one thousand +serving brothers and hired soldiers, for whose equipment we expended seven +thousand crowns at Acre, and one thousand at Jerusalem. Your paternity +knows on what condition we assented to your departure, and our extreme +want of money, of cavalry, and of infantry. We earnestly implore you to +rejoin us as soon as possible, with all the necessary succours for the +Eastern Church, our common mother. + +"... Scarce had we arrived in the neighbourhood of Antioch, ere we were +hemmed in by the Turcomans on the one side, and the sultan of Aleppo +(Noureddin) on the other, who blockade us in the environs of the town, +whilst our vineyards are destroyed, and our harvests laid waste. +Overwhelmed with grief at the pitiable condition to which we are reduced, +we conjure you to abandon everything, and embark without delay. Never was +your presence more necessary to your brethren;--at no conjuncture could +your return be more agreeable to God.... The greater part of those whom +we led to the succour of Antioch are dead.... + +"We conjure you to bring with you from beyond sea all our knights and +serving brothers capable of bearing arms. Perchance, alas! with all your +diligence, you may not find one of us alive. Use, therefore, all +imaginable celerity; pray forget not the necessities of our house: they +are such that no tongue can express them. It is also of the last +importance to announce to the Pope, to the King of France, and to all the +princes and prelates of Europe, the approaching desolation of the Holy +Land, to the intent that they succour us in person, or send us subsidies. +Whatever obstacles may be opposed to your departure, we trust to your zeal +to surmount them, for now hath arrived the time for perfectly +accomplishing our vows in sacrificing ourselves for our brethren, for the +defence of the eastern church, and the holy sepulchre.... + +"For you, our dear brothers in Europe, whom the same engagements and the +same vows ought to make keenly alive to our misfortunes, join yourselves +to our chief, enter into his views, second his designs, fail not to sell +everything; come to the rescue; it is from you we await liberty and +life!"[45] + +On the receipt of this letter, the Master of the Temple, instead of +proceeding to Palestine, abdicated his authority, and entered into the +monastery of Clairvaux, where he devoted the remainder of his days to the +most rigorous penance and mortification. + +[Sidenote: BERNARD DE TREMELAY. A. D. 1151. A. D. 1152.] + +He was succeeded (A. D. 1151) by Bernard de Tremelay, a nobleman of an +illustrious family in Burgundy, in France, and a valiant and experienced +soldier.[46] + +The infidels made continual incursions into the christian territories, +and shortly after his accession to power they crossed the Jordan, and +advanced within sight of Jerusalem. Their yellow and green banners waved +on the summit of the Mount of Olives, and the warlike sound of their +kettle-drums and trumpets was heard within the sacred precincts of the +holy city. They encamped on the mount over against the Temple; and had the +satisfaction of regarding from a distance the _Beit Allah_, or Temple of +the Lord, their holy house of prayer. In a night attack, however, they +were defeated with terrible slaughter, and were pursued all the way to the +Jordan, five thousand of their number being left dead on the plain.[47] + +Shortly after this affair the Templars lost their great patron, Saint +Bernard, who died on the 20th of April, A. D. 1153, in the sixty-third +year of his age. On his deathbed he wrote three letters in behalf of the +order. The first was addressed to the patriarch of Antioch, exhorting him +to protect and encourage the Templars, a thing which the holy abbot +assures him will prove most acceptable to God and man. The second was +written to Melesinda, queen of Jerusalem, praising her majesty for the +favour shown by her to the brethren of the order; and the third, addressed +to Brother Andre de Montbard, a Knight Templar, conveys the affectionate +salutations of St. Bernard to the Master and brethren, to whose prayers he +recommends himself.[48] + +The same year, at the siege of Ascalon, the Master of the Temple and his +knights attempted alone and unaided to take that important city by storm. +At the dawn of day they rushed through a breach made in the walls, and +penetrated to the centre of the town. There they were surrounded by the +infidels and overpowered, and, according to the testimony of an +eye-witness, who was in the campaign from its commencement to its close, +not a single Templar escaped: they were slain to a man, and the dead +bodies of the Master and his ill-fated knights were exposed in triumph +from the walls.[49] + +[Sidenote: BERTRAND DE BLANQUEFORT. A. D. 1154.] + +De Tremelay was succeeded (A. D. 1154) by Brother Bertrand de Blanquefort, +a knight of a noble family of Guienne, called by William of Tyre a pious +and God-fearing man. + +[Sidenote: A. D. 1156.] + +The Templars continued to be the foremost in every encounter with the +Mussulmen, and the Monkish writers exult in the number of infidels they +sent to _hell_. A proportionate number of the fraternity must at the same +time have ascended to _heaven_, for the slaughter amongst them was +terrific. On Tuesday, June 19, A. D. 1156, they were drawn into an +ambuscade whilst marching with Baldwin, king of Jerusalem, near Tiberias, +three hundred of the brethren were slain on the field of battle, and +eighty-seven fell into the hands of the enemy, among whom was Bertrand de +Blanquefort himself, and Brother Odo, marshal of the kingdom.[50] Shortly +afterwards, thirty Knights Templars put to flight, slaughtered, and +captured, two hundred infidels;[51] and in a night attack on the camp of +Noureddin, they compelled that famous chieftain to fly, without arms and +half-naked, from the field of battle. In this last affair the names of +Robert Mansel, an Englishman, and Gilbert de Lacy, preceptor of the Temple +of Tripoli, are honourably mentioned.[52] The services of the Templars +were gratefully acknowledged in Europe, and the Pope, in a letter written +in their behalf to the Archbishop of Rheims, his legate in France, +characterizes them as "New Maccabees, far famed and most valiant +champions of the Lord." "The assistance," says the Pope, "rendered by +those holy warriors to all Christendom, their zeal and valour, and +untiring exertions in defending from the persecution and subtilty of the +filthy Pagans, those sacred places which have been enlightened by the +corporal presence of our Saviour, we doubt not have been spread abroad +throughout the world, and are known, not only to the neighbouring nations, +but to all those who dwell at the remotest corners of the earth." The holy +pontiff exhorts the archbishop to procure for them all the succour +possible, both in men and horses, and to exert himself in their favour +among all his suffragan bishops.[53] + +The fiery zeal and warlike enthusiasm of the Templars were equalled, if +not surpassed, by the stern fanaticism and religious ardour of the +followers of Mahomet. "Noureddin fought," says his oriental biographer, +"like the meanest of his soldiers, saying, 'Alas! it is now a long time +that I have been seeking martyrdom without being able to obtain it.' The +Imaum Koteb-ed-din, hearing him on one occasion utter these words, +exclaimed, 'In the name of God do not put your life in danger, do not thus +expose Islam and the Moslems. Thou art their stay and support, and if (but +God preserve us therefrom) thou shouldest be slain, it will be all up with +us.' 'Ah! Koteb-ed-deen,' said he, 'what hast thou said, who can save +_Islam_[54] and our country, but that great God who has no equal?' 'What,' +said he, on another occasion, 'do we not look to the security of our +houses against robbers and plunderers, and shall we not defend +religion?'"[55] + +Like the Templars, Noureddin fought constantly with spiritual and with +carnal weapons. He resisted the world and its temptations by fasting and +prayer, and by the daily exercise of the moral and religious duties and +virtues inculcated by the Koran. He fought with the sword against the foes +of Islam, and employed his whole energies, to the last hour of his life, +in the enthusiastic and fanatic struggle for the recovery of +Jerusalem.[56] + +The close points of resemblance, indeed, between the religious fanaticism +of the Templars and that of the Moslems are strikingly remarkable. In the +Moslem camp, we are told by the Arabian writers, all profane and frivolous +conversation was severely prohibited; the exercises of religion were +assiduously practised, and the intervals of action were employed in +prayer, meditation, and the study of the Koran. + +The Templars style themselves "The Avengers of Jesus Christ," and the +"instruments and ministers of God for the punishment of infidels," and the +Pope and the holy fathers of the church proclaim that it is specially +entrusted to them "to blot out from the earth all unbelievers," and they +hold out the joys of paradise as the glorious reward for the dangers and +difficulties of the task.[57] "In fighting for Christ," declares St. +Bernard, in his address to the Templars, "the kingdom of Christ is +acquired.... Go forth, therefore, O soldiers, in nowise mistrusting, and +with a fearless spirit cast down the enemies of the cross of Christ, in +the certain assurance that neither in life nor in death can ye be +separated from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus, repeating to +yourselves in every danger, whether we live or whether we die we are the +Lord's. How gloriously do the victors return from the fight, how happy do +the martyrs die in battle! Rejoice, valiant champion, if thou livest and +conquerest in the Lord, but rejoice rather and glory if thou shouldest die +and be joined unto the Lord.... If those are happy who die _in_ the Lord, +how much more so are those who die _for_ the Lord!... Precious in the +sight of God will be the death of his holy soldiers." + +"The _sword_," says the prophet Mahomet, on the other hand, "is the key of +heaven and of hell; a drop of blood shed in the cause of God, a night +spent in arms, is of more avail than two months of fasting and of prayer. +Whosoever falls in battle, his sins are forgiven him at the day of +judgment. His wounds will be resplendent as vermilion, and odoriferous as +musk, and the loss of limbs shall be supplied by the wings of angels and +of cherubims." + +Thus writes the famous Caliph Abubeker, the successor of Mahomet, to the +Arabian tribes: + +"In the name of the most merciful GOD, _Abdollah Athich Ib'n Abi Kohapha_, +to the rest of the true believers."... "This is to acquaint you, that I +intend to send the true believers into Syria, to take it out of the hands +of the infidels, and I would have you to know, that _the fighting for +religion is an act of obedience to_ GOD." + +"Remember," said the same successor of the prophet and commander of the +faithful, to the holy warriors who had assembled in obedience to his +mandate, "that you are always in the presence of God, on the verge of +death, in the assurance of judgment, and the hope of paradise.... When you +fight _the battles of the Lord_, acquit yourselves like men, and turn not +your backs." + +The prowess and warlike daring of the Templars in the field are thus +described by St. Bernard. + +"When the conflict has begun, then at length they throw aside their former +meekness and gentleness, exclaiming, _Do not I hate them, O Lord, that +hate thee, and am I not grieved with those who rise up against thee?_ They +rush in upon their adversaries, they scatter them like sheep, in nowise +fearing, though few in number, the fierce barbarism or the immense +multitude of the enemy. They have learned indeed to rely, not on their own +strength, but to count on victory through the aid of the Lord God Sabaoth, +to whom they believe it easy enough, according to the words of Maccabees, +to make an end of many by the hands of a few, for victory in battle +dependeth not on the multitude of the army, but on the strength given from +on high, which, indeed, they have very frequently experienced, since one +of them will pursue a thousand, and two will put to flight ten thousand. +Yea, and lastly, in a wonderful and remarkable manner, they are observed +to be both more gentle than _lambs_, and more fierce than _lions_, so that +I almost doubt which I had better determine to call them, monks forsooth, +or soldiers, unless perhaps, as more fitting, I should name them both the +one and the other." + +At a later period, Cardinal de Vitry, Bishop of Acre, the frequent +companion of the Knights Templars on their military expeditions, thus +describes the religious and military enthusiasm of the Templars: "When +summoned to arms they never demand the number of the enemy, but where are +they? Lions they are in war, gentle lambs in the convent; fierce soldiers +in the field, hermits and monks in religion; to the enemies of Christ +ferocious and inexorable, but to Christians kind and gracious. They carry +before them," says he, "to battle, a banner, half black and white, which +they call _Beau-seant_, that is to say, in the Gallic tongue, +_Bien-seant_, because they are fair and favourable to the friends of +Christ, but black and terrible to his enemies."[58] + +[Sidenote: A. D. 1158.] + +Among the many instances of the fanatical ardour of the Moslem warriors, +are the following, extracted from the history of _Abu Abdollah Alwakidi_, +Cadi of Bagdad. "Methinks," said a valiant Saracen youth, in the heat of +battle against the Christians under the walls of Emesa--"methinks I see +the black-eyed girls looking upon me, one of whom, should she appear in +this world, all mankind would die for love of her; and I see in the hand +of one of them a handkerchief of green silk, and a cap made of precious +stones, and she beckons me, and calls out, Come hither quickly, for I love +thee." With these words, charging the infidels, he made havoc wherever he +went, until he was at last struck down by a javelin. "It is not," said a +dying Arabian warrior, when he embraced for the last time his sister and +mother--"it is not the fading pleasure of this world that has prompted me +to devote my life in the cause of religion, I seek the favour of God and +his apostle, and I have heard from one of the companions of the prophet, +that the spirits of the martyrs will be lodged in the crops of green birds +who taste the fruits and drink of the waters of paradise. Farewell; we +shall meet again among the groves and the fountains which God has prepared +for his elect."[59] + +[Sidenote: A. D. 1159.] + +The Master of the Temple, Brother Bertrand de Blanquefort, was liberated +from captivity at the instance of Manuel Comnenus, Emperor of +Constantinople.[60] After his release he wrote several letters to Louis +VII., king of France, describing the condition and prospects of the Holy +Land; the increasing power and boldness of the infidels; and the ruin and +desolation caused by a dreadful earthquake, which had overthrown numerous +castles, prostrated the walls and defences of several towns, and swallowed +up the dwellings of the inhabitants. "The persecutors of the church," says +he, "hasten to avail themselves of our misfortunes; they gather themselves +together from the ends of the earth, and come forth as one man against the +sanctuary of God."[61] + +It was during his mastership, that Geoffrey, the Knight Templar, and Hugh +of Caesarea, were sent on an embassy into Egypt, and had an interview with +the Caliph. They were introduced into the palace of the Fatimites through +a series of gloomy passages and glittering porticos, amid the warbling of +birds and the murmur of fountains; the scene was enriched by a display of +costly furniture and rare animals; and the long order of unfolding doors +was guarded by black soldiers and domestic eunuchs. The sanctuary of the +presence chamber was veiled with a curtain, and the vizier who conducted +the ambassadors laid aside his scimetar, and prostrated himself three +times on the ground; the veil was then removed, and they saw the Commander +of the Faithful.[62] + +Brother Bertrand de Blanquefort, in his letters to the king of France, +gives an account of the military operations undertaken by the Order of +Temple in Egypt, and of the capture of the populous and important city of +Belbeis, the ancient Pelusium.[63] During the absence of the Master with +the greater part of the fraternity on that expedition, the sultan +Noureddin invaded Palestine; he defeated with terrible slaughter the +serving brethren and Turcopoles, or light horse of the order, who +remained to defend the country, and sixty of the knights who commanded +them were left dead on the plain.[64] + +[Sidenote: A. D. 1164.] + +The zeal and devotion of the Templars in the service of Christ continued +to be the theme of praise and of admiration both in the east and in the +west. Pope Alexander III., in his letters, characterizes them as the stout +champions of Jesus Christ, who warred a divine warfare, and daily laid +down their lives for their brethren. "We implore and we admonish your +fraternity," says he, addressing the archbishops and bishops, "that out of +love to God, and of reverence to the blessed Peter and ourselves, and also +out of regard for the salvation of your own souls, ye do favour, and +support, and honour them, and preserve all their rights entire and intact, +and afford them the benefit of your patronage and protection."[65] + +Amalric, king of Jerusalem, the successor of Baldwin the Third, in a +letter "to his dear friend and father," Louis the Seventh, king of France, +beseeches the good offices of that monarch in behalf of all the devout +Christians of the Holy Land; "but above all," says he, "we earnestly +entreat your Majesty constantly to extend to the utmost your favour and +regard to the Brothers of the Temple, who continually render up their +lives for God and the faith, and through whom we do the little that we are +able to effect, for in them indeed, after God, is placed the entire +reliance of all those in the eastern regions who tread in the right +path."...[66] + + +[Sidenote: PHILIP OF NAPLOUS. A. D. 1167.] + +The Master, Brother Bertrand de Blanquefort, was succeeded (A. D. 1167,) +by Philip of Naplous, the first Master of the Temple who had been born in +Palestine. He had been Lord of the fortresses of Krak and Montreal in +Arabia Petraea, and took the vows and the habit of the order of the Temple +after the death of his wife.[67] + +We must now pause to take a glance at the rise of another great +religio-military institution which, from henceforth, takes a leading part +in the defence of the Latin kingdom. + +In the eleventh century, when pilgrimages to Jerusalem had greatly +increased, some Italian merchants of Amalfi, who carried on a lucrative +trade with Palestine, purchased of the Caliph _Monstasser-billah_, a piece +of ground in the christian quarter of the Holy City, near the Church of +the Resurrection, whereon two hospitals were constructed, the one being +appropriated for the reception of male pilgrims, and the other for +females. Several pious and charitable Christians, chiefly from Europe, +devoted themselves in these hospitals to constant attendance upon the sick +and destitute. Two chapels were erected, the one annexed to the female +establishment being dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene, and the other to St. +John the Eleemosynary, a canonized patriarch of Alexandria, remarkable for +his exceeding charity. The pious and kind-hearted people who here attended +upon the sick pilgrims, clothed the naked and fed the hungry, were called +"The Hospitallers of Saint John." + +On the conquest of Jerusalem by the Crusaders, these charitable persons +were naturally regarded with the greatest esteem and reverence by their +fellow-christians from the west; many of the soldiers of the Cross, +smitten with their piety and zeal, desired to participate in their good +offices, and the Hospitallers, animated by the religious enthusiasm of the +day, determined to renounce the world, and devote the remainder of their +lives to pious duties and constant attendance upon the sick. They took the +customary monastic vows of obedience, chastity, and poverty, and assumed +as their distinguishing habit a _black_ mantle with a _white_ cross on the +breast. Various lands and possessions were granted them by the lords and +princes of the Crusade, both in Palestine and in Europe, and the order of +the hospital of St. John speedily became a great and powerful +institution.[68] + +Gerard, a native of Provence, was at this period at the head of the +society, with the title of "Guardian of the Poor." He was succeeded (A. D. +1118) by Raymond Dupuy, a knight of Dauphine, who drew up a series of +rules for the direction and government of his brethren. In these rules no +traces are discoverable of the military spirit which afterwards animated +the order of the Hospital of St. John. The Abbe de Vertot, from a desire +perhaps to pay court to the Order of Malta, carries back the assumption of +arms by the Hospitallers to the year 1119, and describes them as fiercely +engaged under the command of Raymond Dupuy, in the battle fought between +the Christians and Dol de Kuvin, Sultan of Damascus; but none of the +historians of the period make any mention whatever of the Hospitallers in +that action. De Vertot quotes no authority in support of his statement, +and it appears to be a mere fiction. + +The first authentic notice of an intention on the part of the Hospitallers +to occupy themselves with military matters, occurs in the bull of Pope +Innocent the Second, dated A. D. 1130. This bull is addressed to the +archbishops, bishops, and clergy of the church universal, and informs +them that the Hospitallers then retained, at their own expense, a body of +horsemen and foot soldiers, to defend the pilgrims in going to and in +returning from the holy places; the pope observes that the funds of the +hospital were insufficient to enable them effectually to fulfil the pious +and holy task, and he exhorts the archbishops, bishops, and clergy, to +minister to the necessities of the order out of their abundant +property.[69] The Hospitallers consequently at this period had resolved to +add the task of _protecting_ to that of tending and relieving pilgrims. + +After the accession (A. D. 1168) of Gilbert d'Assalit to the guardianship +of the Hospital--a man described by De Vertot as "bold and enterprising, +and of an extravagant genius"--a military spirit was infused into the +Hospitallers, which speedily predominated over their pious and charitable +zeal in attending upon the poor and the sick. Gilbert d'Assalit was the +friend and confidant of Amalric, king of Jerusalem, and planned with that +monarch a wicked invasion of Egypt in defiance of treaties. The Master of +the Temple being consulted concerning the expedition, flatly refused to +have anything to do with it, or to allow a single brother of the order of +the Temple to accompany the king in arms; "For it appeared a hard matter +to the Templars," says William of Tyre, "to wage war without cause, in +defiance of treaties, and against all honour and conscience, upon a +friendly nation, preserving faith with us, and relying on our own +faith."[70] Gilbert d'Assalit consequently determined to obtain for the +king from his own brethren that aid which the Templars denied; and to +tempt the Hospitallers to arm themselves generally as a great military +society, in imitation of the Templars,[71] and join the expedition to +Egypt, Gilbert d'Assalit was authorised to promise them, in the name of +the king, the possession of the wealthy and important city of Belbeis, the +ancient Pelusium, in perpetual sovereignty.[72] + +According to De Vertot, the senior Hospitallers were greatly averse to the +military projects of their chief: "They urged," says he, "that they were a +religious order, and that the church had not put arms into their hands to +make conquests;"[73] but the younger and more ardent of the brethren, +burning to exchange the monotonous life of the cloister for the enterprize +and activity of the camp, received the proposals of their superior with +enthusiasm, and a majority of the chapter decided in favour of the plans +and projects of their Guardian. They authorized him to borrow money of the +Florentine and Genoese merchants, to take hired soldiers into the pay of +the order, and to organize the Hospitallers as a great military society. + +Gilbert d'Assalit bestirred himself with great energy in the execution of +these schemes; he wrote letters to the king of France for aid and +assistance,[74] and borrowed money of the emperor of Constantinople. +"Assalit," says De Vertot, "with this money levied a great body of +troops, which he took into the pay of the order; and as his fancy was +entirely taken up with flattering hopes of conquest, he drew by his +indiscreet liberalities a great number of volunteers into his service, who +like him shared already in imagination all the riches of Egypt." + +[Sidenote: A.D. 1168.] + +It was in the first year of the government of Philip of Naplous (A. D. +1168) that the king of Jerusalem and the Hospitallers marched forth upon +their memorable and unfortunate expedition. The Egyptians were taken +completely by surprise; the city of Belbeis was carried by assault, and +the defenceless inhabitants were barbarously massacred; "they spared," +says De Vertot, "neither old men nor women, nor children at the breast," +after which the desolated city was delivered up to the brethren of the +Hospital of St. John. They held it, however, for a very brief period; the +immorality, the cruelty, and the injustice of the Christians, speedily met +with condign punishment. The king of Jerusalem was driven back into +Palestine; Belbeis was abandoned with precipitation; and the Hospitallers +fled before the infidels in sorrow and disappointment to Jerusalem. There +they vented their indignation and chagrin upon the unfortunate Gilbert +d'Assalit, their superior, who had got the order into debt to the extent +of 100,000 pieces of gold; they compelled him to resign his authority, and +the unfortunate guardian of the hospital fled from Palestine to England, +and was drowned in the Channel.[75] + +From this period, however, the character of the order of the Hospital of +St. John was entirely changed; the Hospitallers appear henceforth as a +great military body; their superior styles himself Master, and leads in +person the brethren into the field of battle. Attendance upon the poor and +the sick still continued, indeed, one of the duties of the fraternity, but +it must have been feebly exercised amid the clash of arms and the +excitement of war. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + The contests between Saladin and the Templars--The vast privileges of + the Templars--The publication of the bull, _omne datum optimum_--The + Pope declares himself the immediate Bishop of the entire Order--The + different classes of Templars--The knights--Priests--Serving + brethren--The hired soldiers--The great officers of the + Temple--Punishment of cowardice--The Master of the Temple is taken + prisoner, and dies in a dungeon--Saladin's great successes--The + Christians purchase a truce--The Master of the Temple and the + Patriarch Heraclius proceed to England for succour--The consecration + of the TEMPLE CHURCH at LONDON. + + "The firmest bulwark of Jerusalem was founded on the knights of the + Hospital of St. John and of the Temple of Solomon; on the strange + association of a monastic and military life, which fanaticism might + suggest, but of which policy must approve. The flower of the nobility + of Europe aspired to wear the cross and profess the vows of these + respectable orders; their spirit and discipline were immortal; and the + speedy donation of twenty-eight thousand farms or manors enabled them + to support a regular force of cavalry and infantry for the defence of + Palestine."--_Gibbon._ + + +[Sidenote: ODO DE ST. AMAND. A. D. 1170.] + +The Master, Philip of Naplous, resigned his authority after a short +government of three years, and was succeeded by Brother Odo de St. Amand, +a proud and fiery warrior, of undaunted courage and resolution; having, +according to William, Archbishop of Tyre, the fear neither of God nor of +man before his eyes.[76] + +The Templars were now destined to meet with a more formidable opponent +than any they had hitherto encountered in the field, one who was again to +cause the crescent to triumph over the cross, and to plant the standard of +the prophet upon the walls of the holy city. + +When the Fatimite caliph had received intelligence of Amalric's invasion +of Egypt, he sent the hair of his women, one of the greatest tokens of +distress known in the East, to the pious Noureddin, who immediately +despatched a body of troops to his assistance, headed by Sheerkoh, and his +nephew, _Youseef-Ben-Acoub-Ben-Schadi_, the famous Saladin. Sheerkoh died +immediately after his arrival, and Youseef succeeded to his command, and +was appointed vizier of the caliph. Youseef had passed his youth in +pleasure and debauchery, sloth and indolence: he had quitted with regret +the delights of Damascus for the dusty plains of Egypt; and but for the +unjustifiable expedition of King Amalric and the Hospitallers against the +infidels, the powerful talents and the latent energies of the young +Courdish chieftain, which altogether changed the face of affairs in the +East, would in all probability never have been developed. + +As soon as Saladin grasped the power of the sword, and obtained the +command of armies, he threw off the follies of his youth, and led a new +life. He renounced the pleasures of the world, and assumed the character +of a saint. His dress was a coarse woollen garment; water was his only +drink; and he carefully abstained from everything disapproved of by the +Mussulman religion. Five times each day he prostrated himself in public +prayer, surrounded by his friends and followers, and his demeanour became +grave, serious, and thoughtful. He fought vigorously with spiritual +weapons against the temptations of the world; his nights were often spent +in watching and meditation, and he was always diligent in fasting and in +the study of the Koran. With the same zeal he combated with carnal +weapons the foes of Islam, and his admiring brethren gave him the name of +_Salah-ed-deen_, "Integrity of Religion," vulgarly called Saladin. + +At the head of forty thousand horse and foot, he crossed the desert and +ravaged the borders of Palestine; the wild Bedouins and the enthusiastic +Arabians of the far south were gathered together under his standard, and +hastened with holy zeal to obtain the crown of martyrdom in defence of the +faith. The long remembered and greatly dreaded Arab shout of onset, _Allah +acbar_, GOD _is victorious_, again resounded through the plains and the +mountains of Palestine, and the grand religious struggle for the +possession of the holy city of Jerusalem, equally reverenced by Mussulmen +and by Christians, was once more vigorously commenced. Saladin besieged +the fortified city of Gaza, which belonged to the Knights Templars, and +was considered to be the key of Palestine towards Egypt. The luxuriant +gardens, the palm and olive groves of this city of the wilderness, were +destroyed by the wild cavalry of the desert, and the innumerable tents of +the Arab host were thickly clustered on the neighbouring sand-hills. The +warlike monks of the Temple fasted and prayed, and invoked the aid of the +God of battles; the gates of the city were thrown open, and in an +unexpected sally upon the enemy's camp they performed such prodigies of +valour, that Saladin, despairing of being able to take the place, +abandoned the siege, and retired into Egypt.[77] + +[Sidenote: A. D. 1172.] + +The year following, Pope Alexander's famous bull, _omne datum optimum_, +confirming the previous privileges of the Templars, and conferring upon +them additional powers and immunities, was published in England. It +commences in the following terms: + +"Alexander, bishop, servant of the servants of God, to his beloved sons, +Odo, Master of the religious chivalry of the Temple, which is situated at +Jerusalem, and to his successors, and to all the regularly professed +brethren. + +"Every good gift and every perfect reward[78] cometh from above, +descending from the Father of light, with whom there is no change nor +shadow of variety. Therefore, O beloved children in the Lord, we praise +the Almighty God, in respect of your holy fraternity, since your religion +and venerated institution are celebrated throughout the entire world. For +although by nature ye are children of wrath, and slaves to the pleasures +of this life, yet by a favouring grace ye have not remained deaf hearers +of the gospel, but, throwing aside all earthly pomps and enjoyments, and +rejecting the broad road which leadeth unto death, ye have humbly chosen +the arduous path to everlasting life. Faithfully fulfilling the character +of soldiery of the Lord, ye constantly carry upon your breasts the sign of +the life-giving cross. Moreover, like true Israelites, and most instructed +fighters of the divine battle, inflamed with true charity, ye fulfil by +your works the word of the gospel which saith, 'Greater love hath no man +than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends;' so that, in +obedience to the voice of the great Shepherd, ye in nowise fear to lay +down your lives for your brethren, and to defend them from the inroad of +the pagans; and ye may well be termed holy warriors, since ye have been +appointed by the Lord defenders of the catholic church and combatants of +the enemies of Christ." + +After this preamble, the pope earnestly exhorts the Templars to pursue +with unceasing diligence their high vocation; to defend the eastern church +with their whole hearts and souls, and to strike down the enemies of the +cross of Christ. "By the authority of God, and the blessed Peter prince of +apostles," says the holy pontiff, "we have ordained and do determine, that +the Temple in which ye are gathered together to the praise and glory of +God, for the defence of the faithful, and the deliverance of the church, +shall remain for evermore under the safeguard and protection of the holy +apostolic see, together with all the goods and possessions which ye now +lawfully enjoy, and all that ye may hereafter rightfully obtain, through +the liberality of christian kings and princes, and the alms and oblations +of the faithful. + +"We moreover by these presents decree, that the regular discipline, which, +by divine favour, hath been instituted in your house, shall be inviolably +observed, and that the brethren who have there dedicated themselves to the +service of the omnipotent God, shall live together in chastity and without +property; and making good their profession both in word and deed, they +shall remain subject and obedient in all things to the Master, or to him +whom the Master shall have set in authority over them. + +"Moreover, as the chief house at Jerusalem hath been the source and +fountain of your sacred institution and order, the Master thereof shall +always be considered the head and chief of all the houses and places +appertaining thereunto. And we further decree, that at the decease of Odo, +our beloved son in the Lord, and of each one of his successors, no man +shall be set in authority over the brethren of the same house, except he +be of the religious and military order; and has regularly professed your +habit and fellowship; and has been chosen by all the brethren unanimously, +or, at all events, by the greater part of them. + +"And from henceforth it shall not be permitted to any ecclesiastical or +secular person to infringe or diminish the customs and observances of your +religion and profession, as instituted by the Master and brethren in +common; and those rules which have been put into writing and observed by +you for some time past, shall not be changed or altered except by the +authority of the Master, with the consent of the majority of the chapter. + +"... No ecclesiastic or secular person shall dare to exact from the Master +and Brethren of the Temple, oaths, guarantees, or any such securities as +are ordinarily required from the laity. + +"Since your sacred institution and religious chivalry have been +established by divine Providence, it is not fit that you should enter into +any other order with the view of leading a more religious life, for God, +who is immutable and eternal, approveth not the inconstant heart; but +wisheth rather the good purpose, when once begun, to be persevered in to +the end of life. + +"How many and great persons have pleased the lord of an earthly empire, +under the military girdle and habit! How many and distinguished men, +gathered together in arms, have bravely fought, in these our times, in the +cause of the gospel of God, and in defence of the laws of our Father; and, +consecrating their hands in the blood of the unbelievers in the Lord, +have, after their pains and toil in this world's warfare, obtained the +reward of everlasting life! Do ye therefore, both knights and serving +brethren, assiduously pay attention to your profession, and in accordance +with the saying of the apostle, 'Let each one of you stedfastly remain in +the vocation to which you have been called.' We therefore ordain, that +when your brethren have once taken the vows, and have been received in +your sacred college, and have taken upon themselves your warfare, and the +habit of your religion, they shall no longer have the power of returning +again to the world; nor can any, after they have once made profession, +abjure the cross and habit of your religion, with the view of entering +another convent or monastery of stricter or more lax discipline, without +the consent of the brethren, or Master, or of him whom the Master hath set +in authority over them; nor shall any ecclesiastic or secular person be +permitted to receive or retain them. + +"And since those who are defenders of the church ought to be supported and +maintained out of the good things of the church, we prohibit all manner of +men from exacting tithes from you in respect of your moveables or +immoveables, or any of the goods and possessions appertaining unto your +venerable house. + +"And that nothing may be wanting to the plenitude of your salvation, and +the care of your souls; and that ye may more commodiously hear divine +service, and receive the sacraments in your sacred college; we in like +manner ordain, that it shall be lawful for you to admit within your +fraternity, honest and godly clergymen and priests, as many as ye may +conscientiously require; and to receive them from whatever parts they may +come, as well in your chief house at Jerusalem, as in all the other houses +and places depending upon it, so that they do not belong to any other +religious profession or order, and so that ye ask them of the bishop, if +they come from the neighbourhood; but if peradventure the bishop should +refuse, yet nevertheless ye have permission to receive and retain them by +the authority of the holy apostolic see. + +"If any of these, after they have been professed, should turn out to be +useless, or should become disturbers of your house and religion, it shall +be lawful for you, with the consent of the major part of the chapter, to +remove them, and give them leave to enter any other order where they may +wish to live in the service of God, and to substitute others in their +places who shall undergo a probation of one year in your society; which +term being completed, if their morals render them worthy of your +fellowship, and they shall be found fit and proper for your service, then +let them make the regular profession of life according to your rule, and +of obedience to their Master, so that they have their food and clothing, +and also their lodging, with the fraternity. + +"But it shall not be lawful for them presumptuously to take part in the +consultations of your chapter, or in the government of your house; they +are permitted to do so, so far only as they are enjoined by yourselves. +And as regards the cure of souls, they are to occupy themselves with that +business so far only as they are required. Moreover, they shall be subject +to no person, power, or authority, excepting that of your own chapter, but +let them pay perfect obedience, in all matters and upon all occasions, to +thee our beloved son in the Lord, Odo, and to thy successors, as their +_Master_ and _Bishop_. + +"We moreover decree, that it shall be lawful for you to send your clerks, +when they are to be admitted to holy orders, for ordination to whatever +catholic bishop you may please, who, clothed with our apostolical power, +will grant them what they require; but we forbid them to preach with a +view of obtaining money, or for any temporal purpose whatever, unless +perchance the Master of the Temple for the time being should cause it to +be done for some special purpose. And whosoever of these are received into +your college, they must make the promise of stedfastness of purpose, of +reformation of morals, and that they will fight for the Lord all the days +of their lives, and render strict obedience to the Master of the Temple; +the book in which these things are contained being placed upon the altar. + +"We moreover, without detracting from the rights of the bishops in respect +of tithes, oblations, and buryings, concede to you the power of +constructing oratories in the places bestowed upon the sacred house of the +Temple, where you and your retainers and servants may dwell; so that both +ye and they may be able to assist at the divine offices, and receive there +the rite of sepulture; for it would be unbecoming and very dangerous to +the souls of the religious brethren, if they were to be mixed up with a +crowd of secular persons, and be brought into the company of women on the +occasion of their going to church. But as to the tithes, which, by the +advice and with the consent of the bishops, ye may be able by your zeal to +draw out of the hands of the clergy or laity, and those which with the +consent of the bishops ye may acquire from their own clergy, we confirm to +you by our apostolical authority." + +The above bull further provides, in various ways, for the temporal and +spiritual advantage of the Templars, and expressly extends the favours and +indulgences, and the apostolical blessings, to all the serving brethren, +as well as to the knights. It also confers upon the fraternity the +important privilege of causing the churches of towns and villages lying +under sentence of interdict to be opened once a year, and divine service +to be celebrated within them.[79] + +A bull exactly similar to the above appears to have been issued by Pope +Alexander, on the seventh id. Jan. A. D. 1162, addressed to the Master +Bertrand de Blanquefort.[80] Both the above instruments are to a great +extent merely confirmatory of the privileges previously conceded to the +Templars. + +The exercise or the abuse of these powers and immunities speedily brought +the Templars into collision with the ecclesiastics. At the general council +of the church, held at Rome, (A. D. 1179,) called the third of Lateran, a +grave reprimand was addressed to them by the holy Fathers. "We find," say +they, "by the frequent complaints of the bishops our colleagues, that the +Templars and Hospitallers abuse the privileges granted them by the Holy +See; that the chaplains and priests of their rule have caused parochial +churches to be conveyed over to themselves without the ordinaries' +consent; that they administer the sacraments to excommunicated persons, +and bury them with all the usual ceremonies of the church; that they +likewise abuse the permission granted the brethren of having divine +service said once a year in places under interdict, and that they admit +seculars into their fraternity, pretending thereby to give them the same +right to their privileges as if they were really professed." To provide a +remedy for these irregularities, the council forbad the military orders to +receive for the future any conveyances of churches and tithes without the +ordinaries' consent; that with regard to churches not founded by +themselves, nor served by the chaplains of the order, they should present +the priests they designed for the cure of them to the bishop of the +diocese, and reserve nothing to themselves but the cognizance of the +temporals which belonged to them; that they should not cause service to be +said, in churches under interdict, above once a year, nor give burial +there to any person whatever; and that none of their fraternity or +_associates_ should be allowed to partake of their privileges, if not +actually professed.[81] + +Several bishops from Palestine were present at this council, together with +the archbishop of Caesarea, and William archbishop of Tyre, the great +historian of the Latin kingdom. + +The order of the Temple was at this period divided into the three great +classes of knights, priests, and serving brethren, all bound together by +their vow of obedience to the Master of the Temple at Jerusalem, the chief +of the entire fraternity. Every candidate for admission into the first +class must have received the honour of knighthood in due form, according +to the laws of chivalry, before he could be admitted to the vows; and as +no person of low degree could be advanced to the honours of knighthood, +the brethren of the first class, i. e. the _Knights_ Templars, were all +men of noble birth and of high courage. Previous to the council of +Troyes, the order consisted of knights only, but the rule framed by the +holy fathers enjoins the admission of esquires and retainers to the vows, +in the following terms. + +"LXI. We have known many out of divers provinces, as well retainers as +esquires, fervently desiring for the salvation of their souls to be +admitted for life into our house. It is expedient, therefore, that you +admit them to the vows, lest perchance the old enemy should suggest +something to them whilst in God's service by stealth or unbecomingly, and +should suddenly drive them from the right path." Hence arose the great +class of serving brethren, (_fratres servientes_,) who attended the +knights into the field both on foot and on horseback, and added vastly to +the power and military reputation of the order. The serving brethren were +armed with bows, bills, and swords; it was their duty to be always near +the person of the knight, to supply him with fresh weapons or a fresh +horse in case of need, and to render him every succour in the affray. The +esquires of the knights were generally serving brethren of the order, but +the services of secular persons might be accepted. + +The order of the Temple always had in its pay a large number of retainers, +and of mercenary troops, both cavalry and infantry, which were officered +by the knights. These were clothed in black or brown garments, that they +might, in obedience to the rule,[82] be plainly distinguished from the +professed soldiers of Christ, who were habited in white. The black or +brown garment was directed to be worn by all connected with the Templars +who had not been admitted to the vows, that the holy soldiers might not +suffer, in character or reputation, from the irregularities of secular men +their dependents.[83] + +The white mantle of the Templars was a regular monastic habit, having the +red cross on the left breast; it was worn over armour of chain mail, and +could be looped up so as to leave the sword-arm at full liberty. On his +head the Templar wore a white linen coif, and over that a small round cap +made of red cloth. When in the field, an iron scull-cap was probably +added. We must now take a glance at the military organization of the order +of the Temple, and of the chief officers of the society. + +Next in power and authority to the Master stood the Marshal, who was +charged with the execution of the military arrangements on the field of +battle. He was second in command, and in case of the death of the Master, +the government of the order devolved upon him until the new superior was +elected. It was his duty to provide arms, tents, horses, and mules, and +all the necessary appendages of war. + +The Prior or Preceptor of the kingdom of Jerusalem, also styled "Grand +Preceptor of the Temple," had the immediate superintendence over the chief +house of the order in the holy city. He was the treasurer general of the +society, and had charge of all the receipts and expenditure. During the +absence of the Master from Jerusalem, the entire government of the Temple +devolved upon him. + +The Draper was charged with the clothing department, and had to distribute +garments "free from the suspicion of arrogance and superfluity" to all the +brethren. He is directed to take especial care that the habits be "neither +too long nor too short, but properly measured for the wearer, with equal +measure, and with brotherly regard, that the eye of the whisperer or the +accuser may not presume to notice anything."[84] + +The Standard Bearer (_Balcanifer_) bore the glorious _Beauseant_, or +war-banner, to the field; he was supported by a certain number of knights +and esquires, who were sworn to protect the colours of the order, and +never to let them fall into the hands of the enemy. + +The Turcopilar was the commander of a body of light horse called +Turcopoles (_Turcopuli_.) These were natives of Syria and Palestine, the +offspring frequently of Turkish mothers and christian fathers, brought up +in the religion of Christ, and retained in the pay of the order of the +Temple. They were lightly armed, were clothed in the Asiatic style, and +being inured to the climate, and well acquainted with the country, and +with the Mussulman mode of warfare, they were found extremely serviceable +as light cavalry and skirmishers, and were always attached to the +war-battalions of the Templars. + +The Guardian of the Chapel (_Custos Capellae_) had charge of the portable +chapel and the ornaments of the altar, which were always carried by the +Templars into the field. This portable chapel was a round tent, which was +pitched in the centre of the camp; the quarters of the brethren were +disposed around it, so that they might, in the readiest and most +convenient manner, participate in the divine offices, and fulfil the +religious duties of their profession. + +Besides the Grand Preceptor of the kingdom of Jerusalem, there were the +Grand Preceptors of Antioch and Tripoli, and the Priors or Preceptors of +the different houses of the Temple in Syria and in Palestine, all of whom +commanded in the field, and had various military duties to perform under +the eye of the Master. + +The Templars and the Hospitallers were the constituted guardians of the +true cross when it was brought forth from its sacred repository in the +church of the Resurrection to be placed at the head of the christian army. +The Templars marched on the right of the sacred emblem, and the +Hospitallers on the left; and the same position was taken up by the two +orders in the line of battle.[85] + +An eye-witness of the conduct of the Templars in the field tells us that +they were always foremost in the fight and the last in the retreat; that +they proceeded to battle with the greatest order, silence, and +circumspection, and carefully attended to the commands of their Master. +When the signal to engage had been given by their chief, and the trumpets +of the order sounded to the charge, "then," says he, "they humbly sing the +psalm of David, _Non nobis, non nobis, Domine, sed nomini tuo da gloriam_, +'Not unto us, not unto us, O Lord, but unto thy name give the praise;' and +placing their lances in rest, they either break the enemy's line or die. +If any one of them should by chance turn back, or bear himself less +manfully than he ought, the white mantle, the emblem of their order, is +ignominiously stripped off his shoulders, the cross worn by the fraternity +is taken away from him, and he is cast out from the fellowship of the +brethren; he is compelled to eat on the ground without a napkin or a +table-cloth for the space of one year; and the dogs who gather around him +and torment him he is not permitted to drive away. At the expiration of +the year, if he be truly penitent, the Master and the brethren restore to +him the military girdle and his pristine habit and cross, and receive him +again into the fellowship and community of the brethren. The Templars do +indeed practise the observance of a stern religion, living in humble +obedience to their Master, without property, and spending nearly all the +days of their lives under tents in the open fields."[86] Such is the +picture of the Templars drawn by one of the leading dignitaries of the +Latin kingdom. + +We must now resume our narrative of the principal events connected with +the order. + +In the year 1172, the Knight Templar Walter du Mesnil was guilty of a foul +murder, which created a great sensation in the East. An odious religious +sect, supposed to be descended from the Ismaelians of Persia, were settled +in the fastnesses of the mountains above Tripoli. They devoted their souls +and bodies in blind obedience to a chief who is called by the writers of +the crusades "the old man of the mountain," and were employed by him in +the most extensive system of murder and assassination known in the history +of the world. Both Christian and Moslem writers enumerate with horror the +many illustrious victims that fell beneath their daggers. They assumed all +shapes and disguises for the furtherance of their deadly designs, and +carried, in general, no arms except a small poniard concealed in the folds +of their dress, called in the Persian tongue _hassissin_, whence these +wretches were called _assassins_, their chief the prince of the assassins; +and the word itself, in all its odious import, has passed into most +European languages.[87] + +Raimond, son of the count of Tripoli, was slain by these fanatics whilst +kneeling at the foot of the altar in the church of the Blessed Virgin at +Carchusa or Tortosa; the Templars flew to arms to avenge his death; they +penetrated into the fastnesses and strongholds of "the mountain chief," +and at last compelled him to purchase peace by the payment of an annual +tribute of two thousand crowns into the treasury of the order. In the +ninth year of Amalric's reign, _Sinan Ben Suleiman_, imaun of the +assassins, sent a trusty counsellor to Jerusalem, offering, in the name +of himself and his people, to embrace the christian religion, provided the +Templars would release them from the tribute money. The proposition was +favourably received; the envoy was honourably entertained for some days, +and on his departure he was furnished by the king with a guide and an +escort to conduct him in safety to the frontier. The Ismaelite had reached +the borders of the Latin kingdom, and was almost in sight of the castles +of his brethren, when he was cruelly murdered by the Knight Templar Walter +du Mesnil, who attacked the escort with a body of armed followers.[88] + +The king of Jerusalem, justly incensed at this perfidious action, +assembled the barons of the kingdom at Sidon to determine on the best +means of obtaining satisfaction for the injury; and it was determined that +two of their number should proceed to Odo de St. Amand to demand the +surrender of the criminal. The haughty Master of the Temple bade them +inform his majesty the king, that the members of the order of the Temple +were not subject to his jurisdiction, nor to that of his officers; that +the Templars acknowledged no earthly superior except the Pope; and that to +the holy pontiff alone belonged the cognizance of the offence. He +declared, however, that the crime should meet with due punishment; that he +had caused the criminal to be arrested and put in irons, and would +forthwith send him to Rome, but till judgment was given in his case, he +forbade all persons of whatsoever degree to meddle with him.[89] + +Shortly afterwards, however, the Master found it expedient to alter his +determination, and insist less strongly upon the privileges of his +fraternity. Brother Walter du Mesnil was delivered up to the king, and +confined in one of the royal prisons, but his ultimate fate has not been +recorded. + +On the death of Noureddin, sultan of Damascus, (A. D. 1175,) Saladin +raised himself to the sovereignty both of Egypt and of Syria. He levied an +immense army, and crossing the desert from Cairo, he again planted the +standard of Mahomet upon the sacred territory of Palestine. His forces +were composed of twenty-six thousand light infantry, eight thousand +horsemen, a host of archers and spearmen mounted on dromedaries, and +eighteen thousand common soldiers. The person of Saladin was surrounded by +a body-guard of a thousand Mamlook emirs, clothed in yellow cloaks worn +over their shirts of mail. + +[Sidenote: A. D. 1177.] + +In the great battle fought near Ascalon, (Nov. 1, A. D. 1177,) Odo de St. +Amand, the Master of the Temple, at the head of eighty of his knights, +broke through the guard of Mamlooks, slew their commander, and penetrated +to the imperial tent, from whence the sultan escaped with great +difficulty, almost naked, upon a fleet dromedary; the infidels, thrown +into confusion, were slaughtered or driven into the desert, where they +perished from hunger, fatigue, or the inclemency of the weather.[90] The +year following, Saladin collected a vast army at Damascus; and the +Templars, in order to protect and cover the road leading from that city to +Jerusalem, commenced the erection of a strong fortress on the northern +frontier of the Latin kingdom, close to Jacob's ford on the river Jordan, +at the spot where now stands _Djiss'r Beni Yakoob_, "the bridge of the +sons of Jacob." Saladin advanced at the head of his forces to oppose the +progress of the work, and the king of Jerusalem and all the chivalry of +the Latin kingdom were gathered together in the plain to protect the +Templars and their workmen. The fortress was erected notwithstanding all +the exertions of the infidels, and the Templars threw into it a strong +garrison. Redoubled efforts were then made by Saladin to destroy the +place. + +[Sidenote: A. D. 1179.] + +At a given signal from the Mussulman trumpets, "the defenders of Islam" +fled before "the avengers of Christ;" the christian forces became +disordered in the pursuit, and the swift cavalry of the desert, wheeling +upon both wings, defeated with immense slaughter the entire army of the +cross. The Templars and the Hospitallers, with the count of Tripoli, stood +firm on the summit of a small hillock, and for a long time presented a +bold and undaunted front to the victorious enemy. The count of Tripoli at +last cut his way through the infidels, and fled to Tyre; the Master of the +Hospital, after seeing most of his brethren slain, swam across the Jordan, +and fled, covered with wounds, to the castle of Beaufort; and the +Templars, after fighting with their customary zeal and fanaticism around +the red-cross banner, which waved to the last over the field of blood, +were all killed or taken prisoners, and the Master, Odo de St. Amand, fell +alive into the hands of the enemy.[91] Saladin then laid siege to the +newly-erected fortress, which was of some strength, being defended by +thick walls, flanked with large towers furnished with military engines. +After a gallant resistance on the part of the garrison, it was set on +fire, and then stormed. "The Templars," says Abulpharadge, "flung +themselves some into the fire, where they were burned, some cast +themselves into the Jordan, some jumped down from the walls on to the +rocks, and were dashed to pieces: thus were slain the enemy." The fortress +was reduced to a heap of ruins, and the enraged sultan, it is said, +ordered all the Templars taken in the place to be sawn in two, excepting +the most distinguished of the knights, who were reserved for a ransom, and +were sent in chains to Aleppo.[92] + +[Sidenote: ARNOLD DE TORROGE. A. D. 1180.] + +Saladin offered Odo de St. Amand his liberty in exchange for the freedom +of his own nephew, who was a prisoner in the hands of the Templars; but +the Master of the Temple haughtily replied, that he would never, by his +example, encourage any of his knights to be mean enough to surrender, that +a Templar ought either to vanquish or die, and that he had nothing to give +for his ransom but his girdle and his knife.[93] The proud spirit of Odo +de St. Amand could but ill brook confinement; he languished and died in +the dungeons of Damascus, and was succeeded by Brother Arnold de Torroge, +who had filled some of the chief situations of the order in Europe.[94] + +[Sidenote: A. D. 1184.] + +The affairs of the Latin Christians were at this period in a deplorable +situation. Saladin encamped near Tiberias, and extended his ravages into +almost every part of Palestine. His light cavalry swept the valley of the +Jordan to within a day's march of Jerusalem, and the whole country as far +as Panias on the one side, and Beisan, D'Jenneen, and Sebaste, on the +other, was destroyed by fire and the sword. The houses of the Templars +were pillaged and burnt; various castles belonging to the order were taken +by assault;[95] but the immediate destruction of the Latin power was +arrested by some partial successes obtained by the christian warriors, and +by the skilful generalship of their leaders. Saladin was compelled to +retreat to Damascus, after he had burnt Naplous, and depopulated the whole +country around Tiberias. A truce was proposed, (A. D. 1184,) and as the +attention of the sultan was then distracted by the intrigues of the +Turcoman chieftains in the north of Syria, and he was again engaged in +hostilities in Mesopotamia, he agreed to a suspension of the war for four +years, in consideration of the payment by the Christians of a large sum of +money. + +Immediate advantage was taken of this truce to secure the safety of the +Latin kingdom. A grand council was called together at Jerusalem, and it +was determined that Heraclius, the patriarch of the Holy City, and the +Masters of the Temple and Hospital, should forthwith proceed to Europe, to +obtain succour from the western princes. The sovereign mostly depended +upon for assistance was Henry the Second, king of England,[96] grandson of +Fulk, the late king of Jerusalem, and cousin-german to Baldwin, the then +reigning sovereign. Henry had received absolution for the murder of Saint +Thomas a Becket, on condition that he should proceed in person at the head +of a powerful army to the succour of Palestine, and should, at his own +expense, maintain two hundred Templars for the defence of the holy +territory.[97] + +[Sidenote: A. D. 1185.] + +The Patriarch and the two Masters landed in Italy, and after furnishing +themselves with the letters of the pope, threatening the English monarch +with the judgments of heaven if he did not forthwith perform the penance +prescribed him, they set out for England. At Verona, the Master of the +Temple fell sick and died,[98] but his companions proceeding on their +journey, landed in safety in England at the commencement of the year 1185. +They were received by the king at Reading, and throwing themselves at the +feet of the English monarch, they with much weeping and sobbing saluted +him in behalf of the king, the princes, and the people of the kingdom of +Jerusalem. They explained the object of their visit, and presented him +with the pope's letters, with the keys of the holy sepulchre, of the tower +of David, and of the city of Jerusalem, together with the royal banner of +the Latin kingdom.[99] Their eloquent and pathetic narrative of the fierce +inroads of Saladin, and of the miserable condition of Palestine, drew +tears from king Henry and all his court.[100] The English sovereign gave +encouraging assurances to the patriarch and his companions, and promised +to bring the whole matter before the parliament, which was to meet the +first Sunday in Lent. + +The patriarch, in the mean time, proceeded to London, and was received by +the Knights Templars at the Temple in that city, the chief house of the +order in Britain, where, in the month of February, he consecrated the +beautiful Temple church, dedicated to the blessed Virgin Mary, which had +just then been erected.[101] + + + + +CHAPTER V. + + The Temple at London--The vast possessions of the Templars in + England--The territorial divisions of the order--The different + preceptories in this country--The privileges conferred on the Templars + by the kings of England--The Masters of the Temple at London--Their + power and importance. + + Li fiere, li Mestre du Temple + Qu'estoient rempli et ample + D'or et d'argent et de richesse, + Et qui menoient tel noblesse, + Ou sont-il? que sont devenu? + Que tant ont de plait maintenu, + Que nul a elz ne s'ozoit prendre + Tozjors achetoient sans vendre + Nul riche a elz n'estoit de prise; + Tant va pot a eue qu'il brise. + _Chron._ a la suite du Roman de Favel. + + +The Knights Templars first established the chief house of their order in +England, without Holborn Bars, on the south side of the street, where +Southampton House formerly stood, adjoining to which Southampton Buildings +were afterwards erected;[102] and it is stated, that about a century and a +half ago, part of the ancient chapel annexed to this establishment, of a +circular form, and built of Caen stone, was discovered on pulling down +some old houses near Southampton Buildings in Chancery Lane.[103] This +first house of the Temple, established by Hugh de Payens himself, before +his departure from England, on his return to Palestine, was adapted to the +wants and necessities of the order in its infant state, when the knights, +instead of lingering in the preceptories of Europe, proceeded at once to +Palestine, and when all the resources of the society were strictly and +faithfully forwarded to Jerusalem, to be expended in defence of the faith; +but when the order had greatly increased in numbers, power, and wealth, +and had somewhat departed from its original purity and simplicity, we find +that the superior and the knights resident in London began to look abroad +for a more extensive and commodious place of habitation. They purchased a +large space of ground, extending from the White Friars westward to Essex +House without Temple Bar,[104] and commenced the erection of a convent on +a scale of grandeur commensurate with the dignity and importance of the +chief house of the great religio-military society of the Temple in +Britain. It was called the _New_ Temple, to distinguish it from the +original establishment at Holborn, which came thenceforth to be known by +the name of the _Old_ Temple.[105] + +This New Temple was adapted for the residence of numerous military monks +and novices, serving brothers, retainers, and domestics. It contained the +residence of the superior and of the knights, the cells and apartments of +the chaplains and serving brethren, the council chamber where the chapters +were held, and the refectory or dining-hall, which was connected, by a +range of handsome cloisters, with the magnificent church, consecrated by +the patriarch. Alongside the river extended a spacious pleasure ground for +the recreation of the brethren, who were not permitted to go into the town +without the leave of the Master. It was used also for military exercises +and the training of the horses. + +The year of the consecration of the Temple Church, Geoffrey, the superior +of the order in England, caused an inquisition to be made of the lands of +the Templars in this country, and the names of the donors thereof,[106] +from which it appears, that the larger territorial divisions of the order +were then called bailiwicks, the principal of which were London, Warwic, +Couele, Meritune, Gutinge, Westune, Lincolnscire, Lindeseie, Widine, and +Eboracisire, (Yorkshire.) The number of manors, farms, churches, +advowsons, demesne lands, villages, hamlets, windmills, and watermills, +rents of assize, rights of common and free warren, and the amount of all +kinds of property, possessed by the Templars in England at the period of +the taking of this inquisition, are astonishing. Upon the great estates +belonging to the order, prioral houses had been erected, wherein dwelt the +procurators or stewards charged with the management of the manors and +farms in their neighbourhood, and with the collection of the rents. These +prioral houses became regular monastic establishments, inhabited chiefly +by sick and aged Templars, who retired to them to spend the remainder of +their days, after a long period of honourable service against the infidels +in Palestine. They were cells to the principal house at London. There were +also under them certain smaller administrations established for the +management of the farms, consisting of a Knight Templar, to whom were +associated some serving brothers of the order, and a priest who acted as +almoner. The commissions or mandates directed by the Masters of the Temple +to the officers at the head of these establishments, were called precepts, +from the commencement of them, "_Praecipimus tibi_," we enjoin or direct +you, &c. &c. The knights to whom they were addressed were styled +_Praeceptores Templi_, or Preceptors of the Temple, and the districts +administered by them _Praeceptoria_, or preceptories. + +It will now be as well to take a general survey of the possessions and +organization of the order both in Europe and Asia, "whose circumstances," +saith William archbishop of Tyre, writing from Jerusalem about the period +of the consecration at London of the Temple Church, "are in so flourishing +a state, that at this day they have in their convent (the Temple on Mount +Moriah) more than three hundred knights robed in the white habit, besides +serving brothers innumerable. Their possessions indeed beyond sea, as well +as in these parts, are said to be so vast, that there cannot now be a +province in Christendom which does not contribute to the support of the +aforesaid brethren, whose wealth is said to equal that of sovereign +princes."[107] + +The eastern provinces of the order were, 1. Palestine, the ruling +province. 2. The principality of Antioch. 3. The principality of Tripoli. + +1. PALESTINE.--Some account has already been given of the Temple at +Jerusalem, the chief house of the order, and the residence of the Master. +In addition to the strong garrison there maintained, the Templars +possessed numerous forces, distributed in various fortresses and +strongholds, for the preservation and protection of the holy territory. + +The following castles and cities of Palestine are enumerated by the +historians of the Latin kingdom, as having belonged to the order of the +Temple. + +The fortified city of Gaza, the key of the kingdom of Jerusalem on the +side next Egypt, anciently one of the five satrapies of the Lords of the +Philistines, and the stronghold of Cambyses when he invaded Egypt. + + "Placed where Judea's utmost bounds extend, + Towards fair Pelusium, Gaza's towers ascend. + Fast by the breezy shore the city stands + Amid unbounded plains of barren sands, + Which high in air the furious whirlwinds sweep, + Like mountain billows on the stormy deep, + That scarce the affrighted traveller, spent with toil, + Escapes the tempest of the unstable soil." + +It was granted to the Templars, in perpetual sovereignty, by Baldwin king +of Jerusalem.[108] + +The Castle of Saphet, in the territory of the ancient tribe of Naphtali; +the great bulwark of the northern frontier of the Latin kingdom on the +side next Damascus. The Castle of the Pilgrims, in the neighbourhood of +Mount Carmel. The Castle of Assur near Jaffa, and the House of the Temple +at Jaffa. The fortress of Faba, or La Feue, the ancient Aphek, not far +from Tyre, in the territory of the ancient tribe of Asher. The hill-fort +Dok, between Bethel and Jericho. The castles of La Cave, Marle, Citern +Rouge, Castel Blanc, Trapesach, Sommelleria of the Temple, in the +neighbourhood of Acca, now St. John d'Acre. Castrum Planorum, and a place +called Gerinum Parvum.[109] The Templars purchased the castle of Beaufort +and the city of Sidon;[110] they also got into their hands a great part of +the town of St. Jean d'Acre, where they erected their famous temple, and +almost all Palestine was in the end divided between them and the +Hospitallers of Saint John. + +2. THE PRINCIPALITY OF ANTIOCH.--The principal houses of the Temple in +this province were at Antioch itself, at Aleppo, Haram, &c. + +3. THE PRINCIPALITY OF TRIPOLI.--The chief establishments herein were at +Tripoli, at Tortosa, the ancient Antaradus; Castel-blanc in the same +neighbourhood; Laodicea and Beyrout,--all under the immediate +superintendence of the Preceptor of Tripoli. Besides these castles, +houses, and fortresses, the Templars possessed farms and large tracts of +land, both in Syria and Palestine. + +The western nations or provinces, on the other hand, from whence the order +derived its chief power and wealth, were, + +1. APULIA AND SICILY, the principal houses whereof were at Palermo, +Syracuse, Lentini, Butera, and Trapani. The house of the Temple at this +last place has been appropriated to the use of some monks of the order of +St. Augustin. In a church of the city is still to be seen the celebrated +statue of the Virgin, which Brother Guerrege and three other Knights +Templars brought from the East, with a view of placing it in the Temple +Church on the Aventine hill in Rome, but which they were obliged to +deposit in the island of Sicily. This celebrated statue is of the most +beautiful white marble, and represents the Virgin with the infant Jesus +reclining on her left arm; it is of about the natural height, and, from an +inscription on the foot of the figure, it appears to have been executed by +a native of the island of Cyprus, A. D. 733.[111] + +The Templars possessed valuable estates in Sicily, around the base of +Mount Etna, and large tracts of land between Piazza and Calatagirone, in +the suburbs of which last place there was a Temple house, the church +whereof, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, still remains. They possessed also +many churches in the island, windmills, rights of fishery, of pasturage, +of cutting wood in the forests, and many important privileges and +immunities. The chief house was at Messina, where the Grand Prior +resided.[112] + +2. UPPER AND CENTRAL ITALY.--The houses or preceptories of the order of +the Temple in this province were very numerous, and were all under the +immediate superintendence of the Grand Prior or Preceptor of Rome. There +were large establishments at Lucca, Milan, and Perugia, at which last +place the arms of the Temple are still to be seen on the tower of the holy +cross. At Placentia there was a magnificent and extensive convent, called +Santa Maria del Tempio, ornamented with a very lofty tower. At Bologna +there was also a large Temple house, and on a clock in the city is the +following inscription, "_Magister Tosseolus de Miola me fecit ... Fr. +Petrus de Bon, Procur. Militiae Templi in curia Romana_, MCCCIII." In the +church of St. Mary in the same place, which formerly belonged to the +Knights Templars, is the interesting marble monument of Peter de Rotis, a +priest of the order. He is represented on his tomb, holding a chalice in +his hands with the host elevated above it, and beneath the monumental +effigy is the following epitaph:-- + + "Stirpe Rotis, Petrus, virtutis munere clarus, + Strenuus ecce pugil Christi, jacet ordine charus; + Veste ferens, menteque crucem, nunc sidera scandit, + Exemplum nobis spectandi caelica pandit: + Annis ter trinis viginti mille trecentis + Sexta quarte maii fregit lux organa mentis."[113] + +PORTUGAL.--In the province or nation of Portugal, the military power and +resources of the order of the Temple were exercised in almost constant +warfare against the Moors, and Europe derived essential advantage from the +enthusiastic exertions of the warlike monks in that quarter against the +infidels. In every battle, indeed, fought in the south of Europe, after +the year 1130, against the enemies of the cross, the Knights Templars are +to be found taking an active and distinguished part, and in all the +conflicts against the infidels, both in the west and in the east, they +were ever in the foremost rank, battling nobly in defence of the christian +faith. With all the princes and sovereigns of the great Spanish peninsula +they were extremely popular, and they were endowed with cities, villages, +lordships, and splendid domains. Many of the most important fortresses and +castles in the land were entrusted to their safe keeping, and some were +yielded to them in perpetual sovereignty. They possessed, in Portugal, the +castles of Monsento, Idanha, and Tomar; the citadel of Langrovia in the +province of Beira, on the banks of the Riopisco; and the fortress of +Miravel in Estremadura, taken from the Moors, a strong place perched on +the summit of a lofty eminence. They had large estates at Castromarin, +Almural, and Tavira in Algarve, and houses, rents, revenues, and +possessions, in all parts of the country. The Grand Prior or Preceptor of +Portugal resided at the castle of Tomar. It is seated on the river Narboan +in Estremadura, and is still to be seen towering in gloomy magnificence on +the hill above the town. The castle at present belongs to the order of +Christ, and was lately one of the grandest and richest establishments in +Portugal. It possessed a splendid library, and a handsome cloister, the +architecture of which was much admired.[114] + +CASTILE AND LEON.--The houses or preceptories of the Temple most known in +this province or nation of the order were those of Cuenca and +Guadalfagiara, Tine and Aviles in the diocese of Oviedo, and Pontevreda in +Galicia. In Castile alone the order is said to have possessed twenty-four +bailiwicks.[115] + +ARAGON.--The sovereigns of Aragon, who had suffered grievously from the +incursions of the Moors, were the first of the European princes to +recognize the utility of the order of the Temple. They endowed the +fraternity with vast revenues, and ceded to them some of the strongest +fortresses in the kingdom. The Knights Templars possessed in Aragon the +castles of Dumbel, Cabanos, Azuda, Granena, Chalonere, Remolins, Corbins, +Lo Mas de Barbaran, Moncon, and Montgausi, with their territories and +dependencies. They were lords of the cities of Borgia and Tortosa; they +had a tenth part of the revenues of the kingdom, the taxes of the towns of +Huesca and Saragossa, and houses, possessions, privileges, and immunities +in all parts.[116] + +The Templars likewise possessed lands and estates in the Balearic Isles, +which were under the management of the Prior or Preceptor of the island of +Majorca, who was subject to the Grand Preceptor of Aragon. + +GERMANY AND HUNGARY.--The houses most known in this territorial division +of the order are those in the electorate of Mayence, at Homburg, +Assenheim, Rotgen in the Rhingau, Mongberg in the Marche of Brandenbourg, +Nuitz on the Rhine, Tissia Altmunmunster near Ratisbon in Bavaria, +Bamberg, Middlebourg, Hall, Brunswick, &c. &c. The Templars possessed the +fiefs of Rorich, Pausin and Wildenheuh in _Pomerania_, an establishment at +Bach in _Hungary_, several lordships in _Bohemia_ and _Moravia_, and +lands, tithes, and large revenues, the gifts of pious German +crusaders.[117] + +GREECE.--The Templars were possessed of lands and had establishments in +the Morea, and in several parts of the Greek empire. Their chief house was +at Constantinople, in the quarter called [Greek: Omonoia], where they had +an oratory dedicated to the holy martyrs Marin and Pentaleon.[118] + +FRANCE.--The principal preceptories and houses of the Temple, in the +present kingdom of France, were at Besancon, Dole, Salins, a la Romagne, a +la ville Dieu, Arbois in _Franche Comte_.[119] + +Bomgarten, Temple Savigne near Corbeil, Dorlesheim near Molsheim, where +there still remains a chapel called Templehoff, Ribauvillier, and a Temple +house in the plain near Bercheim in _Alsace_. + +Bures, Voulaine les Templiers, Ville-sous-Gevrey, otherwise St. Philibert, +Dijon, Fauverney, where a chapel dedicated to the Virgin still preserves +the name of the Temple, Des Feuilles, situate in the parish of Villett, +near the chateau de Vernay, St. Martin, Le Chastel, Espesses, Tessones +near Bourges, and La Musse, situate between Bauje and Macon in +_Burgundy_.[120] + +Montpelier, Sertelage, Nogarade near Pamiers, Falgairas, Narbonne, St. +Eulalie de Bezieres, Prugnanas, and the parish church of St. Martin +d'Ubertas in _Languedoc_.[121] + +Temple Cahor, Temple Marigny, Arras, Le Parc, St. Vaubourg, and Rouen, in +_Normandy_. There were two houses of the Temple at Rouen; one of them +occupied the site of the present _maison consulaire_, and the other stood +in the street now called _La Rue des Hermites_.[122] The preceptories and +houses of the Temple in France, indeed, were so numerous, that it would be +a wearisome and endless task to repeat the names of them. Hundreds of +places in the different provinces are mentioned by French writers as +having belonged to the Templars. Between Joinville and St. Dizier may +still be seen the remains of Temple Ruet, an old chateau surrounded by a +moat; and in the diocese of Meaux are the ruins of the great manorial +house of Choisy le Temple. Many interesting tombs are there visible, +together with the refectory of the knights, which has been converted into +a sheepfold. + +The chief house of the order for France, and also for Holland and the +Netherlands, was the Temple at Paris, an extensive and magnificent +structure, surrounded by a wall and a ditch. It extended over all that +large space of ground, now covered with streets and buildings, which lies +between the rue du Temple, the rue St. Croix, and the environs de la +Verrerie, as far as the walls and the fosses of the port du Temple. It was +ornamented with a great tower, flanked by four smaller towers, erected by +the Knight Templar Brother Herbert, almoner to the king of France, and was +one of the strongest edifices in the kingdom.[123] Many of the modern +streets of Paris which now traverse the site of this interesting +structure, preserve in the names given to them some memorial of the +ancient Temple. For instance, _La rue du Temple_, _La rue des fosses du +Temple_, _Boulevard du Temple_, _Faubourg du Temple_, _rue de Faubourg du +Temple_, _Vieille rue du Temple_, &c. &c. + +All the houses of the Temple in Holland and the Netherlands were under the +immediate jurisdiction of the Master of the Temple at Paris. The +preceptories in these kingdoms were very numerous, and the property +dependent upon them was of great value. Those most known are the +preceptories of Treves and Dietrich on the Soure, the ruins of which last +still remain; Coberne, on the left bank of the Moselle, a few miles from +Coblentz; Belisch, Temple Spele, Temple Rodt near Vianden, and the Temple +at Luxembourg, where in the time of Broverus there existed considerable +remains of the refectory, of the church, and of some stone walls covered +with paintings; Templehuis near Ghent, the preceptory of Alphen, Braeckel, +la maison de Slipes near Ostend, founded by the counts of Flanders; Temple +Caestre near Mount Cassel; Villiers le Temple en Condros, between Liege +and Huy; Vaillenpont, Walsberge, Haut Avenes near Arras; Temploux near +Fleuru in the department of Namur; Vernoi in Hainault; Temple Dieu at +Douai; Marles near Valenciennes; St. Symphonier near Mons, &c. &c.[124] + +In these countries, as well as in all parts of Europe wherever they were +settled, the Templars possessed vast privileges and immunities, which were +conceded to them by popes, kings, and princes. + +ENGLAND.--There were in bygone times the following preceptories of Knight +Templars in the present kingdom of England. + +Aslakeby, Temple Bruere, Egle, Malteby, Mere, Wilketon, and Witham, in +_Lincolnshire_. + +North Feriby, Temple Hurst, Temple Newsom, Pafflete, Flaxflete, and +Ribstane, in _Yorkshire_. + +Temple Cumbe in _Somersetshire_. + +Ewell, Strode and Swingfield, near Dover, in _Kent_. + +Hadescoe, in _Norfolk_. + +Balsall and Warwick, in _Warwickshire_. + +Temple Rothley, in _Leicestershire_. + +Wilburgham Magna, Daney, and Dokesworth, in _Cambridgeshire_. + +Halston, in _Shropshire_. + +Temple Dynnesley, in _Hertfordshire_. + +Temple Cressing and Sutton, in _Essex_. + +Saddlescomb and Chapelay, in _Sussex_. + +Schepeley, in _Surrey_. + +Temple Cowley, Sandford, Bistelesham, and Chalesey, in _Oxfordshire_. + +Temple Rockley, in _Wiltshire_. + +Upleden and Garwy, in _Herefordshire_. + +South Badeisley, in _Hampshire_. + +Getinges, in _Worcestershire_. + +Giselingham and Dunwich, in _Suffolk_.[125] + +There were also several smaller administrations established, as before +mentioned, for the management of the farms and lands, and the collection +of rent and tithes. Among these were Liddele and Quiely in the diocese of +Chichester; Eken in the diocese of Lincoln; Adingdon, Wesdall, Aupledina, +Cotona, &c. The different preceptors of the Temple in England had under +their management lands and property in every county of the realm.[126] + +In _Leicestershire_ the Templars possessed the town and the soke of +Rotheley; the manors of Rolle, Babbegrave, Gaddesby, Stonesby, and Melton; +Rothely wood, near Leicester; the villages of Beaumont, Baresby, Dalby, +North and South Mardefeld, Saxby, Stonesby, and Waldon, with land in above +_eighty_ others! They had also the churches of Rotheley, Babbegrave, and +Rolle; and the chapels of Gaddesby, Grimston, Wartnaby, Cawdwell, and +Wykeham.[127] + +In _Hertfordshire_ they possessed the town and forest of Broxbourne, the +manor of Chelsin Templars, (_Chelsin Templariorum_,) and the manors of +Laugenok, Broxbourne, Letchworth, and Temple Dynnesley; demesne lands at +Stanho, Preston, Charlton, Walden, Hiche, Chelles, Levecamp, and Benigho; +the church of Broxbourne, two watermills, and a lock on the river Lea: +also property at Hichen, Pyrton, Ickilford, Offeley Magna, Offeley Parva, +Walden Regis, Furnivale, Ipolitz, Wandsmyll, Watton, Therleton, Weston, +Gravele, Wilien, Leccheworth, Baldock, Datheworth, Russenden, Codpeth, +Sumershale, Buntynford, &c. &c., and the church of Weston.[128] + +In the county of _Essex_ they had the manors of Temple Cressynge, Temple +Roydon, Temple Sutton, Odewell, Chingelford, Lideleye, Quarsing, Berwick, +and Witham; the church of Roydon, and houses, lands, and farms, both at +Roydon, at Rivenhall, and in the parishes of Prittlewall and Great and +Little Sutton; an old mansion-house and chapel at Sutton, and an estate +called Finchinfelde in the hundred of Hinckford.[129] + +In _Lincolnshire_ the Templars possessed the manors of La Bruere, Roston, +Kirkeby, Brauncewell, Carleton, Akele, with the soke of Lynderby, +Aslakeby, and the churches of Bruere, Asheby, Akele, Aslakeby, Donington, +Ele, Swinderby, Skarle, &c. There were upwards of thirty churches in the +county which made annual payments to the order of the Temple, and about +forty windmills. The order likewise received rents in respect of lands at +Bracebrig, Brancetone, Scapwic, Timberland, Weleburne, Diringhton, and a +hundred other places; and some of the land in the county was charged with +the annual payment of sums of money towards the keeping of the lights +eternally burning on the altars of the Temple church.[130] William Lord of +Asheby gave to the Templars the perpetual advowson of the church of Asheby +in Lincolnshire, and they in return agreed to find him a priest to sing +for ever twice a week in his chapel of St. Margaret.[131] + +In _Yorkshire_ the Templars possessed the manors of Temple Werreby, +Flaxflete, Etton, South Cave, &c.; the churches of Whitcherche, Kelintune, +&c.; numerous windmills and lands and rents at Nehus, Skelture, Pennel, +and more than sixty other places besides.[132] + +In _Warwickshire_ they possessed the manors of Barston, Shirburne, +Balshale, Wolfhey, Cherlecote, Herbebure, Stodleye, Fechehampstead, +Cobington, Tysho and Warwick; lands at Chelverscoton, Herdwicke, Morton, +Warwick, Hetherburn, Chesterton, Aven, Derset, Stodley, Napton, and more +than thirty other places, the several donors whereof are specified in +Dugdale's history of Warwickshire (p. 694;) also the churches of +Sireburne, Cardinton, &c., and more than thirteen windmills. In 12 Hen. +II., William Earl of Warwick built a new church for them at Warwick.[133] + +In _Kent_ they had the manors of Lilleston, Hechewayton, Saunford, Sutton, +Dartford, Halgel, Ewell, Cocklescomb, Strode, Swinkfield Mennes, West +Greenwich, and the manor of Lydden, which now belongs to the archbishop of +Canterbury; the advowsons of the churches of West Greenwich and Kingeswode +juxta Waltham; extensive tracts of land in Romney marsh, and farms and +assize rents in all parts of the county.[134] + +In _Sussex_ they had the manors of Saddlescomb and Shipley; lands and +tenements at Compton and other places; and the advowsons of the churches +of Shipley, Wodmancote, and Luschwyke.[135] + +In _Surrey_ they had the manor farm of Temple Elfand or Elfante, and an +estate at Merrow in the hundred of Woking. In _Gloucestershire_, the +manors of Lower Dowdeswell, Pegsworth, Amford, Nishange, and five others +which belonged to them wholly or in part, the church of Down Ammey, and +lands in Framton, Temple Guting, and Little Rissington. In +_Worcestershire_, the manor of Templars Lawern, and lands in Flavel, +Temple Broughton, and Hanbury.[136] In _Northamptonshire_, the manors of +Asheby, Thorp, Watervill, &c. &c.; they had the advowson of the church of +the manor of Hardwicke in Orlington hundred, and we find that "Robert +Saunford, Master of the soldiery of the Temple in England," presented to +it in the year 1238.[137] In _Nottinghamshire_, the Templars possessed the +church of Marnham, lands and rents at Gretton and North Carleton; in +_Westmoreland_, the manor of Temple Sowerby; in the Isle of Wight, the +manor of Uggeton, and lands in Kerne.[138] But it would be tedious further +to continue with a dry detail of ancient names and places; sufficient has +been said to give an idea of the enormous wealth of the order in this +country, where it is known to have possessed some hundreds of manors, the +advowson or right of presentation to churches innumerable, and thousands +of acres of arable land, pasture, and woodland, besides villages, +farm-houses, mills, and tithes, rights of common, of fishing, of cutting +wood in forests, &c. &c. + +There were also several preceptories in Scotland and Ireland, which were +dependent on the Temple at London. + +The annual income of the order in Europe has been roughly estimated at six +millions sterling! According to Matthew Paris, the Templars possessed +_nine thousand_ manors or lordships in Christendom, besides a large +revenue and immense riches arising from the constant charitable bequests +and donations of sums of money from pious persons.[139] "They were also +endowed," says James of Vitry, bishop of Acre, "with farms, towns, and +villages, to an immense extent both in the East and in the West, out of +the revenues of which they send yearly a certain sum of money for the +defence of the Holy Land to their head Master at the chief house of their +order in Jerusalem."[140] The Templars, in imitation of the other monastic +establishments, obtained from pious and charitable people all the +advowsons within their reach, and frequently retained the tithe and the +glebe in their own hands, deputing a priest of the order to perform divine +service and administer the sacraments. + +The manors of the Templars produced them rent either in money, corn, or +cattle, and the usual produce of the soil. By the custom in some of these +manors, the tenants were annually to mow three days in harvest, one at the +charge of the house; and to plough three days, whereof one at the like +charge; to reap one day, at which time they should have a ram from the +house, eightpence, twenty-four loaves, and a cheese of the best in the +house, together with a pailful of drink. The tenants were not to sell +their horse-colts, if they were foaled upon the land belonging to the +Templars, without the consent of the fraternity, nor marry their daughters +without their license. There were also various regulations concerning the +cocks and hens and young chickens.[141] + +We have previously given an account of the royal donations of King Henry +the First, of King Stephen and his queen, to the order of the Temple. +These were far surpassed by the pious benefactions of King Henry the +Second. That monarch, for the good of his soul and the welfare of his +kingdom, granted the Templars a place situate on the river Fleet, near +Bainard's Castle, with the whole current of that river at London, for +erecting a mill;[142] also a messuage near Fleet-street; the church of St. +Clement, "quae dicitur Dacorum extra civitatem Londoniae;" the churches of +Elle, Swinderby and Skarle in Lincolnshire, Kingeswode juxta Waltham in +Kent, the manor of Stroder in the hundred of Skamele, the vill of Kele in +Staffordshire, the hermitage of Flikeamstede, and all his lands at Lange +Cureway, a house in Brosal, and the market of Witham; lands at Berghotte, +a mill at the bridge of Pembroke Castle, the vill of Finchingfelde, the +manor of Rotheley with its appurtenances, and the advowson of the church +and its several chapels, the manor of Blalcolvesley, the park of +Haleshall, and three _fat bucks_ annually, either from Essex or Windsor +Forest. He likewise granted them an annual fair at Temple Bruere, and +superadded many rich benefactions in Ireland.[143] + +The principal benefactors to the Templars amongst the nobility were +William Marshall, earl of Pembroke, and his sons William and Gilbert; +Robert, lord de Ros; the earl of Hereford; William, earl of Devon; the +king of Scotland; William, archbishop of York; Philip Harcourt, dean of +Lincoln; the earl of Cornwall; Philip, bishop of Bayeux; Simon de Senlis, +earl of Northampton; Leticia and William, count and countess of Ferrara; +Margaret, countess of Warwick; Simon de Montfort, earl of Leicester; +Robert de Harecourt, lord of Rosewarden; William de Vernon, earl of Devon, +&c. &c.[144] + +The Templars, in addition to their amazing wealth, enjoyed vast privileges +and immunities within this realm. In the reign of King John they were +freed from all amerciaments in the Exchequer, and obtained the privilege +of not being compelled to plead except before the king or his chief +justice. King Henry the Third granted them free warren in all their +demesne lands; and by his famous charter, dated the 9th of February, in +the eleventh year of his reign, he confirmed to them all the donations of +his predecessors and of their other benefactors; with soc[145] and +sac,[146] tol[147] and theam,[148] infangenethef,[149] and +unfangenethef,[150] and hamsoca, and grithbrich, and blodwite, and +flictwite, and hengewite, and learwite, and flemenefrith, murder, robbery, +forestal, ordel, and oreste; and he acquitted them from the royal and +sheriff's aids, and from hidage, carucage, danegeld and hornegeld, and +from military and wapentake services, scutages, tallages, lastages, +stallages, from shires and hundreds, pleas and quarrels, from ward and +wardpeny, and averpeni, and hundredespeni, and borethalpeni, and +thethingepeni, and from the works of parks, castles, bridges, the building +of royal houses and all other works; and also from waste regard and view +of foresters, and from toll in all markets and fairs, and at all bridges, +and upon all highways throughout the kingdom. And he also gave them the +chattels of felons and fugitives, and all waifs within their fee.[151] + +In addition to these particular privileges, the Templars enjoyed, under +the authority of the Papal bulls, various immunities and advantages, which +gave great umbrage to the clergy. They were freed, as before mentioned, +from the obligation of paying tithes, and might, with the consent of the +bishop, receive them. No brother of the Temple could be excommunicated by +any bishop or priest, nor could any of the churches of the order be laid +under interdict except by virtue of a special mandate from the holy see. +When any brother of the Temple, appointed to make charitable collections +for the succour of the Holy Land, should arrive at a city, castle, or +village, which had been laid under interdict, the churches, on their +welcome coming, were to be thrown open, (once within the year,) and divine +service was to be performed in honour of the Temple, and in reverence for +the holy soldiers thereof. The privilege of sanctuary was thrown around +their dwellings; and by various papal bulls it is solemnly enjoined that +no person shall lay violent hands either upon the persons or the property +of those flying for refuge to the Temple houses.[152] + +Sir Edward Coke, in the second part of the Institute of the Laws of +England, observes, that "the Templars did so overspread throughout +Christendome, and so exceedingly increased in possessions, revenues, and +wealth, and specially in England, as you will wonder to reade in approved +histories, and withall obtained so great and large priviledges, liberties, +and immunities for themselves, their tenants, and farmers, &c., as no +other order had the like."[153] He further observes, that the Knights +Templars were _cruce signati_, and as the cross was the ensign of their +profession, and their tenants enjoyed great privileges, they did erect +crosses upon their houses, to the end that those inhabiting them might be +known to be the tenants of the order, and thereby be freed from many +duties and services which other tenants were subject unto; "and many +tenants of other lords, perceiving the state and greatnesse of the knights +of the said order, and withall seeing the great priviledges their tenants +enjoyed, did set up crosses upon their houses, as their very tenants used +to doe, to the prejudice of their lords." + +This abuse led to the passing of the statute of Westminster, the second, +_chap._ 33,[154] which recites, that many tenants did set up crosses or +cause them to be set up on their lands in prejudice of their lords, that +the tenants might defend themselves against the chief lord of the fee by +the privileges of Templars and Hospitallers, and enacts that such lands +should be forfeited to the chief lords or to the king. + +Sir Edward Coke observes, that the Templars were freed from tenths and +fifteenths to be paid to the king; that they were discharged of +purveyance; that they could not be sued for any ecclesiastical cause +before the ordinary, _sed coram conservatoribus suorum privilegiorum_; and +that of ancient time they claimed that a felon might take to their houses, +having their crosses for his safety, as well as to any church.[155] And +concerning these conservers or keepers of their privileges, he remarks, +that the Templars and Hospitallers "held an ecclesiasticall court before +a canonist, whom they termed _conservator privilegiorum suorum_, which +judge had indeed more authority than was convenient, and did dayly, in +respect of the height of these two orders, and at their instance and +direction, incroach upon and hold plea of matters determinable by the +common law, for _cui plus licet quam par est, plus vult quam licet_; and +this was one great mischiefe. Another mischiefe was, that this judge, +likewise at their instance, in cases wherein he had jurisdiction, would +make general citations as _pro salute animae_, and the like, without +expressing the matter whereupon the citation was made, which also was +against law, and tended to the grievous vexation of the subject."[156] To +remedy these evils, another act of parliament was passed, prohibiting +Hospitallers and Templars from bringing any man in plea before the keepers +of their privileges, for any matter the knowledge whereof belonged to the +king's court, and commanding such keepers of their privileges thenceforth +to grant no citations at the instance of Hospitallers and Templars, before +it be expressed upon what matter the citation ought to be made.[157] + +Having given an outline of the great territorial possessions of the order +of the Temple in Europe, it now remains for us to present a sketch of its +organisation and government. The Master of the Temple, the chief of the +entire fraternity, ranked as a sovereign prince, and had precedence of all +ambassadors and peers in the general councils of the church. He was +elected to his high office by the chapter of the kingdom of Jerusalem, +which was composed of all the knights of the East and of the West who +could manage to attend. The Master had his general and particular +chapters. The first were composed of the Grand Priors of the eastern and +western provinces, and of all the knights present in the holy territory. +The assembling of these general chapters, however, in the distant land 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 the 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,[158] otherwise Grand Priors or Grand Preceptors, who +were originally appointed by the chief Master at Jerusalem, and were in +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 +vows, very frequently, instead of proceeding direct to Palestine to war +against 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 convents or preceptories, with churches and +chapels, and raised up in each western province a framework of government +similar to that of the ruling province of Palestine. + +The chief house of the Temple in England, for example, after its removal +from Holborn Bars to the banks of the Thames, was regulated and organised +after the model of the house of the Temple at Jerusalem. The superior is +always styled "Master of the Temple," and holds his chapters and has his +officers corresponding to those of the chief Master in Palestine. The +latter, consequently, came to be denominated _Magnus Magister_, or Grand +Master,[159] by our English writers, to distinguish him from the Master at +London, and henceforth he will be described by that title to prevent +confusion. The titles given indeed to the superiors of the different +nations or provinces into which the order of the Temple was divided, are +numerous and somewhat perplexing. In the East, these officers were known +only, in the first instance, by the title of Prior, as Prior of England, +Prior of France, Prior of Portugal, &c., and afterwards Preceptor of +England, preceptor of France, &c.; but in Europe they were called Grand +Priors and Grand Preceptors, to distinguish them from the Sub-priors and +Sub-preceptors, and also Masters of the Temple. The Prior and Preceptor +_of_ England, therefore, and the Grand Prior, Grand Preceptor, and Master +of the Temple _in_ England, were one and the same person. There were also +at the New Temple at London, in imitation of the establishment at the +chief house in Palestine, in addition to the Master, the Preceptor of the +Temple, the Prior of London, the Treasurer, and the Guardian of the +church, who had three chaplains under him, called readers.[160] + +The Master at London had his general and particular, or his ordinary and +extraordinary chapters. The first were composed of the grand preceptors of +Scotland and Ireland, and all the provincial priors and preceptors of the +three kingdoms, who were summoned once a year to deliberate on the state +of the Holy Land, to forward succour, to give an account of their +stewardship, and to frame new rules and regulations for the management of +the temporalities.[161] The ordinary chapters were held at the different +preceptories, which the Master of the Temple visited in succession. In +these chapters new members were admitted into the order; lands were +bought, sold, and exchanged; and presentations were made by the Master to +vacant benefices. Many of the grants and other deeds of these chapters, +with the seal of the order of the Temple annexed to them, are to be met +with in the public and private collections of manuscripts in this country. +One of the most interesting and best preserved, is the Harleian charter +(83, c. 39,) in the British Museum, which is a grant of land made by +Brother William de la More, the martyr, the last Master of the Temple in +England, to the Lord Milo de Stapleton. It is expressed to be made by him, +with the common consent and advice of his chapter, held at the Preceptory +of Dynneslee, on the feast of Saint Barnabas the Apostle, and concludes, +"In witness whereof, we have to this present indenture placed the seal of +our chapter."[162] A fac-simile of this seal is given above. On the +reverse of it is a man's head, decorated with a long beard, and surmounted +by a small cap, and around it are the letters TESTISVMAGI. The same seal +is to be met with on various other indentures made by the Master and +Chapter of the Temple.[163] The more early seals are surrounded with the +words, Sigillum _Militis_ Templi, "Seal of the _Knight_ of the Temple;" as +in the case of the deed of exchange of lands at Normanton in the parish of +Botisford, in Leicestershire, entered into between Brother Amadeus de +Morestello, Master of the chivalry of the Temple in England, and his +chapter, of the one part, and the Lord Henry de Colevile, Knight, of the +other part. The seal annexed to this deed has the addition of the word +_Militis_, but in other respects it is similar to the one above +delineated.[164] + +The Master of the Temple was controlled by the visitors-general of the +order,[165] who were knights specially deputed by the Grand Master and +convent of Jerusalem to visit the different provinces, to reform abuses, +make new regulations, and terminate such disputes as were usually reserved +for the decision of the Grand Master. These visitors-general sometimes +removed knights from their preceptories, and even suspended the masters +themselves, and it was their duty to expedite to the East all such knights +as were young and vigorous, and capable of fighting. Two regular voyages +were undertaken from Europe to Palestine in the course of the year, under +the conduct of the Templars and Hospitallers, called the _passagium +Martis_, and the _passagium Sancti Johannis_, which took place +respectively in the spring and summer, when the newly-admitted knights +left the preceptories of the West, taking with them hired foot soldiers, +armed pilgrims, and large sums of money, the produce of the European +possessions of the fraternity, by which means a continual succour was +afforded to the christian kingdom of Jerusalem. One of the grand priors or +grand preceptors generally took the command of these expeditions, and was +frequently accompanied by many valiant secular knights, who craved +permission to join his standard, and paid large sums of money for a +passage to the far East. In the interval between these different voyages, +the young knights were diligently employed at the different preceptories +in the religious and military exercises necessary to fit them for their +high vocation. + +On any sudden emergency, or when the ranks of the order had been greatly +thinned by the casualties of war, the Grand Master sent circular letters +to the grand preceptors or masters of the western provinces, requiring +instant aid and assistance, on the receipt of which collections were made +in the churches, and all the knights that could be spared forthwith +embarked for the Holy Land. + +The Master of the Temple in England sat in parliament as first baron of +the realm, (_primus baro Angliae_,) but that is to be understood among +priors only. To the parliament holden in the twenty-ninth year of King +Henry the Third, there were summoned sixty-five abbots, thirty-five +priors, and the Master of the Temple.[166] The oath taken by the grand +priors, grand preceptors, or provincial Masters in Europe, on their +assumption of the duties of their high administrative office, was drawn up +in the following terms:-- + +"I, _A. B._, Knight of the Order of the Temple, just now appointed Master +of the knights who are in ----, promise to Jesus Christ my Saviour, and to +his vicar the sovereign pontiff and his successors, perpetual obedience +and fidelity. I swear that I will defend, not only with my lips, but by +force of arms and with all my strength, the mysteries of the faith; the +seven sacraments, the fourteen articles of the faith, the creed of the +Apostles, and that of Saint Athanasius; the books of the Old and the New +Testament, with the commentaries of the holy fathers, as received by the +church; the unity of God, the plurality of the persons of the holy +Trinity; that Mary, the daughter of Joachim and Anna, of the tribe of +Judah, and of the race of David, remained always a virgin before her +delivery, during and after her delivery. I promise likewise to be +submissive and obedient to the Master-general of the order, in conformity +with the statutes prescribed by our father Saint Bernard; that I will at +all times in case of need pass the seas to go and fight; that I will +always afford succour against the infidel kings and princes; that in the +presence of three enemies I will fly not, but cope with them, if they are +infidels; that I will not sell the property of the order, nor consent that +it be sold or alienated; that I will always preserve chastity; that I will +be faithful to the king of ----; that I will never surrender to the enemy +the towns and places belonging to the order; and that I will never refuse +to the religious any succour that I am able to afford them; that I will +aid and defend them by words, by arms, and by all sorts of good offices; +and in sincerity and of my own free will I swear that I will observe all +these things."[167] + +Among the earliest of the Masters, or Grand Priors, or Grand Preceptors of +England, whose names figure in history, is Richard de Hastings, who was at +the head of the order in this country on the accession of King Henry the +Second to the throne,[168] (A. D. 1154,) and was employed by that monarch +in various important negotiations. In the year 1160 he greatly offended +the king of France. The Princess Margaret, the daughter of that monarch, +had been betrothed to Prince Henry, son of Henry the Second, king of +England; and in the treaty of peace entered into between the two +sovereigns, it was stipulated that Gizors and two other places, part of +the dowry of the princess, should be consigned to the custody of the +Templars, to be delivered into King Henry's hands after the celebration of +the nuptials. The king of England (A. D. 1160) caused the prince and +princess, both of whom were infants, to be married in the presence of +Richard de Hastings, the Grand Prior or Master of the Temple in England, +and two other Knights Templars, who, immediately after the conclusion of +the ceremony, placed the fortresses in King Henry's hands.[169] The king +of France was highly indignant at this proceeding, and some writers accuse +the Templars of treachery, but from the copy of the treaty published by +Lord Littleton[170] it does not appear that they acted with bad faith. + +The above Richard de Hastings was the friend and confidant of Thomas a +Becket. During the disputes between that haughty prelate and the king, the +archbishop, we are told, withdrew from the council chamber, where all his +brethren were assembled, and went to consult with Richard de Hastings, the +Prior of the Temple at London, who threw himself on his knees before him, +and with many tears besought him to give in his adherence to the famous +councils of Clarendon.[171] + +Richard de Hastings was succeeded by Richard Mallebeench, who confirmed a +treaty of peace and concord which had been entered into between his +predecessor and the abbot of Kirkested;[172] and the next Master of the +Temple appears to have been Geoffrey son of Stephen, who received the +Patriarch Heraclius as his guest at the new Temple on the occasion of the +consecration of the Temple church. He styles himself "_Minister_ of the +soldiery of the Temple in England."[173] + +In consequence of the high estimation in which the Templars were held, and +the privilege of sanctuary enjoyed by them, the Temple at London came to +be made "a storehouse of treasure." The wealth of the king, the nobles, +the bishops, and of the rich burghers of London, was generally deposited +therein, under the safeguard and protection of the military friars.[174] +The money collected in the churches and chapels for the succour of the +Holy Land was also paid into the treasury of the Temple, to be forwarded +to its destination: and the treasurer was at different times authorised to +receive the taxes imposed upon the moveables of the ecclesiastics, also +the large sums of money extorted by the rapacious popes from the English +clergy, and the annuities granted by the king to the nobles of the +kingdom.[175] The money and jewels of Hubert de Burgh, earl of Kent, the +chief justiciary, and at one time governor of the king and kingdom of +England, were deposited in the Temple, and when that nobleman was +disgraced and committed to the Tower, the king attempted to lay hold of +the treasure. + +Matthew Paris gives the following curious account of the affair: + +"It was suggested," says he, "to the king, that Hubert had no small amount +of treasure deposited in the New Temple, under the custody of the +Templars. The king, accordingly, summoning to his presence the Master of +the Temple, briefly demanded of him if it was so. He indeed, not daring to +deny the truth to the king, confessed that he had money of the said +Hubert, which had been confidentially committed to the keeping of himself +and his brethren, but of the quantity and amount thereof he was altogether +ignorant. Then the king endeavoured with threats to obtain from the +brethren the surrender to him of the aforesaid money, asserting that it +had been fraudulently subtracted from his treasury. But they answered to +the king, that _money confided to them in trust they would deliver to no +man without the permission of him who had intrusted it to be kept in the +Temple_. And the king, since the above-mentioned money had been placed +under their protection, ventured not to take it by force. He sent, +therefore, the treasurer of his court, with his justices of the Exchequer, +to Hubert, who had already been placed in fetters in the Tower of London, +that they might exact from him an assignment of the entire sum to the +king. But when these messengers had explained to Hubert the object of +their coming, he immediately answered that he would submit himself and all +belonging to him to the good pleasure of his sovereign. He therefore +petitioned the brethren of the chivalry of the Temple that they would, in +his behalf, present all his keys to his lord the king, that he might do +what he pleased with the things deposited in the Temple. This being done, +the king ordered all that money, faithfully counted, to be placed in his +treasury, and the amount of all the things found to be reduced into +writing and exhibited before him. The king's clerks, indeed, and the +treasurer acting with them, found deposited in the Temple gold and silver +vases of inestimable price, and money and many precious gems, an +enumeration whereof would in truth astonish the hearers."[176] + +The kings of England frequently resided in the Temple, and so also did the +haughty legates of the Roman pontiffs, who there made contributions in the +name of the pope upon the English bishoprics. Matthew Paris gives a lively +account of the exactions of the nuncio Martin, who resided for many years +at the Temple, and came there armed by the pope with powers such as no +legate had ever before possessed. "He made," says he, "whilst residing at +London in the New Temple, unheard of extortions of money and valuables. He +imperiously intimated to the abbots and priors that they must send him +rich presents, desirable palfreys, sumptuous services for the table, and +rich clothing; which being done, that same Martin sent back word that the +things sent were insufficient, and he commanded the givers thereof to +forward him better things, on pain of suspension and +excommunication."[177] + +The convocations of the clergy and the great ecclesiastical councils were +frequently held at the Temple, and laws were there made by the bishops and +abbots for the government of the church and monasteries in England.[178] + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + + The Patriarch Heraclius quarrels with the king of England--He returns + to Palestine without succour--The disappointments and gloomy + forebodings of the Templars--They prepare to resist Saladin--Their + defeat and slaughter--The valiant deeds of the Marshal of the + Temple--The fatal battle of Tiberias--The captivity of the Grand + Master and the true Cross--The captive Templars are offered the Koran + or death--They choose the latter, and are beheaded--The fall of + Jerusalem--The Moslems take possession of the Temple--They purify it + with rose-water, say prayers, and hear a sermon--The Templars retire + to Antioch--Their letters to the king of England and the Master of the + Temple at London--Their exploits at the siege of Acre. + + "Gloriosa civitas Dei Jerusalem, ubi dominus passus, ubi sepultus, ubi + gloriam resurrectionis ostendit, hosti spurio subjicitur polluenda, + nec est dolor sicut dolor iste, cum sepulchrum possideant qui + sepulchrum persequuntur, crucem teneant qui crucifixum + contemnunt."--_The Lamentation of Geoffrey de Vinisauf over the Fall + of Jerusalem._ + + "The earth quakes and trembles because the king of heaven hath lost + his land, the land on which his feet once stood. The foes of the Lord + break into his holy city, even into that glorious tomb where the + virgin blossom of Mary was wrapt up in linen and spices, and where the + first and greatest flower on earth rose up again."--_St. Bernard_, + epist. cccxxii. + + +[Sidenote: GERARD DE RIDERFORT. A. D. 1185.] + +The Grand Master, Arnold de Torroge, who died on his journey to England, +as before mentioned, was succeeded by Brother Gerard de Riderfort.[179] + +On the tenth of the calends of April, a month after the consecration by +the patriarch Heraclius of the Temple church, the grand council or +parliament of the kingdom, composed of the bishops, earls, and barons, +assembled in the house of the Hospitallers at Clerkenwell in London. It +was attended by William king of Scotland and David his brother, and many +of the counts and barons of that distant land.[180] The august assembly +was acquainted, in the king's name, with the object of the solemn embassy +just sent to him from Jerusalem, and with the desire of the royal penitent +to fulfil his vow and perform his penance; but the barons were at the same +time reminded of the old age of their sovereign, of the bad state of his +health, and of the necessity of his presence in England. They accordingly +represented to King Henry that the solemn oath taken by him on his +coronation was an obligation antecedent to the penance imposed on him by +the pope; that by that oath he was bound to stay at home and govern his +dominions, and that, in their opinion, it was more wholesome for the +king's soul to defend his own country against the barbarous French, than +to desert it for the purpose of protecting the distant kingdom of +Jerusalem. They, however, offered to raise the sum of fifty thousand marks +for the levying of troops to be sent into Asia, and recommended that all +such prelates and nobles as desired to take the cross should be permitted +freely to leave the kingdom on so pious an enterprise.[181] + +Fabian gives the following quaint account of the king's answer to the +patriarch, from the Chron. Joan Bromton: "Lasteley, the kynge gaue +answere, and sayde that he myghte not leue hys lande wythoute kepynge, nor +yet leue yt to the praye and robbery of Frenchemen. But he wolde gyue +largely of hys owne to such as wolde take upon theym that vyage. Wyth +thys answere the patryarke was dyscontente, and sayde, 'We seke a man, and +not money; welnere euery crysten regyon sendyth unto us money, but no +lande sendyth to us a prince. Therefore we aske a prynce that nedeth +money, and not money that nedeth a prynce.' But the kynge layde for hym +suche excuses, that the patryarke departed from hym dyscontentyd and +comforteless, whereof the kynge beynge aduertysed, entendynge somwhat to +recomforte hym wyth pleasaunte wordes, folowed hym unto the see syde. But +the more the kynge thought to satysfye hym wyth hys fayre speche, the more +the patryarke was discontented, in so myche that at the laste he sayde +unto hym, 'Hytherto thou haste reygned gloryously, but here after thou +shalt be forsaken of him whom thou at thys tyme forsakeste. Thynke on hym +what he hath gyuen to thee, and what thou haste yelden to him agayne: howe +fyrste thou were false unto the kynge of Fraunce, and after slewe that +holy man Thomas of Caunterburye, and lastely thou forsakeste the +proteccyon of Crystes faith.' The kynge was amoued wyth these wordes, and +sayde unto the patryarke, 'Though all the men of my lande were one bodye, +and spake with one mouth, they durste not speke to me such wordys.' 'No +wonder,' sayde the patriarke, 'for they loue thyne and not the; that ys to +meane, they loue thy goodes temporall, and fere the for losse of +promocyon, but they loue not thy soule.' And when he hadde so sayde, he +offeryd hys hedde to the kynge, sayenge, 'Do by me ryghte as thou dyddest +by that blessed man Thomas of Caunterburye, for I had leur to be slayne of +the, then of the Sarasyns, for thou art worse than any Sarasyn.' But the +kynge kepte hys pacyence, and sayde, 'I may not wende oute of my lande, +for myne own sonnes wyll aryse agayne me whan I were absente.' 'No +wonder,' sayde the patryarke, 'for of the deuyll they come, and to the +deuyll they shall go,' and so departyd from the kynge in great ire."[182] + +According to Roger de Hoveden, however, the patriarch, on the 17th of the +calends of May, accompanied King Henry into Normandy, where a conference +was held between the sovereigns of France and England concerning the +proposed succour to the Holy Land. Both monarchs were liberal in promises +and fair speeches; but as nothing short of the presence of the king of +England, or of one of his sons, in Palestine, would satisfy the patriarch, +that haughty ecclesiastic failed in his negotiations, and returned in +disgust and disappointment to the Holy Land.[183] On his arrival at +Jerusalem with intelligence of his ill success, the greatest consternation +prevailed amongst the Latin christians; and it was generally observed that +the true cross, which had been recovered from the Persians by the Emperor +Heraclius, was about to be lost under the pontificate, and by the fault of +a patriarch of the same name. + +A resident in Palestine has given us some curious biographical notices of +this worthy consecrator of our Temple church at London. He says that he +was a very handsome parson, and, in consequence of his beauty, the mother +of the king of Jerusalem fell in love with him, and made him archbishop of +Caesarea, (biau clerc estoit, et par sa beaute l'ama la mere de roi, et le +fist arcevesque de Cesaire.) He then describes how he came to be made +patriarch, and how he was suspected to have poisoned the archbishop of +Tyre. After his return from Rome he fell in love with the wife of a +haberdasher who lived at Naplous, twelve miles from Jerusalem. He went to +see her very often, and, not long after the acquaintanceship commenced, +the husband died. Then the patriarch brought the lady to Jerusalem, and +bought for her a very fine stone house. "Le patriarche la fist venir en +Jerusalem, et li acheta bonne maison de pierre. Si la tenoit voiant le +siecle ausi com li hons fait sa fame, fors tant que ele n'estoit mie avec +lui. Quant ele aloit au mostier, ele estoit ausi atornee de riches dras, +com ce fust un emperris, et si serjant devant lui. Quant aucunes gens la +veoient qui ne la connoissoient pas, il demandoient qui cele dame estoit. +Cil qui la connoissoient, disoient que cestoit la fame du patriarche. Ele +avoit nom Pasque de Riveri. Enfans avoit du patriarche, et les barons +estoient, que la ou il se conseilloient, vint un fol ou patriarche, si li +dist; 'Sire Patriarche, dones moi bon don, car je vous aport bones +novelles _Pasque de Riveri, vostre fame, a une bele fille_!'"[184] "When +Jesus Christ," says the learned author, "saw the iniquity and wickedness +which they committed in the very place where he was crucified, he could no +longer suffer it." + +[Sidenote: A. D. 1186.] + +The order of the Temple was at this period all-powerful in Palestine, and +the Grand Master, Gerard de Riderfort, coerced with the heavy hand of +authority the nobles of the kingdom, and even the king himself. Shortly +after the return of Heraclius to Palestine, King Baldwin IV. died, and was +succeeded by his infant nephew, Baldwin V., who was crowned in the church +of the Resurrection, and was afterwards royally entertained by the +Templars in the Temple of Solomon, according to ancient custom.[185] The +young king died at Acre after a short reign of only seven months, and the +Templars brought the body to Jerusalem, and buried it in the tombs of the +christian kings. The Grand Master of the Temple then raised Sibylla, the +mother of the deceased monarch, and her second husband, Guy of Lusignan, +to the throne. Gerard de Riderfort surrounded the palace with troops; he +closed the gates of Jerusalem, and delivered the regalia to the Patriarch. +He then conducted Sibylla and her husband to the church of the +Resurrection, where they were both crowned by Heraclius, and were +afterwards entertained at dinner in the Temple. Guy de Lusignan was a +prince of handsome person, but of such base renown, that his own brother +Geoffrey was heard to exclaim, "Since they have made _him_ a king, surely +they would have made _me_ a God!" These proceedings led to endless discord +and dissension; Raymond, Count of Tripoli, withdrew from court; many of +the barons refused to do homage, and the state was torn by faction and +dissension at a time when all the energies of the population were required +to defend the country from the Moslems.[186] + +Saladin, on the other hand, had been carefully consolidating and +strengthening his power, and was vigorously preparing for the reconquest +of the Holy City, the long-cherished enterprise of the Mussulmen. The +Arabian writers enthusiastically recount his pious exhortations to the +true believers, and describe with vast enthusiasm his glorious +preparations for the holy war. Bohadin F. Sjeddadi, his friend and +secretary, and great biographer, before venturing upon the sublime task of +describing his famous and sacred actions, makes a solemn confession of +faith, and offers up praises to the one true God. + +"Praise be to GOD," says he, "who hath blessed us with _Islam_, and hath +led us to the understanding of the true faith beautifully put together, +and hath befriended us; and, through the intercession of our prophet, hath +loaded us with every blessing.... I bear witness that there is no God but +that one great God who hath no partner, (a testimony that will deliver our +souls from the smoky fire of hell,) that Mohammed is his servant and +apostle, who hath opened unto us the gates of the right road to +salvation...." + +"These solemn duties being performed, I will begin to write concerning the +victorious defender of the faith, the tamer of the followers of the cross, +the lifter up of the standard of justice and equity, the saviour of the +world and of religion, Saladin Aboolmodaffer Joseph, the son of Job, the +son of Schadi, Sultan of the Moslems, ay, and of Islam itself; the +deliverer of the holy house of God (the Temple) from the hands of the +idolaters, the servant of two holy cities, whose tomb may the Lord moisten +with the dew of his favour, affording to him the sweetness of the fruits +of the faith."[187] + +[Sidenote: A. D. 1187.] + +On the 10th of May, A. D. 1187, Malek-el-Afdal, "Most excellent prince," +one of Saladin's sons, crossed the Jordan at the head of seven thousand +Mussulmen. The Grand Master of the Temple immediately despatched +messengers to the nearest convents and castles of the order, commanding +all such knights as could be spared to mount and come to him with speed. +At midnight, ninety knights of the garrison of La Feue or Faba, forty +knights from the garrison of Nazareth, with many others from the convent +of Caco, were assembled around their chief, and began their march at the +head of the serving brothers and the light cavalry of the order. They +joined themselves to the Hospitallers, rashly engaged the seven thousand +Moslems, and were cut to pieces in a bloody battle fought near the brook +Kishon. The Grand Master of the Temple and two knights broke through the +dense ranks of the Moslems, and made their escape. Roger de Molines, the +Grand Master of the Hospital, was left dead upon the field, together with +all the other brothers of the Hospital and of the Temple. + +Jacqueline de Mailly, the Marshal of the Temple, performed prodigies of +valour. He was mounted on a white horse, and clothed in the white habit of +his order, with the blood-red cross, the symbol of martyrdom, on his +breast; he became, through his gallant bearing and demeanour, an object of +respect and of admiration even to the Moslems. He fought, say the writers +of the crusades, like a wild boar, sending on that day an amazing number +of infidels to _hell_! The Mussulmen severed the heads of the slaughtered +Templars from their bodies, and attaching them with cords to the points of +their lances, they placed them in front of their array, and marched off in +the direction of Tiberias.[188] + +The following interesting account is given of the march of another band +of holy warriors, who, in obedience to the summons of the Grand Master of +the Temple, were hastening to rally around the sacred ensigns of their +faith. + +"When they had travelled two miles, they came to the city of Saphet. It +was a lovely morning, and they determined to march no further until they +had heard mass. They accordingly turned towards the house of the bishop +and awoke him up, and informed him that the day was breaking. The bishop +accordingly ordered an old chaplain to put on his clothes and say mass, +after which they hastened forwards. Then they came to the castle of La +Feue, (a fortress of the Templars,) and there they found, outside the +castle, the tents of the convent of Caco pitched, and there was no one to +explain what it meant. A varlet was sent into the castle to inquire, but +he found no one within but two sick people who were unable to speak. Then +they marched towards Nazareth, and after they had proceeded a short +distance from the castle of La Feue, they met a brother of the Temple on +horseback, who galloped up to them at a furious rate, calling out, Bad +news, bad news; and he informed them how that the Master of the Hospital +had had his head cut off, and how of all the brothers of the Temple there +had escaped but three, the Master of the Temple and two others, and that +the knights whom the king had placed in garrison at Nazareth, were all +taken and killed."[189] + +In the great battle of Tiberias or of Hittin, fought on the 4th of July, +which decided the fate of the holy city of Jerusalem, the Templars were in +the van of the Christian army, and led the attack against the infidels. +The march of Saladin's host, which amounted to eighty thousand horse and +foot, over the hilly country, is compared by an Arabian writer, an +eye-witness, to mountains in movement, or to the vast waves of an agitated +sea. The same author speaks of the advance of the Templars against them +at early dawn in battle array, "horrible in arms, having their whole +bodies cased with triple mail." He compares the noise made by their +advancing squadrons to the _loud humming of bees_! and describes them as +animated with "a flaming desire of vengeance."[190] Saladin had behind him +the lake of Tiberias, his infantry was in the centre, and the swift +cavalry of the desert was stationed on either wing, under the command of +_Faki-ed-deen_ (teacher of religion.) The Templars rushed, we are told, +like lions upon the Moslem infidels, and nothing could withstand their +heavy and impetuous charge. "Never," says an Arabian doctor of the law, +"have I seen a bolder or more powerful army, nor one more to be feared by +the believers in the true faith." + +Saladin set fire to the dry grass and dwarf shrubs which lay between both +armies, and the wind blew the smoke and the flames directly into the faces +of the military friars and their horses. The fire, the noise, the gleaming +weapons, and all the accompaniments of the horrid scene, have given full +scope to the descriptive powers of the oriental writers. They compare it +to the last judgment; the dust and the smoke obscured the face of the sun, +and the day was turned into night. Sometimes gleams of light darted like +the rapid lightning amid the throng of combatants; then you might see the +dense columns of armed warriors, now immovable as mountains, and now +sweeping swiftly across the landscape like the rainy clouds over the face +of heaven. "The sons of paradise and the children of fire," say they, +"then decided their terrible quarrel; the arrows rustled through the air +like the wings of innumerable sparrows, the sparks flew from the coats of +mail and the glancing sabres, and the blood spurting forth from the bosom +of the throng deluged the earth like the rains of heaven."... "The +avenging sword of the true believers was drawn forth against the infidels; +the faith of the UNITY was opposed to the faith of the TRINITY, and +speedy ruin, desolation, and destruction, overtook the miserable sons of +baptism!" + +The cowardly patriarch Heraclius, whose duty it was to bear the holy cross +in front of the christian array, confided his sacred charge to the bishops +of Ptolemais and Lydda,[191]--a circumstance which gave rise to many +gloomy forebodings amongst the superstitious soldiers of Christ. In +consequence of the treachery, as it is alleged, of the count of Tripoli, +who fled from the field with his retainers, both the Templars and +Hospitallers were surrounded, and were to a man killed or taken prisoners. +The bishop of Ptolemais was slain, the bishop of Lydda was made captive, +and the holy cross, together with the king of Jerusalem, and the Grand +Master of the Temple, fell into the hands of the Saracens. "Quid plura?" +says Radulph, abbot of the monastery of Coggleshale in Essex, who was then +on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, and was wounded in the nose by an arrow. +"Capta est crux, et rex, et Magister militiae Templi, et episcopus +Liddensis, et frater Regis, et Templarii, et Hospitalarii, et marchio de +Montferrat, atque omnes vel mortui vel capti sunt. Plangite super hoc +omnes adoratores crucis, et plorate; sublatum est lignum nostrae salutis, +dignum ab indignis indigne heu! heu! asportatum. Vae mihi misero, quod in +diebus miserae vitae meae talia cogor videre.... O dulce lignum, et suave, +sanguine filii Dei roratum atque lavatum! O crux alma, in qua salus nostra +pependit! &c.[192] + +"I saw," says the secretary and companion of Saladin, who was present at +this terrible fight, and is unable to restrain himself from pitying the +disasters of the vanquished--"I saw the mountains and the plains, the +hills and the valleys, covered with their dead. I saw their fallen and +deserted banners sullied with dust and with blood. I saw their heads +broken and battered, their limbs scattered abroad, and the blackened +corses piled one upon another like the stones of the builders. I called to +mind the words of the Koran, 'The infidel shall say, What am I but +_dust_?'... I saw thirty or forty tied together by one cord. I saw in one +place, guarded by one Mussulman, two hundred of these famous warriors +gifted with amazing strength, who had but just now walked forth amongst +the mighty; their proud bearing was gone; they stood naked with downcast +eyes, wretched and miserable.... The lying infidels were now in the power +of the true believers. Their king and their cross were captured, that +cross before which they bow the head and bend the knee; which they bear +aloft and worship with their eyes; they say that it is the identical wood +to which the God whom they adore was fastened. They had adorned it with +fine gold and brilliant stones; they carried it before their armies; they +all bowed towards it with respect. It was their first duty to defend it; +and he who should desert it would never enjoy peace of mind. The capture +of this cross was more grievous to them than the captivity of their king. +Nothing can compensate them for the loss of it. It was their God; they +prostrated themselves in the dust before it, and sang hymns when it was +raised aloft!"[193] + +Among the few christian warriors who escaped from this terrible encounter, +was the Grand Master of the Hospital; he clove his way from the field of +battle, and reached Ascalon in safety, but died of his wounds the day +after his arrival. The multitude of captives was enormous, cords could not +be found to bind them, the tent-ropes were all used for the purpose, but +were insufficient, and the Arabian writers tell us that, on seeing the +dead, one would have thought that there could be no prisoners, and on +seeing the prisoners, that there could be no dead. As soon as the battle +was over, Saladin proceeded to a tent, whither, in obedience to his +commands, the king of Jerusalem, the Grand Master of the Temple, and +Reginald de Chatillon, had been conducted. This last nobleman had greatly +distinguished himself in various daring expeditions against the caravans +of pilgrims travelling to Mecca, and had become on that account +particularly obnoxious to the pious Saladin. The sultan, on entering the +tent, ordered a bowl of sherbet, the sacred pledge amongst the Arabs of +hospitality and security, to be presented to the fallen monarch of +Jerusalem, and to the Grand Master of the Temple; but when Reginald de +Chatillon would have drunk thereof, Saladin prevented him, and reproaching +the christian nobleman with perfidy and impiety, he commanded him +instantly to acknowledge the prophet whom he had blasphemed, or be +prepared to meet the death he had so often deserved. On Reginald's +refusal, Saladin struck him with his scimitar, and he was immediately +despatched by the guards.[194] + +Bohadin, Saladin's friend and secretary, an eye-witness of the scene, +gives the following account of it: "Then Saladin told the interpreter to +say thus to the king, 'It is thou, not I, who givest drink to this man!' +Then the sultan sat down at the entrance of the tent, and they brought +Prince Reginald before him, and after refreshing the man's memory, Saladin +said to him, 'Now then, I myself will act the part of the defender of +Mohammed!' He then offered the man the Mohammedan faith, but he refused +it; then the king struck him on the shoulder with a drawn scimitar, which +was a hint to those that were present to do for him; so they sent his +soul to _hell_, and cast out his body before the tent-door!"[195] + +Two days afterwards Saladin proceeded in cold blood to enact the grand +concluding tragedy. The warlike monks of the Temple and of the Hospital, +the bravest and most zealous defenders of the christian faith, were, of +all the warriors of the cross, the most obnoxious to zealous Mussulmen, +and it was determined that death or conversion to Mahometanism should be +the portion of every captive of either order, excepting the Grand Master +of the Temple, for whom it was expected a heavy ransom would be given. +Accordingly, on the christian Sabbath, at the hour of sunset, the +appointed time of prayer, the Moslems were drawn up in battle array under +their respective leaders. The Mamlook emirs stood in two ranks clothed in +yellow, and, at the sound of the holy trumpet, all the captive knights of +the Temple and of the Hospital were led on to the eminence above Tiberias, +in full view of the beautiful lake of Gennesareth, whose bold and +mountainous shores had been the scene of so many of their Saviour's +miracles. There, as the last rays of the sun were fading away from the +mountain tops, they were called upon to deny him who had been crucified, +to choose God for their Lord, Islam for their faith, Mecca for their +temple, the Moslems for their brethren, and Mahomet for their prophet. To +a man they refused, and were all decapitated in the presence of Saladin by +the devout zealots of his army, and the doctors and expounders of the law. +An oriental historian, who was present, says that Saladin sat with a +smiling countenance viewing the execution, and that some of the +executioners cut off the heads with a degree of dexterity that excited +great applause.[196] "Oh," says Omad'eddin Muhammed, "how beautiful an +ornament is the blood of the infidels sprinkled over the followers of the +faith and the true religion!" + +If the Mussulmen displayed a becoming zeal in the decapitation and +annihilation of the infidel Templars, these last manifested a no less +praiseworthy eagerness for martyrdom by the swords of the unbelieving +Moslems. The Knight Templar, Brother Nicolas, strove vigorously, we are +told, with his companions to be the first to suffer, and with great +difficulty accomplished his purpose.[197] It was believed by the +Christians, in accordance with the superstitious ideas of those times, +that heaven testified its approbation by a visible sign, and that for +three nights, during which the bodies of the Templars remained unburied on +the field, celestial rays of light played around the corpses of those holy +martyrs.[198] + +The government of the order of the Temple, in consequence of the captivity +of the Grand Master, devolved upon the Grand Preceptor of the kingdom of +Jerusalem, who addressed letters to all the brethren in the West, +imploring instant aid and assistance. One of these letters was duly +received by Brother Geoffrey, Master of the Temple at London, as +follows:-- + +"Brother Terric, Grand Preceptor of the poor house of the Temple, and +every poor brother, and the whole convent, now, alas! almost annihilated, +to all the preceptors and brothers of the Temple to whom these letters may +come, salvation through him to whom our fervent aspirations are addressed, +through him who causeth the sun and the moon to reign marvellous." + +"The many and great calamities wherewith the anger of God, excited by our +manifold sins, hath just now permitted us to be afflicted, we cannot for +grief unfold to you, neither by letters nor by our sobbing speech. The +infidel chiefs having collected together a vast number of their people, +fiercely invaded our christian territories, and we, assembling our +battalions, hastened to Tiberias to arrest their march. The enemy having +hemmed us in among barren rocks, fiercely attacked us; the holy cross and +the king himself fell into the hands of the infidels, the whole army was +cut to pieces, two hundred and thirty of our knights were beheaded, +without reckoning the sixty who were killed on the 1st of May. The Lord +Reginald of Sidon, the Lord Ballovius, and we ourselves, escaped with vast +difficulty from that miserable field. The Pagans, drunk with the blood of +our Christians, then marched with their whole army against the city of +Acre, and took it by storm. The city of Tyre is at present fiercely +besieged, and neither by night nor by day do the infidels discontinue +their furious assaults. So great is the multitude of them, that they cover +like ants the whole face of the country from Tyre to Jerusalem, and even +unto Gaza. The holy city of Jerusalem, Ascalon, and Tyre, and Beyrout, are +alone left to us and to the christian cause, and the garrisons and the +chief inhabitants of these places, having perished in the battle of +Tiberias, we have no hope of retaining them without succour from heaven +and instant assistance from yourselves."[199] + +Saladin, on the other hand, sent triumphant letters to the caliph. "God +and his angels," says he, "have mercifully succoured Islam. The infidels +have been sent to feed the fires of hell! The cross is fallen into our +hands, around which they fluttered like the moth round a light; under +whose shadow they assembled, in which they boldly trusted as in a wall; +the cross, the centre and leader of their pride, their superstition, and +their tyranny."...[200] + +After the conquest of between thirty and forty cities and castles, many of +which belonged to the order of the Temple, Saladin laid siege to the holy +city. On the 20th of September the Mussulman army encamped on the west of +the town, and extended itself from the tower of David to the gate of St. +Stephen. The Temple could no longer furnish its brave warriors for the +defence of the holy sanctuary of the Christians; two miserable knights, +with a few serving brethren, alone remained in its now silent halls and +deserted courts. + +After a siege of fourteen days, a breach was effected in the walls, and +ten banners of the prophet waved in triumph on the ramparts. In the +morning a barefoot procession of the queen, the women, and the monks and +priests, was made to the holy sepulchre, to implore the Son of God to save +his tomb and his inheritance from impious violation. The females, as a +mark of humility and distress, cut off their hair and cast it to the +winds; and the ladies of Jerusalem made their daughters do penance by +standing up to their necks in tubs of cold water placed upon Mount +Calvary. But it availed nought; "for our Lord Jesus Christ," says a Syrian +Frank, "would not listen to any prayer that they made; for the filth, the +luxury, and the adultery which prevailed in the city, did not suffer +prayer or supplication to ascend before God."[201] + +On the surrender of the city (October 2, A. D. 1187) the Moslems rushed to +the Temple in thousands. "The Imauns and the doctors and expounders of the +wicked errors of Mahomet," says Abbot Coggleshale, who was then in +Jerusalem suffering from a wound which he had received during the siege, +"first ascended to the Temple of the Lord, called by the infidels _Beit +Allah_, (the house of God,) in which, as a place of prayer and religion, +they place their great hope of salvation. With horrible bellowings they +proclaimed the law of Mahomet, and vociferated, with polluted lips, ALLAH +_Acbar_--ALLAH _Acbar_, (GOD is victorious.) They defiled all the places +that are contained within the Temple; i. e. the place of the presentation, +where the mother and glorious virgin Mary delivered the Son of God into +the hands of the just Simeon; and the place of the confession, looking +towards the porch of Solomon, where the Lord judged the woman taken in +adultery. They placed guards that no Christian might enter within the +seven atria of the Temple; and as a disgrace to the Christians, with vast +clamour, with laughter and mockery, they hurled down the golden cross from +the pinnacle of the building, and dragged it with ropes throughout the +city, amid the exulting shouts of the infidels and the tears and +lamentations of the followers of Christ."[202] + +When every Christian had been removed from the precincts of the Temple, +Saladin proceeded with vast pomp to say his prayers in the _Beit Allah_, +the holy house of God, or "Temple of the Lord," erected by the Caliph +Omar.[203] He was preceded by five camels laden with rose-water, which he +had procured from Damascus,[204] and he entered the sacred courts to the +sound of martial music, and with his banners streaming in the wind. The +_Beit Allah_, "the Temple of the Lord," was then again consecrated to the +service of one God and his prophet Mahomet; the walls and pavements were +washed and purified with rose-water; and a pulpit, the labour of +Noureddin, was erected in the sanctuary.[205] The following account of +these transactions was forwarded to Henry the Second, king of England. + +"To the beloved Lord Henry, by the grace of God, the illustrious king of +the English, duke of Normandy and Guienne, and count of Anjou, Brother +Terric, _formerly_ Grand Preceptor of the house of the Temple AT +JERUSALEM, sendeth greeting,--salvation through him who saveth kings. + +"Know that Jerusalem, with the citadel of David, hath been surrendered to +Saladin. The Syrian Christians, however, have the custody of the holy +sepulchre up to the fourth day after Michaelmas, and Saladin himself hath +permitted ten of the brethren of the Hospital to remain in the house of +the hospital for the space of one year, to take care of the sick.... +Jerusalem, alas, hath fallen; Saladin hath caused the cross to be thrown +down from the summit of the Temple of the Lord, and for two days to be +publicly kicked and dragged in the dirt through the city. He then caused +the Temple of the Lord to be washed within and without, upwards and +downwards, with rose-water, and the law of Mahomet to be proclaimed +throughout the four quarters of the Temple with wonderful +clamour...."[206] + +Bohadin, Saladin's secretary, mentions as a remarkable and happy +circumstance, that the holy city was surrendered to the sultan of most +pious memory, and that God restored to the faithful their sanctuary on the +twenty-seventh of the month Regeb, on the night of which very day their +most glorious prophet Mahomet performed his wonderful nocturnal journey +from the Temple, through the seven heavens, to the throne of God. He also +describes the sacred congregation of the Mussulmen gathered together in +the Temple and the solemn prayer offered up to God; the shouting and the +sounds of applause, and the voices lifted up to heaven, causing the holy +buildings to resound with thanks and praises to the most bountiful Lord +God. He glories in the casting down of the golden cross, and exults in the +very splendid triumph of Islam.[207] + +Saladin restored the sacred area of the Temple to its original condition +under the first Mussulman conquerors of Jerusalem. The ancient christian +church of the Virgin (otherwise the mosque _Al Acsa_, otherwise the Temple +of Solomon) was washed with rose-water, and was once again dedicated to +the religious services of the Moslems. On the western side of this +venerable edifice the Templars had erected, according to the Arabian +writers, an immense building in which they lodged, together with granaries +of corn and various offices, which enclosed and concealed a great portion +of the edifice. Most of these were pulled down by the sultan to make a +clear and open area for the resort of the Mussulmen to prayer. Some new +erections placed between the columns in the interior of the structure were +taken away, and the floor was covered with the richest carpets. "Lamps +innumerable," says Ibn Alatsyr, "were suspended from the ceiling; verses +of the Koran were again inscribed on the walls; the call to prayer was +again heard; the bells were silenced; the exiled faith returned to its +ancient sanctuary; the devout Mussulmen again bent the knee in adoration +of the one only God, and the voice of the imaun was again heard from the +pulpit, reminding the true believers of the resurrection and the last +judgment."[208] + +The Friday after the surrender of the city, the army of Saladin and crowds +of true believers, who had flocked to Jerusalem from all parts of the +East, assembled in the Temple of the Lord to assist in the religious +services of the Mussulman sabbath. Omad, Saladin's secretary, who was +present, gives the following interesting account of the ceremony, and of +the sermon that was preached. "On Friday morning at daybreak," says he, +"every body was asking whom the sultan had appointed _to preach_. The +Temple was full; the congregation was impatient; all eyes were fixed on +the pulpit; the ears were on the stretch; our hearts beat fast, and tears +trickled down our faces. On all sides were to be heard rapturous +exclamations of 'What a glorious sight! What a congregation! Happy are +those who have lived to see _the resurrection of Islam_.' At length the +sultan ordered the judge (doctor of the law) _Mohieddin +Aboulmehali-Mohammed_ to fulfil the sacred function of imaun. I +immediately lent him the black vestment which I had received as a present +from the caliph. He then mounted into the pulpit and spoke. All were +hushed. His expressions were graceful and easy; and his discourse eloquent +and much admired. He spake of the virtue and the sanctity of Jerusalem, of +the purification of the Temple; he alluded to the silence of the bells, +and to the flight of the infidel priests. In his prayer he named the +caliph and the sultan, and terminated his discourse with that chapter of +the Koran in which God orders justice and good works. He then descended +from the pulpit, and prayed in the Mihrah. Immediately afterwards a +sermon was preached before the congregation."[209] + +This sermon was delivered by _Mohammed Ben Zeky_. "Praise be to God," +saith the preacher, "who by the power of his might hath raised up Islamism +on the ruins of Polytheism; who governs all things according to his will; +who overthroweth the devices of the infidels, and causeth the truth to +triumph.... I praise God, who hath succoured his elect; who hath rendered +them victorious and crowned them with glory, who hath purified his holy +house from the filthiness of idolatry.... I bear witness that there is no +God but that one great God who standeth alone and hath no partner; sole, +supreme, eternal; who begetteth not and is not begotten, and hath no +equal. I bear witness that Mahomet is his servant, his envoy, and his +prophet, who hath dissipated doubts, confounded polytheism, and put down +LIES, &c. ... + +"O men, declare ye the blessings of God, who hath restored to you this +holy city, after it has been left in the power of the infidels for a +hundred years.... This holy house of the Lord hath been built, and its +foundations have been established, for the glory of God.... This sacred +spot is the dwelling place of the prophets, the _kebla_, (place of +prayer,) towards which you turn at the commencement of your religious +duties, the birth-place of the saints, the scene of the revelation. It is +thrice holy, for the angels of God spread their wings over it. This is +that blessed land of which God hath spoken in his sacred book. In this +house of prayer, Mahomet prayed with the angels who approach God. It is to +this spot that all fingers are turned after the two holy places.... This +conquest, O men, hath opened unto you the gates of heaven; the angels +rejoice, and the eyes of the prophets glisten with joy...."[210] + +Omad informs us that the marble altar and chapel which had been erected +over the sacred rock in the Temple of the Lord, or mosque of Omar, was +removed by Saladin, together with the stalls for the priests, the marble +statues, and all the abominations which had been placed in the venerated +building by the Christians. The Mussulmen discovered with horror that some +pieces of the holy stone or rock had been cut off by the Franks, and sent +to Europe. Saladin caused it to be immediately surrounded by a grate of +iron. He washed it with rose-water and Malek-Afdal covered it with +magnificent carpets.[211] + +After the conquest of the holy city, and the loss of the Temple at +Jerusalem, the Knights Templars established the chief house of their order +at Antioch, to which place they retired with Queen Sibylla, the barons of +the kingdom, and the patriarch Heraclius.[212] + +The following account of the condition of the few remaining christian +possessions immediately after the conquest of Jerusalem, was conveyed by +the before-mentioned Brother Terric, Grand Preceptor of the Temple, and +Treasurer General of the order, to Henry the Second, king of England. + +"The brothers of the hospital of Belvoir as yet bravely resist the +Saracens; they have captured two convoys, and have valiantly possessed +themselves of the munitions of war and provisions which were being +conveyed by the Saracens from the fortress of La Feue. As yet, also, +Carach, in the neighbourhood of Mount Royal, Mount Royal itself, the +Temple of Saphet, the hospital of Carach, Margat, and Castellum Blancum, +and the territory of Tripoli, and the territory of Antioch, resist +Saladin.... From the feast of Saint Martin up to that of the circumcision +of the Lord, Saladin hath besieged Tyre incessantly, by night and by day, +throwing into it immense stones from thirteen military engines. On the +vigils of St. Silvester, the Lord Conrad, the Marquis of Montferrat, +distributed knights and foot soldiers along the wall of the city, and +having armed seventeen galleys and ten small vessels, with the assistance +of the house of the Hospital and the brethren of the Temple, he engaged +the galleys of Saladin, and vanquishing them he captured eleven, and took +prisoners the great admiral of Alexandria and eight other admirals, a +multitude of the infidels being slain. The rest of the Mussulman galleys, +escaping the hands of the Christians, fled to the army of Saladin, and +being run aground by his command, were set on fire and burnt to ashes. +Saladin himself, overwhelmed with grief, having _cut off the ears and the +tail of his horse_, rode that same horse through his whole army in the +sight of all. Farewell!"[213] + +[Sidenote: A. D. 1188.] + +Tyre was valiantly defended against all the efforts of Saladin until the +winter had set in, and then the disappointed sultan, despairing of taking +the place, burnt his military engines and retired to Damascus. In the mean +time, negotiations had been set on foot for the release from captivity of +Guy king of Jerusalem, and Gerard de Riderfort, the Grand Master of the +Temple. No less than eleven of the most important of the cities and +castles remaining to the Christians in Palestine, including Ascalon, Gaza, +Jaffa, and Naplous, were yielded up to Saladin by way of ransom for these +illustrious personages; and at the commencement of the year 1188, the +Grand Master of the Temple again appeared in arms at the head of the +remaining forces of the order.[214] + +The torpid sensibility of Christendom had at this time been aroused by the +intelligence of the fall of Jerusalem, and of the profanation of the holy +places by the conquering infidels. Three hundred knights and a +considerable naval force were immediately despatched from Sicily, and all +the Templars of the West capable of bearing arms hurried from their +preceptories to the sea-ports of the Mediterranean, and embarked for +Palestine in the ships of Genoa, Pisa, and Venice. The king of England +forwarded a large sum of money to the order for the defence of the city of +Tyre; but as the siege had been raised before its arrival, and as Conrad, +the valiant defender of the place, claimed a title to the throne of +Jerusalem in opposition to Guy de Lusignan, the Grand Master of the Temple +refused to deliver the money into Conrad's hands, in consequence whereof +the latter wrote letters filled with bitter complaints to King Henry and +the archbishop of Canterbury.[215] + +[Sidenote: A. D. 1189.] + +In the spring of the year 1189, the Grand Master of the Temple marched out +of Tyre at the head of the newly-arrived brethren of the order, and, in +conjunction with a large army of crusaders, laid siege to Acre. The +"victorious defender of the faith, tamer of the followers of the cross," +hastened to its relief, and pitched his tents on the mountains of Carouba. + +On the 4th of October, the newly-arrived warriors from Europe, eager to +signalize their prowess against the infidels, marched out to attack +Saladin's camp. The Grand Master of the Temple, at the head of his knights +and the forces of the order, and a large body of European chivalry who had +ranged themselves under the banner of the Templars, formed a reserve. The +Moslem array was broken by the impetuous charge of the soldiers of the +cross, who penetrated to the imperial tent, and then abandoned themselves +to pillage. The infidels rallied, they were led on by Saladin in person; +and the christian army would have been annihilated but for the Templars. +Firm and immovable, they presented, for the space of an hour, an unbroken +front to the advancing Moslems, and gave time for the discomfited and +panic-stricken crusaders to recover from their terror and confusion; but +ere they had been rallied, and had returned to the charge, the Grand +Master of the Temple was slain; he fell pierced with arrows at the head of +his knights; the seneschal of the order shared the same fate, and more +than half the Templars were numbered with the dead.[216] + +[Sidenote: WALTER. A. D. 1190.] + +To Gerard de Riderfort succeeded the Knight Templar, Brother WALTER.[217] +Never did the flame of enthusiasm burn with fiercer or more destructive +power than at this famous siege of Acre. Nine pitched battles were fought, +with various fortune, in the neighbourhood of Mount Carmel, and during the +first year of the siege a hundred thousand Christians are computed to have +perished. The tents of the dead, however, were replenished by new comers +from Europe; the fleets of Saladin succoured the town, the christian ships +brought continual aid to the besiegers, and the contest seemed +interminable.[218] Saladin's exertions in the cause of the prophet were +incessant. The Arab authors compare him to a mother wandering with +desperation in search of her lost child, to a lioness who has lost its +young. "I saw him," says his secretary Bohadin, "in the fields of Acre +afflicted with a most cruel disease, with boils from the middle of his +body to his knees, so that he could not sit down, but only recline on his +side when he entered into his tent, yet he went about to the stations +nearest to the enemy, arranged his troops for battle, and rode about from +dawn till eve, now to the right wing, then to the left, and then to the +centre, patiently enduring the severity of his pain."... "O God," says his +enthusiastic biographer, "thou knowest that he put forth and lavishly +expended all his energies and strength towards the protection and the +triumph of thy religion; do thou therefore, O Lord, have mercy upon +him."[219] + +At this famous siege died the Patriarch Heraclius.[220] + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + + Richard Coeur de Lion joins the Templars before Acre--The city + surrenders, and the Templars establish the chief house of their order + within it--Coeur de Lion takes up his abode with them--He sells to + them the island of Cyprus--The Templars form the van of his + army--Their foraging expeditions and great exploits--Coeur de Lion + quits the Holy Land in the disguise of a Knight Templar--The Templars + build the Pilgrim's Castle in Palestine--The state of the order in + England--King John resides in the Temple at London--The barons come to + him at that place, and demand MAGNA CHARTA--The exploits of the + Templars in Egypt--The letters of the Grand Master to the Master of + the Temple at London--The Templars reconquer Jerusalem. + + "Therefore, friends, + As far as to the sepulchre of Christ + (Whose soldier now under whose blessed cross + We are impressed and engag'd to fight,) + Forthwith a power of English shall we levy, + Whose arms were moulded in their mother's womb, + To chase these pagans, in those holy fields, + Over whose acres walked those blessed feet, + Which, fourteen hundred years ago, were nail'd, + For our advantage, on the bitter cross." + + +[Sidenote: WALTER. A. D. 1191.] + +[Sidenote: ROBERT DE SABLE. A. D. 1191.] + +In the mean time a third crusade had been preached in Europe. William, +archbishop of Tyre, had proceeded to the courts of France and England, and +had represented in glowing colours the miserable condition of Palestine, +and the horrors and abominations which had been committed by the infidels +in the holy city of Jerusalem. The English and French monarchs laid aside +their private animosities, and agreed to fight under the same banner +against the infidels, and towards the close of the month of May, in the +second year of the siege of Acre, the royal fleets of Philip Augustus and +Richard Coeur de Lion floated in triumph in the bay of Acre. At the period +of the arrival of king Richard the Templars had again lost their Grand +Master, and Brother Robert de Sable, or Sabloil, a valiant knight of the +order, who had commanded a division of the English fleet on the voyage +out, was placed at the head of the fraternity.[221] The proudest of the +nobility, and the most valiant of the chivalry of Europe, on their arrival +in Palestine, manifested an eager desire to fight under the banner of the +Temple. Many secular knights were permitted by the Grand Master to take +their station by the side of the military friars, and even to wear the red +cross on their breasts whilst fighting in the ranks. + +The Templars performed prodigies of valour; "The name of their reputation, +and the fame of their sanctity," says James of Vitry, bishop of Acre, +"like a chamber of perfume sending forth a sweet odour, was diffused +throughout the entire world, and all the congregation of the saints will +recount their battles and glorious triumph over the enemies of Christ, +knights indeed from all parts of the earth, dukes, and princes, after +their example, casting off the shackles of the world, and renouncing the +pomps and vanities of this life and all the lusts of the flesh for +Christ's sake, hastened to join them, and to participate in their holy +profession and religion."[222] + +On the morning of the twelfth of July, six weeks after the arrival of the +British fleet, the kings of England and France, the christian chieftains, +and the Turkish emirs with their green banners, assembled in the tent of +the Grand Master of the Temple, to treat of the surrender of Acre, and on +the following day the gates were thrown open to the exulting warriors of +the cross. The Templars took possession of three localities within the +city by the side of the sea, where they established their famous Temple, +which became from thenceforth the chief house of the order. Richard Coeur +de Lion, we are told, took up his abode with the Templars, whilst Philip +resided in the citadel.[223] + +When the fiery monarch of England tore down the banner of the duke of +Austria from its staff and threw it into the ditch, it was the Templars +who, interposing between the indignant Germans and the haughty Britons, +preserved the peace of the christian army.[224] + +During his voyage from Messina to Acre, King Richard had revenged himself +on Isaac Comnenus, the ruler of the island of Cyprus, for the insult +offered to the beautiful Berengaria, princess of Navarre, his betrothed +bride. The sovereign of England had disembarked his troops, stormed the +town of Limisso, and conquered the whole island; and shortly after his +arrival at Acre, he sold it to the Templars for three hundred thousand +livres d'or.[225] + +During the famous march of Richard Coeur de Lion from Acre to Ascalon, the +Templars generally led the van of the christian army, and the Hospitallers +brought up the rear.[226] Saladin, at the head of an immense force, +exerted all his energies to oppose their progress, and the march to Jaffa +formed a perpetual battle of eleven days. On some occasions Coeur de Lion +himself, at the head of a chosen body of knights, led the van, and the +Templars were formed into a rear-guard.[227] They sustained immense loss, +particularly in horses, which last calamity, we are told, rendered them +nearly desperate.[228] + +The Moslem as well as the christian writers speak with admiration of the +feats of heroism performed. "On the sixth day," says Bohadin, "the sultan +rose at dawn as usual, and heard from his brother that the enemy were in +motion. They had slept that night in suitable places about Caesarea, and +were now dressing and taking their food. A second messenger announced that +they had begun their march; our brazen drum was sounded, all were alert, +the sultan came out, and I accompanied him: he surrounded them with chosen +troops, and gave the signal for attack."... "Their foot soldiers were +covered with thick-strung pieces of cloth, fastened together with rings so +as to resemble coats of mail. I saw with my own eyes several who had not +one nor two but _ten darts sticking in their backs_! and yet marched on +with a calm and cheerful step, without any trepidation!"[229] + +Every exertion was made to sustain the courage and enthusiasm of the +christian warriors. When the army halted for the night, and the soldiers +were about to take their rest, a loud voice was heard from the midst of +the camp, exclaiming, "ASSIST THE HOLY SEPULCHRE," which words were +repeated by the leaders of the host, and were echoed and re-echoed along +their extended lines.[230] The Templars and the Hospitallers, who were +well acquainted with the country, employed themselves by night in +marauding and foraging expeditions. They frequently started off at +midnight, swept the country with their turcopoles or light cavalry, and +returned to the camp at morning's dawn with rich prizes of oxen, sheep, +and provisions.[231] + +In the great plain near Ramleh, when the Templars led the van of the +christian army, Saladin made a last grand effort to arrest their progress, +which was followed by one of the greatest battles of the age. Geoffrey de +Vinisauf, the companion of King Richard on this expedition, gives a lively +and enthusiastic description of the appearance of the Moslem array in the +great plain around Jaffa and Ramleh. On all sides, far as the eye could +reach, from the sea-shore to the mountains, nought was to be seen but a +forest of spears, above which waved banners and standards innumerable. The +wild Bedouins,[232] the children of the desert, mounted on their fleet +Arab mares, coursed with the rapidity of the lightning over the vast +plain, and darkened the air with clouds of missiles. Furious and +unrelenting, of a horrible aspect, with skins blacker than soot, they +strove by rapid movement and continuous assaults to penetrate the +well-ordered array of the christian warriors. They advanced to the attack +with horrible screams and bellowings, which, with the deafening noise of +the trumpets, horns, cymbals, and brazen kettle-drums, produced a clamour +that resounded through the plain, and would have drowned even the thunder +of heaven. + +The engagement commenced with the left wing of the Hospitallers, and the +victory of the Christians was mainly owing to the personal prowess of King +Richard. Amid the disorder of his troops, Saladin remained on the plain +without lowering his standard or suspending the sound of his brazen +kettle-drums, he rallied his forces, retired upon Ramleh, and prepared to +defend the road leading to Jerusalem. The Templars and Hospitallers, when +the battle was over, went in search of Jacques d'Asvesnes, one of the most +valiant of King Richard's knights, whose dead body, placed on their +spears, they brought into the camp amid the tears and lamentations of +their brethren.[233] + +The Templars, on one of their foraging expeditions, were surrounded by a +superior force of four thousand Moslem cavalry; the Earl of Leicester, +with a chosen body of English, was sent by Coeur de Lion to their +assistance, but the whole party was overpowered and in danger of being cut +to pieces, when Richard himself hurried to the scene of action with his +famous battle-axe, and rescued the Templars from their perilous +situation.[234] By the valour and exertions of the lion-hearted king, the +city of Gaza, the ancient fortress of the order, which had been taken by +Saladin soon after the battle of Tiberias, was recovered to the christian +arms, the fortifications were repaired, and the place was restored to the +Knights Templars, who again garrisoned it with their soldiers. + +As the army advanced, Saladin fell back towards Jerusalem, and the +vanguard of the Templars was pushed on to the small town of Ramleh. + +At midnight of the festival of the Holy Innocents, a party of them sallied +out of the camp in company with some Hospitallers on a foraging +expedition; they scoured the mountains in the direction of Jerusalem, and +at morning's dawn returned to Ramleh with more than two hundred oxen.[235] + +[Sidenote: A. D. 1192.] + +When the christian army went into winter quarters, the Templars +established themselves at Gaza, and King Richard and his army were +stationed in the neighbouring town of Ascalon, the walls and houses of +which were rebuilt by the English monarch during the winter. Whilst the +christian forces were reposing in winter quarters, an arrangement was made +between the Templars, King Richard, and Guy de Lusignan, "the king without +a kingdom," for the cession to the latter of the island of Cyprus, +previously sold by Richard to the order of the Temple, by virtue of which +arrangement, Guy de Lusignan took possession of the island and ruled the +country by the magnificent title of emperor.[236] + +When the winter rains had subsided, the christian forces were again put in +motion, but both the Templars and Hospitallers strongly advised Coeur de +Lion not to march upon Jerusalem, and the latter appears to have had no +strong inclination to undertake the siege of the holy city, having +manifestly no chance of success. The English monarch declared that he +would be guided by the advice of the Templars and Hospitallers, who were +acquainted with the country, and were desirous of recovering their ancient +inheritances. The army, however, advanced within a day's journey of the +holy city, and then a council was called together, consisting of five +Knights Templars, five Hospitallers, five eastern Christians, and five +western Crusaders, and the expedition was abandoned.[237] + +The Templars took part in the attack upon the great Egyptian convoy, +wherein four thousand and seventy camels, five hundred horses, provisions, +tents, arms, and clothing, and a great quantity of gold and silver, were +captured, and then fell back upon Acre; they were followed by Saladin, who +immediately commenced offensive operations, and laid siege to Jaffa. The +Templars marched by land to the relief of the place, and Coeur de Lion +hurried by sea. Many valiant exploits were performed, the town was +relieved, and the campaign was concluded by the ratification of a treaty +whereby the Christians were to enjoy the privilege of visiting Jerusalem +as pilgrims. Tyre, Acre, and Jaffa, with all the sea-coast between them, +were yielded to the Latins, but it was stipulated that the fortifications +of Ascalon should be demolished.[238] + +After the conclusion of this treaty, King Richard being anxious to take +the shortest and speediest route to his dominions by traversing the +continent of Europe, and to travel in disguise to avoid the malice of his +enemies, made an arrangement with his friend Robert de Sable, the Grand +Master of the Temple, whereby the latter undertook to place a galley of +the order at the disposal of the king, and it was determined that whilst +the royal fleet pursued its course with Queen Berengaria through the +Straits of Gibraltar to Britain, Coeur de Lion himself, disguised in the +habit of a Knight Templar, should secretly embark and make for one of the +ports of the Adriatic. The plan was carried into effect on the night of +the 25th of October, and King Richard set sail, accompanied by some +attendants, and four trusty Templars.[239] The habit he had assumed, +however, protected him not, as is well known, from the cowardly vengeance +of the base duke of Austria. + +The lion-hearted monarch was one of the many benefactors to the order of +the Temple. He granted to the fraternity his manor of Calow, with various +powers and privileges.[240] + +[Sidenote: GILBERT HORAL. A. D. 1195.] + +Shortly after his departure from Palestine, the Grand Master, Robert de +Sable, was succeeded by Brother Gilbert Horal or Erail, who had previously +filled the high office of Grand Preceptor of France.[241] The Templars, to +retain and strengthen their dominion in Palestine, commenced the erection +of various strong fortresses, the stupendous ruins of many of which remain +to this day. The most famous of these was the Pilgrim's Castle,[242] which +commanded the coast-road from Acre to Jerusalem. It derived its name from +a solitary tower erected by the early Templars to protect the passage of +the pilgrims through a dangerous pass in the mountains bordering the +sea-coast, and was commenced shortly after the removal of the chief house +of the order from Jerusalem to Acre. A small promontory which juts out +into the sea a few miles below Mount Carmel, was converted into a +fortified camp. Two gigantic towers, a hundred feet in height and +seventy-four feet in width, were erected, together with enormous bastions +connected together by strong walls furnished with all kinds of military +engines. The vast inclosure contained a palace for the use of the Grand +Master and knights, a magnificent church, houses and offices for the +serving brethren and hired soldiers, together with pasturages, vineyards, +gardens, orchards, and fishponds. On one side of the walls was the salt +sea, and on the other, within the camp, delicious springs of fresh water. +The garrison amounted to four thousand men in time of war.[243] +Considerable remains of this famous fortress are still visible on the +coast, a few miles to the south of Acre. It is still called by the +Levantines, _Castel Pellegrino_. Pococke describes it as "very +magnificent, and so finely built, that it may be reckoned one of the +things that are best worth seeing in these parts." "It is encompassed," +says he, "with two walls fifteen feet thick, the inner wall on the east +side cannot be less than forty feet high, and within it there appear to +have been some very grand apartments. The offices of the fortress seem to +have been at the west end, where I saw an oven fifteen feet in diameter. +In the castle there are remains of a fine lofty church of ten sides, built +in a light gothic taste: three chapels are built to the three eastern +sides, each of which consists of five sides, excepting the opening to the +church; in these it is probable the three chief altars stood."[244] Irby +and Mangles referring at a subsequent period to the ruins of the church, +describe it as a double hexagon, and state that the half then standing had +six sides. Below the cornice are human heads and heads of animals in alto +relievo, and the walls are adorned with a double line of arches in the +gothic style, the architecture light and elegant. + +To narrate all the exploits of the Templars, and all the incidents and +events connected with the order, would be to write the history of the +Latin kingdom of Palestine, which was preserved and maintained for the +period of ninety-nine years after the departure of Richard Coeur de Lion, +solely by the exertions of the Templars and the Hospitallers. No action of +importance was ever fought with the infidels, in which the Templars did +not take an active and distinguished part, nor was the atabal of the +Mussulmen ever sounded in defiance on the frontier, without the trumpets +of the Templars receiving and answering the challenge. + +[Sidenote: PHILIP DUPLESSIES. A. D. 1201.] + +The Grand Master, Gilbert Horal, was succeeded by Philip Duplessies or De +Plesseis.[245] We must now refer to a few events connected with the order +of the Temple in England. + +Brother Geoffrey, who was Master of the Temple at London at the period of +the consecration of the Temple Church by the Patriarch of Jerusalem, died +shortly after the capture of the holy city by Saladin, and was succeeded +by Brother Amaric de St. Maur, who is an attesting witness to the deed +executed by king John, A. D. 1203, granting a dowry to his young queen, +the beautiful Isabella of Angouleme.[246] Philip Augustus, king of France, +placed a vast sum of gold and silver in the Temple at Paris, and the +treasure of John, king of England, was deposited in the Temple at +London.[247] King John, indeed, frequently resided, for weeks together, at +the Temple in London, and many of his writs and precepts to his +lieutenants, sheriffs, and bailiffs, are dated therefrom.[248] The orders +for the concentration of the English fleet at Portsmouth, to resist the +formidable French invasion instigated by the pope, are dated from the +Temple, and the convention between the king and the count of Holland, +whereby the latter agreed to assist king John with a body of knights and +men-at-arms, in case of the landing of the French, was published at the +same place.[249] + +[Sidenote: A. D. 1213.] + +In all the conferences and negotiations between the mean-spirited king and +the imperious and overbearing Roman pontiff, the Knights Templars took an +active and distinguished part. Two brethren of the order were sent by +Pandulph, the papal legate, to king John, to arrange that famous +conference between them which ended in the complete submission of the +latter to all the demands of the holy see. By the advice and persuasion of +the Templars, king John repaired to the preceptory of Temple Ewell, near +Dover, where he was met by the legate Pandulph, who crossed over from +France to confer with him, and the mean-hearted king was there frightened +into that celebrated resignation of the kingdoms of England and Ireland, +"to God, to the holy apostles Peter and Paul, to the holy Roman church his +mother, and to his lord, Pope Innocent the Third, and his catholic +successors, for the remission of all his sins and the sins of all his +people, as well the living as the dead."[250] The following year the +commands of king John for the extirpation of the heretics in Gascony, +addressed to the seneschal of that province, were issued from the Temple +at London,[251] and about the same period the Templars were made the +depositaries of various private and confidential matters pending between +king John and his illustrious sister-in-law, "the royal, eloquent, and +beauteous" Berengaria of Navarre, the youthful widowed queen of Richard +_Coeur de Lion_.[252] The Templars in England managed the money +transactions of that fair princess. She directed her dower to be paid in +the house of the New Temple at London, together with the arrears due to +her from the king, amounting to several thousand pounds.[253] + +[Sidenote: A. D. 1215.] + +John was resident at the Temple when he was compelled by the barons of +England to sign MAGNA CHARTA. Matthew Paris tells us that the barons came +to him, whilst he was residing in the New Temple at London, "in a very +resolute manner, clothed in their military dresses, and demanded the +liberties and laws of king Edward, with others for themselves, the +kingdom, and the church of England."[254] + +King John was a considerable benefactor to the order. He granted to the +fraternity the Isle of Lundy, at the mouth of the river Severn; all his +land at Radenach and at Harewood, in the county of Hereford; and he +conferred on the Templars numerous privileges.[255] + +[Sidenote: WILLIAM DE CHARTRES. A. D. 1217.] + +The Grand Master Philip Duplessies was succeeded by Brother WILLIAM DE +CHARTRES, as appears from the following letter to the Pope: + +"To the very reverend father in Christ, the Lord Honorius, by the +providence of God chief pontiff of the Holy Roman Church, William de +Chartres, humble Master of the poor chivalry of the Temple, proffereth all +due obedience and reverence, with the kiss of the foot. + +"By these our letters we hasten to inform your paternity of the state of +that Holy Land which the Lord hath consecrated with his own blood. Know +that, at the period of the departure of these letters, an immense number +of pilgrims, both knights and foot soldiers, marked with the emblem of the +life-giving cross, arrived at Acre from Germany and other parts of Europe. +Saphadin, the great sultan of Egypt, hath remained closely within the +confines of his own dominions, not daring in any way to molest us. The +arrival of the king of Hungary, and of the dukes of Austria and Moravia, +together with the intelligence just received of the near approach of the +fleet of the Friths, has not a little alarmed him. Never do we recollect +the power of the Pagans so low as at the present time; and may the +omnipotent God, O holy father, make it grow weaker and weaker day by day. +But we must inform you that in these parts corn and barley, and all the +necessaries of life, have become extraordinarily dear. This year the +harvest has utterly disappointed the expectations of our husbandmen, and +has almost totally failed. The natives, indeed, now depend for support +altogether upon the corn imported from the West, but as yet very little +foreign grain has been received; and to increase our uneasiness, nearly +all our knights are dismounted, and we cannot procure horses to supply the +places of those that have perished. It is therefore of the utmost +importance, O holy father, to advertise all who design to assume the cross +of the above scarcity, that they may furnish themselves with plentiful +supplies of grain and horses. + +"Before the arrival of the king of Hungary and the duke of Austria, we had +come to the determination of marching against the city of Naplous, and of +bringing the Saracen chief Coradin to an engagement if he would have +awaited our attack, but we have all now determined to undertake an +expedition into Egypt to destroy the city of Damietta, and we shall then +march upon Jerusalem...."[256] + +[Sidenote: Peter de Montaigu. A. D. 1218.] + +It was in the month of May, A. D. 1218, that the galleys of the Templars +set sail from Acre on the above-mentioned memorable expedition into Egypt. +They cast anchor in the mouth of the Nile, and, in conjunction with a +powerful army of crusaders, laid siege to Damietta. A pestilence broke out +shortly after their arrival, and hurried the Grand Master, William de +Chartres, to his grave.[257] He was succeeded by the veteran warrior, +Brother PETER DE MONTAIGU, Grand Preceptor of Spain.[258] + +James of Vitry, bishop of Acre, who accompanied the Templars on this +expedition, gives an enthusiastic account of their famous exploits, and of +the tremendous battles fought upon the Nile, in one of which a large +vessel of the Templars was sunk, and every soul on board perished. He +describes the great assault on their camp towards the middle of the year +1219, when the trenches were forced, and all the infantry put to flight. +"The insulting shouts of the conquering Saracens," says he, "were heard on +all sides, and a panic was rapidly spreading through the disordered ranks +of the whole army of the cross, when the Grand Master and brethren of the +Temple made a desperate charge, and bravely routed the first ranks of the +infidels. The spirit of Gideon animated the Templars, and the rest of the +army, stimulated by their example, bravely advanced to their support.... +Thus did the Lord on that day, through the valour of the Templars, save +those who trusted in Him."[259] Immediately after the surrender of +Damietta, the Grand Master of the Temple returned to Acre to repel the +forces of the sultan of Damascus, who had invaded the Holy Land, as +appears from the following letter to the bishop of Ely. + +[Sidenote: A. D. 1222.] + +"Brother Peter de Montaigu, Master of the Knights of the Temple, to the +reverend brother in Christ, N., by the grace of God bishop of Ely, health. +We proceed by these letters to inform your paternity how we have managed +the affairs of our Lord Jesus Christ since the capture of Damietta and of +the castle of Taphneos." The Grand Master describes various military +operations, the great number of galleys fitted out by the Saracens to +intercept the supplies and succour from Europe, and the arming of the +galleys, galliots, and other vessels of the order of the Temple to oppose +them, and clear the seas of the infidel flag. He states that the sultan of +Damascus had invaded Palestine, had ravaged the country around Acre and +Tyre, and had ventured to pitch his tents before the castle of the +Pilgrims, and had taken possession of Caesarea. "If we are disappointed," +says he, "of the succour we expect in the ensuing summer, all our +newly-acquired conquests, as well as the places that we have held for ages +past, will be left in a very doubtful condition. We ourselves, and others +in these parts, are so impoverished by the heavy expenses we have incurred +in prosecuting the affairs of Jesus Christ, that we shall be unable to +contribute the necessary funds, unless we speedily receive succour and +subsidies from the faithful. Given at Acre, xii. kal. October, A. D. +1222."[260] + +The troops of the sultan of Damascus were repulsed and driven beyond the +frontier, and the Grand Master then returned to Damietta, to superintend +the preparations for a march upon Cairo. The results of that disastrous +campaign are detailed in the following letter to Brother Alan Marcel, +Preceptor of England, and Master of the Temple at London. + +"Brother Peter de Montaigu, humble Master of the soldiers of Christ, to +our vicegerent and beloved brother in Christ, Alan Marcel, Preceptor of +England. + +"Hitherto we have had favourable information to communicate unto you +touching our exertions in the cause of Jesus Christ; now, alas! such have +been the reverses and disasters which our sins have brought upon us in the +land of Egypt, that we have nothing but ill news to announce. After the +capture of Damietta, our army remained for some time in a state of +inaction, which brought upon us frequent complaints and reproaches from +the eastern and the western Christians. At length, after the feast of the +holy apostles, the legate of the holy pontiff, and all our soldiers of the +cross, put themselves in march by land and by the Nile, and arrived in +good order at the spot where the sultan was encamped, at the head of an +immense number of the enemies of the cross. The river Taphneos, an arm of +the great Nile, flowed between the camp of the sultan and our forces, and +being unable to ford this river, we pitched our tents on its banks, and +prepared bridges to enable us to force the passage. In the mean time, the +annual inundation rapidly increased, and the sultan, passing his galleys +and armed boats through an ancient canal, floated them into the Nile below +our positions, and cut off our communications with Damietta."... "Nothing +now was to be done but to retrace our steps. The sultans of Aleppo and +Damascus, the two brothers of the sultan, and many chieftains and kings of +the pagans, with an immense multitude of infidels who had come to their +assistance, attempted to cut off our retreat. At night we commenced our +march, but the infidels cut through the embankments of the Nile, the water +rushed along several unknown passages and ancient canals, and encompassed +us on all sides. We lost all our provisions, many of our men were swept +into the stream, and the further progress of our christian warriors was +forthwith arrested. The waters continued to increase upon us, and in this +terrible inundation we lost all our horses and saddles, our carriages, +baggage, furniture, and moveables, and everything that we had. We +ourselves could neither advance nor retreat, and knew not whither to turn. +We could not attack the Egyptians on account of the great lake which +extended itself between them and us; we were without food, and being +caught and pent up like fish in a net, there was nothing left for us but +to treat with the sultan. + +"We agreed to surrender Damietta, with all the prisoners which we had in +Tyre and at Acre, on condition that the sultan restored to us the wood of +the true cross and the prisoners that he detained at Cairo and Damascus. +We, with some others, were deputed by the whole army to announce to the +people of Damietta the terms that had been imposed upon us. These were +very displeasing to the bishop of Acre,[261] to the chancellor, and some +others, who wished to defend the town, a measure which we should indeed +have greatly approved of, had there been any reasonable chance of success; +for we would rather have been thrust into perpetual imprisonment than have +surrendered, to the shame of Christendom, this conquest to the infidels. +But after having made a strict investigation into the means of defence, +and finding neither men nor money wherewith to protect the place, we were +obliged to submit to the conditions of the sultan, who, after having +exacted from us an oath and hostages, accorded to us a truce of eight +years. During the negotiations the sultan faithfully kept his word, and +for the space of fifteen days furnished our soldiers with the bread and +corn necessary for their subsistence. + +"Do you, therefore, pitying our misfortunes, hasten to relieve them to the +utmost of your ability. Farewell."[262] + +[Sidenote: A. D. 1223.] + +Brother Alan Marcell, to whom the above letter is addressed, succeeded +Amaric de St. Maur, and was at the head of the order in England for the +space of sixteen years. He was employed by king Henry the Third in various +important negotiations; and was Master of the Temple at London, when +Reginald, king of the island of Man, by the advice and persuasion of the +legate Pandulph, made a solemn surrender at that place of his island to +the pope and his catholic successors, and consented to hold the same from +thenceforth as the feudatory of the church of Rome.[263] + +[Sidenote: A. D. 1224.] + +At the commencement of the reign of Henry the Third, the Templars in +England appear to have been on bad terms with the king. The latter made +heavy complaints against them to the pope, and the holy pontiff issued (A. +D. 1223) the bull "DE INSOLENTIA TEMPLARIORUM REPRIMENDA," in which he +states that his very dear son in Christ, Henry, the illustrious king of +the English, had complained to him of the usurpations of the Templars on +the royal domains; that they had placed their crosses upon houses that did +not belong to them, and prevented the customary dues and services from +being rendered to the crown; that they undutifully set at nought the +customs of the king's manors, and involved the bailiffs and royal officers +in lawsuits before certain judges of their own appointment. The pope +directs two abbots to inquire into these matters, preparatory to further +proceedings against the guilty parties;[264] but the Templars soon became +reconciled to their sovereign, and on the 28th of April of the year +following, the Master, Brother Alan Marcell, was employed by king Henry to +negotiate a truce between himself and the king of France. The king of +England appears at that time to have been resident at the Temple, the +letters of credence being made out at that place, in the presence of the +archbishop of Canterbury, several bishops, and Hubert, the chief +justiciary.[265] The year after, the same Alan Marcell was sent into +Germany, to negotiate a treaty of marriage between king Henry and the +daughter of the duke of Austria.[266] + +At this period, Brother Hugh de Stocton and Richard Ranger, knights of the +convent of the New Temple at London, were the guardians of the royal +treasure in the Tower, and the former was made the depositary, of the +money paid annually by the king to the count of Flanders. He was also +intrusted by Henry the Third with large sums of money, out of which he was +commanded to pay ten thousand marks to the emperor of Constantinople.[267] + +Among the many illustrious benefactors to the order of the Temple at this +period was Philip the Second, king of France, who bequeathed the sum of +one hundred thousand pounds to the Grand Master of the Temple.[268] + +[Sidenote: HERMANN DE PERIGORD. A. D. 1236.] + +The Grand Master, Peter de Montaigu, was succeeded by Brother HERMANN DE +PERIGORD.[269] Shortly after his accession to power, William de +Montserrat, Preceptor of Antioch, being "desirous of extending the +christian territories, to the honour and glory of Jesus Christ," besieged +a fortress of the infidels in the neighbourhood of Antioch. He refused to +retreat before a superior force, and was surrounded and overwhelmed; a +hundred knights of the Temple and three hundred cross-bowmen were slain, +together with many secular warriors, and a large number of foot soldiers. +The _Balcanifer_, or standard-bearer, on this occasion, was an English +Knight Templar, named Reginald d'Argenton, who performed prodigies of +valour. He was disabled and covered with wounds, yet he unflinchingly bore +the Beauseant, or war-banner, aloft with his bleeding arms into the +thickest of the fight, until he at last fell dead upon a heap of his +slaughtered comrades. The Preceptor of Antioch, before he was slain, +"_sent sixteen infidels to hell_."[270] + +[Sidenote: A. D. 1237.] + +As soon as the Templars in England heard of this disaster, they sent, in +conjunction with the Hospitallers, instant succour to their brethren. "The +Templars and the Hospitallers," says Matthew Paris, "eagerly prepared to +avenge the blood of their brethren so gallantly poured forth in the cause +of Christ. The Hospitallers appointed Brother Theodore, their prior, a +most valiant soldier, to lead a band of knights and of stipendiary troops, +with an immense treasure, to the succour of the Holy Land. Having made +their arrangements, they all started from the house of the Hospitallers at +Clerkenwell in London, and passed through the city with spears held aloft, +shields displayed, and banners advanced. They marched in splendid pomp to +the bridge, and sought a blessing from all who crowded to see them pass. +The brothers indeed uncovered, bowed their heads from side to side, and +recommended themselves to the prayers of all."[271] + +[Sidenote: A. D. 1239.] + +Whilst the Knights Templars were thus valiantly sustaining the cause of +the cross against the infidels in the East, one of the holy brethren of +the order, the king's special counsellor, named Geoffrey, was signalising +his zeal against infidels at home in England, (A. D. 1239,) by a fierce +destruction and extermination of the Jews. According to Matthew Paris, he +seized and incarcerated the unhappy Israelites, and extorted from them +immense sums of money.[272] Shortly afterwards, Brother Geoffrey fell into +disgrace and was banished from court, and Brother Roger, another Templar, +the king's almoner, shared the same fate, and was forbidden to approach +the royal presence.[273] Some of the brethren of the order were always +about the court, and when the English monarch crossed the seas, he +generally wrote letters to the Master of the Temple at London, informing +him of the state of the royal health.[274] + +It was at this period, (A. D. 1240,) that the oblong portion of the Temple +church was completed and consecrated in the presence of King Henry the +Third.[275] + +[Sidenote: A. D. 1242.] + +The Grand Mastership of Brother Hermann de Perigord is celebrated for the +treaty entered into with the infidels, whereby the holy city was again +surrendered to the Christians. The patriarch returned thither with all his +clergy, the churches were reconsecrated, and the Templars and Hospitallers +emptied their treasuries in rebuilding the walls. + +The following account of these gratifying events was transmitted by the +Grand Master of the Temple to Robert de Sanford, Preceptor of England, and +Master of the Temple at London. + +"Brother Hermann de Perigord, humble _minister_ of the knights of the poor +Temple, to his beloved brother in Christ, Robert de Sanford, Preceptor in +England, salvation in the Lord. + +"Since it is our duty, whenever an opportunity offers, to make known to +the brotherhood, by letters or by messengers, the state and prospects of +the Holy Land, we hasten to inform you, that after our great successes +against the sultan of Egypt, and Nassr his supporter and abettor, the +great persecutor of the Christians, they were reluctantly compelled to +negotiate a truce, promising us to restore to the followers of Jesus +Christ all the territory on this side Jordan. We despatched certain of our +brethren, noble and discreet personages, to Cairo, to have an interview +with the Sultan upon these matters...." + +The Grand Master proceeds to relate the progress of the negotiations, and +the surrender of the holy city and the greater part of Palestine to the +soldiers of Christ ... "whence, to the joy of angels and of men," says he, +"Jerusalem is now inhabited by Christians alone, all the Saracens being +driven out. The holy places have been reconsecrated and purified by the +prelates of the churches, and in those spots where the name of the Lord +has not been invoked for fifty-six years, now, blessed be God, the divine +mysteries are daily celebrated. To all the sacred places there is again +free access to the faithful in Christ, nor is it to be doubted but that in +this happy and prosperous condition we might long remain, if our Eastern +Christians would from henceforth live in greater concord and unanimity. +But, alas! opposition and contradiction arising from envy and hatred have +impeded our efforts in the promotion of these and other advantages for the +land. With the exception of the prelates of the churches, and a few of the +barons, who afford us all the assistance in their power, the entire +burthen of its defence rests upon our house alone.... + +"For the safeguard and preservation of the holy territory, we propose to +erect a fortified castle near Jerusalem, which will enable us the more +easily to retain possession of the country, and to protect it against all +enemies. But indeed we can in nowise defend for any great length of time +the places that we hold, against the sultan of Egypt, who is a most +powerful and talented man, unless Christ and his faithful followers extend +to us an efficacious support."[276] + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + + The conquest of Jerusalem by the Carizmians--The slaughter of the + Templars, and the death of the Grand Master--The exploits of the + Templars in Egypt--King Louis of France visits the Templars in + Palestine--He assists them in putting the country into a defensible + state--Henry II., king of England, visits the Temple at Paris--The + magnificent hospitality of the Templars in England and + France--Benocdar, sultan of Egypt, invades Palestine--He defeats the + Templars, takes their strong fortresses, and decapitates six hundred + of their brethren--The Grand Master comes to England for succour--The + renewal of the war--The fall of Acre, and the final extinction of the + Templars in Palestine. + + "The Knights of the TEMPLE ever maintained their fearless and fanatic + character; if they neglected to _live_ they were prepared to _die_ in + the service of Christ."--_Gibbon._ + + +[Sidenote: HERMANN DE PERIGORD. A. D. 1242.] + +Shortly after the recovery of the holy city, Djemal'eddeen, the Mussulman, +paid a visit to Jerusalem. "I saw," says he, "the monks and the priests +masters of the Temple of the Lord. I saw the vials of wine prepared for +the sacrifice. I entered into the Mosque al Acsa, (the Temple of Solomon,) +and I saw a bell suspended from the dome. The rites and ceremonies of the +Mussulmen were abolished; the call to prayer was no longer heard. The +infidels publicly exercised their idolatrous practices in the sanctuaries +of the Mussulmen."[277] + +[Sidenote: A. D. 1243.] + +By the advice of Benedict, bishop of Marseilles, who came to the holy city +on a pilgrimage, the Templars rebuilt their ancient and formidable castle +of Saphet. Eight hundred and fifty workmen, and four hundred slaves were +employed in the task. The walls were sixty _French_ feet in width, one +hundred and seventy in height, and the circuit of them was two thousand +two hundred and fifty feet. They were flanked by seven large round towers, +sixty feet in diameter, and seventy-two feet higher than the walls. The +fosse surrounding the fortress was thirty-six feet wide, and was pierced +in the solid rock to a depth of forty-three feet. The garrison, in time of +peace, amounted to one thousand seven hundred men, and to two thousand two +hundred in time of war.[278] The ruins of this famous castle crowning the +summit of a lofty mountain, torn and shattered by earthquakes, still +present a stupendous appearance. In Pococke's time "two particularly fine +large round towers" were entire, and Van Egmont and Heyman describe the +remains of two moats lined with freestone, several fragments of walls, +bulwarks, and turrets, together with corridors, winding staircases, and +internal apartments. Ere this fortress was completed, the Templars again +lost the holy city, and were well-nigh exterminated in a bloody battle +fought with the Carizmians. These were a fierce, pastoral tribe of +Tartars, who, descending from the north of Asia, and quitting their abodes +in the neighbourhood of the Caspian, rushed headlong upon the nations of +the south. They overthrew with frightful rapidity, and the most terrific +slaughter, all who had ventured to oppose their progress; and, at the +instigation of Saleh Ayoub, sultan of Egypt, with whom they had formed an +alliance, they turned their arms against the Holy Land. In a great battle +fought near Gaza, which lasted two days, the Grand Masters of the Temple +and the Hospital were both slain, together with three hundred and twelve +Knights Templars, and three hundred and twenty-four serving brethren, +besides hired soldiers in the pay of the Order.[279] The following +account of these disasters was forwarded to Europe by the Vice-Master of +the Temple, and the bishops and abbots of Palestine. + +[Sidenote: A. D. 1244.] + +"To the reverend Fathers in Christ, and to all our friends, archbishops, +bishops, abbots, and other prelates of the church in the kingdoms of +France and England, to whom these letters shall come;--Robert, by the +grace of God, patriarch of the holy church of Jerusalem; Henry, archbishop +of Nazareth; J. elect of Caesarea; R. bishop of Acre; _William de +Rochefort, Vice-Master of the house of the soldiery of the_ TEMPLE, _and +of the convent of the same house_; H. prior of the sepulchre of the Lord; +B. of the Mount of Olives, &c. &c. Health and prosperity." + +"The cruel barbarian, issuing forth from the confines of the East, hath +turned his footsteps towards the kingdom of Jerusalem, that holy land, +which, though it hath at different periods been grievously harassed by the +Saracen tribes, hath yet in these latter days enjoyed ease and +tranquillity, and been at peace with the neighbouring nations. But, alas! +the sins of our christian people have just now raised up for its +destruction an unknown people, and an avenging sword from afar...." They +proceed to describe the destructive progress of the Carizmians from +Tartary, the devastation of Persia, the fierce extermination by those +savage hordes of all races and nations, without distinction of religion, +and their sudden entry into the Holy Land by the side of Saphet and +Tiberias, "when," say they, "_by the common advice, and at the unanimous +desire of the Masters of the religious houses of the chivalry of the +Temple and the Hospital_, we called in the assistance of the sultans of +Damascus and Carac, who were bound to us by treaty, and who bore especial +hatred to the Carizmians; they promised and solemnly swore to give us +their entire aid, but the succour came slow and tardy; the Christian +forces were few in number, and were obliged to abandon the defence of +Jerusalem...." + +After detailing the barbarous and horrible slaughter of five thousand +three hundred Christians, of both sexes--men, women, children, monks, +priests, and nuns,--they thus continue their simple and affecting +narrative: + +"At length, the before-mentioned perfidious savages having penetrated +within the gates of the holy city of Israel, the small remnant of the +faithful left therein, consisting of children, women, and old men, took +refuge in the church of the sepulchre of our Lord. The Carizmians rushed +to that holy sanctuary; they butchered them all before the very sepulchre +itself, and cutting off the heads of the priests who were kneeling with +uplifted hands before the altars, they said one to another, 'Let us here +shed the blood of the Christians _on the very place where they offer up +wine to their God, who they say was hanged here_.' Moreover, in sorrow be +it spoken, and with sighs we inform you, that laying their sacrilegious +hands on the very sepulchre itself, they sadly disturbed it, utterly +battering to pieces the marble shrine which was built around that holy +sanctuary. They have defiled, with every abomination of which they were +capable, Mount Calvary, where Christ was crucified, and the whole church +of the resurrection. They have taken away, indeed, the sculptured columns +which were placed as a decoration before the sepulchre of the Lord, and as +a mark of victory, and as a taunt to the Christians, they have sent them +to the sepulchre of the wicked Mahomet. They have violated the tombs of +the happy kings of Jerusalem in the same church, and they have scattered, +to the hurt of Christendom, the ashes of those holy men to the winds, +irreverently profaning the revered Mount Sion. The Temple of the Lord, the +church of the Valley of Jehoshaphat, where the Virgin lies buried, the +church of Bethlehem, and the place of the nativity of our Lord, they have +polluted with enormities too horrible to be related, far exceeding the +iniquity of all the Saracens, who, though they frequently occupied the +land of the Christians, yet always reverenced and preserved the holy +places...." + +They then describe the subsequent military operations, the march of the +Templars and Hospitallers, on the 4th of October, A. D. 1244, from Acre to +Caesarea; the junction of their forces with those of the Moslem sultans; +the retreat of the Carizmians to Gaza, where they received succour from +the sultan of Egypt; and the preparation of the Hospitallers and Templars +for the attack before that place. + +"Those holy warriors," say they, "boldly rushed in upon the enemy, but the +Saracens who had joined us, having lost many of their men, fled, and the +warriors of the cross were left alone to withstand the united attack of +the Egyptians and Carizmians. Like stout champions of the Lord, and true +defenders of catholicity, whom the same faith and the same cross and +passion make true brothers, they bravely resisted; but as they were few in +number in comparison with the enemy, they at last succumbed, so that of +the convents of the house of the chivalry of the Temple, and of the house +of the Hospital of Saint John at Jerusalem, only thirty-three Templars and +twenty-six Hospitallers escaped; the archbishop of Tyre, the bishop of +Saint George, the abbot of Saint Mary of Jehoshaphat, and the Master of +the Temple, with many other clerks and holy men, being slain in that +sanguinary fight. We ourselves, having by our sins provoked this dire +calamity, fled half dead to Ascalon; from thence we proceeded by sea to +Acre, and found that city and the adjoining province filled with sorrow +and mourning, misery and death. There was not a house or a family that had +not lost an inmate or a relation...." + +"The Carizmians have now pitched their tents in the plain of Acre, about +two miles from the city. The whole country, as far as Nazareth and Saphet, +is overrun by them, so that the churches of Jerusalem and the christian +kingdom have now no territory, except a few fortifications, which are +defended with great difficulty and labour by the Templars and +Hospitallers.... + +"To you, dearest Fathers, upon whom the burthen of the defence of the +cause of Christ justly resteth, we have caused these sad tidings to be +communicated, earnestly beseeching you to address your prayers to the +throne of grace, imploring mercy from the Most High; that he who +consecrated the Holy Land with his own blood in redemption of all mankind, +may compassionately turn towards it and defend it, and send it succour. Do +ye yourselves, dearest Fathers, as far as ye are able, take sage counsel +and speedily assist us, that ye may receive a heavenly reward. But know, +assuredly, that unless, through the interposition of the Most High, or by +the aid of the faithful, the Holy Land is succoured in the next spring +passage from Europe, its doom is sealed, and utter ruin is inevitable. + +"Since it would be tedious to explain by letter all our necessities, we +have sent to you the venerable father bishop of Beirout, and the holy man +Arnulph, of the Order of Friars Preachers, who will faithfully and truly +unfold the particulars to your venerable fraternity. We humbly entreat you +liberally to receive and patiently to hear the aforesaid messengers, who +have exposed themselves to great dangers for the church of God, by +navigating the seas in the depth of winter. Given at Acre, this fifth day +of November, in the year of our Lord one thousand twelve hundred and +forty-four."[280] + +The above letter was read before a general council of the church, which +had been assembled at Lyons by Pope Innocent IV., and it was resolved that +a new crusade should be preached. It was provided that those who assumed +the cross should assemble at particular places to receive the Pope's +blessing; that there should be a truce for four years between all +christian princes; that during all that time there should be no +tournaments, feasts, nor public rejoicings; that all the faithful in +Christ should be exhorted to contribute, out of their fortunes and +estates, to the defence of the Holy Land; and that ecclesiastics should +pay towards it the tenth, and cardinals the twentieth, of all their +revenues, for the term of three years successively. The ancient +enthusiasm, however, in favour of distant expeditions to the East had died +away; the addresses and exhortations of the clergy now fell on unwilling +ears, and the Templars and Hospitallers received only some small +assistance in men and money. + +[Sidenote: WILLIAM DE SONNAC. A. D. 1245.] + +The temporary alliance between the Templars and the Mussulman sultans of +Syria, for the purpose of insuring their common safety, did not escape +animadversion. The emperor Frederick the Second, the nominal king of +Jerusalem, in a letter to Richard earl of Cornwall, the brother of Henry +the Third, king of England, accuses the Templars of making war upon the +sultan of Egypt, in defiance of a treaty entered into with that monarch, +of compelling him to call in the Carizmians to his assistance; and he +compares the union of the Templars with the infidel sultans, for purposes +of defence, to an attempt to extinguish a fire by pouring upon it a +quantity of oil. "The proud religion of the Temple," says he, in +continuation, "nurtured amid the luxuries of the barons of the land, +waxeth wanton. It hath been made manifest to us, by certain religious +persons lately arrived from parts beyond sea, that the aforesaid sultans +and their trains were received with pompous alacrity within the gates of +the houses of the Temple, and that the Templars suffered them to perform +within them their superstitious rites and ceremonies, with invocation of +Mahomet, and to indulge in secular delights."[281] The Templars, +notwithstanding their disasters, successfully defended all their strong +fortresses in Palestine against the efforts of the Carizmians, and +gradually recovered their footing in the Holy Land. The galleys of the +Order kept the command of the sea, and succour speedily arrived to them +from their western brethren. A general chapter of knights was assembled in +the Pilgrim's Castle, and the veteran warrior, brother WILLIAM DE SONNAC, +was chosen Grand Master of the Order.[282] Circular mandates were, at the +same time, sent to the western preceptories, summoning all the brethren to +Palestine, and directing the immediate transmission of all the money in +the different treasuries to the head-quarters of the Order at Acre. These +calls appear to have been promptly attended to, and the Pope praises both +the Templars and Hospitallers for the zeal and energy displayed by them in +sending out the newly-admitted knights and novices with armed bands and a +large amount of treasure to the succour of the holy territory.[283] The +aged knights, and those whose duties rendered them unable to leave the +western preceptories, implored the blessings of heaven upon the exertions +of their brethren; they observed extraordinary fasts and mortification, +and directed continual prayers to be offered up throughout the Order.[284] +Whilst the proposed crusade was slowly progressing, the holy pontiff wrote +to the sultan of Egypt, the ally of the Carizmians, proposing a peace or a +truce, and received the following grand and magnificent reply to his +communication: + +[Sidenote: A. D. 1246.] + +"To the Pope, the noble, the great, the spiritual, the affectionate, the +holy, the thirteenth of the apostles, the leader of the sons of baptism, +the high priest of the Christians, (may God strengthen him, and establish +him, and give him happiness!) from the most powerful sultan ruling over +the necks of nations; wielding the two great weapons, the sword and the +pen; possessing two pre-eminent excellencies--that is to say, learning and +judgment; king of two seas; ruler of the South and North; king of the +region of Egypt and Syria, Mesopotamia, Media, Idumea, and Ophir; King +Saloph Beelpheth, Jacob, son of Sultan Camel, Hemevafar Mehameth, son of +Sultan Hadel, Robethre, son of Jacob, whose kingdom may the Lord God make +happy. + +"IN THE NAME OF GOD THE MOST MERCIFUL AND COMPASSIONATE. + +"The letters of the Pope, the noble, the great, &c. &c. ... have been +presented to us. May God favour him who earnestly seeketh after +righteousness and doeth good, and wisheth peace and walketh in the ways of +the Lord. May God assist him who worshippeth him in truth. We have +considered the aforesaid letters, and have understood the matters treated +of therein, which have pleased and delighted us; and the messenger sent by +the holy Pope came to us, and we caused him to be brought before us with +honour, and love, and reverence; and we brought him to see us face to +face, and inclining our ears towards him, we listened to his speech, and +we have put faith in the words he hath spoken unto us concerning Christ, +upon whom be salvation and praise. But we know more concerning that same +Christ than ye know, and we magnify him more than ye magnify him. And as +to what you say concerning your desire for peace, tranquillity, and quiet, +and that you wish to put down war, so also do we; we desire and wish +nothing to the contrary. But let the Pope know, that between ourselves +and the Emperor (Frederick) there hath been mutual love, and alliance, and +perfect concord, from the time of the sultan, my father, (whom may God +preserve and place in the glory of his brightness;) and between you and +the Emperor there is, as ye know, strife and warfare; whence it is not fit +that we should enter into any treaty with the Christians until we have +previously had his advice and assent. We have therefore written to our +envoy at the imperial court upon the propositions made to us by the Pope's +messenger, &c. ... + +"This letter was written on the seventh of the month _Maharan_. Praise be +to the one only God, and may his blessing rest upon our master +Mahomet."[285] + +[Sidenote: A. D. 1247.] + +The year following, (A. D. 1247,) the Carizmians were annihilated; they +were cut up in detail by the Templars and Hospitallers, and were at last +slain to a man. Their very name perished from the face of the earth, but +the traces of their existence were long preserved in the ruin and +desolation they had spread around them.[286] The Holy Land, although +happily freed from the destructive presence of these barbarians, had yet +everything to fear from the powerful sultan of Egypt, with whom +hostilities still continued; and Brother William de Sonnac, the Grand +Master of the Temple, for the purpose of stimulating the languid energies +of the English nation, and reviving their holy zeal and enthusiasm in the +cause of the Cross, despatched a distinguished Knight Templar to England, +charged with the duty of presenting to king Henry the Third a magnificent +crystal vase, containing a portion of the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, +which had been poured forth upon the sacred soil of Palestine for the +remission of the sins of all the faithful. + +A solemn attestation of the genuineness of this precious relic, signed by +the patriarch of Jerusalem, and the bishops, the abbots, and the barons of +the Holy Land, was forwarded to London for the satisfaction of the king +and his subjects, and was deposited, together with the vase and its +inestimable contents, in the cathedral church of Saint Paul.[287] + +[Sidenote: A. D. 1249.] + +In the month of June, A. D. 1249, the galleys of the Templars left Acre +with a strong body of forces on board, and joined the expedition +undertaken by the French king, Louis IX., against Egypt. The following +account of the capture of Damietta was forwarded to the Master of the +Temple at London. + +"Brother William de Sonnac, by the grace of God Master of the poor +chivalry of the Temple, to his beloved brother in Christ, Robert de +Sanford, Preceptor of England, salvation in the Lord. + +"We hasten to unfold to you by these presents agreeable and happy +intelligence.... (He details the landing of the French, the defeat of the +infidels with the loss of one christian soldier, and the subsequent +capture of the city.) Damietta, therefore, has been taken, not by our +deserts, nor by the might of our armed bands, but through the divine power +and assistance. Moreover, be it known to you that king Louis, with God's +favour, proposes to march upon Alexandria or Cairo for the purpose of +delivering our brethren there detained in captivity, and of reducing, with +God's help, the whole land to the christian worship. Farewell."[288] + +The Lord de Joinville, the friend of king Louis, and one of the bravest of +the French captains, gives a lively and most interesting account of the +campaign, and of the famous exploits of the Templars. During the march +towards Cairo, they led the van of the christian army, and on one +occasion, when the king of France had given strict orders that no attack +should be made upon the infidels, and that an engagement should be +avoided, a body of Turkish cavalry advanced against them. "One of these +Turks," says Joinville, "gave a Knight Templar in the first rank so heavy +a blow with his battle-axe, that it felled him under the feet of the Lord +Reginald de Vichier's horse, who was Marshall of the Temple; the Marshall, +seeing his man fall, cried out to his brethren, 'At them in the name of +God, for I cannot longer stand this.' He instantly stuck spurs into his +horse, followed by all his brethren, and as their horses were fresh, not a +Saracen escaped." On another occasion, the Templars marched forth at the +head of the christian army, to make trial of a ford across the Tanitic +branch of the Nile. "Before we set out," says Joinville, "the king had +ordered that the Templars should form the van, and the Count d'Artois, his +brother, should command the second division after the Templars; but the +moment the Compte d'Artois had passed the ford, he and all his people fell +on the Saracens, and putting them to flight, galloped after them. The +Templars sent to call the Compte d'Artois back, and to tell him that it +was his duty to march behind and not before them; but it happened that the +Count d'Artois could not make any answer by reason of my Lord Foucquault +du Melle, who held the bridle of his horse, and my Lord Foucquault, who +was a right good knight, being deaf, heard nothing the Templars were +saying to the Count d'Artois, but kept bawling out, '_Forward! forward!_' +("Or a eulz! or a eulz!") When the Templars perceived this, they thought +they should be dishonoured if they allowed the Count d'Artois thus to take +the lead; so they spurred their horses more and more, and faster and +faster, and chased the Turks, who fled before them, through the town of +Massoura, as far as the plains towards Babylon; but on their return, the +Turks shot at them plenty of arrows, and attacked them in the narrow +streets of the town. The Count d'Artois and the Earl of Leicester were +there slain, and as many as three hundred other knights. The Templars +lost, as their chief informed me, full fourteen score men-at-arms, and all +his horsemen."[289] + +[Sidenote: A. D. 1250.] + +The Grand Master of the Temple also lost an eye, and cut his way through +the infidels to the main body of the christian army, accompanied only by +two Knights Templars.[290] There he again mixed in the affray, took the +command of a vanguard, and is to be found fighting by the side of the Lord +de Joinville at sunset. In his account of the great battle fought on the +first Friday in Lent, Joinville thus commemorates the gallant bearing of +the Templars:-- + +"The next battalion was under the command of Brother William de Sonnac, +Master of the Temple, who had with him the small remnant of the brethren +of the order who survived the battle of Shrove Tuesday. The Master of the +Temple made of the engines which we had taken from the Saracens a sort of +rampart in his front, but when the Saracens marched up to the assault, +they threw Greek fire upon it, and as the Templars had piled up many +planks of fir-wood amongst these engines, they caught fire immediately; +and the Saracens, perceiving that the brethren of the Temple were few in +number, dashed through the burning timbers, and vigorously attacked them. +In the preceding battle of Shrove Tuesday, Brother William, the Master of +the Temple, lost one of his eyes, and in this battle the said lord lost +his other eye, and was slain. God have mercy on his soul! And know that +immediately behind the place where the battalion of the Templars stood, +there was a good acre of ground, so covered with darts, arrows, and +missiles, that you could not see the earth beneath them, such showers of +these had been discharged against the Templars by the Saracens!"[291] + +[Sidenote: REGINALD DE VICHIER. A. D. 1252.] + +The Grand Master, William de Sonnac, was succeeded by the Marshall of the +Temple, Brother Reginald de Vichier.[292] King Louis, after his release +from captivity, proceeded to Palestine, where he remained two years. He +repaired the fortifications of Jaffa and Caesarea, and assisted the +Templars in putting the country into a defensible state. The Lord de +Joinville remained with him the whole time, and relates some curious +events that took place during his stay. It appears that the scheik of the +assassins still continued to pay tribute to the Templars; and during the +king's residence at Acre, the chief sent ambassadors to him to obtain a +remission of the tribute. He gave them an audience, and declared that he +would consider of their proposal. "When they came again before the king," +says Joinville, "it was about vespers, and they found the Master of the +Temple on one side of him, and the Master of the Hospital on the other. +The ambassadors refused to repeat what they had said in the morning, but +the Masters of the Temple and the Hospital commanded them so to do. Then +the Masters of the Temple and Hospital told them that their lord had very +foolishly and impudently sent such a message to the king of France, and +had they not been invested with the character of ambassadors, they would +have thrown them into the filthy sea of Acre, and have drowned them in +despite of their master. 'And we command you,' continued the masters, 'to +return to your lord, and to come back within fifteen days with such +letters from your prince, that the king shall be contented with him and +with you.'" + +The ambassadors accordingly did as they were bid, and brought back from +their scheik a shirt, the symbol of friendship, and a great variety of +rich presents, "crystal elephants, pieces of amber, with borders of pure +gold," &c. &c.[293] "You must know that when the ambassadors opened the +case containing all these fine things, the whole apartment was instantly +embalmed with the odour of their sweet perfumes." + +The Lord de Joinville accompanied the Templars in several marches and +expeditions against the infidel tribes on the frontiers of Palestine, and +was present at the storming of the famous castle of Panias, situate near +the source of the Jordan. + +[Sidenote: A. D. 1254.] + +[Sidenote: A. D. 1255.] + +At the period of the return of the king of France to Europe, (A. D. 1254,) +Henry the Third, king of England, was in Gascony with Brother Robert de +Sanford, Master of the Temple at London, who had been previously sent by +the English monarch into that province to appease the troubles which had +there broken out.[294] King Henry proceeded to the French capital, and was +magnificently entertained by the Knights Templars at the Temple in Paris, +which Matthew Paris tells us was of such immense extent that it could +contain within its precincts a numerous army. The day after his arrival, +king Henry ordered an innumerable quantity of poor people to be regaled at +the Temple with meat, fish, bread, and wine; and at a later hour the king +of France and all his nobles came to dine with the English monarch. +"Never," says Matthew Paris, "was there at any period in bygone times so +noble and so celebrated an entertainment. They feasted in the great hall +of the Temple, where hang the shields on every side, as many as they can +place along the four walls, according to the custom of the order beyond +sea...."[295] The Knights Templars in this country likewise exercised a +magnificent hospitality, and constantly entertained kings, princes, +nobles, prelates, and foreign ambassadors, at the Temple. Immediately +after the return of king Henry to England, some illustrious ambassadors +from Castile came on a visit to the Temple at London; and as the king +"greatly delighted to honour them," he commanded three pipes of wine to be +placed in the cellars of the Temple for their use,[296] and ten fat bucks +to be brought them at the same place from the royal forest in Essex.[297] +He, moreover, commanded the mayor and sheriffs of London, and the +commonalty of the same city, to take with them a respectable assemblage of +the citizens, and to go forth and meet the said ambassadors without the +city, and courteously receive them, and honour them, and conduct them to +the Temple.[298] + +[Sidenote: THOMAS BERARD. A. D. 1256.] + +The Grand Master, Reginald de Vichier, was succeeded by Brother Thomas +Berard,[299] who wrote several letters to the king of England, displaying +the miserable condition of the Holy Land, and earnestly imploring succour +and assistance.[300] The English monarch, however, was too poor to assist +him, being obliged to borrow money upon his crown jewels, which he sent to +the Temple at Paris. The queen of France, in a letter "to her very dear +brother Henry, the illustrious king of England," gives a long list of +golden wands, golden combs, diamond buckles, chaplets, and circlets, +golden crowns, imperial beavers, rich girdles, golden peacocks, and rings +innumerable, adorned with sapphires, rubies, emeralds, topazes, and +carbuncles, which she says she had inspected in the presence of the +treasurer of the Temple at Paris, and that the same were safely deposited +in the coffers of the Templars.[301] + +[Sidenote: A. D. 1261.] + +The military power of the orders of the Temple and the Hospital in +Palestine was at last completely broken by Bibars, or Benocdar, the fourth +Mamlook sultan of Egypt, who, from the humble station of a Tartar slave, +had raised himself to the sovereignty of that country, and through his +valour and military talents had acquired the title of "the Conqueror." He +invaded Palestine (A. D. 1262) at the head of thirty thousand cavalry, and +defeated the Templars and Hospitallers with immense slaughter.[302] After +several years of continuous warfare, during which the most horrible +excesses were committed by both parties, all the strongholds of the +Christians, with the solitary exception of the Pilgrim's Castle and the +city of Acre, fell into the hands of the infidels. + +[Sidenote: A. D. 1266.] + +[Sidenote: A. D. 1268.] + +On the last day of April, (A. D. 1265,) Benocdar stormed Arsuf, one of the +strongest of the castles of the Hospitallers; he slew ninety of the +garrison, and led away a thousand into captivity. The year following he +stormed Castel Blanco, a fortress of the Knights Templars, and immediately +after laid siege to their famous and important castle of Saphet. After an +obstinate defence, the Preceptor, finding himself destitute of provisions, +agreed to capitulate, on condition that the surviving brethren and their +retainers, amounting to six hundred men, should be conducted in safety to +the nearest fortress of the Christians. The terms were acceded to, but as +soon as Benocdar had obtained possession of the castle, he imposed upon +the whole garrison the severe alternative of the Koran or death. They +chose the latter, and, according to the christian writers, were all +slain.[303] The Arabian historian Schafi Ib'n Ali Abbas, however, in his +life of Bibars, or Benocdar, states that one of the garrison named +_Effreez Lyoub_, embraced the Mahommetan faith, and was circumcised, and +that another was sent to Acre to announce the fall of the place to his +brethren. This writer attempts to excuse the slaughter of the remainder, +on the ground that they had themselves first broken the terms of the +capitulation, by attempting to carry away arms and treasure.[304] "By the +death of so many knights of both orders," says Pope Clement IV., in one of +his epistles, "the noble college of the Hospitallers, and the illustrious +chivalry of the Temple, are almost destroyed, and I know not how we shall +be able, after this, to find gentlemen and persons of quality sufficient +to supply the places of such as have perished."[305] The year after the +fall of Saphet, (A. D. 1267,) Benocdar captured the cities of Homs, +Belfort, Bagras, and Sidon, which belonged to the order of the Temple; the +maritime towns of Laodicea, Gabala, Tripoli, Beirout, and Jaffa, +successively fell into his hands, and the fall of the princely city of +Antioch was signalized by the slaughter of seventeen and the captivity of +one hundred thousand of her inhabitants.[306] The utter ruin of the Latin +kingdom, however, was averted by the timely assistance brought by Edward +Prince of Wales, son of Henry the Second, king of England, who appeared at +Acre with a fleet and an army. The infidels were once more defeated and +driven back into Egypt, and a truce for ten years between the sultan and +the Christians was agreed upon.[307] Prince Edward then prepared for his +departure, but, before encountering the perils of the sea on his return +home, he made his will; it is dated at Acre, June 18th, A. D. 1272, and +Brother Thomas Berard, Grand Master of the Temple, appears as an attesting +witness.[308] Whilst the prince was pursuing his voyage to England, his +father, the king of England, died, and the council of the realm, composed +of the archbishops of Canterbury and York, and the bishops and barons of +the kingdom, assembled in the Temple at London, and swore allegiance to +the prince. They there caused him to be proclaimed king of England, and, +with the consent of the queen-mother, they appointed Walter Giffard, +archbishop of York, and the earls of Cornwall and Gloucester, guardians of +the realm. Letters were written from the Temple to acquaint the young +sovereign with the death of his father, and many of the acts of the new +government emanated from the same place.[309] + +King Henry the Third was a great benefactor to the Templars. He granted +them the manors of Lilleston, Hechewayton, Saunford, Sutton, Dartfeld, and +Halgel, in Kent; several lands, and churches and annual fairs at Baldok, +Walnesford, Wetherby, and other places, and various weekly markets.[310] + +[Sidenote: WILLIAM DE BEAUJEU. A.D. 1273.] + +The Grand Master, Thomas Berard, was succeeded by Brother William de +Beaujeu,[311] who came to England for the purpose of obtaining succour, +and called together a general chapter of the order at London. Whilst +resident at the Temple in that city, he received payment of a large sum of +money which Edward, the young king, had borrowed of the Templars during +his residence in Palestine.[312] The Grand Master of the Hospital also +came to Europe, and every exertion was made to stimulate the languid +energies of the western Christians, and revive their holy zeal in the +cause of the Cross. A general council of the church was opened at Lyons by +the Pope in person; the two Grand Masters were present, and took +precedence of all the ambassadors and peers at that famous assembly. It +was determined that a new crusade should be preached, that all +ecclesiastical dignities and benefices should be taxed to support an +armament, and that the sovereigns of Europe should be compelled by +ecclesiastical censures to suspend their private quarrels, and afford +succour to the desolate city of Jerusalem. The Pope, who had been himself +resident in Palestine, took a strong personal interest in the promotion of +the crusade, and induced many nobles, princes, and knights to assume the +Cross; but the holy pontiff died in the midst of his exertions, and with +him expired all hope of effectual assistance from Europe. A vast change +had come over the spirit of the age; the fiery enthusiasm of the holy war +had expended itself, and the Grand Masters of the Temple and Hospital +returned without succour, in sorrow and disappointment, to the East. + +[Sidenote: A. D. 1275.] + +[Sidenote: A. D. 1291.] + +William de Beaujeu arrived at the Temple of Acre on Saint Michael's Day, +A. D. 1275, and immediately assumed the government of Palestine.[313] As +there was now no hope of recovering the lost city of Jerusalem, he bent +all his energies to the preservation of the few remaining possessions of +the Christians in the Holy Land. At the expiration of the ten years' truce +he entered into a further treaty with the infidels, called "the peace of +Tortosa." It is expressed to be made between sultan Malek-Mansour and his +son Malek-Saleh Ali, "honour of the world and of religion," of the one +part, and Afryz Dybadjouk (William de Beaujeu) Grand Master of the order +of the Templars, of the other part. The truce is further prolonged for ten +years and ten months from the date of the execution of the treaty, (A. D. +1282;) and the contracting parties strictly bind themselves to make no +irruptions into each other's territories during the period. To prevent +mistakes, the towns, villages, and territory belonging to the Christians +in Palestine are specified and defined, together with the contiguous +possessions of the Moslems.[314] This treaty, however, was speedily +broken, the war was renewed with various success, and another treaty was +concluded, which was again violated by an unpardonable outrage. Some +European adventurers, who had arrived at Acre, plundered and hung nineteen +Egyptian merchants, and the sultan of Egypt immediately resumed +hostilities, with the avowed determination of crushing for ever the +christian power in the East. The fortress of Margat was besieged and +taken; the city of Tripoli shared the same fate; and in the third year +from the re-commencement of the war, the christian dominions in Palestine +were reduced within the narrow confines of the strong city of Acre and the +Pilgrim's Castle. In the spring of the year 1291, the sultan Khalil +marched against Acre at the head of sixty thousand horse and a hundred and +forty thousand foot. + +"An innumerable people of all nations and every tongue," says a chronicle +of the times, "thirsting for christian blood, were assembled together from +the deserts of the East and the South; the earth trembled beneath their +footsteps, and the air was rent with the sound of their trumpets and +cymbals. The sun's rays, reflected from their shields, gleamed on the +distant mountains, and the points of their spears shone like the +innumerable stars of heaven. When on the march, their lances presented the +appearance of a vast forest rising from the earth, and covering all the +landscape."... "They wandered round about the walls, spying out their +weaknesses and defects; some barked like dogs, some roared like lions, +some lowed and bellowed like oxen, some struck drums with twisted sticks +after their fashion, some threw darts, some cast stones, some shot arrows +and bolts from cross-bows."[315] On the 5th of April, the place was +regularly invested. No rational hope of saving it could be entertained; +the sea was open; the harbour was filled with christian vessels, and with +the galleys of the Temple and the Hospital; yet the two great monastic and +military orders scorned to retire to the neighbouring and friendly island +of Cyprus; they refused to desert, even in its last extremity, that cause +which they had sworn to maintain with the last drop of their blood. For a +hundred and seventy years their swords had been constantly employed in +defending the Holy Land from the profane tread of the unbelieving Moslem; +the sacred territory of Palestine had been everywhere moistened with the +blood of the best and bravest of their knights, and, faithful to their +vows and their chivalrous engagements, they now prepared to bury +themselves in the ruins of the last stronghold of the christian faith. + +William de Beaujeu, the Grand Master of the Temple, a veteran warrior of a +hundred fights, took the command of the garrison, which amounted to about +twelve thousand men, exclusive of the forces of the Temple and the +Hospital, and a body of five hundred foot and two hundred horse, under the +command of the king of Cyprus. These forces were distributed along the +walls in four divisions, the first of which was commanded by Hugh de +Grandison, an English knight. The old and the feeble, women and children, +were sent away by sea to the christian island of Cyprus, and none remained +in the devoted city but those who were prepared to fight in its defence, +or to suffer martyrdom at the hands of the infidels. The siege lasted six +weeks, during the whole of which period the sallies and the attacks were +incessant. Neither by night nor by day did the shouts of the assailants +and the noise of the military engines cease; the walls were battered from +without, and the foundations were sapped by miners, who were incessantly +labouring to advance their works. More than six hundred catapults, +balistae, and other instruments of destruction, were directed against the +fortifications; and the battering machines were of such immense size and +weight, that a hundred wagons were required to transport the separate +timbers of one of them.[316] Moveable towers were erected by the Moslems, +so as to overtop the walls; their workmen and advanced parties were +protected by hurdles covered with raw hides, and all the military +contrivances which the art and the skill of the age could produce, were +used to facilitate the assault. For a long time their utmost efforts were +foiled by the valour of the besieged, who made constant sallies upon their +works, burnt their towers and machines, and destroyed their miners. Day by +day, however, the numbers of the garrison were thinned by the sword, +whilst in the enemy's camp the places of the dead were constantly supplied +by fresh warriors from the deserts of Arabia, animated with the same wild +fanaticism in the cause of _their_ religion as that which so eminently +distinguished the military monks of the Temple. On the fourth of May, +after thirty-three days of constant fighting, the great tower, considered +the key of the fortifications, and called by the Moslems _the cursed +tower_, was thrown down by the military engines. To increase the terror +and distraction of the besieged, sultan Khalil mounted three hundred +drummers, with their drums, upon as many dromedaries, and commanded them +to make as much noise as possible whenever a general assault was ordered. +From the 4th to the 14th of May, the attacks were incessant. On the 15th, +the double wall was forced, and the king of Cyprus, panic-stricken, fled +in the night to his ships, and made sail for the island of Cyprus, with +all his followers, and with near three thousand of the best men of the +garrison. On the morrow the Saracens attacked the post he had deserted; +they filled up the ditch with the bodies of dead men and horses, piles of +wood, stones, and earth, and their trumpets then sounded to the assault. +Ranged under the yellow banner of Mahomet, the Mamlooks forced the breach, +and penetrated sword in hand to the very centre of the city; but their +victorious career and insulting shouts were there stopped by the mail-clad +Knights of the Temple and the Hospital, who charged on horseback through +the narrow streets, drove them back with immense carnage, and precipitated +them headlong from the walls. + +At sunrise the following morning the air resounded with the deafening +noise of drums and trumpets, and the breach was carried and recovered +several times, the military friars at last closing up the passage with +their bodies, and presenting a wall of steel to the advance of the enemy. +Loud appeals to God and to Mahomet, to heaven and the saints, were to be +heard on all sides; and after an obstinate engagement from sunrise to +sunset, darkness put an end to the slaughter. On the third day, (the +18th,) the infidels made the final assault on the side next the gate of +St. Anthony. The Grand Masters of the Temple and the Hospital fought side +by side at the head of their knights, and for a time successfully resisted +all the efforts of the enemy. They engaged hand to hand with the Mamlooks, +and pressed like the meanest of the soldiers into the thick of the battle. +But as each knight fell beneath the keen scimitars of the Moslems, there +were none in reserve to supply his place, whilst the vast hordes of the +infidels pressed on with untiring energy and perseverance. The Marshall of +the Hospital fell covered with wounds, and William de Beaujeu, as a last +resort, requested the Grand Master of that order to sally out of an +adjoining gateway at the head of five hundred horse, and attack the +enemy's rear. Immediately after the Grand Master of the Temple had given +these orders, he was himself struck down by the darts and the arrows of +the enemy; the panic-stricken garrison fled to the port, and the infidels +rushed on with tremendous shouts of _Allah acbar! Allah acbar!_ "GOD is +victorious." Three hundred Templars, the sole survivors of their +illustrious order in Acre, were now left alone to withstand the shock of +the victorious Mamlooks. In a close and compact column they fought their +way, accompanied by several hundred christian fugitives, to the Temple, +and shutting their gates, they again bade defiance to the advancing foe. + +[Sidenote: GAUDINI. A. D. 1291.] + +The surviving knights now assembled together in solemn chapter, and +appointed the Knight Templar Brother Gaudini Grand Master.[317] The Temple +at Acre was a place of great strength, and surrounded by walls and towers +of immense extent. It was divided into three quarters, the first and +principal of which contained the palace of the Grand Master, the church, +and the habitation of the knights; the second, called the Bourg of the +Temple, contained the cells of the serving brethren; and the third, called +the Cattle Market, was devoted to the officers charged with the duty of +procuring the necessary supplies for the order and its forces. + +The following morning very favourable terms were offered to the Templars +by the victorious sultan, and they agreed to evacuate the Temple on +condition that a galley should be placed at their disposal, and that they +should be allowed to retire in safety with the christian fugitives under +their protection, and to carry away as much of their effects as each +person could load himself with. The Mussulman conqueror pledged himself to +the fulfilment of these conditions, and sent a standard to the Templars, +which was mounted on one of the towers of the Temple. A guard of three +hundred Moslem soldiers, charged to see the articles of capitulation +properly carried into effect, was afterwards admitted within the walls of +the convent. Some christian women of Acre, who had refused to quit their +fathers, brothers, and husbands, the brave defenders of the place, were +amongst the fugitives, and the Moslem soldiers, attracted by their beauty, +broke through all restraint, and violated the terms of the surrender. The +enraged Templars closed and barricadoed the gates of the Temple; they set +upon the treacherous infidels, and put every one of them, "from the +greatest to the smallest," to death.[318] Immediately after this massacre +the Moslem trumpets sounded to the assault, but the Templars successfully +defended themselves until the next day (the 20th.) The Marshall of the +order and several of the brethren were then deputed by Gaudini with a flag +of truce to the sultan, to explain the cause of the massacre of his guard. +The enraged monarch, however, had no sooner got them into his power than +he ordered every one of them to be decapitated, and pressed the siege with +renewed vigour. In the night, Gaudini, with a chosen band of his +companions, collected together the treasure of the order and the ornaments +of the church, and sallying out of a secret postern of the Temple which +communicated with the harbour, they got on board a small vessel, and +escaped in safety to the island of Cyprus.[319] The residue of the +Templars retired into the large tower of the Temple, called "The Tower of +the Master," which they defended with desperate energy. The bravest of the +Mamlooks were driven back in repeated assaults, and the little fortress +was everywhere surrounded with heaps of the slain. The sultan, at last, +despairing of taking the place by assault, ordered it to be undermined. As +the workmen advanced, they propped the foundations with beams of wood, +and when the excavation was completed, these wooden supports were consumed +by fire; the huge tower then fell with a tremendous crash, and buried the +brave Templars in its ruins. The sultan set fire to the town in four +places, and the last stronghold of the christian power in Palestine was +speedily reduced to a smoking solitude.[320] A few years back the ruins of +the christian city of Acre were well worthy of the attention of the +curious. You might still trace the remains of several churches; and the +quarter occupied by the Knights Templars continued to present many +interesting memorials of that proud and powerful order. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + + The downfall of the Templars--The cause thereof--The Grand Master + comes to Europe at the request of the Pope--He is imprisoned, with all + the Templars in France, by command of king Philip--They are put to the + torture, and confessions of the guilt of heresy and idolatry are + extracted from them--Edward II. king of England stands up in defence + of the Templars, but afterwards persecutes them at the instance of the + Pope--The imprisonment of the Master of the Temple and all his + brethren in England--Their examination upon eighty-seven horrible and + ridiculous articles of accusation before foreign inquisitors appointed + by the Pope--A council of the church assembles at London to pass + sentence upon them--The curious evidence adduced as to the mode of + admission into the order, and of the customs and observances of the + fraternity. + + En cel an qu'ai dist or endroit, + Et ne sait a tort ou a droit, + Furent li Templiers, sans doutance, + Tous pris par le royaume de France. + Au mois d'Octobre, au point du jor, + Et un vendredi fu le jor. + _Chron. MS._ + + +[Sidenote: JAMES DE MOLAY. A. D. 1297.] + +[Sidenote: A. D. 1302.] + +It now only remains for us to describe the miserable fate of the surviving +brethren of the order of the Temple, and to tell of the ingratitude they +encountered from their fellow Christians in the West. Shortly after the +fall of Acre, a general chapter of the fraternity was called together, and +James de Molay, the Preceptor of England, was chosen Grand Master.[321] +He attempted once more (A. D. 1302) to plant the banners of the Temple +upon the sacred soil of Palestine, but was defeated by the sultan of Egypt +with the loss of a hundred and twenty of his brethren.[322] This +disastrous expedition was speedily followed by the downfall of the +fraternity. Many circumstances contributed to this memorable event. + +With the loss of all the christian territory in Palestine had expired in +Christendom every serious hope and expectation of recovering and retaining +the Holy City. The services of the Templars were consequently no longer +required, and men began to regard with an eye of envy and of covetousness +their vast wealth and immense possessions. The privileges conceded to the +fraternity by the popes made the church their enemy. The great body of the +clergy regarded with jealousy and indignation their exemption from the +ordinary ecclesiastical jurisdiction. The bull _omne datum optimum_ was +considered a great inroad upon the rights of the church, and broke the +union which had originally subsisted between the Templars and the +ecclesiastics. Their exemption from tithe was a source of considerable +loss to the parsons, and the privilege they possessed of celebrating +divine service during interdict brought abundance of offerings and alms to +the priests and chaplains of the order, which the clergy looked upon as so +many robberies committed upon themselves. Disputes arose between the +fraternity and the bishops and priests, and the hostility of the latter to +the order was manifested in repeated acts of injustice, which drew forth +many severe bulls and indignant animadversions from the Roman pontiffs. +Pope Alexander, in a bull fulminated against the clergy, tells them that +if they would carefully reflect upon the contests which his beloved sons, +the brethren of the chivalry of the Temple, continually maintained in +Palestine for the defence of Christianity, and their kindness to the poor, +they would not only cease from annoying and injuring them, but would +strictly restrain others from so doing. He expresses himself to be grieved +and astonished to hear that many ecclesiastics had vexed them with +grievous injuries, had treated his apostolic letters with contempt, and +had refused to read them in their churches; that they had subtracted the +customary alms and oblations from the fraternity, and had admitted +aggressors against the property of the brethren to their familiar +friendship, insufferably endeavouring to press down and discourage those +whom they ought assiduously to uphold. From other bulls it appears that +the clergy interfered with the right enjoyed by the fraternity of +collecting alms; that they refused to bury the brethren of the order when +deceased without being paid for it, and arrogantly claimed a right to be +entertained with sumptuous hospitality in the houses of the Temple. For +these delinquencies, the bishops, archdeacons, priests, and the whole body +of the clergy, are threatened with severe measures by the Roman +pontiff.[323] + +The Templars, moreover, towards the close of their career, became +unpopular with the European sovereigns and their nobles. The revenues of +the former were somewhat diminished through the immunities conceded to the +Templars by their predecessors, and the paternal estates of the latter had +been diminished by the grant of many thousand manors, lordships, and fair +estates to the order by their pious and enthusiastic ancestors. +Considerable dislike also began to be manifested to the annual +transmission of large sums of money, the revenues of the order, from the +European states to be expended in a distant warfare in which Christendom +now took comparatively no interest. Shortly after the fall of Acre, and +the total loss of Palestine, Edward the First, king of England, seized and +sequestered to his own use the monies which had been accumulated by the +Templars, to forward to their brethren in Cyprus, alleging that the +property of the order of the Temple had been granted to it by the kings of +England, his predecessors, and their subjects, for the defence of the Holy +Land, and that since the loss thereof, no better use could be made of the +money than by appropriating it to the maintenance of the poor. At the +earnest request of the pope, however, the king afterwards permitted their +revenues to be transmitted to them in the island of Cyprus in the usual +manner.[324] King Edward had previously manifested a strong desire to lay +hands on the property of the Templars. On his return from his victorious +campaign in Wales, finding himself unable to disburse the arrears of pay +due to his soldiers, he went with Sir Robert Waleran and some armed +followers to the Temple, and calling for the treasurer, he pretended that +he wanted to see his mother's jewels, which were there kept. Having been +admitted into the house, he deliberately broke open the coffers of the +Templars, and carried away ten thousand pounds with him to Windsor +Castle.[325] His son, Edward the Second, on his accession to the throne, +committed a similar act of injustice. He went with his favourite, Piers +Gavaston, to the Temple, and took away with him fifty thousand pounds of +silver, with a quantity of gold, jewels, and precious stones, belonging to +the bishop of Chester.[326] The impunity with which these acts of +violence were committed, manifests that the Templars then no longer +enjoyed the power and respect which they possessed in ancient times. + +As the enthusiasm, too, in favour of the holy war diminished, large +numbers of the Templars remained at home in their western preceptories, +and took an active part in the politics of Europe. They interfered in the +quarrels of christian princes, and even drew their swords against their +fellow-Christians. Thus we find the members of the order taking part in +the war between the houses of Anjou and Aragon, and aiding the king of +England in his warfare against the king of Scotland. In the battle of +Falkirk, fought on the 22nd of July, A. D. 1298, seven years after the +fall of Acre, perished both the Master of the Temple at London, and his +vicegerent the Preceptor of Scotland.[327] All these circumstances, +together with the loss of the Holy Land, and the extinction of the +enthusiasm of the crusades, diminished the popularity of the Templars in +Europe. + +At the period of the fall of Acre, Philip the Fair, son of St. Louis, +occupied the throne of France. He was a needy and avaricious monarch,[328] +and had at different periods resorted to the most violent expedients to +replenish his exhausted exchequer. On the death of Pope Benedict XI., (A. +D. 1304,) he succeeded, through the intrigues of the French Cardinal +Dupre, in raising the archbishop of Bourdeaux, a creature of his own, to +the pontifical chair. The new pope removed the Holy See from Rome to +France; he summoned all the cardinals to Lyons, and was there consecrated, +(A. D. 1305,) by the name of Clement V., in the presence of king Philip +and his nobles. Of the ten new cardinals then created _nine_ were +Frenchmen, and in all his acts the new pope manifested himself the +obedient slave of the French monarch. The character of this pontiff has +been painted by the Romish ecclesiastical historians in the darkest +colours: they represent him as wedded to pleasure, eaten up with ambition, +and greedy for money; they accuse him of indulging in a criminal intrigue +with the beautiful countess of Perigord, and of trafficking in holy +things.[329] + +[Sidenote: A. D. 1306.] + +[Sidenote: A. D. 1307.] + +On the 6th of June, A. D. 1306, a few months after his coronation, this +new French pontiff addressed letters from Bourdeaux to the Grand Masters +of the Temple and Hospital, expressing his earnest desire to consult them +with regard to the measures necessary to be taken for the recovery of the +Holy Land. He tells them that they are the persons best qualified to give +advice upon the subject, and to conduct and manage the enterprize, both +from their great military experience and the interest they had in the +success of the expedition. "We order you," says he, "to come hither +without delay, with as much secrecy as possible, and with a _very little +retinue_, since you will find on this side the sea a sufficient number of +your knights to attend upon you."[330] The Grand Master of the Hospital +declined obeying this summons; but the Grand Master of the Temple +forthwith accepted it, and unhesitatingly placed himself in the power of +the pope and the king of France. He landed in France, attended by sixty of +his knights, at the commencement of the year 1307, and deposited the +treasure of the order which he had brought with him from Cyprus, in the +Temple at Paris. He was received with distinction by the king, and then +took his departure for Poictiers to have an interview with the pope. He +was there detained with various conferences and negotiations relative to a +pretended expedition for the recovery of the Holy Land. + +Among other things, the pope proposed an union between the Templars and +Hospitallers, and the Grand Master handed in his objections to the +proposition. He says, that after the fall of Acre, the people of Italy and +of other christian nations clamoured loudly against Pope Nicholas, for +having afforded no succour to the besieged, and that he, by way of +screening himself, had laid all the blame of the loss of the place on +pretended dissensions between the Templars and Hospitallers, and projected +an union between them. The Grand Master declares that there had been no +dissensions between the orders prejudicial to the christian cause; that +there was nothing more than a spirit of rivalry and emulation, the +destruction of which would be highly injurious to the Christians, and +advantageous to the Saracens; for if the Hospitallers at any time +performed a brilliant feat of arms against the infidels, the Templars +would never rest quiet until they had done the same or better, and _e +converso_. So also if the Templars made a great shipment of brethren, +horses, and other beasts across sea to Palestine, the Hospitallers would +always do the like or more. He at the same time positively declares, that +a member of one order had never been known to raise his hand against a +member of the other.[331] The Grand Master complains that the reverence +and respect of the christian nations for both orders had undeservedly +diminished, that everything was changed, and that most persons were then +more ready to take from them than to give to them, and that many powerful +men, both clergy and laity, brought continual mischiefs upon the +fraternities. + +In the mean time, the secret agents of the French king industriously +circulated various dark rumours and odious reports concerning the +Templars, and it was said that they would never have lost the Holy Land if +they had been good Christians. These rumours and accusations were soon put +into a tangible shape. + +According to some writers, Squin de Florian, a citizen of Bezieres, who +had been condemned to death or perpetual imprisonment in one of the royal +castles for his iniquities, was brought before Philip, and received a free +pardon, and was well rewarded in return, for an accusation on oath, +charging the Templars with heresy, and with the commission of the most +horrible crimes. According to others, Nosso de Florentin, an apostate +Templar, who had been condemned by the Grand Preceptor and chapter of +France to perpetual imprisonment for impiety and crime, made in his +dungeon a voluntary confession of the sins and abominations charged +against the order.[332] Be this as it may, upon the strength of an +information sworn to by a condemned criminal, king Philip, on the 14th of +September, despatched secret orders to all the baillis of the different +provinces in France, couched in the following extravagant and absurd +terms: + +"Philip, by the grace of God king of the French, to his beloved and +faithful knights ... &c. &c. + +"A deplorable and most lamentable matter, full of bitterness and grief, a +monstrous business, a thing that one cannot think on without affright, +cannot hear without horror, transgressions unheard of, enormities and +atrocities contrary to every sentiment of humanity, &c. &c., have reached +our ears." After a long and most extraordinary tirade of this kind, Philip +accuses the Templars of insulting Jesus Christ, and making him suffer more +in those days than he had suffered formerly upon the cross; of renouncing +the christian religion; of mocking the sacred image of the Saviour; of +sacrificing to idols; and of abandoning themselves to impure practices and +unnatural crimes. He characterises them as ravishing wolves in sheep's +clothing; a perfidious, ungrateful, idolatrous society, whose words and +deeds were enough to pollute the earth and infect the air; to dry up the +sources of the celestial dews, and to put the whole church of Christ into +confusion. + +"We being charged," says he, "with the maintenance of the faith; after +having conferred with the pope, the prelates, and the barons of the +kingdom, at the instance of the inquisitor, from the informations already +laid, from violent suspicions, from probable conjectures, from legitimate +presumptions, conceived against the enemies of heaven and earth; and +because the matter is important, and it is expedient to prove the just +like gold in the furnace by a rigorous examination, have decreed that the +members of the order who are our subjects shall be arrested and detained +to be judged by the church, and that all their real and personal property +shall be seized into our hands, and be faithfully preserved," &c. To these +orders are attached instructions requiring the baillis and seneschals +accurately to inform themselves, with great secrecy, and without exciting +suspicion, of the number of the houses of the Temple within their +respective jurisdictions; they are then to provide an armed force +sufficient to overcome all resistance, and on the 13th of October are to +surprise the Templars in their preceptories, and make them prisoners. The +inquisition is then directed to assemble to examine the guilty, and to +employ _torture_ if it be necessary. "Before proceeding with the inquiry," +says Philip, "you are to inform them (the Templars) that the pope and +ourselves have been convinced, by irreproachable testimony, of the errors +and abominations which accompany their vows and profession; you are to +promise them pardon and favour if they _confess_ the truth, but if not, +you are to acquaint them that they will be condemned to death."[333] + +As soon as Philip had issued these orders, he wrote to the principal +sovereigns of Europe, urging them to follow his example,[334] and sent a +confidential agent, named Bernard Peletin, with a letter to the young +king, Edward the Second, who had just then ascended the throne of England, +representing in frightful colours the pretended sins of the Templars. On +the 22nd of September, king Edward replied to this letter, observing that +he had considered of the matters mentioned therein, and had listened to +the statements of that discreet man, Master Bernard Peletin; that he had +caused the latter to unfold the charges before himself, and many prelates, +earls, and barons of his kingdom, and others of his council; but that they +appeared so astonishing as to be beyond belief; that such abominable and +execrable deeds had never before been heard of by the king and the +aforesaid prelates, earls, and barons, and it was therefore hardly to be +expected that an easy credence could be given to them. The English +monarch, however, informs king Philip that by the advice of his council he +had ordered the seneschal of Agen, from whose lips the rumours were said +to have proceeded, to be summoned to his presence, that through him he +might be further informed concerning the premises; and he states that at +the fitting time, after due inquiry, he will take such steps as will +redound to the praise of God, and the honour and preservation of the +catholic faith.[335] + +On the night of the 13th of October, all the Templars in the French +dominions were simultaneously arrested. Monks were appointed to preach +against them in the public places of Paris, and in the gardens of the +Palais Royale; and advantage was taken of the folly, the superstition, and +the credulity of the age, to propagate the most horrible and extravagant +charges against the order. They were accused of worshipping an idol +covered with an old skin, embalmed, having the appearance of a piece of +polished oil-cloth. "In this idol," we are assured, "there were two +carbuncles for eyes, bright as the brightness of heaven, and it is certain +that all the hope of the Templars was placed in it; it was their sovereign +god, and they trusted in it with all their heart." They are accused of +burning the bodies of the deceased brethren, and making the ashes into a +powder, which they administered to the younger brethren in their food and +drink, to make them hold fast their faith and idolatry; of cooking and +roasting infants, and anointing their idols with the fat; of celebrating +hidden rites and mysteries, to which young and tender virgins were +introduced, and of a variety of abominations too absurd and horrible to be +named.[336] Guillaume Paradin, in his history of Savoy, seriously repeats +these monstrous accusations, and declares that the Templars had "un lieu +creux ou cave en terre, fort obscur, en laquelle ils avoient un image en +forme d'un homme, sur lequel ils avoient applique la peau d'un corps +humain, et mis deux clairs et luisans escarboucles au lieu des deux yeux. +A cette horrible statue etoient contraints de sacrifier ceux qui vouloient +etre de leur damnable religion, lesquels avant toutes ceremonies ils +contragnoient de renier Jesus Christ, et fouler la croix avec les pieds, +et apres ce maudit sacre auquel assistoient femmes et filles (seduites +pour etre de ce secte) ils estegnoient les lampes et lumieres qu'ils +avoient en cett cave.... Et s'il advenoit que d'un Templier et d'un +pucelle nasquit, un fils, ils se rangoit tous en un rond, et se jettoient +cet enfant de main en main, et ne cessoient de le jetter jusqu'a ce qu'il +fu mort entre leurs mains: etant mort ils se rotissoient (chose execrable) +et de la graisse ils en ognoient leur grand statue!"[337] The character of +the charges preferred against the Templars proves that their enemies had +no serious crimes to allege against the order. Their very virtues indeed +were turned against them, for we are told that "_to conceal the iniquity +of their lives_ they made much almsgiving, constantly frequented church, +comported themselves with edification, frequently partook of the holy +sacrament, and manifested always much modesty and gentleness of deportment +in the house, as well as in public."[338] + +During twelve days of severe imprisonment, the Templars remained constant +in the denial of the horrible crimes imputed to the fraternity. The king's +promises of pardon extracted from them no confession of guilt, and they +were therefore handed over to the tender mercies of the brethren of St. +Dominic, who were the most refined and expert torturers of the day. + +On the 19th of October, the grand inquisitor proceeded with his myrmidons +to the Temple at Paris, and a hundred and forty Templars were one after +another put to the torture. Days and weeks were consumed in the +examination, and thirty-six Templars perished in the hands of their +tormentors, maintaining with unshaken constancy to the very last the +entire innocence of their order. Many of them lost the use of their feet +from the application of the torture of fire, which was inflicted in the +following manner: their legs were fastened in an iron frame, and the soles +of their feet were greased over with fat or butter; they were then placed +before the fire, and a screen was drawn backwards and forwards, so as to +moderate and regulate the heat. Such was the agony produced by this +roasting operation, that the victims often went raving mad. Brother +Bernarde de Vado, on subsequently revoking a confession of guilt, wrung +from him by this description of torment, says to the commissary of police, +before whom he was brought to be examined, "They held me so long before a +fierce fire that the flesh was burnt off my heels, two pieces of bone came +away, which I present to you."[339] Another Templar, on publicly revoking +his confession, declared that four of his teeth were drawn out, and that +he confessed himself guilty to save the remainder.[340] Others of the +fraternity deposed to the infliction on them of the most revolting and +indecent torments;[341] and, in addition to all this, it appears that +forged letters from the Grand Master were shown to the prisoners, +exhorting them to confess themselves guilty. Many of the Templars were +accordingly compelled to acknowledge whatever was required of them, and to +plead guilty to the commission of crimes which in the previous +interrogatories they had positively denied.[342] + +These violent proceedings excited the astonishment and amazement of +Europe. + +On the 20th of November, the king of England summoned the seneschal of +Agen to his presence, and examined him concerning the truth of the +horrible charges preferred against the Templars; and on the 4th of +December the English monarch wrote letters to the kings of Portugal, +Castile, Aragon, and Sicily, to the following effect: + +"To the magnificent prince the Lord Dionysius, by the grace of God the +illustrious king of Portugal, his very dear friend Edward, by the same +grace king of England, &c. Health and prosperity. + +"It is fit and proper, inasmuch as it conduceth to the honour of God and +the exaltation of the faith, that we should prosecute with benevolence +those who come recommended to us by strenuous labours and incessant +exertions in defence of the Catholic faith, and for the destruction of the +enemies of the cross of Christ. Verily, a certain clerk, (Bernard +Peletin,) drawing nigh unto our presence, applied himself, with all his +might, to the destruction of the order of the brethren of the Temple of +Jerusalem. He dared to publish before us and our council certain horrible +and detestable enormities repugnant to the Catholic faith, to the +prejudice of the aforesaid brothers, endeavouring to persuade us, through +his own allegations, as well as through certain letters which he had +caused to be addressed to us for that purpose, that by reason of the +premises, and without a due examination of the matter, we ought to +imprison all the brethren of the aforesaid order abiding in our dominions. +But, considering that the order, which hath been renowned for its religion +and its honour, and in times long since passed away was instituted, as we +have learned, by the Catholic Fathers, exhibits, and hath from the period +of its first foundation exhibited, a becoming devotion to God and his holy +church, and also, up to this time, hath afforded succour and protection to +the Catholic faith in parts beyond sea, it appeared to us that a ready +belief in an accusation of this kind, hitherto altogether unheard of +against the fraternity, was scarcely to be expected. We affectionately +ask, and require of your royal majesty, that ye, with due diligence, +consider of the premises, and turn a deaf ear to the slanders of +ill-natured men, who are animated, as we believe, not with the zeal of +rectitude, but with a spirit of _cupidity_ and envy, permitting no injury +unadvisedly to be done to the persons or property of the brethren of the +aforesaid order, dwelling within your kingdom, until they have been +legally convicted of the crimes laid to their charge, or it shall happen +to be otherwise ordered concerning them in these parts."[343] + +A few days after the transmission of this letter, king Edward wrote to the +pope, expressing his disbelief of the horrible and detestable rumours +spread abroad concerning the Templars. He represents them to his holiness +as universally respected by all men in his dominions for the purity of +their faith and morals. He expresses great sympathy for the affliction and +distress suffered by the master and brethren, by reason of the scandal +circulated concerning them; and he strongly urges the holy pontiff to +clear, by some fair course of inquiry, the character of the order from the +unjust and infamous aspersions cast against it.[344] On the 22nd of +November, however, a fortnight previously, the Pope had issued the +following bull to king Edward. + +"Clement, bishop, servant of the servants of God, to his very dear son in +Christ, Edward, the illustrious king of England, health and apostolical +blessing. + +"Presiding, though unworthy, on the throne of pastoral pre-eminence, by +the disposition of him who disposeth all things, we fervently seek after +this one thing above all others; we with ardent wishes aspire to this, +that shaking off the sleep of negligence, whilst watching over the Lord's +flock, by removing that which is hurtful, and taking care of such things +as are profitable, we may be able, by the divine assistance, to bring +souls to God. + +"In truth, a long time ago, about the period of our first promotion to the +summit of the apostolical dignity, there came to our ears a light rumour, +to the effect that the Templars, though fighting ostensibly under the +guise of religion, have hitherto been secretly living in perfidious +apostasy, and in detestable heretical depravity. But, considering that +their order, in times long since passed away, shone forth with the grace +of much nobility and honour, and that they were for a length of time held +in vast reverence by the faithful, and that we had then heard of no +suspicion concerning the premises, or of evil report against them; and +also, that from the beginning of their religion, they have publicly borne +the cross of Christ, exposing their bodies and goods against the enemies +of the faith, for the acquisition, retention, and defence of the Holy +Land, consecrated by the precious blood of our Lord and Saviour Jesus +Christ, we were unwilling to yield a ready belief to the accusation...." + +The holy pontiff then states, that afterwards, however, the same dreadful +intelligence was conveyed to the king of France, who, animated by a lively +zeal in the cause of religion, took immediate steps to ascertain its +truth. He describes the various confessions of the guilt of idolatry and +heresy made by the Templars in France, and requires the king forthwith to +cause all the Templars in his dominions to be taken into custody on the +same day. He directs him to hold them, in the name of the pope, at the +disposition of the Holy See, and to commit all their real and personal +property to the hands of certain trustworthy persons, to be faithfully +preserved until the holy pontiff shall give further directions concerning +it.[345] King Edward received this bull immediately after he had +despatched his letter to the pope, exhorting his holiness not to give ear +to the accusation against the order. The young king was now either +convinced of the guilt of the Templars, on the high authority of the +sovereign pontiff, or hoped to turn the proceedings against them to a +profitable account, as he yielded a ready and prompt compliance with the +pontifical commands. An order in council was made for the arrest of the +Templars, and the seizure of their property. Inventories were directed to +be taken of their goods and chattels, and provision was made for the +sowing and tilling of their lands during the period of their +imprisonment.[346] This order in council was carried into effect in the +following manner: + +On the 20th of December, the king's writs were directed to each of the +sheriffs throughout England, commanding them to make sure of certain +trustworthy men of their bailiwicks, to the number of ten or twelve in +each county, such as the king could best confide in, and have them at a +certain place in the county, on pain of forfeiture of everything that +could be forfeited to the king; and commanding the sheriffs, on pain of +the like forfeiture, to be in person at the same place, on the Sunday +before the feast of Epiphany, to do certain things touching the king's +peace, which the sheriff would find contained in the king's writ about to +be directed to him. And afterwards the king sent sworn clergymen with his +writs, containing the said order in council to the sheriffs, who, before +they opened them, were to take an oath that they would not disclose the +contents of such writs until they proceeded to execute them.[347] The same +orders, to be acted upon in a similar manner in Ireland, were sent to the +justiciary of that country, and to the treasurer of the Exchequer at +Dublin; also, to John de Richemund, guardian of Scotland; and to Walter de +Pederton, justiciary of West Wales; Hugh de Aldithelegh, justiciary of +North Wales; and to Robert de Holland, justiciary of Chester, who were +strictly commanded to carry the orders into execution before the king's +proceedings against the Templars in England were noised abroad. All the +king's faithful subjects were commanded to aid and assist the officers in +the fulfilment of their duty.[348] + +[Sidenote: A. D. 1308.] + +On the 26th of December the king wrote to the Pope, informing his holiness +that he would carry his commands into execution in the best and speediest +way that he could; and on the 8th of January, A. D. 1308, the Templars +were suddenly arrested in all parts of England, and their property was +seized into the king's hands.[349] Brother William de la More was at this +period Master of the Temple, or Preceptor of England. He succeeded the +Master Brian le Jay, who was slain, as before mentioned, in the battle of +Falkirk, and was taken prisoner, together with all his brethren of the +Temple at London, and committed to close custody in Canterbury Castle. He +was afterwards liberated on bail at the instance of the bishop of +Durham.[350] + +On the 12th of August, the Pope addressed the bull _faciens misericordiam_ +to the English bishops as follows:--"Clement, bishop, servant of the +servants of God, to the venerable brethren the archbishop of Canterbury +and his suffragans, health and apostolical benediction. The Son of God, +the Lord Jesus Christ, _using mercy_ with his servant, would have us taken +up into the eminent mirror of the apostleship, to this end, that being, +though unworthy, his vicar upon earth, we may, as far as human frailty +will permit in all our actions and proceedings, follow his footsteps." He +describes the rumours which had been spread abroad in France against the +Templars, and his unwillingness to believe them, "because it was not +likely, nor did seem credible, that such religious men, who particularly +often shed their blood for the name of Christ, and were thought very +frequently to expose their persons to danger of death for his sake; and +who often showed many and great signs of devotion, as well in the divine +offices as in fasting and other observances, should be so unmindful of +their salvation as to perpetrate such things; we were unwilling to give +ear to the insinuations and impeachments against them, being taught so to +do by the example of the same Lord of ours, and the writings of canonical +doctrine. But afterwards, our most dear son in Christ, Philip, the +illustrious king of the French, to whom the same crimes had been made +known, _not from motives of avarice_, (since he does not design to apply +or to appropriate to himself any portion of the estates of the Templars, +nay, has washed his hands of them!) but inflamed with zeal for the +orthodox faith, following the renowned footsteps of his ancestors, getting +what information he properly could upon the premises, gave us much +instruction in the matter by his messengers and letters." The holy pontiff +then gives a long account of the various confessions made in France, and +of the absolution granted to such of the Templars as were truly contrite +and penitent; he expresses his conviction of the guilt of the order, and +makes provision for the trial of the fraternity in England.[351] King +Edward, in the mean time, had begun to make free with their property, and +the Pope, on the 4th of October, wrote to him to the following effect: + +"Your conduct begins again to afford us no slight cause of affliction, +inasmuch as it hath been brought to our knowledge from the report of +several barons, that in contempt of the Holy See, and without fear of +offending the divine Majesty, you have, of your own sole authority, +distributed to different persons the property which belonged formerly to +the order of the Temple in your dominions, which you had got into your +hands at our command, and which ought to have remained at our +disposition.... We have therefore ordained that certain fit and proper +persons shall be sent into your kingdom, and to all parts of the world +where the Templars are known to have had property, to take possession of +the same conjointly with certain prelates specially deputed to that end, +and to make an inquisition concerning the execrable excesses which the +members of the order are said to have committed."[352] + +To this letter of the supreme pontiff, king Edward sent the following +short and pithy reply: + +"As to the goods of the Templars, we have done nothing with them up to the +present time, nor do we intend to do with them aught but what we have a +right to do, and what we know will be acceptable to the Most High."[353] + +[Sidenote: A. D. 1309.] + +On the 13th of September, A. D. 1309, the king granted letters of safe +conduct "to those discreet men, the abbot of Lagny, in the diocese of +Paris, and Master Sicard de Vaur, canon of Narbonne," the inquisitors +appointed by the Pope to examine the Grand Preceptor and brethren of the +Temple in England;[354] and the same day he wrote to the archbishop of +Canterbury, and the bishops of London and Lincoln, enjoining them to be +personally present with the papal inquisitors, at their respective sees, +as often as such inquisitors, or any one of them, should proceed with +their inquiries against the Templars.[355] + +On the 14th of September writs were sent, in pursuance of an order in +council, to the sheriffs of Kent and seventeen other counties, commanding +them to bring all their prisoners of the order of the Temple to London, +and deliver them to the constable of the Tower; also to the sheriffs of +Northumberland and eight other counties, enjoining them to convey their +prisoners to York Castle; and to the sheriffs of Warwick and seven other +counties, requiring them, in like manner, to conduct their prisoners to +the Castle of Lincoln.[356] Writs were also sent to John de Cumberland, +constable of the Tower, and to the constables of the castles of York and +Lincoln, commanding them to receive the Templars, to keep them in safe +custody, and hold them at the disposition of the inquisitors.[357] The +total number of Templars in custody was two hundred and twenty-nine. Many, +however, were still at large, having successfully evaded capture by +obliterating all marks of their previous profession, and some had escaped +in disguise to the wild and mountainous parts of Wales, Scotland, and +Ireland. Among the prisoners confined in the Tower were brother William de +la More, Knight, Grand Preceptor of England, otherwise Master of the +Temple; Brother Himbert Blanke, Knight, Grand Preceptor of Auvergne, one +of the veteran warriors who had fought to the last in defence of +Palestine, had escaped the slaughter at Acre, and had accompanied the +Grand Master from Cyprus to France, from whence he crossed over to +England, and was rewarded for his meritorious and memorable services, in +defence of the christian faith, with a dungeon in the Tower.[358] Brother +_Radulph de Barton_, priest of the order of the Temple, custos or guardian +of the Temple church, and prior of London; Brother _Michael de +Baskeville_, Knight, Preceptor of London; Brother _John de Stoke_, Knight, +Treasurer of the Temple at London; together with many other knights and +serving brethren of the same house. There were also in custody in the +Tower the knights preceptors of the preceptories of Ewell in Kent, of +Daney and Dokesworth in Cambridgeshire, of Getinges in Gloucestershire, of +Cumbe in Somersetshire, of Schepeley in Surrey, of Samford and Bistelesham +in Oxfordshire, of Garwy in Herefordshire, of Cressing in Essex, of +Pafflet, Hippleden, and other preceptories, together with several priests +and chaplains of the order.[359] A general scramble appears to have taken +place for possession of the goods and chattels of the imprisoned +Templars; and the king, to check the robberies that were committed, +appointed Alan de Goldyngham and John de Medefeld to inquire into the +value of the property that had been carried off, and to inform him of the +names of the parties who had obtained possession of it. The sheriffs of +the different counties were also directed to summon juries, through whom +the truth might be better obtained.[360] + +On the 22nd of September, the archbishop of Canterbury transmitted letters +apostolic to all his suffragans, enclosing copies of the bull _faciens +misericordiam_, and also the articles of accusation to be exhibited +against the Templars, which they are directed to copy and deliver again, +under their seals, to the bearer, taking especial care not to reveal the +contents thereof.[361] At the same time the archbishop, acting in +obedience to the papal commands, before a single witness had been examined +in England, caused to be published in all churches and chapels a papal +bull, wherein the Pope declares himself perfectly convinced of the guilt +of the order, and solemnly denounces the penalty of excommunication +against all persons, of whatever rank, station, or condition in life, +whether clergy or laity, who should knowingly afford, either publicly or +privately, assistance, counsel, or kindness to the Templars, or should +dare to shelter them, or give them countenance or protection, and also +laying under interdict all cities, castles, lands, and places, which +should harbour any of the members of the proscribed order.[362] At the +commencement of the month of October, the inquisitors arrived in England, +and immediately published the bull appointing the commission, enjoining +the citation of the criminals, and of witnesses, and denouncing the +heaviest ecclesiastical censures against the disobedient, and against +every person who should dare to impede the inquisitors in the exercise of +their functions. Citations were made in St. Paul's Cathedral, and in all +the churches of the ecclesiastical province of Canterbury, at the end of +high mass, requiring the Templars to appear before the inquisitors at a +certain time and place, and the articles of accusation were transmitted to +the constable of the Tower, in Latin, French, and English, to be read to +all the Templars imprisoned in that fortress. On Monday, the 20th of +October, after the Templars had been languishing in the English prisons +for more than a year and eight months, the tribunal constituted by the +Pope to take the inquisition in the province of Canterbury assembled in +the episcopal hall of London. It was composed of the bishop of London, +Dieudonne, abbot of the monastery of Lagny, in the diocese of Paris, and +Sicard de Vaur, canon of Narbonne, the Pope's chaplain, and hearer of +causes in the pontifical palace. They were assisted by several foreign +notaries. After the reading of the papal bulls, and some preliminary +proceedings, the monstrous and ridiculous articles of accusation, a +monument of human folly, superstition, and credulity, were solemnly +exhibited as follows: + +"_Item._ At the place, day, and hour aforesaid, in the presence of the +aforesaid lords, and before us the above-mentioned notaries, the articles +inclosed in the apostolic bull were exhibited and opened before us, the +contents whereof are as underwritten. + +"These are the articles upon which inquisition shall be made against the +brethren of the military order of the Temple, &c. + +"1. That at their first reception into the order, or at some time +afterwards, or as soon as an opportunity occurred, they were induced or +admonished by those who had received them within the bosom of the +fraternity, to deny Christ or Jesus, or the crucifixion, or at one time +God, and at another time the blessed virgin, and sometimes all the saints. + +"2. That the brothers jointly did this. + +"3. That the greater part of them did it. + +"4. That they did it sometimes after their reception. + +"5. That the receivers told and instructed those that were received, that +Christ was not the true God, or sometimes Jesus, or sometimes the person +crucified. + +"6. That they told those they received that he was a false prophet. + +"7. That they said he had not suffered for the redemption of mankind, nor +been crucified but for his own sins. + +"8. That neither the receiver nor the person received had any hope of +obtaining salvation through him, and this they said to those they +received, or something equivalent, or like it. + +"9. That they made those they received into the order spit upon the cross, +or upon the sign or figure of the cross, or the image of Christ, though +they that were received did sometimes spit aside. + +"10. That they caused the cross itself to be trampled under foot. + +"11. That the brethren themselves did sometimes trample on the same cross. + +"12. Item quod mingebant interdum, et alios mingere faciebant, super ipsam +crucem, et hoc fecerunt aliquotiens in die veneris sancta!! + +"13. Item quod nonnulli eorum ipsa die, vel alia septimanae sanctae pro +conculcatione et minctione praedictis consueverunt convenire! + +"14. That they worshipped a cat which was placed in the midst of the +congregation. + +"15. That they did these things in contempt of Christ and the orthodox +faith. + +"16. That they did not believe the sacrament of the altar. + +"17. That some of them did not. + +"18. That the greater part did not. + +"19. That they believed not the other sacraments of the church. + +"20. That the priests of the order did not utter the words by which the +body of Christ is consecrated in the canon of the mass. + +"21. That some of them did not. + +"22. That the greater part did not. + +"23. That those who received them enjoined the same. + +"24. That they believed, and so it was told them, that the Grand Master of +the order could absolve them from their sins. + +"25. That the visitor could do so. + +"26. That the preceptors, of whom many were laymen, could do it. + +"27. That they in fact did do so. + +"28. That some of them did. + +"29. That the Grand Master confessed these things of himself, even before +he was taken, in the presence of great persons. + +"30. That in receiving brothers into the order, or when about to receive +them, or some time after having received them, the receivers and the +persons received kissed one another on the mouth, the navel...!! + + * * * * * + +"36. That the receptions of the brethren were made clandestinely. + +"37. That none were present but the brothers of the said order. + +"38. That for this reason there has for a long time been a vehement +suspicion against them." + +The succeeding articles proceed to charge the Templars with crimes and +abominations too horrible and disgusting to be named. + +"46. That the brothers themselves had idols in every province, viz. heads; +some of which had three faces, and some one, and some a man's skull. + +"47. That they adored that idol, or those idols, especially in their great +chapters and assemblies. + +"48. That they worshipped it. + +"49. As their God. + +"50. As their Saviour. + +"51. That some of them did so. + +"52. That the greater part did. + +"53. That they said that that head could save them. + +"54. That it could produce riches. + +"55. That it had given to the order all its wealth. + +"56. That it caused the earth to bring forth seed. + +"57. That it made the trees to flourish. + +"58. That they bound or touched the head of the said idols with cords, +wherewith they bound themselves about their shirts, or next their skins. + +"59. That at their reception the aforesaid little cords, or others of the +same length, were delivered to each of the brothers. + +"60. That they did this in worship of their idol. + +"61. That it was enjoined them to gird themselves with the said little +cords, as before mentioned, and continually to wear them. + +"62. That the brethren of the order were generally received in that +manner. + +"63. That they did these things out of devotion. + +"64. That they did them everywhere. + +"65. That the greater part did. + +"66. That those who refused the things above mentioned at their reception, +or to observe them afterwards, were killed or cast into prison."[363] + + * * * * * + +The remaining articles, twenty-one in number, are directed principally to +the mode of confession practised amongst the fraternity, and to matters of +heretical depravity. Such an accusation as this, justly remarks Voltaire, +_destroys itself_. + +Brother William de la More, and thirty more of his brethren, being +interrogated before the inquisitors, positively denied the guilt of the +order, and affirmed that the Templars who had made the confessions alluded +to in France _had lied_. They were ordered to be brought up separately to +be examined. + +On the 23rd of October, brother William Raven, being interrogated as to +the mode of his reception into the order, states that he was admitted by +brother William de la More, the Master of the Temple at Temple Coumbe, in +the diocese of Bath; that he petitioned the brethren of the Temple that +they would be pleased to receive him into the order to serve God and the +blessed Virgin Mary, and to end his life in their service; that he was +asked if he had a firm wish so to do; and replied that he had; that two +brothers then expounded to him the strictness and severity of the order, +and told him that he would not be allowed to act after his own will, but +must follow the will of the preceptor; that if he wished to do one thing, +he would be ordered to do another; and that if he wished to be at one +place, he would be sent to another; that having promised so to act, he +swore upon the holy gospels of God to obey the Master, to hold no +property, to preserve chastity, never to consent that any man should be +unjustly despoiled of his heritage, and never to lay violent hands on any +man, except in self-defence, or upon the Saracens. He states that the oath +was administered to him in the chapel of the preceptory of Temple Coumbe, +in the presence only of the brethren of the order; that the rule was read +over to him by one of the brothers, and that a learned serving brother, +named John de Walpole, instructed him, for the space of one month, upon +the matters contained in it. The prisoner was then taken back to the +Tower, and was directed to be strictly separated from his brethren, and +not to be suffered to speak to any one of them. + +The two next days (Oct. 24 and 25) were taken up with a similar +examination of Brothers Hugh de Tadecastre and Thomas le Chamberleyn, who +gave precisely the same account of their reception as the previous +witness. Brother Hugh de Tadecastre added, that he swore to succour the +Holy Land with all his might, and defend it against the enemies of the +christian faith; and that after he had taken the customary oaths and the +three vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience, the mantle of the order +and the cross with the coif on the head were delivered to him in the +church, in the presence of the Master, the knights, and the brothers, all +seculars being excluded. Brother Thomas le Chamberleyn added, that there +was the same mode of reception in England as beyond sea, and the same mode +of taking the vows; that all seculars are excluded, and that when he +himself entered the Temple church to be professed, the door by which he +entered was closed after him; that there was another door looking into +the cemetery, but that no stranger could enter that way. On being asked +why none but the brethren of the order were permitted to be present at the +reception and profession of brothers, he said he knew of no reason, but +that it was so written in their book of rules. + +Between the 25th of October and the 17th of November, thirty-three +knights, chaplains, and serving brothers, were examined, all of whom +positively denied every article imputing crime or infidelity to their +order. When Brother Himbert Blanke was asked why they had made the +reception and profession of brethren _secret_, he replied, _Through their +own unaccountable folly_. They avowed that they wore little cords round +their shirts, but for no bad end; they declared that they never touched +idols with them, but that they were worn by way of penance, or according +to a knight of forty-three years' standing, by the instruction of the holy +father St. Bernard. Brother Richard de Goldyngham says that he knows +nothing further about them than that they were called _girdles of +chastity_. They state that the receivers and the party received kissed one +another on the face, but everything else regarding the kissing was false, +abominable, and had never been done. + +Brother Radulph de Barton, priest of the order of the Temple, and custos +or guardian of the Temple church at London, stated, with regard to Article +24, that the Grand Master in chapter could absolve the brothers from +offences committed against the rules and observances of the order, but not +from private sin, as he was not a priest; that it was perfectly true that +those who were received into the order swore not to reveal the secrets of +the chapter, and that when any one was punished in the chapter, those who +were present at it durst not reveal it to such as were absent; but if any +brother revealed the mode of his reception, he would be deprived of his +chamber, or else stripped of his habit. He declares that the brethren +were not prohibited from confessing to priests not belonging to the order +of the Temple; and that he had never heard of the crimes and iniquities +mentioned in the articles of inquiry previous to his arrest, except as +regarded the charges made against the order by Bernard Peletin, when he +came to England from king Philip of France. He states that he had been +guardian of the Temple church for ten years, and for the last two years +had enjoyed the dignity of preceptor at the same place. He was asked about +the death of Brother Walter le Bachelor, knight, formerly Preceptor of +Ireland, who died at the Temple at London, but he declares that he knows +nothing about it, except that the said Walter was fettered and placed in +prison, and there died; that he certainly had heard that great severity +had been practised towards him, but that he had not meddled with the +affair on account of the danger of so doing; he admitted also that the +aforesaid Walter was not buried in the cemetery of the Temple, as he was +considered excommunicated on account of his disobedience of his superior, +and of the rule of the order. + +Many of the brethren thus examined had been from twenty to thirty, forty, +forty-two, and forty-three years in the order, and some were old veteran +warriors who had fought for many a long year in the East, and richly +merited a better fate. Brother Himbert Blanke, knight, Preceptor of +Auvergne, had been in the order thirty-eight years. He was received at the +city of Tyre in Palestine, had been engaged in constant warfare against +the infidels, and had fought to the last in defence of Acre. He makes in +substance the same statements as the other witnesses; declares that no +religious order believes the sacrament of the altar better than the +Templars; that they truly believed all that the church taught, and had +always done so, and that if the Grand Master had confessed the contrary, +_he had lied_. + +Brother Robert le Scott, knight, a brother of twenty-six years' standing, +had been received at the Pilgrim's Castle, the famous fortress of the +Knights Templars in Palestine, by the Grand Master, Brother William de +Beaujeu, the hero who died so gloriously at the head of his knights at the +last siege and storming of Acre. He states that from levity of disposition +he quitted the order after it had been driven out of Palestine, and +absented himself for two years, during which period he came to Rome, and +confessed to the Pope's penitentiary, who imposed on him a heavy penance, +and enjoined him to return to his brethren in the East, and that he went +back and resumed his habit at Nicosia in the island of Cyprus, and was +re-admitted to the order by command of the Grand Master, James de Molay, +who was then at the head of the convent. He adds, also, that Brother +Himbert Blanke (the previous witness) was present at his first reception +at the Pilgrim's Castle. He fully corroborates all the foregoing +testimony. + +Brother Richard de Peitevyn, a member of forty-two years' standing, +deposes that, in addition to the previous oaths, he swore that he would +never bear arms against Christians except in his own defence, or in +defence of the rights of the order; he declares that the enormities +mentioned in the articles were never heard of before Bernard Peletin +brought letters to his lord, the king of England, against the Templars. + +On the 22nd day of the inquiry, the following entry was made on the record +of the proceedings:-- + +"Memorandum. Brothers Philip de Mewes, Thomas de Burton, and Thomas de +Staundon, were advised and earnestly exhorted to abandon their religious +profession, who severally replied that _they would rather die_ than do +so."[364] + +On the 19th and 20th of November, seven lay witnesses, unconnected with +the order, were examined before the inquisitors in the chapel of the +monastery of the Holy Trinity, but could prove nothing against the +Templars that was criminal or tainted with heresy. + +Master William le Dorturer, notary public, declared that the Templars rose +at midnight, and held their chapters before dawn, and he _thought_ that +the mystery and secrecy of the receptions were owing to a bad rather than +a good motive, but declared that he had never observed that they had +acquired, or had attempted to acquire, anything unjustly. Master Gilbert +de Bruere, clerk, said that he had never suspected them of anything worse +than an _excessive correction_ of the brethren. William Lambert, formerly +a "messenger of the Temple," (nuntius Templi,) knew nothing bad of the +Templars, and thought them perfectly innocent of all the matters alluded +to. And Richard de Barton, priest, and Radulph de Rayndon, an old man, +both declared that they knew nothing of the order, or of the members of +it, but what was good and honourable. + +On the 25th of November, a provincial council of the church, summoned by +the archbishop of Canterbury, in obedience to a papal bull, assembled in +the cathedral church of St. Paul. It was composed of the bishops, abbots, +priors, heads of colleges, and all the principal clergy, who were called +together to treat of the reformation of the English church, of the +recovery and preservation of the Holy Land, and to pronounce sentence of +absolution or of condemnation against singular persons of the order of the +chivalry of the Temple in the province of Canterbury, according to the +tenor of the apostolical mandate. The council was opened by the archbishop +of Canterbury, who rode to St. Paul's on horseback. The bishop of Norwich +celebrated the mass of the Holy Ghost at the great altar, and the +archbishop preached a sermon in Latin upon the 20th chapter of the Acts of +the Apostles; after which a papal bull was read, in which the holy +pontiff dwells most pathetically upon the awful sins of the Templars, and +their great and tremendous fall from their previous high estate. Hitherto, +says he, they have been renowned throughout the world as the special +champions of the faith, and the chief defenders of the Holy Land, whose +affairs have been mainly regulated by those brothers. The church, +following them and their order with the plenitude of its especial favour +and regard, armed them with the emblem of the cross against the enemies of +Christ, exalted them with much honour, enriched them with wealth, and +fortified them with various liberties and privileges. The holy pontiff +displays the sad report of their sins and iniquities which reached his +ears, filled him with bitterness and grief, disturbed his repose, smote +him with horror, injured his health, and caused his body to waste away! He +gives a long account of the crimes imputed to the order, of the +confessions and depositions that had been made in France, and then bursts +out into a paroxysm of grief, declares that the melancholy affair deeply +moved all the faithful, that all Christianity was shedding bitter tears, +was overwhelmed with grief, and clothed with mourning. He concludes by +decreeing the assembly of a general council of the church at Vienne to +pronounce the abolition of the order, and to determine on the disposal of +its property, to which council the English clergy are required to send +representatives.[365] + +After the reading of the bulls and the closing of the preliminary +proceedings, the council occupied themselves for six days with +ecclesiastical matters; and on the seventh day, being Tuesday, Dec. 2nd, +all the bishops and members assembled in the chamber of the archbishop of +Canterbury in Lambeth palace, in company with the papal inquisitors, who +displayed before them the depositions and replies of the forty-three +Templars, and of the seven witnesses previously examined. It was decreed +that a copy of these depositions and replies should be furnished to each +of the bishops, and that the council should stand adjourned until the next +day, to give time for deliberation upon the premises. + +On the following day, accordingly, (Wednesday, December the 3rd,) the +council met, and decided that the inquisitors and three bishops should +seek an audience of the king, and beseech him to permit them to proceed +against the Templars in the way that should seem to them the best and most +expedient for the purpose of eliciting the truth. On Sunday, the 7th, the +bishops petitioned his majesty in writing, and on the following Tuesday +they went before him with the inquisitors, and besought him that they +might proceed against the Templars according to the ecclesiastical +constitutions, and that he would instruct his sheriffs and officers to +that effect. The king gave a written answer complying with their request, +which was read before the council,[366] and, on the 16th of December, +orders were sent to the gaolers, commanding them to permit the prelates +and inquisitors to do with the bodies of the Templars that which should +seem expedient to them according to ecclesiastical law. Many Templars were +at this period wandering about the country disguised as secular persons, +successfully evading pursuit, and the sheriffs were strictly commanded to +use every exertion to capture them.[367] On Wednesday, the ecclesiastical +council again met, and adjourned for the purpose of enabling the +inquisitors to examine the prisoners confined in the castles of Lincoln +and of York. + +In Scotland, in the mean time, similar proceedings had been instituted +against the order.[368] On the 17th of November, Brother Walter de Clifton +being examined in the parish church of the Holy Cross at Edinburgh, before +the bishop of St. Andrews and John de Solerio, the pope's chaplain, states +that the brethren of the order of the Temple in the kingdom of Scotland +received their orders, rules, and observances from the Master of the +Temple in England, and that the Master in England received the rules and +observances of the order from the Grand Master and the chief convent in +the East; that the Grand Master or his deputy was in the habit of visiting +the order in England and elsewhere; of summoning chapters, and making +regulations for the conduct of the brethren and the administration of +their property. Being asked as to the mode of his reception, he states +that when William de la More, the Master, held his chapter at the +preceptory of Temple Bruere in the county of Lincoln, he sought of the +assembled brethren the habit and the fellowship of the order; that they +told him that he little knew what it was he asked, in seeking to be +admitted to their fellowship; that it would be a very hard matter for him, +who was then his own master, to become the servant of another, and to have +no will of his own; but notwithstanding their representations of the +rigour of their rules and observances, he still continued earnestly to +seek their habit and fellowship. He states that they then led him to the +chamber of the Master, where they held their chapter, and that there, on +his bended knees, and with his hands clasped, he again prayed for the +habit and the fellowship of the Temple; that the Master and the brethren +then required him to answer questions to the following effect:--Whether he +had a dispute with any man, or owed any debts? whether he was betrothed to +any woman? and whether he had any secret infirmity of body? or knew of +anything to prevent him from remaining within the bosom of the fraternity? +And having answered all those questions satisfactorily, the Master then +asked of the surrounding brethren, "Do ye give your consent to the +reception of brother Walter?" who unanimously answered that they did; and +the Master and the brethren then standing up, received him the said Walter +in this manner. On his bended knees, and with his hands joined, he +solemnly promised that he would be the perpetual servant of the Master, +and of the order, and of the brethren, for the purpose of defending the +Holy Land. Having done this, the Master took out of the hands of a brother +chaplain of the order the book of the holy gospels, upon which was +depicted a cross, and laying his hands upon the book and upon the cross, +he swore to God and the blessed Virgin Mary to be for ever thereafter +chaste, obedient, and to live without property. And then the Master gave +to him the white mantle, and placed the coif on his head, and admitted him +to the kiss on the mouth, after which he made him sit down on the ground, +and admonished him to the following effect: that from thenceforth he was +to sleep in his shirt, drawers, and stockings, girded with a small cord +over his shirt; that he was never to tarry in a house where there was a +woman in the family way; never to be present at a marriage, nor at the +purification of women; and likewise instructed and informed him upon +several other particulars. Being asked where he had passed his time since +his reception, he replied that he had dwelt three years at the preceptory +of Blancradok in Scotland; three years at Temple Newsom in England; one +year at the Temple at London, and three years at Aslakeby. Being asked +concerning the other brothers in Scotland, he stated that John de Hueflete +was Preceptor of Blancradok, the chief house of the order in that country, +and that he and the other brethren, having heard of the arrest of the +Templars, threw off their habits and fled, and that he had not since heard +aught concerning them. + +_Brother William de Middleton_, being examined, gave the same account of +his reception, and added that he remembered that brother William de la +More, the Master in England, went, in obedience to a summons, to the Grand +Master beyond sea, as the superior of the whole order, and that in his +absence Brother Hugh de Peraut, the visitor, removed several preceptors +from their preceptories in England, and put others in their places. He +further states, that he swore he would never receive any service at the +hands of a woman, not even water to wash his hands with. + +After the examination of the above two Templars, forty-one witnesses, +chiefly abbots, priors, monks, priests, and serving men, and retainers of +the order in Scotland, were examined upon various interrogatories, but +nothing of a criminatory nature was elicited. The monks observed that the +receptions of other orders were public, and were celebrated as great +religious solemnities, and the friends, parents, and neighbours of the +party about to take the vows were invited to attend; that the Templars, on +the other hand, shrouded their proceedings in mystery and secrecy, and +therefore they _suspected_ the worst. The priests thought them guilty, +because they were always _against the church_! Others condemned them +because (as they say) the Templars closed their doors against the poor and +the humble, and extended hospitality only to the rich and the powerful. +The abbot of the monastery of the Holy Cross at Edinburgh declared that +they appropriated to themselves the property of their neighbours, right or +wrong. The abbot of Dumferlyn knew nothing of his own knowledge against +them, but had _heard_ much, and _suspected_ more. The serving men and the +tillers of the lands of the order stated that the chapters were held +sometimes by night and sometimes by day, with extraordinary secrecy; and +some of the witnesses had heard old men say that the Templars would _never +have lost the Holy Land, if they had been good Christians_![369] + +[Sidenote: A. D. 1310.] + +On the 9th of January, A. D. 1310, the examination of witnesses was +resumed at London, in the parish church of St. Dunstan's West, near the +Temple. The rector of the church of St. Mary de la Strode declared that he +had strong _suspicions_ of the guilt of the Templars; he had, however, +often been at the Temple church, and had observed that the priests +performed divine service there just the same as elsewhere. William de +Cumbrook, of St. Clement's church, near the Temple, the vicar of St. +Martin's-in-the-Fields, and many other priests and clergymen of different +churches in London, all declared that they had nothing to allege against +the order.[370] + +On the 27th of January, Brother John de Stoke, a serving brother of the +order of the Temple, of seventeen years' standing, being examined by the +inquisitors in the chapel of the Blessed Mary of Berkyngecherche at +London, states, amongst other things, that secular persons were allowed to +be present at the burial of Templars; that the brethren of the order all +received the sacraments of the church at their last hour, and were +attended to the grave by a chaplain of the Temple. Being interrogated +concerning the death and burial of the Knight Templar Brother Walter le +Bachelor, he deposes that the said knight was buried like any other +Christian, except that he was not buried in the burying-ground, but in the +court, of the house of the Temple at London; that he confessed to Brother +Richard de Grafton, a priest of the order, then in the island of Cyprus, +and partook, as he believed, of the sacrament. He states that he himself +and Brother Radulph de Barton carried him to his grave at the dawn of day, +and that the deceased knight was in prison, as he believes, for the space +of eight weeks; that he was not buried in the habit of his order, and was +interred without the cemetery of the brethren, because he was considered +to be excommunicated, in pursuance, as he believed, of a rule or statute +among the Templars, to the effect that every one who privily made away +with the property of the order, and did not acknowledge his fault, was +deemed excommunicated. Being asked in what respect he considered that his +order required reformation, he replied, "By the establishment of a +probation of one year, and by making the receptions public." + +Two other Templars were examined on the same 27th day of January, from +whose depositions it appears that there were at that time many brethren of +the order, natives of England, in the island of Cyprus. + +On the 29th of January, the inquisitors exhibited twenty-four fresh +articles against the prisoners, drawn up in an artful manner. They were +asked if they knew anything of the crimes mentioned in the papal bulls, +and _confessed_ by the Grand Master, the heads of the order, and many +knights in France; and whether they knew of anything sinful or +dishonourable against the Master of the Temple in England, or the +preceptors, or any of the brethren. They were then required to say whether +the same rules, customs, and observances did not prevail throughout the +entire order; whether the Grand Preceptors, and especially the Grand +Preceptor of England, did not receive all the observances and regulations +from the Grand Master; and whether the Grand Preceptors and all the +brethren of the order in England did not observe them in the same mode as +the Grand Master, and visitors, and the brethren in Cyprus and in Italy, +and in the other kingdoms, provinces, and preceptories of the order; +whether the observances and regulations were not commonly delivered by the +visitors to the Grand Preceptor of England; and whether the brothers +received in England or elsewhere had not of their own free will confessed +what these observances were. They were, moreover, required to state +whether a bell was rung, or other signal given, to notify the time of the +assembling of the chapter; whether all the brethren, without exception, +were summoned and in the habit of attending; whether the Grand Master +could relax penances imposed by the regular clergy; whether they believed +that the Grand Preceptor or visitor could absolve a layman who had been +excommunicated for laying hands on a brother or lay servant of the order; +and whether they believed that any brother of the order could absolve from +the sin of perjury a lay servant, when he came to receive the discipline +in the Temple-hall, and the serving brother scourged him in the name of +the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, &c. &c. + +Between the 29th of January and the 6th of February, thirty-four Templars, +many of whom appeared for the first time before the inquisitors, were +examined upon these articles in the churches of St. Botolph without +Aldgate, St. Alphage near Cripplegate, and St. Martin de Ludgate, London. +They deny everything of a criminatory nature, and declare that the +abominations mentioned in the confessions and depositions made in France +were not observances of the order; that the Grand Master, Preceptors, +visitors, and brethren in France had never observed such things, and if +they said they had, _they lied_. They declare that the Grand Preceptor and +brethren in England were all good men, worthy of faith, and would not +deviate from the truth by reason of hatred of any man, for favour, reward, +or any other cause; that there had been no suspicion in England against +them, and no evil reports current against the order before the publication +of the papal bull, and they did not think that any _good man_ would +believe the contents of the articles to be true. From the statements of +the prisoners, it appears that the bell of the Temple was rung to notify +the assembling of the chapter, that the discipline was administered in the +hall, in the presence of the assembled brethren, by the Master, who +punished the delinquent on the bare back with a scourge made of leathern +thongs, after which he himself absolved the offender from the guilt of a +transgression against the rule of the order; but if he had been guilty of +immoral conduct, he was sent to the priest for absolution. It appears +also, that Brother James de Molay, before his elevation to the office of +Grand Master, was visitor of the order in England, and had held chapters +or assemblies of the brethren, at which he had enforced certain rules and +regulations; that all the orders came from the Grand Master and chief +convent in the East to the Grand Preceptor of England, who caused them to +be published at the different preceptories.[371] + +On the 1st of March, the king sent orders to the constable of the Tower, +and to the sheriffs of Lincoln and of York, to obey the directions of the +inquisitors, or of one bishop and of one inquisitor, with regard to the +confinement of the Templars in separate cells, and he assigns William de +Diene to assist the inquisitors in their arrangements. Similar orders were +shortly afterwards sent to all the gaolers of the Templars in the English +dominions.[372] + +On the 3rd of March five fresh interrogatories were exhibited by the +inquisitors, upon which thirty-one Templars were examined at the palace of +the bishop of London, the chapel of St. Alphage, and the chapter-house of +the Holy Trinity. They were chiefly concerning the reception and +profession of the brethren, the number that each examinant had seen +received, their names, and as to whether the burials of the order were +conducted in a clandestine manner. From the replies it appears that many +Templars had died during their imprisonment in the Tower. The twenty-sixth +prisoner examined was the Master of the Temple, Brother William de la +More, who gives an account of the number of persons he had admitted into +the order during the period of his mastership, specifying their names. It +is stated that many of the parishioners of the parish adjoining the New +Temple had been present at the interment of the brethren of the +fraternity, and that the burials were not conducted in a clandestine +manner. + +In Ireland, in the mean time, similar proceedings against the order had +been carried on. Between the 11th of February and the 23rd of May, thirty +Templars were examined in Saint Patrick's Church, Dublin, by Master John +de Mareshall, the pope's commissary, but no evidence of their guilt was +obtained. Forty-one witnesses were then heard, nearly all of whom were +monks. They spoke merely from hearsay and suspicion, and the gravest +charges brought by them against the fraternity appear to be, that the +Templars had been observed to be inattentive to the reading of the holy +Gospels at church, and to have cast their eyes on the ground at the period +of the elevation of the host.[373] + +On the 30th of March the papal inquisitors opened their commission at +Lincoln, and between that day and the 10th of April twenty Templars were +examined in the chapter-house of the cathedral, amongst whom were some of +the veteran warriors of Palestine, men who had moistened with their blood +the distant plains of the far East in defence of that faith which they +were now so infamously accused of having repudiated. Brother William de +Winchester, a member of twenty-six years' standing, had been received into +the order at the castle _de la Roca Guille_ in the province of Armenia, +bordering on Palestine, by the valiant Grand Master William de Beaujeu. +He states that the same mode of reception existed there as in England, and +everywhere throughout the order. Brother Robert de Hamilton declares that +the girdles were worn from an honourable motive, that they were called the +girdles of Nazareth, because they had been pressed against the column of +the Virgin at that place, and were worn in remembrance of the blessed +Mary; but he says that the brethren were not compelled to wear them, but +might make use of any girdle that they liked. With regard to the +confessions made in France, they all say that if their brethren in that +country confessed such things, _they lied_![374] + +At York the examination commenced on the 28th of April, and lasted until +the 4th of May, during which period twenty-three Templars, prisoners in +York Castle, were examined in the chapter-house of the cathedral, and +followed the example of their brethren in maintaining their innocence. +Brother Thomas de Stanford, a member of thirty years' standing, had been +received in the East by the Grand Master William de Beaujeu, and Brother +Radulph de Rostona, a priest of the order, of twenty-three years' +standing, had been received at the preceptory of Lentini in Sicily by +Brother William de Canello, the Grand Preceptor of Sicily. Brother Stephen +de Radenhall refused to reveal the mode of reception, because it formed +part of the secrets of the chapter, and if he discovered them he would +lose his chamber, be stripped of his mantle, or be committed to +prison.[375] + +On the 20th of May, in obedience to the mandate of the archbishop of York, +an ecclesiastical council of the bishops and clergy assembled in the +cathedral. The mass of the Holy Ghost was solemnly celebrated, after +which the archbishop preached a sermon, and then caused to be read to the +assembled clergy the papal bulls fulminated against the order of the +Temple.[376] He exhibited to them the articles upon which the Templars had +been directed to be examined; but as the inquiry was still pending, the +council was adjourned until the 23rd of June of the following year, when +they were to meet to pass sentence of condemnation, or of absolution, +against all the members of the order in the province of York, in +conformity with ecclesiastical law.[377] + +On the 1st of June the examination was resumed before the papal +inquisitors at Lincoln. Sixteen Templars were examined upon points +connected with the secret proceedings in the general and particular +chapters of the order, the imposition of penances therein, and the nature +of the absolution granted by the Master. From the replies it appears that +the penitents were scourged three times with leathern thongs, in the name +of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, after which they +were absolved either by the Master or by a priest of the order, according +to the particular circumstances of each case. It appears, also, that none +but preceptors were present at the general chapters of the order, which +were called together principally for the purpose of obtaining money to +send to the Grand Master and the chief convent in Palestine.[378] + +After closing the examinations at Lincoln, the abbot of Lagny and the +canon of Narbonne returned to London, and immediately resumed the inquiry +in that city. On the 8th and 9th days of June, Brother William de la More, +the Master of the Temple, and thirty-eight of his knights, chaplains, and +sergeants, were examined by the inquisitors in the presence of the bishops +of London and Chichester, and the before-mentioned public notaries, in the +priory of the Holy Trinity. They were interrogated for the most part +concerning the penances imposed, and the absolution pronounced in the +chapters. The Master of the Temple was required to state what were the +precise words uttered by him, as the president of the chapter, when a +penitent brother, having bared his back and acknowledged his fault, came +into his presence and received the discipline of the leathern thongs. He +states that he was in the habit of saying, "Brother, pray to God that he +may forgive you;" and to the bystanders he said, "And do ye, brothers, +beseech the Lord to forgive him his sins, and say a _pater-noster_;" and +that he said nothing further, except to warn the offender against sinning +again. He declares that he did not pronounce absolution in the name of the +Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost! and relates, that in a +general chapter, and as often as he held a particular chapter, he was +accustomed to say, after prayers had been offered up, that all those who +did not acknowledge their sins, or who appropriated to their own use the +alms of the house, could not be partakers in the spiritual blessings of +the order; but that which through shamefacedness, or through fear of the +justice of the order, they dared not confess, he, out of the power +conceded to him by God and the pope, forgave him as far as he was able. +Brother William de Sautre, however, declares that the president of the +chapter, after he had finished the flagellation of a penitent brother, +said, "I forgive you, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of +the Holy Ghost," and then sent him to a priest of the order for +absolution; and the other witnesses vary in their account of the exact +words uttered, either because they were determined, in obedience to their +oaths, not to reveal what actually did take place, or else (which is very +probable) because the same form of proceeding was not always rigidly +adhered to. + +When the examination was closed, the inquisitors drew up a memorandum, +showing that, from the apostolical letters, and the depositions and +attestations of the witnesses, it was to be collected that certain +practices had crept into the order of the Temple, which were not +consistent with the orthodox faith.[379] + + + + +CHAPTER X. + + The Templars in France revoke their rack-extorted confessions--They + are tried as relapsed heretics, and burnt at the stake--The progress + of the inquiry in England--The curious evidence adduced as to the mode + of holding the chapters of the order--As to the penance enjoined + therein, and the absolution pronounced by the Master--The Templars + draw up a written defence, which they present to the ecclesiastical + council--They are placed in separate dungeons, and put to the + torture--Two serving brethren and a chaplain of the order then make + confessions--Many other Templars acknowledge themselves guilty of + heresy in respect of their belief in the religious authority of their + Master--They make their recantations, and are reconciled to the church + before the south door of Saint Paul's cathedral--The order of the + Temple is abolished by the Pope--The last of the Masters of the Temple + in England dies in the Tower--The disposal of the property of the + order--Observations on the downfall of the Templars. + + Veggio 'l nuovo Pilato si crudele, + Che cio nol sazia, ma, senza decreto + Porta nel TEMPIO le cupide vele. + _Dante._ Del Purgatorio. Canto xx. 91. + + +[Sidenote: JAMES DE MOLAY. A. D. 1310.] + +In France, on the other hand, the proceedings against the order had +assumed a most sanguinary character. Many Templars, both in the capital +and the provinces, had made confessions of guilt whilst suffering upon the +rack, but they had no sooner been released from the hands of their +tormentors, and had recovered their health, than they disavowed their +confessions, maintained the innocence of their order, and appealed to all +their gallant actions, in ancient and modern times, in refutation of the +calumnies of their enemies. The enraged Philip caused these Templars to be +brought before an ecclesiastical tribunal convoked at Paris, and sentence +of death was passed upon them by the archbishop of Sens, in the following +terms:-- + +"You have avowed," said he, "that the brethren who are received into the +order of the Temple are compelled to renounce Christ and spit upon the +cross, and that you yourselves have participated in that crime: you have +thus acknowledged that you have fallen into the sin of _heresy_. By your +confession and repentance you had merited absolution, and had once more +become reconciled to the church. As you have revoked your confession, the +church no longer regards you as reconciled, but as having fallen back to +your first errors. You are, therefore, _relapsed heretics(!)_ and as such, +we condemn you to the fire."[380] + +The following morning, (Tuesday, May 12,) in pursuance of this absurd and +atrocious sentence, fifty-four Templars were handed over to the secular +arm, and were led out to execution by the king's officers. They were +conducted into the open country, in the environs of the Porte St. Antoine +des Champs at Paris, and were burnt to death in a most cruel manner before +a slow fire. All historians speak with admiration of the heroism and +intrepidity with which they met their fate.[381] + +Many hundred other Templars were dragged from the dungeons of Paris before +the archbishop of Sens and his council. Those whom neither the agony of +the torture nor the fear of death could overcome, but who remained +stedfast amid all their trials in the maintenance of the innocence of +their order, were condemned to perpetual imprisonment as _unreconciled +heretics_; whilst those who, having made the required confessions of +guilt, continued to persevere in them, received absolution, were declared +reconciled to the church, and were set at liberty. Notwithstanding the +terror inspired by these executions, many of the Templars still persisted +in the revocation of their confessions, which they stigmatized as the +result of insufferable torture, and boldly maintained the innocence of +their order. + +On the 18th of August, four other Templars were condemned as relapsed +heretics by the council of Sens, and were likewise burned by the Porte St. +Antoine; and it is stated that a hundred and thirteen Templars were from +first to last burnt at the stake in Paris. Many others were burned in +Lorraine; in Normandy; at Carcassone, and nine, or, according to some +writers, twenty-nine, were burnt by the archbishop of Rheims at Senlis! +King Philip's officers, indeed, not content with their inhuman cruelty +towards the living, invaded the sanctity of the tomb; they dragged a dead +Templar, who had been Treasurer of the Temple at Paris, from his grave, +and burnt the mouldering corpse as a heretic.[382] In the midst of all +these sanguinary atrocities, the examinations continued before the +ecclesiastical tribunals. Many aged and illustrious warriors, who merited +a better fate, appeared before their judges pale and trembling. At first +they revoked their confessions, declared their innocence, and were +remanded to prison; and then, panic-stricken, they demanded to be led back +before the papal commissioners, when they abandoned their retractations, +persisted in their previous avowals of _guilt_, humbly expressed their +sorrow and repentance, and were then pardoned, absolved, and reconciled +to the church! The torture still continued to be applied, and out of +thirty-three Templars confined in the chateau d'Alaix, four died in +prison, and the remaining twenty confessed, amongst other things, the +following absurdities:--that in the provincial chapter of the order held +at Montpelier, the Templars set up a head and worshipped it; that the +devil often appeared there in the shape of a cat, and conversed with the +assembled brethren, and promised them a good harvest, with the possession +of riches, and all kinds of temporal property. Some asserted that the head +worshipped by the fraternity possessed a long beard; others that it was a +woman's head; and one of the prisoners declared that as often as this +wonderful head was adored, a great number of devils made their appearance +in the shape of beautiful women...!![383] + +We must now unfold the dark page in the history of the order in England. +All the Templars in custody in this country had been examined separately +and apart, and had, notwithstanding, deposed in substance to the same +effect, and given the same account of their reception into the order, and +of the oaths that they took. Any reasonable and impartial mind would +consequently have been satisfied of the truth of their statements; but it +was not the object of the inquisitors to obtain evidence of the +_innocence_, but proof of the _guilt_, of the order. At first, king Edward +the Second, to his honour, forbade the infliction of torture upon the +illustrious members of the Temple in his dominions--men who had fought and +bled for Christendom, and of whose piety and morals he had a short time +before given such ample testimony to the principal sovereigns of Europe. +But the virtuous resolution of the weak king was speedily overcome by the +all-powerful influence of the Roman pontiff, who wrote to him in the month +of June, upbraiding him for preventing the inquisitors from submitting +the Templars to the discipline of the rack.[384] Influenced by the +admonitions of the pope, and the solicitations of the clergy, king Edward, +on the 26th of August, sent orders to John de Crumbewell, constable of the +Tower, to deliver up all the Templars in his custody, at the request of +the inquisitors, to the sheriffs of London, in order that the inquisitors +might be able to proceed more conveniently and effectually with their +inquisition.[385] And on the same day he directed the sheriffs to receive +the prisoners from the constable of the Tower, and cause them to be placed +in the custody of gaolers appointed by the inquisitors, to be confined in +prisons or such other convenient places in the city of London as the +inquisitors and bishops should think expedient, and generally to permit +them to do with the bodies of the Templars whatever should seem fitting, +in accordance with ecclesiastical law. He directs, also, that from +thenceforth the Templars should receive their sustenance at the hands of +such newly-appointed gaolers.[386] + +On the Tuesday after the feast of St. Matthew, (Sept. 21st,) the +ecclesiastical council again assembled at London, and caused the +inquisitions and depositions taken against the Templars to be read, which +being done, great disputes arose touching various alterations observable +in them. It was at length ordered that the Templars should be again +confined in separate cells in the prisons of London; that fresh +interrogatories should be prepared, to see if by such means the _truth_ +could be extracted, and if by straitenings and confinement they would +_confess nothing further_, then the torture was to be applied; but it was +provided that the examination by torture should be conducted without the +PERPETUAL MUTILATION OR DISABLING OF ANY LIMB, AND WITHOUT A VIOLENT +EFFUSION OF BLOOD! and the inquisitors and the bishops of London and +Chichester were to notify the result to the archbishop of Canterbury, that +he might again convene the assembly for the purpose of passing sentence, +either of absolution or of condemnation. These resolutions having been +adopted, the council was prorogued, on the following Saturday, _de die in +diem_, until the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, A. D. +1311.[387] + +On the 6th of October, a fortnight after the above resolution had been +formed by the council, the king sent fresh instructions to the constable +of the Tower, and the sheriffs of London, directing them to deliver up the +Templars, one at a time, or altogether, and receive them back in the same +way, at the will of the inquisitors.[388] The gaolers of these unhappy +gentlemen seem to have been more merciful and considerate than their +judges, and to have manifested the greatest reluctance to act upon the +orders sent from the king. On the 23rd of October, further and more +peremptory commands were forwarded to the constable of the Tower, +distinctly informing him that the king, on account of his respect for the +holy apostolic see, had lately conceded to the prelates and inquisitors +deputed to take inquisition against the order of the Temple, and the Grand +Preceptor of that order in England, the power of ordering and disposing of +the Templars and their bodies, of examining them by TORTURE or otherwise, +and of doing to them whatever they should deem expedient, according to the +ecclesiastical law; and he again strictly enjoins the constable to deliver +up all the Templars in his custody, either together or separately, or in +any way that the inquisitors or one bishop and one inquisitor may direct, +and to receive them back when required so to do.[389] Corresponding orders +were again sent to the sheriffs, commanding them, at the requisition of +the inquisitors, to get the Templars out of the hands of the constable of +the Tower, to guard them in convenient prisons, and to permit certain +persons deputed by the inquisitors to see that the imprisonment was +properly carried into effect, to do with the bodies of the Templars +whatever they should think fit according to ecclesiastical law. When the +inquisitors, or the persons appointed by them, had done with the Templars +what they pleased, they were to deliver them back to the constable of the +Tower, or his lieutenant, there to be kept in custody as before.[390] +Orders were likewise sent to the constable of the castle of Lincoln, and +to the mayor and bailiffs of the city of Lincoln, to the same effect. The +king also directed Roger de Wyngefeld, clerk, guardian of the lands of the +Templars, and William Plummer, sub-guardian of the manor of Cressing, to +furnish to the king's officers the sums required for the keep, and for the +expenses of the detention of the brethren of the order.[391] + +On the 22nd of November the king condescended to acquaint the mayor, +aldermen, and commonalty of his faithful city of London, that out of +reverence to the pope he had authorised the inquisitors, sent over by his +holiness, to question the Templars by TORTURE; he puts them in possession +of the orders he had sent to the constable of the Tower, and to the +sheriffs; and he commands them, in case it should be notified to them by +the inquisitors that the prisons provided by the sheriffs were +insufficient for their purposes, to procure without fail fit and +convenient houses in the city, or near thereto, for carrying into effect +the contemplated measures; and he graciously informs them that he will +reimburse them all the expenses that may be incurred by them or their +officers in fulfilling his commands.[392] Shortly afterwards the king +again wrote to the mayor, aldermen, and commonalty of London, acquainting +them that the sheriffs had made a return to his writ, to the effect that +the four gates (prisons) of the city were not under their charge, and that +they could not therefore obtain them for the purposes required; and he +commands the mayor, aldermen, and commonalty, to place those four gates at +the disposal of the sheriffs.[393] + +On the 12th of December, all the Templars in custody at Lincoln were, by +command of the king, brought up to London, and placed in solitary +confinement in different prisons and private houses provided by the mayor +and sheriffs. Shortly afterwards orders were given for all the Templars in +custody in London to be loaded with chains and fetters; the myrmidons of +the inquisitors were to be allowed to make periodical visits to see that +the imprisonment was properly carried into effect, and were to be allowed +to TORTURE the bodies of the Templars in any way that they might think +fit.[394] + +[Sidenote: A. D. 1311.] + +On the 30th of March, A. D. 1311, after some months' trial of the above +severe measures, the examination was resumed before the inquisitors, and +the bishops of London and Chichester, at the several churches of St. +Martin's, Ludgate, and St. Botolph's, Bishopsgate. The Templars had now +been in prison in England for the space of three years and some months. +During the whole of the previous winter they had been confined in chains +in the dungeons of the city of London, compelled to receive their scanty +supply of food from the officers of the inquisition, and to suffer from +cold, from hunger, and from torture. They had been made to endure all the +horrors of solitary confinement, and had none to solace or to cheer them +during the long hours of their melancholy captivity. They had been already +condemned collectively by the pope, as members of an heretical and +idolatrous society, and as long as they continued to persist in the truth +of their first confessions, and in the avowal of their innocence, they +were treated as obstinate, unreconciled heretics, living in a state of +excommunication, and doomed, when dead, to everlasting punishment in hell. +They had heard of the miserable fate of their brethren in France, and they +knew that those who had confessed crimes of which they had never been +guilty, had been immediately declared reconciled to the church, had been +absolved and set at liberty, and they knew that freedom, pardon, and peace +could be immediately purchased by a confession of guilt; notwithstanding +all which, every Templar, at this last examination, persisted in the +maintenance of his innocence, and in the denial of all knowledge of, or +participation in, the crimes and heresies imputed to the order. They +declare that everything that was done in their chapters, in respect of +absolution, the reception of brethren, and other matters, was honourable +and honest, and might well and lawfully be done; that it was in no wise +heretical or vicious; and that whatever was done was from the +appointment, approbation, and regulation of all the brethren.[395] From +their statements, it appears that the Master of the Temple in England was +in the habit of summoning a general chapter of the order once a year, at +which the preceptors of Ireland and of Scotland were present. These were +always called together to take into consideration the affairs of the Holy +Land, and to determine on sending succour to their brethren in the East. +At the close of their examination the Templars were again sent back to +their dungeons, and loaded with chains; and the inquisitors, disappointed +of the desired confessions, addressed themselves to the enemies of the +order for the necessary proofs of guilt. + +During the month of April, seventy-two witnesses were examined in the +chapter-house of the Holy Trinity. They were nearly all monks, Carmelites, +Augustinians, Dominicans, and Minorites; their evidence is all hearsay, +and the nature of it will be seen from the following choice specimens. + +Henry Thanet, an Irishman, had _heard_ that Brother Hugh de Nipurias, a +Templar, deserted from the castle of Tortosa in Palestine, and went over +to the Saracens, abjuring the christian faith; and that a certain +preceptor of the Pilgrim's Castle was in the habit of making all the +brethren he received into the order deny Christ; but the witness was +unable to give either the name of the preceptor or of the persons so +received. He had also _heard_ that a certain Templar had in his custody a +brazen head with two faces, which would answer all questions put to it! + +Master John de Nassington declared that Milo de Stapelton and Adam de +Everington, knights, told him that they had once been invited to a great +feast at the preceptory of Templehurst, and were there informed that the +Templars celebrated a solemn festival once a year, at which they +worshipped a _calf_! + +John de Eure, knight, sheriff of the county of York, deposed that he had +once invited Brother William de la Fenne, Preceptor of Wesdall, to dine +with him, and that after dinner the preceptor drew a book out of his +bosom, and delivered it to the knight's lady to read, who found a piece of +paper fastened into the book, on which were written abominable, heretical +doctrines, to the effect that Christ was not the Son of God, nor born of a +virgin, but conceived of the seed of Joseph, the husband of Mary, after +the manner of other men, and that Christ was not a true but a false +prophet, and was not crucified for the redemption of mankind, but for his +own sins, and many other things contrary to the christian faith. On the +production of this important evidence, Brother William de la Fenne was +called in and interrogated; he admitted that he had dined with the sheriff +of York, and had lent his lady a book to read, but he swore that he was +ignorant of the piece of paper fastened into the book, and of its +contents. It appears that the sheriff of York had kept this dangerous +secret to himself for the space of six years! + +William de la Forde, a priest, rector of the church of Crofton in the +diocese of York, had _heard_ William de Reynbur, priest of the order of +St. Augustine, who was then dead, say, that the Templar, Brother Patrick +of Rippon, son of William of Gloucester, had confessed to him, that at his +entrance into the order, he was led, clothed only in his shirt and +trousers, through a long passage to a secret chamber, and was there made +to deny his God and his Saviour; that he was then shown a representation +of the crucifixion, and was told that since he had previously honoured +that emblem he must now dishonour it and spit upon it, and that he did so. +"Item dictum fuit ei quod, depositis brachis, dorsum verteret ad +crucifixum," and this he did bitterly weeping. After this they brought an +image, as it were, of a calf, placed upon an altar, and they told him he +must kiss that image, and worship it, and he did so, and after all this +they covered up his eyes and led him about, kissing and being kissed by +all the brethren, but he could not recollect in what part. The worthy +priest was asked when he had first _heard_ all these things, and he +replied _after_ the arrest of the brethren by the king's orders! + +Robert of Oteringham, senior of the order of Minorites, stated that on one +occasion he was partaking of the hospitality of the Templars at the +preceptory of Ribstane in Yorkshire, and that when grace had been said +after supper, the chaplain of the order reprimanded the brethren of the +Temple, saying to them, "The devil will burn you," or some such words; and +hearing a bustle amongst them, he got up to see what was the matter, and, +as far as he recollects, he saw one of the brothers of the Temple, +"brachis depositis, tenentem faciem versus occidentem et posteriora versus +altare!" Being asked who it was that did this, he says he does not exactly +remember. He then goes on to state, that about twenty years before that +time! he was again the guest of the Templars, at the preceptory of +Wetherby (query Feriby) in Yorkshire, and when evening came he heard that +the preceptor was not coming to supper, as he was arranging some relics +that he had brought with him from the Holy Land, and afterwards at +midnight he heard a confused noise in the chapel, and getting up he looked +through the keyhole, and saw a great light therein, either from a fire or +from candles, and on the morrow he asked one of the brethren of the Temple +the name of the saint in whose honour they had celebrated so grand a +festival during the night, and that brother, aghast and turning pale, +thinking he had seen what had been done amongst them, said to him, "Go thy +way, and if you love me, or have any regard for your own life, never speak +of this matter." This same "Senior of the Minorites" declares also that he +had seen, in the chapel of the preceptory of Ribstane, a cross, with the +image of our Saviour nailed upon it, thrown carelessly upon the altar, +and he observed to a certain brother of the Temple, that the cross was in +a most indecent and improper position, and he was about to lift it up and +stand it erect, when that same brother called out to him, "Lay down the +cross and depart in peace!" + +Brother John de Wederal, another Minorite, sent to the inquisitors a +written paper, wherein he stated that he had lately _heard_ in the +country, that a Templar, named Robert de Baysat, was once seen running +about a meadow uttering, "Alas! alas! that ever I was born, seeing that I +have denied God and sold myself to the devil!" Brother N. de Chinon, +another Minorite, had _heard_ that a certain Templar had a son who peeped +through a chink in the wall of the chapter-room, and saw a person who was +about to be professed, slain because he would not deny Christ, and +afterwards the boy was asked by his father to become a Templar, but +refused, and he immediately shared the same fate. Twenty witnesses, who +were examined in each other's presence, merely repeated the above +absurdities, or related similar ones.[396] + +At this stage of the proceedings, the papal inquisitor, Sicard de Vaur, +exhibited two rack-extorted confessions of Templars which had been +obtained in France. The first was from Robert de St. Just, who had been +received into the order by brother Himbert, Grand Preceptor of England, +but had been arrested in France, and there tortured by the myrmidons of +Philip. In this confession, Robert de St. Just states that, on his +admission to the vows of the Temple, he denied Christ, and spat _beside_ +the cross. The second confession had been extorted from Geoffrey de +Gonville, Knight of the Order of the Temple, Preceptor of Aquitaine and +Poitou, and had been given on the 15th of November A. D. 1307, before the +grand inquisitor of France. In this confession, (which had been afterwards +revoked, but of which revocation no notice was taken by the inquisitors,) +Sir Geoffrey de Gonville states that he was received into the order in +England in the house of the Temple at London, by Brother Robert de +Torvibe, knight, the Master of all England, about twenty-eight years +before that time; that the master showed him on a missal the image of +Jesus Christ on the cross, and commanded him to deny him who was +crucified; that, terribly alarmed, he exclaimed, "Alas! my lord, why +should I do this? I will on no account do it." But the master said to him, +"Do it boldly; I swear to thee that the act shall never harm either thy +soul or thy conscience;" and then proceeded to inform him that the custom +had been introduced into the order by a certain bad Grand Master, who was +imprisoned by a certain sultan, and could escape from prison only on +condition that he would establish that form of reception in his order, and +compel all who were received to deny Christ Jesus! but the deponent +remained inflexible; he refused to deny his Saviour, and asked where were +his uncle and the other good people who had brought him there, and was +told that they were all gone; and at last a compromise took place between +him and the Master, who made him take his oath that he would tell all his +brethren that he had gone through the customary form, and never reveal +that it had been dispensed with! He states also that the ceremony was +instituted in memory of St. Peter, who three times denied Christ![397] + +Ferinsius le Mareschal, a secular knight, being examined, declared that +his grandfather entered into the order of the Temple, active, healthy, and +blithesome as the birds and the dogs, but on the third day from his taking +the vows he was dead, and, as he _now suspects_, was killed because he +refused to participate in the iniquities practised by the brethren. An +Augustine monk declared that he had heard a Templar say that a man after +death had no more soul than a dog. Roger, rector of the church of +Godmersham, swore that about fifteen years before he had an intention of +entering into the order of the Temple himself, and consulted Stephen +Queynterel, one of the brothers, on the subject, who advised him not to do +so, and stated that they had _three_ articles amongst themselves in their +order, known only to God, the devil, and the brethren of the Temple, and +the said Stephen would not reveal to the deponent what those articles +were. + +The vicar of the church of Saint Clement at Sandwich had _heard_ that a +boy had secreted himself in the large hall where the Templars held their +chapter, and heard the Master preach to the brethren, and explain to them +in what mode they might enrich themselves; and after the chapter was +concluded, one of the brothers, in going out of the hall, dropped his +girdle, which the boy found and carried to the brother who had so dropped +it, when the latter drew his sword and instantly slew him! But to crown +all, Brother John de Gertia, a Minorite, had _heard_ from a certain woman +called Cacocaca! who had it from Exvalettus, Preceptor of London, that one +of the servants of the Templars entered the hall where the chapter was +held, and secreted himself, and after the door had been shut and locked by +the last Templar who entered, and the key had been brought by him to the +superior, the assembled Templars jumped up and went into another room, and +opened a closet, and drew therefrom a certain black figure with shining +eyes, and a cross, and they placed the cross before the Master, and the +"culum idoli vel figurae" they placed upon the cross, and carried it to the +Master, who kissed the said image, (in ano,) and all the others did the +same after him; and when they had finished kissing, they all spat three +times upon the cross, except one, who refused, saying, "I was a bad man in +the world, and placed myself in this order for the salvation of my soul; +what could I do worse? I will not do it;" and then the brethren said to +him, "Take heed, and do as you see the order do;" but he answered that he +would not do so, and then they placed him in a well which stood in the +midst of their house, and covered the well up, and left him to perish. +Being asked as to the time when the woman heard this, the deponent stated +that she told it to him about fourteen years back at London, where she +kept a shop for her husband, Robert Cotacota! This witness also knew a +certain Walter Salvagyo of the family of Earl Warrenne, grandfather of the +then earl, who, having entered into the order of the Temple, was about two +years afterwards entirely lost sight of by his family, and neither the +earl nor any of his friends could ever learn what had become of him. + +John Walby de Bust, another Minorite, had _heard_ John de Dingeston say +that _he had heard_ that there was in a secret place of the house of the +Templars at London a gilded head, and that when one of the Masters was on +his deathbed, he summoned to his presence several preceptors, and told +them that if they wished for power, and dominion, and honour, they must +worship that head. + +Brother Richard de Koefeld, a monk, had _heard_ from John de Borna, who +had it from the Knight Templar Walter le Bacheler, that every man who +entered into the order of the Temple had to sell himself to the devil; he +had also _heard_ from the priest Walter, rector of the church of Hodlee, +who had it from a certain vicar, who was a priest of the said Walter le +Bacheler, that there was one article in the profession of the Templars +which might not be revealed to any living man. + +Gasper de Nafferton, chaplain of the parish of Ryde, deposed that three +years back he was in the employ of the Templars for about six months, +during which period William de Pokelington was received into the order; +that he well recollected that the said William made his appearance at the +Temple on Sunday evening, with the equipage and habit of a member of the +order, accompanied by Brother William de la More, the Master of the +Temple, Brother William de Grafton, Preceptor of Ribbestane and +Fontebriggs; and other brethren: that the same night, during the first +watch, they assembled in the church, and caused the deponent to be +awakened to say mass; that, after the celebration of the mass, they made +the deponent with his clerk go out into the hall beyond the cloister, and +then sent for the person who was to be received; and on his entry into the +church one of the brethren immediately closed all the doors opening into +the cloister, so that no one within the chambers could get out, and thus +they remained till daylight; but what was done in the church the deponent +knew not; the next day, however, he saw the said William clothed in the +habit of a Templar, looking very sorrowful. The deponent also declared +that he had threatened to peep through a secret door to see what was going +on, but was warned that it was inevitable death so to do. He states that +the next morning he went into the church, and found the books and crosses +all removed from the places in which he had previously left them; that he +afterwards saw the knight Templar Brother William deliver to the +newly-received brother a large roll of paper, containing the rule of the +order, which the said newly-received brother was directed to transcribe in +private; that after the departure of the said Brother William, the +deponent approached the said newly-received brother, who was then +diligently writing, and asked to be allowed to inspect the roll, but was +told that none but members of the order could be allowed to read it; that +he was then about to depart, when Brother William made his appearance, +and, astonished and confounded at the sight of the deponent, snatched up +the roll and walked away with it, declaring, with a great oath, that he +would never again allow it to go out of his hands. + +Brother John de Donyngton, of the order of the Minorites, the +seventy-sixth witness examined, being sworn, deposed that some years back +an old veteran of the Temple (whose name he could not recollect) told him +that the order possessed four chief idols in England, one at London in the +sacristy of the Temple; another at the preceptory of Bistelesham; a third +at Bruere in Lincolnshire; and the fourth in some place beyond the Humber, +(the name of which he had forgotten;) that Brother William de la More, the +Master of the Temple, introduced the melancholy idolatry of the Templars +into England, and brought with him into the country a great roll, whereon +were inscribed in large characters the wicked practices and observances of +the order. The said old veteran also told the deponent that many of the +Templars carried idols about with them in boxes, &c. &c. + +The deponent further states that he recollected well that a private +gentleman, Master William de Shokerwyk, a short time back, had prepared to +take the vows of the order, and carried his treasures and all the property +he had to the Temple at London; and that as he was about to deposit it in +the treasury, one of the brethren of the Temple heaved a profound sigh, +and Master William de Shokerwyk having asked what ailed him, he +immediately replied, "It will be the worse for you, brother, if you enter +our order;" that the said Master William asked why, and the Templar +replied, "You see us externally, but not internally; take heed what you +do; but I shall say no more;" and the deponent further declares, that on +another occasion the said Master William entered into the Temple Hall, and +found there an old Templar, who was playing at the game called Daly; and +the old Templar observing that there was no one in the hall besides +himself and the said Master William, said to the latter, "If you enter +into our order, it will be the worse for you." + +The witness then goes into a rambling account of various transactions in +the East, tending to show that the Templars were in alliance with the +Saracens, and had acted with treachery towards the christian cause![398] + +After the delivery of all this hearsay, these vague suspicions and +monstrous improbabilities, the notaries proceeded to arrange the valuable +testimony adduced, and on the 22nd of April all the Templars in custody in +the Tower and in the prisons of the city were assembled before the +inquisitors and the bishops of London and Chichester, in the church of the +Holy Trinity, to hear the depositions and attestations of the witnesses +publicly read. The Templars required copies of these depositions, which +were granted them, and they were allowed eight days from that period to +bring forward any defences or privileges they wished to make use of. +Subsequently, before the expiration of the eight days, the officer of the +bishop of London was sent to the Tower with scriveners and witnesses, to +know if they would then set up any matters of defence, to whom the +Templars replied that they were unlettered men, ignorant of law, and that +all means of defence were denied them, since they were not permitted to +employ those who could afford them fit counsel and advice. They observed, +however, that they were desirous of publicly proclaiming the faith, and +the religion of themselves and of the order to which they belonged, of +showing the privileges conceded to them by the chief pontiffs, and their +own depositions taken before the inquisitors, all which they said they +wished to make use of in their defence. + +On the eighth day, being Thursday the 29th of April, they appeared before +the papal inquisitors and the bishops of London and Chichester, in the +church of All Saints of Berkyngecherche, and presented to them the +following declaration, which they had drawn up amongst themselves, as the +only defence they had to offer against the injustice, the tyranny, and the +persecution of their powerful oppressors; adding, that if they had in any +way done wrong, they were ready to submit themselves to the orders of the +church. + +This declaration is written in the Norman French of that day, and is as +follows: + +"_Conue chese seit a nostre honurable pere, le ercevesque de Canterbiere, +primat de toute Engletere, e a touz prelaz de seinte Eglise, e a touz +Cristiens, qe touz les freres du Temple que sumes ici assemblez et +chescune singulere persone par sen sumes cristien nostre seignur Jesu +Crist, e creoms en Dieu Pere omnipotent, qui fist del e terre, e en Jesu +soen fiz, qui fust conceu du Seint Esperit, nez de la Virgine Marie, +soeffrit peine e passioun, morut sur la croiz pour touz peccheours, +descendist e enferns, e le tierz jour releva de mort en vie, e mounta en +ciel, siet au destre soen Pere, e vendra au jour de juise, juger les vifs +e les morz, qui fu saunz commencement, e serra saunz fyn; e creoms comme +seynte eglise crets, e nous enseigne. E que nostre religion est foundee +sus obedience, chastete, vivre sans propre, aider a conquere la seint +terre de Jerusalem, a force e a poer, qui Dieu nous ad preste. E nyoms e +firmement en countredioms touz e chescune singulere persone, par sei +toutes maneres de heresies e malvaistes, que sount encountre la foi de +Seinte Eglise. E prioms pour Dieu e pour charite a vous, que estes en lieu +nostre seinte pere l'apostoile, que nous puissoms aver lez drettures de +seinte eglise, comme ceus que sount les filz de sainte eglise, que bien +avoms garde, e tenu la foi, e la lei de seinte eglise, e nostre religion, +la quele est bone, honeste e juste, solom les ordenaunces, e les +privileges de la court de Rome avons grauntez, confermez, e canonizez par +commun concile, les qels priviliges ensemblement ou lestablisement, e la +regle sount en la dite court enregistrez. E mettoms en dur e en mal eu +touz Cristiens saune noz anoisourz, par la ou nous avoms este conversaunt, +comment nous avoms nostre vie demene. E se nous avoms rien mesprys de +aucun parole en nos examinacions par ignorance de seu, si comme nous sumes +genz laics prest sumes, a ester a lesgard de seint eglise, comme cely que +mourust pour nouz en la beneite de croiz. E nous creoms fermement touz les +sacremenz de seinte eglise. E nous vous prioms pour Dieu e pour salvacioun +de vous almes, que vous nous jugez si comme vous volez respoundre pour +vous et pour nous devaunt Dieu: e que nostre examinement puet estre leu e +oii devaunt nous e devaunt le people, solom le respouns e le langage que +fust dit devaunt vous, e escrit en papier._[399] + +"Be it known to our honourable father, the archbishop of Canterbury, +primate of all England, and to all the prelates of holy church, and to all +Christians, that all we brethren of the Temple here assembled, and every +of one of us are Christians, and believe in our Saviour Jesus Christ, in +God the Father omnipotent, &c. &c. ..." + +"And we believe all that the holy church believes and teaches us. We +declare that our religion is founded on vows of obedience, chastity, and +poverty, and of aiding in the conquest of the Holy Land of Jerusalem, with +all the power and might that God affordeth us. And we firmly deny and +contradict, one and all of us, all manner of heresy and evil doings, +contrary to the faith of holy church. And for the love of God, and for +charity, we beseech you, who represent our holy father the pope, that we +may be treated like true children of the church, for we have well guarded +and preserved the faith and the law of the church, and of our own +religion, the which is good, honest, and just, according to the ordinances +and the privileges of the court of Rome, granted, confirmed, and canonized +by common council; the which privileges, together with the rule of our +order, are enregistered in the said court. And we would bring forward all +Christians, (save our enemies and slanderers,) with whom we are +conversant, and among whom we have resided, to say how and in what manner +we have spent our lives. And if, in our examinations, we have said or done +anything wrong through ignorance of a word, since we are unlettered men, +we are ready to suffer for holy church like him who died for us on the +blessed cross. And we believe all the sacraments of the church. And we +beseech you, for the love of God, and as you hope to be saved, that you +judge us as you will have to answer for yourselves and for us before God; +and we pray that our examination may be read and heard before ourselves +and all the people, _in the very language and words in which it was given +before you, and written down on paper_." + +The above declaration was presented by Brother William de la More, the +Master of the Temple; the Knights Templars Philip de Mewes, Preceptor of +Garwy; William de Burton, Preceptor of Cumbe; Radulph de Maison, Preceptor +of Ewell; Michael de Baskevile, Preceptor of London; Thomas de Wothrope, +Preceptor of Bistelesham; William de Warwick, Priest; and Thomas de +Burton, Chaplain of the Order; together with twenty serving brothers. The +same day the inquisitors and the two bishops proceeded to the different +prisons of the city to demand if the prisoners confined therein wished to +bring forward anything in defence of the order, who severally answered +that they would adopt and abide by the declaration made by their brethren +in the Tower. + +It appears that in the prison of Aldgate there were confined Brother +William de Sautre, Knight, Preceptor of Samford; Brother William de la +Ford, Preceptor of Daney; Brother John de Coningeston, Preceptor of +Getinges; Roger de Norreis, Preceptor of Cressing; Radulph de Barton, +priest, Prior of the New Temple; and several serving brethren of the +order. In the prison of Crepelgate were detained William de Egendon, +Knight, Preceptor of Schepeley; John de Moun, Knight, Preceptor of +Dokesworth; and four serving brethren. In the prison of Ludgate were five +serving brethren; and in Newgate was confined Brother Himbert Blanke, +Knight, Grand Preceptor of Auvergne. + +The above declaration of faith and innocence was far from agreeable to the +papal inquisitors, who required a confession of _guilt_, and the torture +was once more directed to be applied. The king sent fresh orders to the +mayor and the sheriffs of the city of London, commanding them to place the +Templars in separate dungeons; to load them with chains and fetters; to +permit the myrmidons of the inquisitors to pay periodical visits to see +that the wishes and intentions of the inquisitors, with regard to the +severity of the confinement, were properly carried into effect; and, +lastly, to inflict TORTURE upon the bodies of the Templars, and generally +to do whatever should be thought fitting and expedient in the premises, +according to ecclesiastical law.[400] In conformity with these orders, we +learn from the record of the proceedings, that the Templars were placed in +solitary confinement in loathsome dungeons; that they were placed on a +short allowance of bread and water, and periodically visited by the agents +of the inquisition; that they were moved from prison to prison, and from +dungeon to dungeon; were now treated with rigour, and anon with +indulgence; and were then visited by learned prelates, and acute doctors +in theology, who, by exhortation, persuasion, and by menace, attempted in +every possible mode to wring from them the required avowals. We learn that +all the engines of terror wielded by the church were put in force, and +that torture was unsparingly applied "_usque ad judicium sanguinis_!" The +places in which these atrocious scenes were enacted were the Tower, the +prisons of Aldgate, Ludgate, Newgate, Bishopsgate, and Crepelgate, the +house formerly belonging to John de Banguel, and the tenements once the +property of the brethren of penitence.[401] It appears that some French +monks were sent over to administer the torture to the unhappy captives, +and that they were questioned and examined in the presence of notaries +whilst suffering under the torments of the rack. The relentless +perseverance and the incessant exertions of the foreign inquisitors were +at last rewarded by a splendid triumph over the powers of endurance of two +poor serving brethren, and one chaplain of the order of the Temple, who +were at last induced to make the long-desired avowals. + +On the 23rd of June, Brother Stephen de Stapelbrugge, described as an +apostate and fugitive of the order of the Temple, captured by the king's +officers in the city of Salisbury, deposed in the house of the head gaoler +of Newgate, in the presence of the bishops of London and Chichester, the +chancellor of the archbishop of Canterbury, Hugh de Walkeneby, doctor of +theology, and other clerical witnesses, that there were two modes of +profession in the order of the Temple, the one good and lawful, and the +other contrary to the christian faith; that he himself was received into +the order by Brother Brian le Jay, Grand Preceptor of England at +Dynneslee, and was led into the chapel, the door of which was closed as +soon as he had entered; that a cross was placed before the Master, and +that a brother of the Temple, with a drawn sword, stood on either side of +him; that the Master said to him, "Do you see this image of the +crucifixion?" to which he replied, "I see it, my lord;" that the Master +then said to him, "You must deny that Christ Jesus was God and man, and +that Mary was his mother; and you must spit upon this cross;" which the +deponent, through immediate fear of death, did with his mouth, but not +with his heart, and he spat _beside_ the cross, and not on it; and then +falling down upon his knees, with eyes uplifted, with his hands clasped, +with bitter tears and sighs, and devout ejaculations, he besought the +mercy and the favour of holy church, declaring that he cared not for the +death of the body, or for any amount of penance, but only for the +salvation of his soul. + +On Saturday, the 25th of June, Brother Thomas Tocci de Thoroldeby, serving +brother of the order of the Temple, described as an apostate who had +escaped from Lincoln after his examination at that place by the papal +inquisitors, but had afterwards surrendered himself to the king's +officers, was brought before the bishops of London and Chichester, the +archdeacon of Salisbury, and others of the clergy in St. Martin's Church +in Vinetria; and being again examined, he repeated the statement made in +his first deposition, but added some particulars with regard to penances +imposed and absolutions pronounced in the chapter, showing the difference +between sins and defaults, the priest having to deal with the one, and the +Master with the other. He declared that the little cords were worn from +honourable motives, and relates a story of his being engaged in a battle +against the Saracens, in which he lost his cord, and was punished by the +Grand Master for a default in coming home without it. He gives the same +account of the secrecy of the chapters as all the other brethren, states +that the members of the order were forbidden to confess to the friars +mendicants, and were enjoined to confess to their own chaplains; that they +did nothing contrary to the christian faith, and as to their endeavouring +to promote the advancement of the order by any means, right or wrong, that +exactly the contrary was the case, as there was a statute in the order to +the effect, that if any one should be found to have acquired anything +unjustly, he should be deprived of his habit, and be expelled the order. +Being asked what induced him to become an apostate, and to fly from his +order, he replied that it was through fear of death, because the abbot of +Lagny, (the papal inquisitor,) when he examined him at Lincoln, asked him +if he would not confess anything further, and he answered that he knew of +nothing further to confess, unless he were to say things that were not +true; and that _the abbot, laying his hand upon his breast, swore by the +word of God that he would make him confess before he had done with him_! +and that being terribly frightened he afterwards bribed the gaoler of the +castle of Lincoln, giving him forty florins to let him make his escape. + +The abbot of Lagny, indeed, was as good as his word, for on the 29th of +June, four days after this imprudent avowal, Brother Thomas Tocci de +Thoroldeby was brought back to Saint Martin's Church, and there, in the +presence of the same parties, he made a third confession, in which he +declares that, coerced by two Templars with drawn swords in their hands, +he denied Christ with his mouth, but not with his heart; and spat _beside_ +the cross, but not on it; that he was required to spit upon the image of +the Virgin Mary, but contrived, instead of doing so, to give her a kiss on +the foot. He declares that he had heard Brian le Jay, the Master of the +Temple at London, say a hundred times over, that Jesus Christ was not the +true God, but a man, and that the smallest hair out of the beard of one +Saracen was of more worth than the whole body of any Christian. He +declares that he was once standing in the presence of Brother Brian, when +some poor people besought charity of him for the love of God and our lady +the blessed Virgin Mary; and he answered, "_Que dame, alez vous pendre a +vostre dame_"--"What lady? go and be hanged to your lady," and violently +casting a halfpenny into the mud, he made the poor people hunt for it, +although it was in the depth of a severe winter. He also relates that at +the chapters the priest stood like a beast, and had nothing to do but to +repeat the psalm, "God be merciful unto us, and bless us," which was read +at the closing of the chapter. (The Templars, by the way, must have been +strange idolaters to have closed their chapters, in which they are accused +of worshipping a cat, a man's head, and a black idol, with the reading of +the beautiful psalm, "God be merciful unto us, and bless us, and show us +the light of thy countenance, that _thy way may be known upon earth_, thy +saving health among all nations," &c. Psalm lxvii.) This witness further +states, that the priest had no power to impose a heavier penance than a +day's fast on bread and water, and could not even do that without the +permission of the brethren. He is made also to relate that the Templars +always favoured the Saracens in the holy wars in Palestine, and oppressed +the Christians! and he declares, speaking of himself, that for three years +before he had never seen the body of Christ without thinking of the devil, +nor could he remove that evil thought from his heart by prayer, or in any +other way that he knew of; but that very morning he had heard mass with +great devotion, and since then had thought only of Christ, and thinks +there is no one in the order of the Temple whose soul will be saved, +unless a reformation takes place.[402] + +Previous to this period, the ecclesiastical council had again assembled, +and these last depositions of Brothers Stephen de Stapelbrugge and Thomas +Tocci de Thoroldeby having been produced before them, the following solemn +farce was immediately publicly enacted. It is thus described in the record +of the proceedings: + +"To the praise and glory of the name of the most high Father, and of the +Son, and of the Holy Ghost, to the confusion of heretics, and the +strengthening of all faithful Christians, begins the public record of the +reconciliation of the penitent heretics, returning to the orthodox faith +published in the council, celebrated at London in the year 1311. + +"In the name of God, Amen. In the year of the incarnation of our Lord +1311, on the twenty-seventh day of the month of June, in the hall of the +palace of the bishop of London, before the venerable fathers the Lord +Robert by the grace of God archbishop of Canterbury, primate of all +England, and his suffragans in provincial council assembled, appeared +Brother Stephen de Stapelbrugge, of the order of the chivalry of the +Temple; and the denying of Christ and the blessed Virgin Mary his mother, +the spitting upon the cross, and the heresies and errors acknowledged and +confessed by him in his deposition being displayed, the same Stephen +asserted in full council, before the people of the City of London, +introduced for the occasion, that all those things so deposed by him were +true, and that to that confession he would wholly adhere; humbly +confessing his error on his bended knees, with his hands clasped, with +much lamentation and many tears, he again and again besought the mercy and +pity of holy mother church, offering to abjure all heresies and errors, +and praying them to impose on him a fitting penance, and then the book of +the holy gospels being placed in his hands, he abjured the aforesaid +heresies in this form: + +"I, brother Stephen de Stapelbrugge, of the order of the chivalry of the +Temple, do solemnly confess," &c. &c. (he repeats his confession, makes +his abjuration, and then proceeds;) "and if at any time hereafter I shall +happen to relapse into the same errors, or deviate from any of the +articles of the faith, I will account myself _ipso facto_ excommunicated; +I will stand condemned as a manifest perjured heretic, and the punishment +inflicted on perjured relapsed heretics shall be forthwith imposed upon me +without further trial or judgment!!" + +He was then sworn upon the holy gospels to stand to the sentence of the +church in the matter, after which Brother Thomas Tocci de Thoroldeby was +brought forward to go through the same monstrous ceremony, which being +concluded, these two poor serving brothers of the order of the Temple, who +were so ignorant that they could not write, were made to place their mark +(_loco subscriptionis_) on the record of the abjuration. + +"And then our lord the archbishop of Canterbury, for the purpose of +absolving and reconciling to the unity of the church the aforesaid Thomas +and Stephen, conceded his authority and that of the whole council to the +bishop of London, in the presence of me the notary, specially summoned for +the occasion, in these words: 'We grant to you the authority of God, of +the blessed Mary, of the blessed Thomas the Martyr our patron, and of all +the saints of God (sanctorum atque _sanctarum_ Dei) to us conceded, and +also the authority of the present council to us transferred, to the end +that thou mayest reconcile to the unity of the church these miserables, +separated from her by their repudiation of the faith, and now brought +back again to her bosom, reserving to ourselves and the council the right +of imposing a fit penance for their transgressions!' And as there were two +penitents, the bishop of Chichester was joined to the bishop of London for +the purpose of pronouncing the absolution, which two bishops, putting on +their mitres and pontificals, and being assisted by twelve priests in +sacerdotal vestments, placed themselves in seats at the western entrance +of the cathedral church of Saint Paul, and the penitents, with bended +knees, humbly prostrating themselves in prayer upon the steps before the +door of the church, the members of the council and the people of the city +standing around; and the psalm, _Have mercy upon me, O God, after thy +great goodness_," having been chaunted from the beginning to the end, and +the subjoined prayers and sermon having been gone through, they absolved +the said penitents, and received them back to the unity of the church in +the following form: + +"In the name of God, Amen. Since by your confession we find that you, +Brother Stephen de Stapelbrugge, have denied Christ Jesus and the blessed +Virgin Mary, and have spat _beside_ the cross, and now taking better +advice wishest to return to the unity of the holy church with a true heart +and sincere faith, as you assert, and all heretical depravity having for +that purpose been previously abjured by you according to the form of the +church, we, by the authority of the council, absolve you from the bonds of +excommunication wherewith you were held fast, and we reconcile you to the +unity of the church, if you shall have returned to her in sincerity of +heart, and shall have obeyed her injunctions imposed upon you." + +Brother Thomas Tocci de Thoroldeby was then absolved and reconciled to the +church in the same manner, after which various psalms (Gloria Patri, +Kyrie Eleyson, Christe Eleyson, &c. &c.) were sung, and prayers were +offered up, and then the ceremony was concluded.[403] + +On the 1st of July, an avowal of guilt was wrung by the inquisitors from +Brother John de Stoke, chaplain of the order, who, being brought before +the bishops of London and Chichester in St. Martin's church, deposed that +he was received in the mode mentioned by him on his first examination; but +a year and fifteen days after that reception, being at the preceptory of +Garwy in the diocese of Hereford, he was called into the chamber of +Brother James de Molay, the Grand Master of the order, who, in the +presence of two other Templars of foreign extraction, informed him that he +wished to make proof of his obedience, and commanded him to take a seat at +the foot of the bed, and the deponent did so. The Grand Master then sent +into the church for the crucifix, and two serving brothers, with naked +swords in their hands, stationed themselves on either side of the doorway. +As soon as the crucifix made its appearance, the Grand Master, pointing to +the figure of our Saviour nailed thereon, asked the deponent whose image +it was, and he answered, "The image of Jesus Christ, who suffered on the +cross for the redemption of mankind;" but the Grand Master exclaimed, +"Thou sayest wrong, and are much mistakened, for he was the son of a +certain woman, and was crucified because he called himself the Son of God, +and I myself have been in the place where he was born and crucified, and +thou must now deny him whom this image represents." The deponent +exclaimed, "Far be it from me to deny my Saviour;" but the Grand Master +told him he must do it, or he would be put into a sack and be carried to a +place which he would find by no means agreeable, and there were swords in +the room, and brothers ready to use them, &c. &c.; and the deponent asked +if such was the custom of the order, and if all the brethren did the +same; and being answered in the affirmative, he, through fear of immediate +death, denied Christ with his _tongue_, but not with his _heart_. Being +asked in whom he was told to put his faith after he had denied Christ +Jesus, he replies, "In that great Omnipotent God who created the heaven +and the earth."[404] + +Such, in substance, was the whole of the criminatory evidence that could +be wrung by torture, by a long imprisonment, and by hardships of every +kind, from the Templars in England. It amounts simply to an assertion that +they compelled all whom they received into their order to renounce the +christian religion, a thing perfectly incredible. Is it to be supposed +that the many good Christians of high birth, and honour, and exalted +piety, who entered into the order of the Temple, taking the cross for +their standard and their guide, would thus suddenly have cast their faith +and their religion to the winds? Would they not rather have denounced the +impiety and iniquity to the officers of the Inquisition, and to the pope, +the superior of the order? + + "Ainsi que la vertu, le crime a ses degres + Et jamais on n'a vu la timide innocence + Passer subitement a l'extreme licence. + Un seul jour ne fait point d'un mortel vertueux + Un perfide apostat, un traitre audacieux." + _Phedre_, Acte iv. Scene 2. + +On Saturday, the 3rd of July, the archbishop of Canterbury, and the +bishops, the clergy, and the people of the city of London, were again +assembled around the western door of Saint Paul's cathedral, and Brother +John de Stoke, chaplain of the order of the Temple, made his public +recantation of the heresies confessed by him, and was then absolved and +reconciled to the church in the same manner as Brothers Thomas de +Stapelbrugge and Tocci de Thoroldeby, after which a last effort was made +to bend the remaining Templars to the wishes of the papal inquisitors. + +On Monday, July 5th, at the request of the ecclesiastical council, the +bishop of Chichester had an interview with Sir William de la More, the +Master of the Temple, taking with him certain learned lawyers, +theologians, and scriveners. He exhorted and earnestly pressed him to +abjure the heresies of which he stood convicted, by his own confessions +and those of his brethren, respecting the absolutions pronounced by him in +the chapters, and submit himself to the disposition of the church; but the +Master declared that he had never been guilty of the heresies mentioned, +and that he would not abjure crimes which he had never committed; so he +was sent back to his dungeon. + +The next day, (Tuesday, July the 6th,) the bishops of London, Winchester, +and Chichester, had an interview in Southwark with the Knight Templar, +Philip de Mewes, Preceptor of Garwy, and some serving brethren of the New +Temple at London, and told them that they were manifestly guilty of +heresy, as appeared from the pope's bulls, and the depositions taken +against the order both in England and France, and also from their own +confessions regarding the absolutions pronounced in their chapters, +explaining to them that they had grievously erred in believing that the +Master of the Temple, who was a mere layman, had power to absolve them +from their sins by pronouncing an absolution in the mode previously +described, and they warned them that if they persisted in that error they +would be condemned as heretics, and that as they could not clear +themselves therefrom, it behoved them to abjure all the heresies of which +they were accused. The Templars replied that they were ready to abjure the +error they had fallen into respecting the absolution, and _all heresies +of every kind_, before the archbishop of Canterbury and the prelates of +the council, whenever they should be required so to do, and they humbly +and reverently submitted themselves to the orders of the church, +beseeching pardon and grace. + +A sort of compromise was then made with most of the Templars in custody in +London. They were required publicly to repeat a form of confession and +abjuration drawn up by the bishops of London and Chichester, and were then +solemnly absolved and reconciled to the church in the following terms:-- + +"In the name of God, Amen. Since you have confessed in due form before the +ecclesiastical council of the province of Canterbury that you have gravely +erred concerning the sacrament of repentance, in believing that the +absolution pronounced by the Master in chapter had as much efficacy as is +implied in the words pronounced by him, that is to say, 'The sins which +you have omitted to confess through shamefacedness, or through fear of the +justice of the order, we, by virtue of the power delegated to us by God +and our lord the pope, forgive you, as far as we are able;' and since you +have confessed that you cannot entirely purge yourselves from the heresies +set forth under the apostolic bull, and taking sage counsel with a good +heart and unfeigned faith, have submitted yourselves to the judgment and +the mercy of the church, having previously abjured the aforesaid heresies, +and all heresies of every description, we, by the authority of the +council, absolve you from the chain of excommunication wherewith you have +been bound, and reconcile you once more to the unity of the church, &c. +&c." + +On the 9th of July, Brother Michael de Baskevile, Knight, Preceptor of +London, and seventeen other Templars, were absolved and reconciled in full +council, in the Episcopal Hall of the see of London, in the presence of a +vast concourse of the citizens. + +On the 10th of the same month, the Preceptors of Dokesworth, Getinges, and +Samford, the guardian of the Temple church at London, Brother Radulph de +Evesham, chaplain, with other priests, knights, and serving brethren of +the order, were absolved by the bishops of London, Exeter, Winchester, and +Chichester, in the presence of the archbishop of Canterbury and the whole +ecclesiastical council. + +The next day many more members of the fraternity were publicly reconciled +to the church on the steps before the south door of Saint Paul's +cathedral, and were afterwards present at the celebration of high mass in +the interior of the sacred edifice, when they advanced in a body towards +the high altar bathed in tears, and falling down on their knees, they +devoutly kissed the sacred emblems of Christianity. + +The day after, (July 12,) nineteen other Templars were publicly absolved +and reconciled to the church at the same place, in the presence of the +earls of Leicester, Pembroke, and Warwick, and afterwards assisted in like +manner at the celebration of high mass. The priests of the order made +their confessions and abjurations in Latin; the knights pronounced them in +Norman French, and the serving brethren for the most part repeated them in +English.[405] The vast concourse of people collected together could have +comprehended but very little of what was uttered, whilst the appearance of +the penitent brethren, and the public spectacle of their recantation, +answered the views of the papal inquisitors, and doubtless impressed the +commonalty with a conviction of the guilt of the order. Many of the +Templars were too _sick_ (suffering doubtless from the effect of torture) +to be brought down to St. Paul's, and were therefore absolved and +reconciled to the church by the bishops of London, Winchester, and +Chichester, at Saint Mary's chapel near the Tower. + +Among the prisoners absolved at the above chapel were many old veteran +warriors in the last stage of decrepitude and decay. "They were so old and +so infirm," says the public notary who recorded the proceedings, "that +they were unable to stand;" their confessions were consequently made +before two masters in theology; they were then led before the west door of +the chapel, and were publicly reconciled to the church by the bishop of +Chichester; after which they were brought into the sacred building, and +were placed on their knees before the high altar, which they devoutly +kissed, whilst the tears trickled down their furrowed cheeks. All these +penitent Templars were now released from prison, and directed to do +penance in different monasteries. Precisely the same form of proceeding +was followed at York: the reconciliations and absolution being there +carried into effect before the south door of the cathedral.[406] + +Thus terminated the proceedings against the order of the Temple in +England. + +Similar measures had, in the mean time, been prosecuted against the +Templars in all parts of Christendom, but no better evidence of their +guilt than that above mentioned was ever discovered. The councils of +Tarragona and Aragon, after applying the torture, pronounced the order +free from heresy. In Portugal and in Germany the Templars were declared +innocent, and in no place situate beyond the sphere of the influence of +the king of France and his creature the pope was a single Templar +condemned to death.[407] + +[Sidenote: A. D. 1312.] + +On the 16th of October a general council of the church, which had been +convened by the pope to pronounce the abolition of the order, assembled at +Vienne near Lyons in France. It was opened by the holy pontiff in person, +who caused the different confessions and avowals of the Templars to be +read over before the assembled nobles and prelates, and then moved the +suppression of an order wherein had been discovered such crying iniquities +and sinful abominations; but the entire council, with the exception of an +Italian prelate, nephew of the pope, and the three French bishops of +Rheims, Sens, and Rouen, all creatures of Philip, who had severally +condemned large bodies of Templars to be burnt at the stake in their +respective dioceses, were unanimously of opinion, that before the +suppression of so celebrated and illustrious an order, which had rendered +such great and signal services to the christian faith, the members +belonging to it ought to be heard in their own defence.[408] Such a +proceeding, however, did not suit the views of the pope and king Philip, +and the assembly was abruptly dismissed by the holy pontiff, who declared +that since they were unwilling to adopt the necessary measures, he +himself, out of the plenitude of the papal authority, would supply every +defect. Accordingly, at the commencement of the following year, the pope +summoned a private consistory; and several cardinals and French bishops +having been gained over, the holy pontiff abolished the order by an +apostolical ordinance, perpetually prohibiting every one from thenceforth +entering into it, or accepting or wearing the habit thereof, or +representing themselves to be Templars, on pain of excommunication.[409] + +On the 3rd of April, the second session of the council was opened by the +pope at Vienne. King Philip and his three sons were present, accompanied +by a large body of troops, and the papal decree abolishing the order was +published before the assembly.[410] The members of the council appear to +have been called together merely to hear the decree read. History does not +inform of any discussion with reference to it, nor of any suffrages having +been taken. + +A few months after the close of these proceedings, Brother William de la +More, the Master of the Temple in England, died of a broken heart in his +solitary dungeon in the Tower, persisting with his last breath in the +maintenance of the innocence of his order. King Edward, in pity for his +misfortunes, directed the constable of the Tower to hand over his goods +and chattels, valued at the sum of 4_l._ 19_s._ 11_d._, to his executors, +to be employed in the liquidation of his debts, and he commanded Geoffrey +de la Lee, guardian of the lands of the Templars, to pay the arrears of +his prison pay (2_s._ per diem) to the executor, Roger Hunsingon.[411] + +Among the Cotton MS. is a list of the Masters of the Temple, otherwise the +Grand Priors or Grand Preceptors of England, compiled under the direction +of the prior of the Hospital of Saint John at Clerkenwell, to the intent +that the brethren of that fraternity might remember the antient Masters of +the Temple in their prayers.[412] A few names have been omitted which are +supplied in the following list:-- + + Magister R. de Pointon.[413] + Rocelinus de Fossa.[414] + Richard de Hastings,[415] A. D. 1160. + Richard Mallebeench.[416] + Geoffrey, son of Stephen,[417] A. D. 1180. + Thomas Berard, A. D. 1200. + Amaric de St. Maur,[418] A. D. 1203. + Alan Marcel,[419] A. D. 1224. + Amberaldus, A. D. 1229. + Robert Mountforde,[420] A. D. 1234. + Robert Sanford,[421] A. D. 1241. + Amadeus de Morestello, A. D. 1254. + Himbert Peraut,[422] A. D. 1270. + Robert Turvile,[423] A. D. 1290. + Guido de Foresta,[424] A. D. 1292. + James de Molay, A. D. 1293. + Brian le Jay,[425] A. D. 1295. + WILLIAM DE LA MORE THE MARTYR. + +The only other Templar in England whose fate merits particular attention +is Brother Himbert Blanke, the Grand Preceptor of Auvergne. He appears to +have been a knight of high honour and of stern unbending pride. From +first to last he had boldly protested against the violent proceedings of +the inquisitors, and had fearlessly maintained, amid all trials, his own +innocence and that of his order. This illustrious Templar had fought under +four successive Grand Masters in defence of the christian faith in +Palestine, and after the fall of Acre, had led in person several daring +expeditions against the infidels. For these meritorious services he was +rewarded in the following manner:--After having been tortured and +half-starved in the English prisons for the space of five years, he was +condemned, as he would make no confession of guilt, to be shut up in a +loathsome dungeon, to be loaded with double chains, and to be occasionally +visited by the agents of the inquisition, to see if he would confess +_nothing further_![426] In this miserable situation he remained until +death at last put an end to his sufferings. + +[Sidenote: A. D. 1313.] + +James de Molay, the Grand Master of the Temple, Guy, the Grand Preceptor, +a nobleman of illustrious birth, brother to the prince of Dauphiny, Hugh +de Peralt, the Visitor-general of the Order, and the Grand Preceptor of +Aquitaine, had now languished in the prisons of France for the space of +five years and a half. The Grand Master had been compelled to make a +confession which he afterwards disowned and stigmatized as a forgery, +swearing that if the cardinals who had subscribed it had been of a +different cloth, he would have proclaimed them liars, and would have +challenged them to mortal combat.[427] The other knights had also made +confessions which they had subsequently revoked. The secrets of the dark +prisons of these illustrious Templars have never been brought to light, +but on the 18th of March, A. D. 1313, a public scaffold was erected +before the cathedral church of Notre Dame, at Paris, and the citizens were +summoned to hear the Order of the Temple convicted by the mouths of its +chief officers, of the sins and iniquities charged against it. The four +knights, loaded with chains and surrounded by guards, were then brought +upon the scaffold by the provost, and the bishop of Alba read their +confessions aloud in the presence of the assembled populace. The papal +legate then, turning towards the Grand Master and his companions, called +upon them to renew, in the hearing of the people, the avowals which they +had previously made of the guilt of their order. Hugh de Peralt, the +Visitor-General, and the Preceptor of the Temple of Aquitaine, signified +their assent to whatever was demanded of them, but the Grand Master +raising his arms bound with chains towards heaven, and advancing to the +edge of the scaffold, declared in a loud voice, that to say that which was +untrue was a crime, both in the sight of God and man. "I do," said he, +"confess my guilt, which consists in having, to my shame and dishonour, +suffered myself, through the pain of torture and the fear of death, to +give utterance to falsehoods, imputing scandalous sins and iniquities to +an illustrious order, which hath nobly served the cause of Christianity. I +disdain to seek a wretched and disgraceful existence by engrafting another +lie upon the original falsehood." He was here interrupted by the provost +and his officers, and Guy, the Grand Preceptor, having commenced with +strong asseverations of his innocence, they were both hurried back to +prison. + +King Philip was no sooner informed of the result of this strange +proceeding, than, upon the first impulse of his indignation, without +consulting either pope, or bishop, or ecclesiastical council, he commanded +the instant execution of both these gallant noblemen. The same day at dusk +they were led out of their dungeons, and were burned to death in a slow +and lingering manner upon small fires of charcoal which were kindled on +the little island in the Seine, between the king's garden and the convent +of St. Augustine, close to the spot where now stands the equestrian statue +of Henri IV.[428] + +Thus perished the last Grand Master of the Temple. + +The fate of the persecutors of the order is not unworthy of notice. + +A year and one month after the above horrible execution, the pope was +attacked by a dysentery, and speedily hurried to his grave. The dead body +was transported to Carpentras, where the court of Rome then resided; it +was placed at night in a church which caught fire, and the mortal remains +of the holy pontiff were almost entirely consumed. His relations +quarrelled over the immense treasures he left behind him, and a vast sum +of money, which had been deposited for safety in a church at Lucca, was +stolen by a daring band of German and Italian freebooters. + +Before the close of the same year, king Philip died of a lingering disease +which baffled all the art of his medical attendants, and the condemned +criminal, upon the strength of whose information the Templars were +originally arrested, was hanged for fresh crimes. "History attests," says +Monsieur Raynouard, "that all those who were foremost in the persecution +of the Templars, came to an untimely and miserable death." The last days +of Philip were embittered by misfortune; his nobles and clergy leagued +against him to resist his exactions; the wives of his three sons were +accused of adultery, and two of them were publicly convicted of that +crime. The misfortunes of Edward the Second, king of England, and his +horrible death in Berkeley Castle, are too well known to be further +alluded to. + +To save appearances, the pope had published a bull transferring the +property, late belonging to the Templars, to the order of the Hospital of +Saint John,[429] which had just then acquired additional renown and +popularity in Europe by the conquest from the infidels of the island of +Rhodes. This bull, however, remained for a considerable period nearly a +dead letter, and the Hospitallers never obtained a twentieth part of the +antient possessions of the Templars. + +The kings of Castile, Aragon, and Portugal, created new military orders in +their own dominions, to which the estates of the late order of the Temple +were transferred, and, annexing the Grand Masterships thereof to their own +persons, by the title of Perpetual Administrators, they succeeded in +drawing to themselves an immense revenue.[430] The kings of Bohemia, +Naples, and Sicily, retained possession of many of the houses and +strongholds of the Templars in their dominions, and various religious +orders of monks succeeded in installing themselves in the convents of the +fraternity. The heirs of the donors of the property, moreover, claimed a +title to it by escheat, and in most cases where the Hospitallers obtained +the lands and estates granted them by the pope, they had to pay large +fines to adverse claimants to be put into peaceable possession.[431] + +"The chief cause of the ruin of the Templars," justly remarks Fuller, "was +their extraordinary wealth. As Naboth's vineyard was the chiefest ground +of his blasphemy, and as in England Sir John Cornwall Lord Fanhope said +merrily, not he, but his stately house at Ampthill in Bedfordshire was +guilty of high treason, so certainly their wealth was the principal cause +of their overthrow.... We may believe that king Philip would never have +taken away their lives if he might have taken their lands without putting +them to death, but the mischief was, he could not get the honey unless he +burnt the bees."[432] + +King Philip, the pope, and the European sovereigns, appear to have +disposed of all the personalty of the Templars, the ornaments, jewels, and +treasure of their churches and chapels, and during the period of five +years, over which the proceedings against the order extended, they +remained in the actual receipt of the vast rents and revenues of the +fraternity. After the promulgation of the bull, assigning the property of +the Templars to the Hospitallers, king Philip put forward a claim upon the +land to the extent of two hundred thousand pounds for the expenses of the +prosecution, and Louis Hutin, his son, required a further sum of sixty +thousand pounds from the Hospitallers, before he would consent to +surrender the estates into their hands.[433] "J'ignore," says Voltaire, +"ce qui revint au pape, mais je vois evidemment que les frais des +cardinaux, des inquisiteurs delegues pour faire ce proces epouvantable +monterent a des sommes immenses."[434] The holy pontiff, according to his +own account, received only a _small portion_ of the personalty of the +order,[435] but others make him a large participator in the good things of +the fraternity.[436] + +On the imprisonment of the Templars in England, the Temple at London, and +all the preceptories dependent upon it, with the manors, farms, houses, +lands, and revenues of the fraternity, were placed under the survey of +the Court of Exchequer, and extents[437] were directed to be taken of the +same, after which they were confided to the care of certain trustworthy +persons, styled "Guardians of the lands of the Templars," who were to +account for the rents and profits to the king's exchequer. The bishop of +Lichfield and Coventry had the custody of all the lands and tenements in +the county of Hants. John de Wilburgham had those in the counties of +Norfolk and Suffolk, and there were thirty-two other guardians entrusted +with the care of the property in the remaining counties of England.[438] +These guardians were directed to pay various pensions to the old servants +and retainers of the Templars dwelling in the different preceptories,[439] +also the expenses of the prosecution against the order, and they were at +different times required to provide for the exigencies of the public +service, and to victual the king's castles and strongholds. On the 12th of +January, A. D. 1312, William de Slengesby, guardian of the manor of +Ribbestayn in the county of York, was commanded to forward to the +constable of the castle of Knaresburgh a hundred quarters of corn, ten +quarters of oats, twenty fat oxen, eighty sheep, and two strong carts, +towards the victualling of the said fortress, and the king tells him that +the same shall be duly deducted when he renders his account to the +exchequer of the rents and profits of the said manor.[440] The king, +indeed, began to dispose of the property as if it was wholly vested in the +crown, and made munificent donations to his favourites and friends. In the +month of February of the same year, he gave the manors of Etton and Cave +to David Earl of Athol, directing the guardians of the lands and tenements +of the Templars in the county of York to hand over to the said earl all +the corn in those manors, the oxen, calves, ploughs, and all the goods and +chattels of the Templars existing therein, together with the ornaments and +utensils of the chapel of the Temple.[441] + +On the 16th of May, however, the pope addressed bulls to the king, and to +all the earls and barons of the kingdom, setting forth the proceedings of +the council of Vienne and the publication of the papal decree, vesting the +property late belonging to the Templars in the brethren of the Hospital of +St. John, and he commands them forthwith to place the members of that +order in possession thereof. Bulls were also addressed to the archbishops +of Canterbury and York and their suffragans, commanding them to enforce by +ecclesiastical censures the execution of the papal commands.[442] King +Edward and his nobles very properly resisted this decree, and on the 21st +of August the king wrote to the Prior of the Hospital of St. John at +Clerkenwell, telling him that the pretensions of the pope to dispose of +property within the realm of England, without the consent of parliament, +were derogatory to the dignity of the crown and the royal authority; and +he commands him, under severe pains and penalties, to refrain from +attempting to obtain any portion of the possessions of the Templars.[443] +The king, indeed, continued to distribute the lands and rents amongst his +friends and favourites. At the commencement of the year 1313, he granted +the Temple at London, with the church and all the buildings therein, to +Aymer de Valence earl of Pembroke;[444] and on the 5th of May of the same +year he caused several merchants, from whom he had borrowed money, to be +placed in possession of many of the manors of the Templars.[445] + +Yielding, however, at last to the exhortations and menaces of the pope, +the king, on the 21st of Nov. A. D. 1313, granted the property to the +Hospitallers,[446] and sent orders to all the guardians of the lands of +the Templars, and to various powerful barons who were in possession of the +estates, commanding them to deliver them up to certain parties deputed by +the Grand Master and chapter of the Hospital of Saint John to receive +them.[447] At this period, however, many of the heirs of the donors, whose +title had been recognized by the law, were in possession of the lands, and +the judges held that the king had no power of his own sole authority to +transfer them to the order of the Hospital.[448] The thunders of the +Vatican were consequently vigorously made use of, and all the detainers of +the property were doomed by the Roman pontiff to everlasting +damnation.[449] Pope John, in one of his bulls, dated A. D. 1322, bitterly +complains of the disregard by all the king's subjects of the papal +commands. He laments that they had hardened their hearts and despised the +sentence of excommunication fulminated against them, and declares that his +heart was riven with grief to find that even the ecclesiastics, who ought +to have been as a wall of defence to the Hospitallers, had themselves been +heinously guilty in the premises.[450] + +At last (A. D. 1324) the pope, the bishops, and the Hospitallers, by their +united exertions, succeeded in obtaining an act of parliament, vesting all +the property late belonging to the Templars in the brethren of the +Hospital of Saint John, in order that the intentions of the donors might +be carried into effect by the appropriation of it to the defence of the +Holy Land and the succour of the christian cause in the East.[451] This +statute gave rise to the greatest discontent. The heirs of the donors +petitioned parliament for its repeal, alleging that it had been made +against law and against reason, and contrary to the opinion of the +judges;[452] and many of the great barons who held the property by a title +recognised by the common law, successfully resisted the claims of the +order of the Hospital, maintaining that the parliament had no right to +interfere with the tenure of private property, and to dispose of their +possessions without their consent. + +This struggle between the heirs of the donors on the one hand, and the +Hospitallers on the other, continued for a lengthened period; and in the +reign of Edward the Third it was found necessary to pass another act of +parliament, confirming the previous statute in their favour, and writs +were sent to the sheriffs (A. D. 1334) commanding them to enforce the +execution of the acts of the legislature, and to take possession, in the +king's name, of all the property unjustly detained from the brethren of +the Hospital.[453] + +Whilst the vast possessions, late belonging to the Templars, thus +continued to be the subject of contention, the surviving brethren of that +dissolved order continued to be treated with the utmost inhumanity and +neglect. The ecclesiastical council had assigned to each of them a pension +of fourpence a day for subsistence, but this small pittance was not paid, +and they were consequently in great danger of dying of hunger. The king, +pitying their miserable situation, wrote to the prior of the hospital of +St. John at Clerkenwell, earnestly requesting him to take their hard lot +into his serious consideration, and not suffer them to come to beggary in +the streets.[454] The archbishop of Canterbury also exerted himself in +their behalf, and sent letters to the possessors of the property, +reproving them for the non-payment of the allotted stipends. "This +inhumanity," says he, "awakens our compassion, and penetrates us with the +most lively grief. We pray and conjure you in kindness to furnish them, +for the love of God and for charity, with the means of subsistence."[455] +The archbishop of York caused many of them to be supported in the +different monasteries of his diocese.[456] + +Many of the quondam Templars, however, after the dissolution of their +order, assumed a secular habit; they blended themselves with the laity, +mixed in the pleasures of the world, and even presumed to contract +matrimony, proceedings which drew down upon them the severe indignation of +the Roman pontiff. In a bull addressed to the archbishop of Canterbury, +the pope stigmatises these marriages as unlawful concubinages; he observes +that the late Templars remained bound, notwithstanding the dissolution of +their order, by their vows of perpetual chastity, and he orders them to be +separated from the women whom they had married, and to be placed in +different monasteries, where they are to dedicate themselves to the +service of God, and the strict performance of their religious vows.[457] + +The Templars adopted the oriental fashion of long beards, and during the +proscription of the fraternity, when the fugitives who had thrown off +their habits were hunted out like wild beasts, it appears to have been +dangerous for laymen to possess beards of more than a few weeks' growth. + +Papers and certificates were granted to men with long beards, to prevent +them from being molested by the officers of justice as suspected Templars, +as appears from the following curious certificate given by king Edward the +Second to his valet, who had made a vow not to shave himself until he had +performed a pilgrimage to a certain place beyond sea. + +"Rex, etc. Cum dilectus valettus noster Petrus Auger, exhibitor +praesentium, nuper voverit quod barbam suam radi non faciat, quousque +peregrinationem fecerit in certo loco in partibus transmarinis; et idem +Petrus sibi timeat, quod aliqui ipsum, ratione barbae suae prolixae fuisse +Templarium imponere sibi velint, et ei inferre impedimenta seu gravamina +ex hac causa; Nos veritati volentes testimonium pertulere, vobis tenore +praesentium intimamus, quod praedictus Petrus est valettus camerae nostrae, +_nec unquam fuit Templarius, sed barbam suam sic prolixam esse permittit, +ex causa superius annotata_, etc. Teste Rege, &c."[458] + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +THE TEMPLE CHURCH. + + The restoration of the Temple Church--The beauty and magnificence of + the venerable building--The various styles of architecture displayed + in it--The discoveries made during the recent restoration--The + sacrarium--The marble piscina--The sacramental niches--The penitential + cell--The ancient Chapel of St. Anne--Historical matters connected + with the Temple Church--The holy relics anciently preserved + therein--The interesting monumental remains. + + "If a day should come when pew lumber, preposterous organ cases, and + pagan altar screens, are declared to be unfashionable, no religious + building, stript of such nuisances, would come more fair to the sight, + or give more general satisfaction to the antiquary, than the chaste + and beautiful Temple Church."--_Gentleman's Magazine_ for May, 1808, + p. 1087. + + +"After three centuries of demolition, the solemn structures raised by our +Catholic ancestors are being gradually restored to somewhat of their +original appearance, and buildings, which, but a few years since, were +considered as unsightly and barbarous erections of ignorant times, are now +become the theme of general eulogy and models for imitation."[459] + +It has happily been reserved for the present generation, after a lapse of +two centuries, to see the venerable Temple Church, the chief +ecclesiastical edifice of the Knights Templars in Britain, and the most +beautiful and perfect relic of the order now in existence, restored to the +simple majesty it possessed near seven hundred years ago; to see it once +again presenting the appearance which it wore when the patriarch of +Jerusalem exercised his sacred functions within its walls, and when the +mailed knights of the most holy order of the Temple of Solomon, the sworn +champions of the christian faith, unfolded the red-cross banner amid "the +long-drawn aisles," and offered their swords upon the altar to be blessed +by the ministers of religion. + +From the period of the reign of Charles the First down to our own times, +the Temple Church has remained sadly disfigured by incongruous innovations +and modern _embellishments_, which entirely changed the antient character +and appearance of the building, and clouded and obscured its elegance and +beauty. + +Shortly after the Reformation, the Protestant lawyers, from an +over-anxious desire to efface all the emblems of the popish faith, covered +the gorgeously-painted ceiling of this venerable structure with an uniform +coating of simple whitewash; they buried the antique tesselated pavement +under hundreds of cart-loads of earth and rubbish, on the surface of +which, two feet above the level of the antient floor, they placed another +pavement, formed of old grave-stones. They, moreover, disfigured all the +magnificent marble columns with a thick coating of plaster and paint, and +destroyed the beauty of the elaborately-wrought mouldings of the arches, +and the exquisitely-carved marble ornaments with thick incrustations of +whitewash, clothing the whole edifice in one uniform garb of plain white, +in accordance with the puritanical ideas of those times. + +Subsequently, in the reign of Charles the Second, the fine open area of +the body of the church was filled with long rows of stiff and formal pews, +which concealed the bases of the columns, while the plain but handsome +stone walls of the sacred edifice were encumbered, to a height of eight +feet from the ground, with oak wainscoting, which was carried entirely +round the church, so as to shut out from view the elegant marble piscina +on the south side of the building, the interesting arched niches over the +high altar, and the _sacrarium_ on the eastern side of the edifice. The +elegant gothic arches connecting the Round with the oblong portion of the +building were filled up with an oak screen and glass windows and doors, +and with an organ-gallery adorned with Corinthian columns and pilastres +and Grecian ornaments, which divided the building into two parts, +altogether altered its original character and appearance, and sadly marred +its architectural beauty. The eastern end of the church was, at the same +time, disfigured with an enormous altarpiece in the _classic_ style, +decorated with Corinthian columns and Grecian cornices and entablatures, +and with enrichments of cherubims and wreaths of fruit, leaves, and +flowers, exquisitely carved and beautiful in themselves, but heavy and +cumbrous, and quite at variance with the gothic character of the edifice. +A huge pulpit and sounding-board, elaborately carved, were also erected in +the middle of the nave, forming a great obstruction to the view of the +interior of the building, and the walls and all the columns were thickly +clustered and disfigured with mural monuments. + +All these unsightly and incongruous additions to the antient fabric have, +thanks to the good taste and the public spirit of the Masters of the +Benches of the societies of the Inner and Middle Temple, been recently +removed; the ceiling of the church has been repainted; the marble columns +and the tesselated pavement have been restored, and the venerable +structure has now been brought back to its antient condition. + +The historical associations and recollections connected with the Temple +Church throw a powerful charm around the venerable building. During the +holy fervour of the crusades, the kings of England and the haughty legates +of the pope were wont to mix with the armed bands of the Templars in this +their chief ecclesiastical edifice in Britain. In the twelfth and +thirteenth centuries some of the most remarkable characters of the age +were buried in the Round, and their mail-clad marble monumental effigies, +reposing side by side on the cold pavement, still attract the wonder and +admiration of the inquiring stranger. + +The solemn ceremonies attendant in days of yore upon the admission of a +novice to the holy vows of the Temple, conducted with closed doors during +the first watch of the night; the severe religious exercises performed by +the stern military friars; the vigils that were kept up at night in the +church, and the reputed terrors of the penitential cell, all contributed +in times past to throw an air of mystery and romance around the sacred +building, and to create in the minds of the vulgar a feeling of awe and of +superstitious terror, giving rise to those strange and horrible tales of +impiety and crime, of magic and sorcery, which led to the unjust and +infamous execution at the stake of the Grand Master and many hundred +Knights of the Temple, and to the suppression and annihilation of their +proud and powerful order. + +The first and most interesting portion of the Temple Church, denominated +by the old writers "THE ROUND," was consecrated in the year 1185 by +Heraclius, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, on his arrival in England from +Palestine, as before mentioned, to obtain succour from king Henry the +Second against the formidable power of the famous Saladin.[460] The old +inscription which formerly stood over the small door of the Round leading +into the cloisters, and which was broken and destroyed by the workmen +whilst repairing the church, in the year 1695, was to the following +effect:-- + +"On the 10th of February, in the year from the incarnation of our Lord +1185, this church was consecrated in honour of the blessed Mary by our +lord Heraclius, by the grace of God patriarch of the church of the +Resurrection, who hath granted an indulgence of fifty days to those yearly +seeking it."[461] + +The oblong portion of the church, which extendeth eastwards from the +Round, was consecrated on Ascension-day, A. D. 1240, as appears from the +following passage in the history of Matthew Paris, the monk of St. +Alban's, who was probably himself present at the ceremony. + +"About the same time (A. D. 1240) was consecrated the noble church of the +New Temple at London, an edifice worthy to be seen, in the presence of the +king and much of the nobility of the kingdom, who, on the same day, that +is to say, the day of the Ascension, after the solemnities of the +consecration had been completed, royally feasted at a most magnificent +banquet, prepared at the expense of the Hospitallers."[462] + +It was after the promulgation, A. D. 1162 and 1172, of the famous bull +_omne datum optimum_, exempting the Templars from the ordinary +ecclesiastical jurisdiction, and enabling them to admit priests and +chaplains into their order, and appoint them to their churches without +installation and induction, and free from the interference of the bishops, +that the members of this proud and powerful fraternity began to erect at +great cost, in various parts of Christendom, churches of vast splendour +and magnificence, like the one we now see at London. It is probable that +the earlier portion of this edifice was commenced immediately after the +publication of the above bull, so as to be ready (as churches took a long +time in building in those days) for consecration by the Patriarch on his +arrival in England with the Grand Master of the Temple. + +As there is a difference in respect of the time of the erection, so also +is there a variation in the style of the architecture of the round and +oblong portions of the church; the one presenting to us a most beautiful +and interesting specimen of that mixed style of ecclesiastical +architecture termed the semi-Norman, and by some writers the intermediate, +when the rounded arch and the short and massive column became mingled +with, and were gradually giving way to, the early Gothic; and the other +affording to us a pure and most elegant example of the latter style of +architecture, with its pointed arches and light slender columns. These two +portions of the Temple Church, indeed, when compared together, present +features of peculiar interest to the architect and the antiquary. The +oblong portion of the venerable fabric affords, perhaps, the first +specimen of the complete conquest of the pointed style over the massive +circular or Norman architecture which preceded its erection, whilst the +Round displays the different changes which the latter style underwent +previous to its final subversion. + +The Temple Church is entered by a beautiful semicircular arched doorway, +an exquisite specimen of the Norman style of architecture, still +unfortunately surrounded and smothered by the smoke-dried buildings of +studious lawyers. It is deeply recessed and ornamented on either side +with columns bearing foliated capitals, from whence spring a series of +arched mouldings, richly carved and decorated. Between these columns +project angular piers enriched with lozenges, roses, foliage, and +ornaments of varied pattern and curious device. The upper part of these +piers between the capitals of the columns is hollowed out, and carved +half-length human figures, representing a king and queen, monks and +saints, have been inserted. Some of these figures hold scrolls of paper in +their hands, and others rest in the attitude of prayer. Over them, between +the ribs of the arch, are four rows of enriched foliage springing from the +mouths of human heads. + +Having passed this elegant and elaborately-wrought doorway, we enter that +portion of the church called by the old writers + +The Round, + +which consists of an inner circular area formed by a round tower resting +on six clustered columns, and of a circular external aisle or cloister, +connected with the round tower by a sloping roof on the outside, and +internally by a groined vaulted ceiling. The beauty and elegance of the +building from this point, with its circular colonnades, storied windows, +and long perspective of architectural magnificence, cannot be +described--it must be seen. + +From the centre of the Round, the eye is carried upward to the vaulted +ceiling of the inner circular tower with its groined ribs and carved +bosses. This tower rests on six clustered marble columns, from whence +spring six pointed arches enriched with numerous mouldings. The clustered +columns are composed of four marble shafts, surmounted by foliated +capitals, which are each of a different pattern, but correspond in the +general outline, and display great character and beauty. These shafts are +connected together by bands at their centres; and the bases and capitals +run into each other, so as to form the whole into one column. Immediately +above the arches resting on these columns, is a small band or cornice, +which extends around the interior of the tower, and supports a most +elegant arcade of interlaced arches. This arcade is formed of numerous +small Purbeck marble columns, enriched with ornamented bases and capitals, +from whence spring a series of arches which intersect one another, and +produce a most pleasing and striking combination of the round and pointed +arch. Above this elegant arcade is another cornice surmounted by six +circular-headed windows pierced at equal intervals through the thick walls +of the tower. These windows are ornamented at the angles with small +columns, and in the time of the Knights Templars they were filled with +stained glass. Between each window is a long slender circular shaft of +Purbeck marble, which springs from the clustered columns, and terminates +in a bold foliated capital, whereon rest the groined ribs of the ceiling +of the tower. + +From the tower, with its marble columns, interlaced arches, and elegant +decorations, the attention will speedily be drawn to the innumerable small +columns, pointed arches, and grotesque human countenances which extend +around the lower portion of the external aisle or cloister encircling the +Round. The more these human countenances are scrutinised, the more +astonishing and extraordinary do they appear. They seem for the most part +distorted and agonised with pain, and have been supposed, not without +reason, to represent the writhings and grimaces of the damned. Unclean +beasts may be observed gnawing the ears and tearing with their claws the +bald heads of some of them, whose firmly-compressed teeth and quivering +lips plainly denote intense bodily anguish. These sculptured visages +display an astonishing variety of character, and will be regarded with +increased interest when it is remembered, that an arcade and cornice +decorated in this singular manner have been observed among the ruins of +the Temple churches at Acre, and in the Pilgrim's Castle. This circular +aisle or cloister is lighted by a series of semicircular-headed windows, +which are ornamented at the angles with small columns. + +Over the western doorway leading into the Round, is a beautiful Norman +wheel-window, which was uncovered and brought to light by the workmen +during the recent reparation of this interesting building. It is +considered a masterpiece of masonry. + +The entrance from the Round to the oblong portion of the Temple Church is +formed by three lofty pointed arches, which open upon the nave and the two +aisles. The mouldings of these arches display great beauty and elegance, +and the central arch, which forms the grand entrance to the nave, is +supported upon magnificent Purbeck marble columns. + +Having passed through one of these elegant and richly-embellished +archways, we enter a large, lofty, and light structure, consisting of a +nave and two aisles of equal height, formed by eight clustered marble +columns, which support a groined vaulted ceiling richly and elaborately +painted. This chaste and graceful edifice presents to us one of the most +pure and beautiful examples in existence of the early pointed style, which +immediately succeeded the mixed order of architecture visible in the +Round. The numerous elegantly-shaped windows which extend around this +portion of the building, the exquisite proportions of the slim marble +columns, the beauty and richness of the architectural decorations, and the +extreme lightness and airiness of the whole structure, give us the idea of +a fairy palace. + +The marble columns supporting the pointed arches of the roof, four in +number on each side, do not consist of independent shafts banded together, +as in the Round, but form solid pillars which possess vast elegance and +beauty. Attached to the walls of the church, in a line with these pillars, +are a series of small clustered columns, composed of three slender shafts, +the central one being of Purbeck marble, and the others of Caen stone; +they are bound together by a band at their centres and their bases, which +are of Purbeck marble, rest on a stone seat or plinth, which extends the +whole length of the body of the church. These clustered columns, which are +placed parallel to the large central pillars, are surmounted by foliated +capitals, from whence spring the groined ribs which traverse the vaulted +ceiling of the roof. The side walls are thus divided into five +compartments on either side, which are each filled up with a triple +lancet-headed window, of a graceful form, and richly ornamented. It is +composed of three long narrow openings surmounted by pointed arches, the +central arch rising above the lateral ones. The mouldings of the arches +rest upon four slender marble columns which run up in front of the stone +mullions of the windows, and impart to them great elegance and beauty. The +great number of these windows, and the small intervening spaces of blank +wall between them, give a vast lightness and airiness to the whole +structure. + +Immediately beneath them is a small cornice or stringing course of Purbeck +marble, which runs entirely round the body of the church, and supports the +small marble columns which adorn the windows. + +The roof is composed of a series of pointed arches supported by groined +ribs, which, diverging from the capitals of the columns, cross one another +at the centre of the arch, and are ornamented at the point of intersection +with richly-carved bosses. This roof is composed principally of chalk, and +previous to the late restoration, had a plain and somewhat naked +appearance, being covered with an uniform coat of humble whitewash. On +the recent removal of this whitewash, extensive remains of an ancient +painted ceiling were brought to light, and it was consequently determined +to repaint the entire roof of the body of the church according to a design +furnished by Mr. Willement. + +At the eastern end of the church are three elegant windows opening upon +the three aisles; they are similar in form to the side windows, but the +central one is considerably larger than any of the others, and has in the +spandrels formed by the line of groining two small quatrefoil panels. The +label mouldings on either side of this central window terminate in two +crowned heads, which are supposed to represent king Henry the Third and +his queen. These windows are to be filled with stained glass as in the +olden time, and will, when finished, present a most gorgeous and +magnificent appearance. Immediately beneath them, above the high altar, +are three niches, in which were deposited in days of yore the sacred +vessels used during the celebration of the mass. The central recess, +surmounted by a rounded arch, contained the golden chalice and patin +covered with the veil and bursa; and the niches on either side received +the silver cruets, the ampullae, the subdeacon's veil, and all the +paraphernalia used during the sacrament. In the stonework around them may +be observed the marks of the locks and fastenings of doors. + +These niches were uncovered and brought to light on the removal of the +large heavy oak screen and altar-piece, which disfigured the eastern end +of the church. + +On the southern side of the building, near the high altar, is an elegant +marble _piscina_ or _lavacrum_, which was in like manner discovered on +pulling down the modern oak wainscoting. This interesting remnant of +antiquity has been beautifully restored, and well merits attention. It +was constructed for the use of the priest who officiated at the adjoining +altar, and was intended to receive the water in which the chalice had been +rinsed, and in which the priest washed his hands before the consecration +of the bread and wine. It consists of two perforated hollows or small +basins, inclosed in an elegant marble niche, adorned with two graceful +arches, which rest on small marble columns. The holes at the bottom of the +basins communicate with two conduits or channels for draining off the +water, which antiently made its exit through the thick walls of the +church. In the olden time, before the consecration of the host, the priest +walked to the piscina, accompanied by the clerk, who poured water over his +hands, that they might be purified from all stain before he ventured to +touch the body of our Lord. One of these channels was intended to receive +the water in which the priest washed his hands, and the other that in +which he had rinsed the chalice. The piscina, consequently, served the +purposes of a sink.[463] + +Adjoining the piscina, towards the eastern end of the church, is a small +elegant niche, in which the ewer, basin, and towels were placed; and +immediately opposite, in the north wall of the edifice, is another niche, +which appears to have been a _sacrarium_ or tabernacle for holding the +eucharist preserved for the use of the sick brethren.[464] + +In the centre of the northern aisle of the church, a large recess has been +erected for the reception of the organ, as no convenient place could be +found for it in the old structure. Below this recess, by the side of the +archway communicating with the Round, is a small Norman doorway, opening +upon a dark circular staircase which leads to the summit of the round +tower, and also to + + +THE PENITENTIAL CELL. + +This dreary place of solitary confinement is formed within the thick wall +of the church, and is only four feet six inches long, and two feet six +inches wide, so that it would be impossible for a grown person to lie down +with any degree of comfort within it. Two small apertures, or loopholes, +four feet high and nine inches wide, have been pierced through the walls +to admit light and air. One of these apertures looks eastward into the +body of the church towards the spot where stood the high altar, in order +that the prisoner might see and hear the performance of divine service, +and the other looks southward into the Round, facing the west entrance of +the church. The hinges and catch of a door, firmly attached to the doorway +of this dreary prison, still remain, and at the bottom of the staircase is +a stone recess or cupboard, where bread and water were placed for the +prisoner. + +In this miserable cell were confined the refractory and disobedient +brethren of the Temple, and those who were enjoined severe penance with +solitary confinement. Its dark secrets have long since been buried in the +silence of the tomb, but one sad tale of misery and horror, probably +connected with it, has been brought to light. + +Several of the brethren of the Temple at London, who were examined before +the papal inquisitors, tell us of the miserable death of Brother Walter le +Bacheler, Knight, Grand Preceptor of Ireland, who, for disobedience to his +superior the Master of the Temple, was fettered and cast into prison, and +there expired from the rigour and severity of his confinement. His dead +body was taken out of the solitary cell in the Temple at morning's dawn, +and was buried by Brother John de Stoke and Brother Radulph de Barton, in +the midst of the court, between the church and the hall.[465] + +The discipline of the Temple was strict and austere to an extreme. An +eye-witness tells us that disobedient brethren were confined in chains and +dungeons for a longer or a shorter period, or perpetually, according as it +might seem expedient, in order that their souls might be saved at the last +from the eternal prison of hell.[466] In addition to imprisonment, the +Templars were scourged on their bare backs, by the hand of the Master +himself, in the Temple Hall, and were frequently whipped on Sundays in the +church, in the presence of the whole congregation. + +Brother Adam de Valaincourt, a knight of a noble family, quitted the order +of the Temple, but afterwards returned, smitten with remorse for his +disobedience, and sought to be admitted to the society of his quondam +brethren. He was compelled by the Master to eat for a year on the ground +with the dogs; to fast four days in the week on bread and water, and every +Sunday to present himself naked in the church before the high altar, and +receive the discipline at the hands of the officiating priest, in the +presence of the whole congregation.[467] + +On the opposite side of the church, corresponding with the doorway and +staircase leading to the penitential cell, there was formerly another +doorway and staircase communicating with a very curious antient structure, +called the chapel of St. Anne, which stood on the south side of the Round, +but was removed during the repairs in 1827. It was two stories in height. +The lower story communicated with the Round through a doorway formed under +one of the arches of the arcade, and the upper story communicated with +the body of the church by the before-mentioned doorway and staircase, +which have been recently stopped up. The roofs of these apartments were +vaulted, and traversed by cross-ribs of stone, ornamented with bosses at +the point of intersection.[468] This chapel antiently opened upon the +cloisters, and formed a private medium of communication between the +convent of the Temple and the church. It was here that the papal legate +and the English bishops frequently had conferences respecting the affairs +of the English clergy, and in this chapel Almaric de Montforte, the pope's +chaplain, who had been imprisoned by king Edward the First, was set at +liberty at the instance of the Roman pontiff, in the presence of the +archbishop of Canterbury, and the Bishops of London, Lincoln, Bath, +Worcester, Norwich, Oxford, and several other prelates, and of many +distinguished laymen; the said Almeric having previously taken an oath +that he would forthwith leave the kingdom, never more to return without +express permission.[469] In times past, this chapel of St. Anne, situate +on the south of "the round about walles," was widely celebrated for its +productive powers. It was resorted to by barren women, and was of great +repute for making them "joyful mothers of children!"[470] + +There were formerly numerous priests attached to the Temple church, the +chief of whom was styled _custos_ or guardian of the sacred edifice. King +Henry the Third, for the salvation of his own soul, and the souls of his +ancestors and heirs, gave to the Templars eight pounds per annum, to be +paid out of the exchequer, for the maintenance of three chaplains in the +Temple to say mass daily for ever; one was to pray in the church for the +king himself, another for all christian people, and the third for the +faithful departed.[471] Idonea de Veteri Ponte also gave thirteen bovates +of her land, at Ostrefeld, for the support of a chaplain in the house of +the Temple at London, to pray for her own soul and that of her deceased +husband, Robert de Veteri Ponte.[472] + +The _custos_ or guardian of the Temple church was appointed by the Master +and Chapter of the Temple, and entered upon his spiritual duties, as did +all the priests and chaplains of the order, without any admission, +institution, or induction. He was exempt from the ordinary ecclesiastical +authority, and was to pay perfect obedience in all matters, and upon all +occasions, to the Master of the Temple, as his lord and bishop. The +priests of the order took precisely the same vows as the rest of the +brethren, and enjoyed no privileges above their fellows. They remained, +indeed, in complete subjection to the knights, for they were not allowed +to take part in the consultations of the chapter, unless they had been +enjoined so to do, nor could they occupy themselves with the cure of souls +unless required. The Templars were not permitted to confess to priests who +were strangers to the order, without leave so to do. + +"_Et les freres chapeleins du Temple dovinent oyr la confession des +freres, ne nul ne se deit confesser a autre chapelein saunz counge, car il +ount greigneur poer du Pape, de els assoudre que un evesque._" + +The particular chapters of the Master of the Temple, in which +transgressions were acknowledged, penances were enjoined, and quarrels +were made up, were frequently held on a Sunday morning in the above +chapel of St. Anne, on the south side of the Temple church, when the +following curious form of absolution was pronounced by the Master of the +Temple in the Norman French of that day. + +"La manere de tenir chapitre e d'assoudre." + +"Apres chapitre dira le mestre, ou cely qe tendra le chapitre. 'Beaus +seigneurs freres, le pardon de nostre chapitre est tiels, qe cil qui +ostast les almones de la meson a tout e male resoun, ou tenist aucune +chose en noun de propre, ne prendreit u tens ou pardoun de nostre +chapitre. Mes toutes les choses qe vous lessez a dire pour hounte de la +char, ou pour poour de la justice de la mesoun qe lein ne la prenge requer +Dieu, e de par la poeste, que nostre sire otria a sein pere, la quele +nostre pere le pape lieu tenaunt a terre a otrye a la maison, e a noz +sovereyns, e nous de par Dieu, e de par nostre mestre, e de tout nostre +chapitre tiel pardoun come ieo vous puis fere, ieo la vous faz, de bon +quer, e de bone volonte. E prioms nostre sire, qe issi veraiement come il +pardona a la glorieuse Magdaleyne, quant ele plura ses pechez. E al larron +en la croiz mis pardona il ses pechez, e a vous face les vos a pardone a +moy les miens. Et pry vous que se ieo ouges meffis oudis a mil de vous que +vous depleise que vous le me pardonez.'"[473] + +At the close of the chapter, the Master or the President of the chapter +shall say, "Good and noble brethren, the pardon of our chapter is such, +that he who unjustly maketh away with the alms of the house, or holdeth +anything as his own property, hath no part in the pardon of our chapter, +or in the good works of our house. But those things which through +shame-facedness, or through fear of the justice of the order, you have +neglected to confess before God, I, by the power which our Lord obtained +from his Father, and which our father the pope, his vicar, has granted to +the house, and to our superiors, and to us, by the authority of God and +our Master, and all our chapter, grant unto you, with hearty good will, +such pardon as I am able to give. And we beseech our Lord, that as he +forgave the glorious Mary Magdalene when she bewailed her sins, and +pardoned the robber on the cross, that he will in like manner mercifully +pardon both you and me. And if I have wronged any of you, I beseech you to +grant me forgiveness." + +The Temple Church in times past contained many holy and valuable relics, +which had been sent over by the Templars from Palestine. Numerous +indulgences were granted by the bishops of London to all devout Christians +who went with a lively faith to adore these relics. The bishop of Ely also +granted indulgences to all the faithful of his diocese, and to all pious +Christians who attended divine worship in the Temple Church, to the honour +and praise of God, and his glorious mother the Virgin Mary, the +resplendent Queen of Heaven, and also to all such as should contribute, +out of their goods and possessions, to the maintenance and support of the +lights which were kept eternally upon the altars.[474] + +The circular form of the oldest portion of the Temple Church imparts an +additional interest to the venerable fabric, as there are only three other +ancient churches in England of this shape. It has been stated that all the +churches of the Templars were built in the circular form, after the model +of the church of the holy sepulchre at Jerusalem; but this was not the +case. The numerous remains of these churches, to be met with in various +parts of Christendom, prove them to have been built of all shapes, forms, +and sizes. + +We must now say a word concerning the ancient monuments in the Temple +Church. + +In a recess in the south wall, close to the elegant marble piscina, +reposes the recumbent figure of a bishop clad in pontifical robes, having +a mitre on his head and a crosier in his hand. It rests upon an +altar-tomb, and has been beautifully carved out of a single block of +Purbeck marble. On the 7th of September, 1810, this tomb was opened, and +beneath the figure was found a stone coffin, about three feet in height +and ten feet in length, having a circular cavity to receive the head of +the corpse. Within the coffin was found a human skeleton in a state of +perfect preservation. It was wrapped in sheet-lead, part of which had +perished. On the left side of the skeleton were the remains of a crosier, +and among the bones and around the skull were found fragments of sackcloth +and of garments wrought with gold tissue. It was evident that the tomb had +been previously violated, as the sheet-lead had been divided +longitudinally with some coarse cutting instrument, and the bones within +it had been displaced from their proper position. The most remarkable +discovery made on the opening of this tomb was that of the skeleton of an +infant a very few months old, which was found lying at the feet of the +bishop. + +Nichols, the antiquary, tells us that Brown Willis ascribed the above +monument to Silvester de Everdon, bishop of Carlisle, who was killed in +the year 1255 by a fall from a mettlesome horse, and was buried in the +Temple Church.[475] + +All the monumental remains of the ancient Knights Templars, formerly +existing in the Temple Church, have unfortunately long since been utterly +destroyed. Burton, the antiquary, who was admitted a member of the Inner +Temple in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, on the 20th of May, 1593, tells us +that in the body of the church there was "a large blue marble inlaid with +brasse," with this circumscription--"Hic requiescit Constantius de +Houerio, quondam visitator generalis ordinis militiae Templi in Anglia, +Francia, et Italia."[476] "Here lies Constance de Hover, formerly +visitor-general of the order of the Temple, in England, France, and +Italy." Not a vestige of this interesting monument now remains. During the +recent excavation in the churchyard for the foundations of the new organ +gallery, two very large stone coffins were found at a great depth below +the present surface, which doubtless enclosed the mortal remains of +distinguished Templars. The churchyard appears to abound in ancient stone +coffins. + +In the Round of the Temple Church, the oldest part of the present fabric, +are the famous monuments of secular warriors, with their legs crossed, in +token that they had assumed the cross, and taken the vow to march to the +defence of the christian faith in Palestine. These cross-legged effigies +have consequently been termed "the monuments of the crusaders," and are so +singular and interesting, that a separate chapter must be devoted to the +consideration of them. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +THE TEMPLE CHURCH. + + THE MONUMENTS OF THE CRUSADERS--The tomb and effigy of Sir Geoffrey de + Magnaville, earl of Essex, and constable of the Tower--His life and + death, and famous exploits--Of William Marshall, earl of Pembroke, + Protector of England--Of the Lord de Ross--Of William and Gilbert + Marshall, earls of Pembroke--Of William Plantagenet, fifth son of + Henry the Third--The anxious desire manifested by king Henry the + Third, queen Eleanor, and various persons of rank, to be buried in the + Temple Church. + + "The knights are dust, + And their good swords are rust, + Their souls are with the saints, we trust." + + +The mail-clad monumental effigies reposing side by side on the pavement of +"the Round" of the Temple Church, have been supposed to be monuments of +Knights Templars, but this is not the case. The Templars were always +buried in the habit of their order, and are represented in it on their +tombs. This habit was a long white mantle, as before mentioned, with a red +cross over the left breast; it had a short cape and a hood behind, and +fell down to the feet unconfined by any girdle. In a long mantle of this +description, with the cross of the order carved upon it, is represented +the Knight Templar Brother Jean de Dreux, in the church of St. Yvod de +Braine in France, with this inscription, in letters of gold, carved upon +the monument--F. JEAN LI TEMPLIER FUIS AU COMTE JEAN DE DREUX.[477] + +Although not monuments of Knight Templars, yet these interesting +cross-legged effigies have strong claims to our attention upon other +grounds. They appear to have been placed in the Temple Church, to the +memory of a class of men termed "Associates of the Temple," who, though +not actually admitted to the holy vows and habit of the order, were yet +received into a species of spiritual connexion with the Templars, +curiously illustrative of the superstition and credulity of the times. + +Many piously-inclined persons of rank and fortune, bred up amid the +pleasures and the luxuries of the world, were anxiously desirous of +participating in the spiritual advantages and blessings believed to be +enjoyed by the holy warriors of the Temple, in respect of the good works +done by the fraternity, but could not bring themselves to submit to the +severe discipline and gloomy life of the regularly-professed brethren. For +the purpose of turning the tendencies and peculiar feelings of such +persons to a good account, the Master and Chapter of the Temple assumed +the power of admitting them into a spiritual association and connexion +with the order, so that, without renouncing their pleasures and giving up +their secular mode of life, they might share in the merit of the good +works performed by the brethren. The mode in which this was frequently +done is displayed to us by the following public authentic document, +extracted by Ducange from the Royal Registry of Provence. + +"Be it known to all persons present and to come, that in the year of the +incarnation 1209, in the month of December, I, William D. G., count of +Forcalquier, and son of the deceased Gerald, being inspired with the love +of God, of my own free will, and with hearty desire, dedicate my body and +soul to the Lord, to the most blessed Virgin Mary, and to the house of the +chivalry of the Temple, in manner following. If at any time I determine on +taking the vows of a religious order, I will choose the religion of the +Temple, and none other; but I will not embrace it except in sincerity, of +my own free will, and without constraint. Should I happen to end my days +amid the pleasures of the world, I will be buried in the cemetery of the +house of the Temple. I promise, through love of God, for the repose of my +soul, and the souls of my parents, and of all the dead faithful in Christ, +to give to the aforesaid house of the Temple and to the brethren, at my +decease, my own horse, with two other saddle-horses, all my equipage and +armour complete, as well iron as wood, fit for a knight, and a hundred +marks of silver. Moreover, in acknowledgement of this donation, I promise +to give to the aforesaid house of the Temple and to the brethren, as long +as I lead a secular life, a hundred pennies a year at the feast of the +nativity of our Lord; and all the property of the aforesaid house, +wheresoever situate, I take under my safeguard and protection, and will +defend it in accordance with right and justice against all men. + +"This donation I have made in the presence of Brother Peter de Montaigu, +Preceptor of Spain; Brother Peter Cadelli, Preceptor of Provence; and many +other brothers of the order. + +"And we, Brother Peter de Montaigu, Master, with the advice and consent of +the other brothers, receive you, the aforesaid Lord William, count of +Fourcalquier, as a benefactor and brother (_in donatum et confratrem_) of +our house, and grant you a bountiful participation in all the good works +that are done in the house of the Temple, both here and beyond sea. Of +this our grant are witnesses, of the brethren of the Temple, Brother +William Cadelli, Preceptor of Provence; Brother Bermond, Preceptor of +Rue; the reverend Brother Chosoardi, Preceptor of Barles; Brother Jordan +de Mison, Preceptor of Embrun; Brother G. de la Tour, Preceptor of the +house of Limaise. Of laymen are witnesses, the lady countess, the mother +of the aforesaid count; Gerald, his brother, &c. &c."[478] + +William of Asheby in Lincolnshire was admitted into this species of +spiritual confraternity with the Templars, as appears from the following +grant to the order: + +"William of Asheby, to all the barons and vavasors of Lincolnshire, and to +all his friends and neighbours, both French and English, Salvation. Be it +known to all present and to come, that since the knights of the Temple +have received me into confraternity with them, and have taken me under +their care and protection, I the said William have, with the consent of my +Brothers Ingram, Gerard, and Jordan, given and granted to God and the +blessed Mary, and to the aforesaid knights of the Temple, all the residue +of my waste and heath land, over and above what I have confirmed to them +by my previous grant ... &c. &c."[479] + +By these curious arrangements with secular persons, the Templars succeeded +in attaching men of rank and influence to their interests, and in +obtaining bountiful alms and donations, both of land and money. It is +probable that the cross-legged monuments in the Temple Church were erected +to the memory of secular warriors who had been admitted amongst the class +of associated brethren of the Temple, and had bequeathed their bodies to +be buried in the Temple cemetery. + +During the recent repairs it became necessary to make an extensive +excavation in the Round, and beneath these monumental effigies were found +two enormous stone coffins, together with five leaden coffins curiously +and beautifully ornamented with a device resembling the one observable on +the old tesselated pavement of the church; and an arched vault, which had +been formed in the inner circular foundation, supporting the clustered +columns and the round tower. The leaden coffins had been inclosed in small +vaults, the walls of which had perished. The skeletons within them were +entire and undisturbed; they were enveloped in coarse sackcloth, which +crumbled to dust on being touched. One of these skeletons measured six +feet four inches in length, and another six feet two inches! The large +stone coffins were of immense thickness and weight; they had long +previously been broken open and turned into charnel-houses. In the one +nearest the south window were found three skulls, and a variety of bones, +amongst which were those of some young person. Upon the lid, which was +composed of Purbeck marble, was a large and elegantly-shaped cross, +beautifully sculptured, and in an excellent state of preservation. The +vault constructed in the solid foundations of the pillars of the round +tower, on the north side of the church, contained the remains of a +skeleton wrapped in sackcloth; the skull and the upper part of it were in +a good state of preservation, but the lower extremities had crumbled to +dust. + +Neither the number nor the position of the coffins below corresponded with +the figures above, and it is quite clear that these last have been removed +from their original position. + +In Camden's Britannia, the first edition of which was published in the +38th of Eliz., A. D. 1586, we are informed that many noblemen lie buried +in the Temple Church, whose effigies are to be seen cross-legged, among +whom were William the father, and William and Gilbert his sons, earls of +Pembroke and marshals of England.[480] Stow, in his Survey of London, the +first edition of which was published A. D. 1598, speaks of them as +follows: + +"In the round walk (which is the west part without the quire) there remain +monuments of noblemen there buried, to the number of eleven. _Eight_ of +them are images of armed knights; _five_ lying cross-legged, as men vowed +to the Holy Land against the infidels and unbelieving Jews, the other +three straight-legged. The rest are coped stones, all of gray +marble."[481] A manuscript history of the Temple in the Inner Temple +library, written at the commencement of the reign of Charles the First, +tells us that "the crossed-legged images or portraitures remain in carved +stone in _the middle of the round walke, environed with barres of +iron_."[482] And Dugdale, in his Origines Juridiciales, published 1666, +thus describes them: "Within a spacious _grate of iron in the midst of the +round walk_ under the steeple, do lye _eight_ statues in military habits, +each of them having large and deep shields on their left armes, of which +_five_ are cross-legged. There are also three other gravestones lying +about five inches above the level of the ground, on one of which is a +large escocheon, with a lion rampant graven thereon."[483] Such is the +ancient account of these monuments; now, however, _six_ instead of five +cross-legged statues are to be seen, making _nine_ armed knights, whilst +only _one_ coped gravestone remains. The effigies are no longer inclosed +"within a spacious grate of iron," but are divided into two groups +environed by iron railings, and are placed on either side of the entrance +to the oblong portion of the church. + +Whatever change was made in their original position appears to have been +effected at the time that the church was so shamefully disfigured by the +Protestant lawyers, either in the year 1682, when it was "thoroughly +repaired," or in 1695, when "the ornamental screen was set up in it;" +inasmuch, as we are informed by a newspaper, called the Flying Post, of +the date of the 2nd of January, 1696, that Roger Gillingham, Esq., +treasurer of the Middle Temple, who died on the 29th of December, 1695, +aet. seventy, had the credit of facing the Temple Church with New Portland +stone, and of "_marshalling the Knights Templars in uniform order_."[484] +Stow tells us that "the first of the crossed-legged was William Marshall, +the elder, earl of Pembroke," but the effigy of that nobleman now stands +the second; the additional figure appears to have been placed the first, +and seems to have been brought from the western doorway and laid by the +side of the others. + +During the recent restoration of the church, it was necessary to excavate +the earth in every part of the Round, and just beneath the pavement of the +external circular aisle or portico environing the tower, was found a +broken sarcophagus of Purbeck marble, containing a skull and some bones +apparently of very great antiquity; the upper surface of the sarcophagus +was on a level with the ancient pavement; it had no mark or inscription +upon it, and seemed originally to have been decorated with a monumental +effigy. + +From two ancient manuscript accounts of the foundation of Walden Abbey, +written by the monks of that great religious house, we learn that Geoffrey +de Magnaville, earl of Essex, the founder of it, being slain by an arrow, +in the year 1144, was taken by the Knights Templars to the Old Temple, +that he was afterwards removed to the cemetery of the New Temple, and that +his body was buried in the portico before the western door of the +church.[485] The sarcophagus lately found in that position is of Purbeck +marble; so also is the first figure on the south side of the Round, whilst +nearly all the others are of common stone. The tablet whereon it rests had +been grooved round the edges and polished; three sides were perfect, but +the fourth had decayed away to the extent of six or seven inches. The +sides of the marble sarcophagus had also been carefully smoothed and +polished. The same thing was not observable amongst the other sarcophagi +and figures. It must, moreover, be mentioned, that the first figure on the +south side had no coffin of any description under it. We may, therefore, +reasonably conclude, that this figure is the monumental effigy of Geoffrey +de Magnaville, earl of Essex. It represents an armed knight with his legs +crossed,[486] in token that he had assumed the cross, and taken a vow to +fight in defence of the christian faith. His body is cased in chain mail, +over which is worn a loose flowing garment confined to the waist by a +girdle, his right arm is placed on his breast, and his left supports a +long shield charged with rays on a diamond ground. On his right side hangs +a ponderous sword of immense length, and his head, which rests on a stone +cushion, is covered with an elegantly-shaped helmet. + +Geoffrey de Magnaville, earl of Essex, to whose memory the above monument +appears to have been erected, was one of the most violent of those "barons +bold" who desolated England so fearfully during the reign of king Stephen. +He was the son of that famous soldier, Geoffrey de Magnaville, who fought +so valiantly at the battle of Hastings, and was endowed by the conqueror +with one hundred and eighteen lordships in England. From his father +William de Magnaville, and his mother Magaret, daughter and heiress of the +great Eudo Dapifer, Sir Geoffrey inherited an immense estate in England +and in Normandy. On the accession of king Stephen to the throne, he was +made constable of the Tower, and created earl of Essex, and was sent by +the king to the Isle of Ely to put down a rebellion which had been excited +there by Baldwin de Rivers, and Nigel bishop of Ely.[487] + +In A. D. 1136, he founded the great abbey of Walden in Essex, which was +consecrated by the bishops of London, Ely, and Norwich, in the presence of +Sir Geoffrey, the lady Roisia his wife, and all his principal +tenants.[488] For some time after the commencement of the war between +Stephen and the empress Matilda for the succession to the throne, he +remained faithful to the former, but after the fatal result of the bloody +battle of Lincoln, in which king Stephen was taken prisoner, he, in common +with most of the other barons, adhered to the party of Matilda; and that +princess, fully sensible of his great power and commanding influence, left +no means untried to attach him permanently to her interests. She confirmed +him in his post of constable of the Tower; granted him the hereditary +shrievalties of several counties, together with large estates and +possessions both in England and in Normandy, and invested him with +numerous and important privileges.[489] On the flight of the empress, +however, and the discomfiture of her party, king Stephen was released from +prison, and an apparent reconciliation took place between him and his +powerful vassal the earl of Essex, but shortly afterward the king +ventured upon the bold step of seizing and imprisoning the earl and his +father-in-law, Aubrey de Vere, whilst they were unsuspectingly attending +the court at Saint Alban's. + +The earl of Essex was compelled to surrender the Tower of London, and +several of his strong castles, as the price of his freedom;[490] but he +was no sooner at liberty, than he collected together his vassals and +adherents, and raised the standard of rebellion. He was joined by crowds +of freebooters and needy adventurers, and soon found himself at the head +of a powerful army. He laid waste the royal domains, pillaged the king's +servants, and subsisted his followers upon plunder. He took and sacked the +town of Cambridge, laid waste the surrounding country, and stormed several +royal castles. He was afterwards compelled to retreat for a brief period +into the fens before a superior force led against him by king Stephen in +person. + +The most frightful excesses are said to have been committed by this potent +earl. He sent spies, we are told, to beg from door to door, and discover +where rich men dwelt, that he might seize them at night in their beds, +throw them into dungeons, and compel the payment of a heavy ransom for +their liberty.[491] He got by water to Ramsey, and entering the abbey of +St. Benedict at morning's dawn, surprised the monks asleep in their beds +after the fatigue of nocturnal offices; he turned them out of their +cells, filled the abbey with his soldiers, and made a fort of the church; +he took away all the gold and silver vessels of the altar, the copes and +vestments of the priests and singers ornamented with precious stones, and +all the decorations of the church, and sold them for money to reward his +soldiers.[492] The monkish historians of the period speak with horror of +these sacrilegious excesses. + +"He dared," says William, the monk of Newburgh, who lived in the reign of +king Stephen, "to make that celebrated and holy place a robber's cave, and +to turn the sanctuary of the Lord into an abode of the devil. He infested +all the neighbouring provinces with frequent incursions, and at length, +emboldened by constant success, he alarmed and harassed king Stephen +himself by his daring attacks. He thus, indeed, raged madly, and it seemed +as if the Lord slept and cared no longer for human affairs, or rather his +own, that is to say, ecclesiastical affairs, so that the pious labourers +in Christ's vineyard exclaimed, 'Arise, O God, maintain thine own cause +... how long shall the adversary do this dishonour, how long shall the +enemy blaspheme thy name?' But God, willing to make his power known, as +the apostle saith, endured with much 'long-suffering the vessels of wrath +fitted to destruction,' and at last smote his enemies in their hinder +parts. It was discovered indeed, a short time before the destruction of +this impious man, as we have learned from the true relation of many +witnesses, that the walls of the church sweated pure blood,--a terrible +manifestation, as it afterwards appeared, of the enormity of the crime, +and of the speedy judgement of God upon the sinners."[493] + +For this sacrilege and impiety Sir Geoffrey was excommunicated, but, +deriding the spiritual thunders, he went and laid siege to the royal +castle at Burwell. After a successful attack which brought him to the foot +of the rampart, he took off his helmet, it being summer-time and the +weather hot, that he might breathe more freely, when a foot soldier +belonging to the garrison shot an arrow from a loophole in the castle +wall, and gave him a slight wound on the head; "which slight wound," says +our worthy monk of Newburgh, "although at first treated with derision, +after a few days destroyed him, so that that most ferocious man, never +having been absolved from the bond of the ecclesiastical curse, went to +hell."[494] + +Peter de Langtoft thus speaks of these evil doings of the earl of Essex, +in his curious poetic chronicle. + + "The abbay of Rameseie bi nyght he robbed it + The tresore bare aweie with hand thei myght on hit. + Abbot, and prior, and monk, thei did outchace, + Of holy kirke a toure to theft thei mad it place. + Roberd the Marmion, the same wayes did he, + He robbed thorgh treson the kirk of Couentre. + Here now of their schame, what chance befelle, + The story sais the same soth as the gospelle: + Geffrey of Maundeuile to fele wrouh he wouh,[495] + The deuelle gald him his while with an arrowe him slouh. + The gode bishop of Chestre cursed this ilk Geffrey, + The lif out of his estre in cursing went away. + Arnulf his sonne was taken als thefe, and brouht in bond, + Before the kyng forsaken, and exiled out of his lond."[496] + +The monks of Walden tell us, that as the earl lay wounded on his sick +couch, and felt the hand of death pressing heavy upon him, he bitterly +repented of his evil deeds, and sought, but in vain, for ecclesiastical +assistance. At last some Knights Templars came to him, and finding him +humble and contrite, praying earnestly to God, and making what +satisfaction he could for his past offences, they put on him the habit of +their religion marked with the red cross. After he had expired, they +carried the dead body with them to the Old Temple at London; but as the +earl had died excommunicated, they durst not give him christian burial in +consecrated ground, and they accordingly soldered him up in lead, and hung +him on a crooked tree in their orchard.[497] Some years afterwards, +through the exertions and at the expense of William, whom the earl had +made prior of Walden Abbey, his absolution was obtained from pope +Alexander the Third, so that his body was permitted to be received amongst +Christians, and the divine offices to be celebrated for him. The prior +accordingly endeavoured to take down the corpse and carry it to Walden; +but the Templars, being informed of his design, buried it in their own +cemetery at the New Temple,[498] in the portico before the western door of +the church.[499] + +Pope Alexander, from whom the absolution was obtained, was elected to the +pontifical chair in September, 1159, and died in 1181. It was this pontiff +who, who by the bull _omne datum optimum_, promulgated in the year 1162, +conceded to the Templars the privilege of having their own cemeteries free +from the interference of the regular clergy. The land whereon the convent +of the New Temple was erected, was purchased soon after the publication of +the above bull, and a cemetery was doubtless consecrated there for the +brethren long before the completion of the church. To this cemetery the +body of the earl was removed after the absolution had been obtained, and +when the church was consecrated by the patriarch, (A. D. 1185,) it was +finally buried in the portico before the west door. + +The monks of Walden tell us that the above earl of Essex was a religious +man, endowed with many virtues.[500] He was married to the famous Roisia +de Vere, of the family of the earls of Oxford, who in her old age led an +ascetic life, and constructed for herself an extraordinary subterranean +cell or oratory, which was curiously discovered towards the close of the +last century.[501] He had issue by this illustrious lady four sons, +Ernulph, Geoffrey, William, and Robert. Ernulph was exiled as the +accomplice of the father in his evil deeds, and Geoffrey succeeded to the +title and the estates. + +The second of the cross-legged figures on the south side, in the Round of +the Temple Church, is the monumental effigy of + +WILLIAM MARSHALL, EARL OF PEMBROKE, + +Earl Marshall, and Protector of England, during the minority of king Henry +the Third, and one of the greatest of the warriors and statesmen who shine +in English history. Matthew Paris describes his burial in the Temple +Church in the year 1119, and in Camden's time, (A. D. 1586,) the +inscription upon his monument was legible. "In altero horum tumulo," says +Camden, "literis fugientibus legi, _Comes Pembrochiae_, et in latere, +_Miles eram Martis, Mars multos vicerat armis_."[502] Although no longer, +("the first of the cross-legged,") as described by Stow, A. D. 1598, yet +tradition has always, since the days of Roger Gillingham, who moved these +figures, pointed it out as "the monument of the protector," and the lion +rampant, still plainly visible upon the shield, was the armorial bearing +of the Marshalls. + +This interesting monumental effigy is carved in a common kind of stone, +called by the masons fire-stone. It represents an armed warrior clothed +from head to foot in chain mail; he is in the act of sheathing a sword +which hangs on his left side; his legs are crossed, and his feet, which +are armed with spurs, rest on a _lion couchant_. Over his armour is worn a +loose garment, confined to the waist by a girdle, and from his left arm +hangs suspended a shield, having a lion rampant engraved thereon. The +greater part of the sword has been broken away and lost, which has given +rise to the supposition that he is sheathing a dagger. The head is +defended by a round helmet, and rests on a stone pillow. + +The family of the Marshalls derived their name from the hereditary office +of earl marshall, which they held under the crown. + +The above William Marshall was the son and heir of John Marshall, earl of +Strigul, and was the faithful and constant supporter of the royal house of +Plantagenet. When the young prince Henry, eldest son of king Henry the +Second, was on his deathbed at the castle of Martel near Turenne, he gave +to him, as his best friend, his cross to carry to Jerusalem.[503] On the +return of William Marshall from the holy city, he was present at the +coronation of Richard Coeur de Lion, and bore on that occasion the royal +sceptre of gold surmounted by a cross.[504] King Richard the same year +gave him in marriage Isabel de Clare, the only child and heiress of +Richard de Clare, earl of Pembroke, surnamed Strongbow, and granted him +with this illustrious lady the earldom of Pembroke.[505] The year +following (A. D. 1190) he became one of the sureties for the performance +by king Richard of his part of the treaty entered into with the king of +France for the accomplishment of the crusade to the Holy Land, and on the +departure of king Richard for the far East he was appointed by that +monarch one of the council for the government of the kingdom during his +absence.[506] + +From the year 1189 to 1205 he was sheriff of Lincolnshire, and was after +that sheriff of Sussex, and held that office during the whole of king +Richard's reign. He attended Coeur de Lion in his expedition to Normandy, +and on the death of that monarch by the hand of Bertram, the +cross-bow-man, before the walls of Castle Chaluz, he was sent over to +England to keep the peace of the kingdom until the arrival of king John. +In conjunction with Hubert, archbishop of Canterbury, he caused the +freemen of England, both of the cities and boroughs, and most of the +earls, barons, and free tenants, to swear fealty to John.[507] + +On the arrival of the latter in England he was constituted sheriff of +Gloucestershire and of Sussex, and was shortly afterwards sent into +Normandy at the head of a large body of forces. He commanded in the famous +battle fought A. D. 1202 before the fortress of Mirabel, in which the +unfortunate prince Arthur and his lovely sister Eleanor, "the pearl of +Brittany," were taken prisoners, together with the earl of March, most of +the nobility of Poictou and Anjou, and two hundred French knights, who +were ignominiously put into fetters, and sent away in carts to Normandy. +This battle was followed, as is well known, by the mysterious death of +prince Arthur, who is said to have been murdered by king John himself, +whilst the beautiful Eleanor, nicknamed _La Bret_, who, after the death of +her brother, was the next heiress to the crown of England, was confined in +close custody in Bristol Castle, where she remained a prisoner for life. +At the head of four thousand infantry and three thousand cavalry, the earl +Marshall attempted to relieve the fortress of Chateau Gaillard, which was +besieged by Philip king of France, but failed in consequence of the +non-arrival of seventy flat-bottomed vessels, whose progress up the river +Seine had been retarded by a strong contrary wind.[508] For his fidelity +and services to the crown he was rewarded with numerous manors, lands, and +castles, both in England and in Normandy, with the whole province of +Leinster in Ireland, and he was made governor of the castles of +Caermerden, Cardigan, and Coher. + +In the year 1204 he was sent ambassador to Paris, and on his return he +continued to be the constant and faithful attendant of the English +monarch. He was one of the witnesses to the surrender by king John at +Temple Ewell of his crown and kingdom to the pope,[509] and when the +barons' war broke out he was the constant mediator and negotiator between +the king and his rebellious subjects, enjoying the confidence and respect +of both parties. When the armed barons came to the Temple, where king John +resided, to demand the liberties and laws of king Edward, he became surety +for the performance of the king's promise to satisfy their demands. He was +afterwards deputed to inquire what these laws and liberties were, and +after having received at Stamford the written demands of the barons, he +urged the king to satisfy them. Failing in this, he returned to Stamford +to explain the king's denial, and the barons' war then broke out. He +afterwards accompanied king John to the Tower, and when the barons entered +London he was sent to announce the submission of the king to their +desires. Shortly afterwards he attended king John to Runnymede, in company +with Brother Americ, the Master of the Temple, and at the earnest request +of these two exalted personages, king John was at last induced to sign +MAGNA CHARTA.[510] + +On the death of that monarch, in the midst of a civil war and a foreign +invasion, he assembled the loyal bishops and barons of the land at +Gloucester, and by his eloquence, talents, and address, secured the throne +for king John's son, the young prince Henry.[511] The greater part of +England was at that time in the possession of prince Louis, the dauphin of +France, who had landed with a French army at Sandwich, and was supported +by the late king's rebellious barons in a claim to the throne. Pembroke +was chosen guardian and protector of the young king and of the kingdom, +and exerted himself with great zeal and success in driving out the French, +and in bringing back the English to their antient allegiance.[512] He +offered pardon in the king's name to the disaffected barons for their past +offences. He confirmed, in the name of the youthful sovereign, MAGNA +CHARTA and the CHARTA FORESTAE; and as the great seal had been lost by king +John, together with all his treasure, in the washes of Lincolnshire, the +deeds of confirmation were sealed with the seal of the earl marshall.[513] +He also extended the benefit of Magna Charta to Ireland, and commanded all +the sheriffs to read it publicly at the county courts, and enforce its +observance in every particular. Having thus exerted himself to remove the +just complaints of the disaffected, he levied a considerable army, and +having left the young king at Bristol, he proceeded to lay siege to the +castle of Mountsorel in Leicestershire, which was in the possession of the +French. + +Prince Louis had, in the mean time, despatched an army of twenty thousand +men, officered by six hundred knights, from London against the northern +counties. These mercenaries stormed various strong castles, despoiled the +towns, villages, and religious houses, and laid waste the open country. +The protector concentrated all his forces at Newarke, and on Whit-monday, +A. D. 1217, he marched at their head, accompanied by his eldest son and +the young king, to raise the siege of Lincoln Castle. On arriving at Stow +he halted his army, and leaving the youthful monarch and the royal family +at that place under the protection of a strong guard, he proceeded with +the remainder of his forces to Lincoln. On Saturday in Whitsun week (A. D. +1217) he gained a complete victory over the disaffected English and their +French allies, and gave a deathblow to the hopes and prospects of the +dauphin. Four earls, eleven barons, and four hundred knights, were taken +prisoners, besides common soldiers innumerable. The earl of Perch, a +Frenchman, was slain whilst manfully defending himself in a churchyard, +having previously had his horse killed under him. The rebel force lost all +their baggage, provisions, treasure, and the spoil which they had +accumulated from the plunder of the northern provinces, among which were +many valuable gold and silver vessels torn from the churches and the +monasteries. + +As soon as the fate of the day was decided, the protector rode back to the +young king at Stow, and was the first to communicate the happy +intelligence of his victory.[514] He then marched upon London, where +prince Louis and his adherents had fortified themselves, and leaving a +corps of observation in the neighbourhood of the metropolis, he proceeded +to take possession of all the eastern counties. Having received +intelligence of the concentration of a French fleet at Calais to make a +descent upon the English coast, he armed the ships of the Cinque Ports, +and, intercepting the French vessels, he gained a brilliant victory over +a much superior naval force of the enemy.[515] By his valour and military +talents he speedily reduced the French prince to the necessity of suing +for peace.[516] On the 11th of September a personal interview took place +between the latter and the protector at Staines near London, and it was +agreed that the prince and all the French forces should immediately +evacuate the country. + +Having thus rescued England from the danger of a foreign yoke, and having +established tranquillity throughout the country, and secured the young +king Henry in the peaceable and undisputed possession of the throne, he +died (A. D. 1219) at Caversham, leaving behind him, says Matthew Paris, +such a reputation as few could compare with. His dead body was, in the +first instance, conveyed to the abbey at Reading, where it was received by +the monks in solemn procession. It was placed in the choir of the church, +and high mass was celebrated with vast pomp. On the following day it was +brought to Westminster Abbey, where high mass was again performed; and +from thence it was borne in state to the Temple Church, where it was +solemnly interred on Ascension-day, A. D. 1219.[517] Matthew Paris tells +us that the following epitaph was composed to the memory of the above +distinguished nobleman:-- + + "Sum quem Saturnum sibi sensit Hibernia, solem + Anglia, Mercurium Normannia, Gallia Martem." + +For he was, says he, always the tamer of the mischievous Irish, the honour +and glory of the English, the negotiator of Normandy, in which he +transacted many affairs, and a warlike and invincible soldier in France. + +The inscription upon his tomb was, in Camden's time, almost illegible, as +before mentioned, and the only verse that could be read was, + +"Miles eram Martis Mars multos vicerat armis." + +All the historians of the period speak in the highest terms of the earl of +Pembroke as a warrior[518] and a statesman, and concur in giving him a +noble character. Shakspeare, consequently, in his play of King John, +represents him as the eloquent intercessor in behalf of the unfortunate +prince Arthur. + +Surrounded by the nobles, he thus addresses the king on his throne-- + + "PEMBROKE. I (as one that am the tongue of these, + To sound the purposes of all their hearts,) + Both for myself and them, (but, chief of all, + Your safety, for the which myself and them + Bend their best studies,) heartily request + The enfranchisement of Arthur; whose restraint + Doth move the murmuring lips of discontent + To break into this dangerous argument,-- + If, what in rest you have, in right you hold, + Why then your fears, (which, as they say, attend + The steps of wrong,) should move you to mew up + Your tender kinsman, and to choke his days + With barbarous ignorance, and deny his youth + The rich advantage of good exercise? + That the time's enemies may not have this + To grace occasions, let it be our suit + That you have bid us ask his liberty; + Which for our goods we do no further ask, + Than whereupon our weal, on you depending. + Counts it your weal, he have his liberty." + +Afterwards, when he is shown the dead body of the unhappy prince, he +exclaims-- + + "O death, made proud with pure and princely beauty! + The earth had not a hole to hide this deed. + + * * * * * + + All murders past do stand excused in this: + And this, so sole, and so unmatchable, + Shall give a holiness, a purity, + To the yet unbegotten sin of times, + And prove a deadly bloodshed but a jest, + Exampled by this heinous spectacle." + +This illustrious nobleman was a great benefactor to the Templars. He +granted them the advowsons of the churches of Spenes, Castelan-Embyan, +together with eighty acres of land in Eschirmanhir.[519] + +By the side of the earl of Pembroke, towards the northern windows of the +Round of the Temple Church, reposes a youthful warrior, clothed in armour +of chain mail; he has a long buckler on his left arm, and his hands are +pressed together in supplication upon his breast. This is the monumental +effigy of Robert Lord de Ros, and is the most elegant and interesting in +appearance of all the cross-legged figures in the Temple Church. The head +is uncovered, and the countenance, which is youthful, has a remarkably +pleasing expression, and is graced with long and flowing locks of curling +hair. On the left side of the figure is a ponderous sword, and the armour +of the legs has a ridge or seam up the front, which is continued over the +knee, and forms a kind of garter below the knee. The feet are trampling on +a lion, and the legs are crossed in token that the warrior was one of +those military enthusiasts who so strangely mingled religion and romance, +"whose exploits form the connecting link between fact and fiction, between +history and the fairy tale." It has generally been thought that this +interesting figure is intended to represent a genuine Knight Templar +clothed in the habit of his order, and the loose garment or surcoat thrown +over the ring-armour, and confined to the waist by a girdle, has been +described as "a flowing mantle with a kind of _cowl_." This supposed cowl +is nothing more than a fold of the chain mail, which has been covered with +a thick coating of paint. The mantle is the common surcoat worn by the +secular warriors of the day, and is not the habit of the Temple. Moreover, +the long curling hair manifests that the warrior whom it represents could +not have been a Templar, as the brethren of the Temple were required to +cut their hair close, and they wore long beards. + +In an antient genealogical account of the Ros family,[520] written at the +commencement of the reign of Henry the Eighth, A. D. 1513, two centuries +after the abolition of the order of the Temple, it is stated that Robert +Lord de Ros became a Templar, and was buried at London. The writer must +have been mistakened, as that nobleman remained in possession of his +estates up to the day of his death, and his eldest son, after his decease, +had livery of his lands, and paid his fine to the king in the usual way, +which would not have been the case if the Lord de Ros had entered into the +order of the Temple. He was doubtless an associate or honorary member of +the fraternity, and the circumstance of his being buried in the Temple +Church probably gave rise to the mistake. The shield of his monumental +effigy is charged with three water bougets, the armorial ensigns of his +family, similar to those observable in the north aisle of Westminster +Abbey. + +Robert Lord de Ros, in consequence of the death of his father in the +prime of life, succeeded to his estates at the early age of thirteen, and +in the second year of the reign of Richard Coeur de Lion, (A. D. 1190,) he +paid a fine of one thousand marks, (L666, 13_s._ 4_d._,) to the king for +livery of his lands. In the eighth year of the same king, he was charged +with the custody of _Hugh de Chaumont_, an illustrious French prisoner of +war, and was commanded to keep him _safe as his own life_. He, however, +devolved the duty upon his servant, William de Spiney, who, being bribed, +suffered the Frenchman to escape from the Castle of Bonville, in +consequence whereof the Lord de Ros was compelled by king Richard to pay +eight hundred pounds, the ransom of the prisoner, and William de Spiney +was executed.[521] + +On the accession of king John to the throne, the Lord de Ros was in high +favour at court, and received by grant from that monarch the barony of his +ancestor, Walter l'Espec. He was sent into Scotland with letters of safe +conduct to the king of Scots, to enable that monarch to proceed to England +to do homage, and during his stay in Scotland he fell in love with +Isabella, the beautiful daughter of the Scottish king, and demanded and +obtained her hand in marriage. He attended her royal father on his journey +into England to do homage to king John, and was present at the interview +between the two monarchs on the hill near Lincoln, when the king of +Scotland swore fealty on the cross of Hubert archbishop of Canterbury, in +the presence of the nobility of both kingdoms, and a vast concourse of +spectators.[522] From his sovereign the Lord de Ros obtained various +privileges and immunities, and in the year 1213 he was made sheriff of +Cumberland. He was at first faithful to king John, but, in common with the +best and bravest of the nobles of the land, he afterwards shook off his +allegiance, raised the standard of rebellion, and was amongst the +foremost of those bold patriots who obtained MAGNA CHARTA. He was chosen +one of the twenty-five conservators of the public liberties, and engaged +to compel John to observe the great charter.[523] he infant prince Henry, +through the influence and persuasions of the earl of Pembroke, the +Protector,[524] and he received from the youthful monarch various marks of +the royal favour. He died in the eleventh year of the reign of the young +king Henry the Third, (A. D. 1227,) and was buried in the Temple +Church.[525] + +The above Lord de Ros was a great benefactor to the Templars. He granted +them the manor of Ribstane, and the advowson of the church; the ville of +Walesford, and all his windmills at that place; the ville of Hulsyngore, +with the wood and windmill there; also all his land at Cattall, and +various tenements in Conyngstreate, York.[526] + +Weever has evidently misapplied the inscription seen on the antient +monument of Brother Constance Hover, the visitor-general of the order of +the Temple, to the above nobleman. + +As regards the remaining monumental effigies in the Temple Church, it +appears utterly impossible at this distance of time to identify them, as +there are no armorial bearings on their shields, or aught that can give us +a clue to their history. There can be no doubt but that two of the figures +are intended to represent William Marshall, junior, and Gilbert Marshall, +both earls of Pembroke, and sons of the Protector. Matthew Paris tells us +that these noblemen were buried by the side of their father in the Temple +Church, and their identification would consequently have been easy but +for the unfortunate removal of the figures from their original situations +by the immortal _Roger Gillingham_. + +Next to the Lord de Ros reposes a stern warrior, with both his arms +crossed on his breast. He has a plain wreath around his head, and his +shield, which has no armorial bearings, is slung on his left arm. By the +side of this figure is a coaped stone, which formed the lid of an antient +sarcophagus. The ridges upon it represent a cross, the top of which +terminates in a trefoil, whilst the foot rests on the head of a lamb. From +the middle of the shaft of the cross issue two fleurets or leaves. As the +lamb was the emblem of the order of the Temple, it is probable that the +sarcophagus to which this coaped stone belonged, contained the dead body +either of one of the Masters, or of one of the visitors-general of the +Templars. + +Of the figures in the northernmost group of monumental effigies in the +Temple Church, only two are cross-legged. The first figure on the south +side of the row, which is straight-legged, holds a drawn sword in its +right hand pointed towards the ground; the feet are supported by a +leopard, and the cushion under the head is adorned with sculptured foliage +and flowers. The third figure has the sword suspended on the right side, +and the hands are joined in a devotional attitude upon the breast. The +fourth has a spirited appearance. It represents a cross-legged warrior in +the act of drawing a sword, whilst he is at the same time trampling a +dragon under his feet. It is emblematical of the religious soldier +conquering the enemies of the christian church. The next and last +monumental effigy, which likewise has its legs crossed, is similar in +dress and appearance to the others; the right arm reposes on the breast, +and the left hand rests on the sword. These two last figures, which +correspond in character, costume, and appearance, may perhaps be the +monumental effigies of William and Gilbert Marshall, the two sons of the +Protector. + +WILLIAM MARSHALL, commonly called THE YOUNGER, was one of the bold and +patriotic barons who compelled king John to sign MAGNA CHARTA. He was +appointed one of the twenty-five conservators of the public liberties, and +was one of the chief leaders and promoters of the barons' war, being a +party to the covenant for holding the city and Tower of London.[527] On +the death of king John, his father the Protector brought him over to the +cause of the young king Henry, the rightful heir to the throne, whom he +served with zeal and fidelity. He was a gallant soldier, and greatly +distinguished himself in a campaign in Wales. He overthrew Prince +Llewellyn in battle with the loss of eight thousand men, and laid waste +the dominions of that prince with fire and sword.[528] For these services +he had scutage of all his tenants in _twenty counties in England_! He was +made governor of the castles of Cardigan and Carmarthen, and received +various marks of royal favour. In the fourteenth year of the reign of king +Henry the Third, he was made captain-general of the king's forces in +Brittany, and, whilst absent in that country, a war broke out in Ireland, +whereupon he was sent to that kingdom with a considerable army to restore +tranquillity. He married Eleanor, the daughter of king John by the +beautiful Isabella of Angouleme, and he was consequently the +brother-in-law of the young king Henry the Third.[529] He died without +issue, A. D. 1231, (15 Hen. III.,) and on the 14th of April he was buried +in the Temple Church at London, by the side of his father the Protector. +He was greatly beloved by king Henry the Third, who attended his funeral, +and Matthew Paris tells us, that when the king saw the dead body covered +with the mournful pall, he heaved a deep sigh, and was greatly +affected.[530] + +The manors, castles, estates, and possessions of this powerful nobleman in +England, Wales, Ireland, and Normandy, were immense. He gave extensive +forest lands to the monks of Tinterne in Wales; he founded the monastery +of Friars preachers in Dublin, and to the Templars he gave the church of +Westone with all its appurtenances, and granted and confirmed to them the +borough of Baudac, the estate of Langenache, with various lands, +windmills, and _villeins_ of the soil.[531] + +GILBERT MARSHALL, EARL OF PEMBROKE, brother to the above, and third son of +the Protector, succeeded to the earldom and the vast estates of his +ancestors on the melancholy murder in Ireland of his gallant brother +Richard, "the flower of the chivalry of that time," (A. D. 1234.) The year +after his accession to the title he married Margaret, the daughter of the +king of Scotland, who is described by Matthew Paris as "a most elegant +girl,"[532] and received with her a splendid dowry. In the year 1236 he +assumed the cross, and joined the king's brother, the earl of Cornwall, in +the promotion of a Crusade to the Holy Land. + +Matthew Paris gives a long account of an absurd quarrel which broke out +between this earl of Pembroke and king Henry the Third, when the latter +was eating his Christmas dinner at Winchester, in the year 1239.[533] + +At a great meeting of Crusaders at Northampton, he took a solemn oath upon +the high altar of the church of All Saints to proceed without delay to +Palestine to fight against the enemies of the cross;[534] but his +intentions were frustrated by the hand of death. At a tournament held at +Ware, A. D. 1241, he was thrown from his horse, and died a few hours +afterwards at the monastery at Hertford. His entrails were buried in the +church of the Virgin at that place, but his body was brought up to London, +accompanied by all his family, and was interred in the Temple Church by +the side of his father and eldest brother.[535] + +The above Gilbert Marshall granted to the Templars the church of Weston, +the borough of Baldok, lands and houses at Roydon, and the wood of +Langnoke.[536] + +All the five sons of the elder Marshall, the Protector, died without issue +in the reign of Henry the Third, and the family became extinct. They +followed one another to the grave in regular succession, so that each +attained for a brief period to the dignity of the earldom, and to the +hereditary office of EARL MARSHALL. + +Matthew Paris accounts for the melancholy extinction of this noble and +illustrious family in the following manner. + +He tells us that the elder Marshall, the Protector, during a campaign in +Ireland, seized the lands of the reverend bishop of Fernes, and kept +possession of them in spite of a sentence of excommunication which was +pronounced against him. After the Protector had gone the way of all flesh, +and had been buried in the Temple Church, the reverend bishop came to +London, and mentioned the circumstance to the king, telling him that the +earl of Pembroke had certainly died excommunicated. The king was much +troubled and alarmed at this intelligence, and besought the bishop to go +to the earl's tomb and absolve him from the bond of excommunication, +promising the bishop that he would endeavour to procure him ample +satisfaction. So anxious, indeed, was king Henry for the safety of the +soul of his quondam guardian, that he accompanied the bishop in person to +the Temple Church; and Matthew Paris declares that the bishop, standing by +the tomb in the presence of the king, and in the hearing of many +bystanders, pronounced these words: "O William, who lyest here interred, +and held fast by the chain of excommunication, if those lands which thou +hast unjustly taken away from my church be rendered back to me by the +king, or by your heir, or by any of your family, and if due satisfaction +be made for the loss and injury I have sustained, I grant you absolution; +but if not, I confirm my previous sentence, so that, enveloped in your +sins, you stand for evermore condemned to hell!" + +The restitution was never made, and the indignant bishop pronounced this +further curse, in the words of the Psalmist: "His name shall be rooted out +in one generation, and his sons shall be deprived of the blessing, +INCREASE AND MULTIPLY; some of them shall die a miserable death; their +inheritance shall be scattered; and this thou, O king, shall behold in thy +lifetime, yea, in the days of thy flourishing youth." Matthew Paris dwells +with great solemnity on the remarkable fulfilment of this dreadful +prophecy, and declares that when the oblong portion of the Temple Church +was consecrated, the body of the Protector was found entire, sewed up in +a bull's hide, but in a state of putridity, and disgusting in +appearance.[537] + +It will be observed that the dates of the burial of the above nobleman, as +mentioned by Matthew Paris and other authorities, are as follow:--William +Marshall the elder, A. D. 1219; Lord de Ros, A. D. 1227; William Marshall +the younger, A. D. 1231; all before the consecration of the oblong portion +of the church. Gilbert Marshall, on the other hand, was buried A. D. 1241, +the year after that ceremony had taken place. Those, therefore, who +suppose that the monumental effigies of the Marshall originally stood in +the eastern part of the building, are mistaken. + +Amongst the many distinguished persons interred in the Temple Church is +WILLIAM PLANTAGENET, the fifth son of Henry the Third, who died A. D. +1256, under age.[538] The greatest desire was manifested by all classes of +persons to be buried in the cemetery of the Templars. + +King Henry the Third provided for his own interment in the Temple by a +formal instrument couched in the following pious and reverential terms:-- + +"To all faithful Christians to whom these presents shall come, Henry by +the grace of God king of England, lord of Ireland, duke of Normandy and +Aquitaine, and count of Anjou, salvation. Be it known to all of you, that +we, being of sound mind and free judgment, and desiring with pious +forethought to extend our regards beyond the passing events of this life, +and to determine the place of our sepulture, have, on account of the love +we bear to the order and to the brethren of the chivalry of the Temple, +given and granted, after this life's journey has drawn to a close, and we +have gone the way of all flesh, our body to God and the blessed Virgin +Mary, and to the house of the chivalry of the Temple at London, to be +there buried, expecting and hoping that through our Lord and Saviour it +will greatly contribute to the salvation of our soul.... We desire that +our body, when we have departed this life, may be carried to the aforesaid +house of the chivalry of the Temple, and be there decently buried as above +mentioned.... As witness the venerable father R., bishop of Hereford, &c. +Given by the hand of the venerable father Edmund, bishop of Chichester, +our chancellor, at Gloucester, the 27th of July, in the nineteenth year of +our reign."[539] + +Queen Eleanor also provided in a similar manner for her interment in the +Temple Church, the formal instrument being expressed to be made with the +consent and approbation of her lord, Henry the illustrious king of +England, who had lent a willing ear to her prayers upon the subject.[540] +These sepulchral arrangements, however, were afterwards altered, and the +king by his will directed his body to be buried as follows:--"I will that +my body be buried in the church of the blessed Edward at Westminster, +there being no impediment, having formerly appointed my body to be buried +in the New Temple."[541] + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +THE TEMPLE. + + Antiquities in the Temple--The history of the place subsequent to the + dissolution of the order of the Knights Templars--The establishment of + a society of lawyers in the Temple--The antiquity of this society--Its + connexion with the antient society of the Knights Templars--An order + of knights and serving brethren established in the law--The degree of + _frere serjen_, or _frater serviens_, borrowed from the antient + Templars--The modern Templars divide themselves into the two societies + of the Inner and Middle Temple. + + "Those bricky towers, + The which on Themme's brode aged back do ride, + Where now the studious lawyers have their bowers; + There whilom wont the Templer Knights to bide, + Till they decayed thro' pride." + + +There are but few remains of the antient Knights Templars now existing in +the Temple beyond the church. The present Inner Temple Hall was their +antient hall, but it has at different periods been so altered and repaired +as to have lost every trace and vestige of antiquity. In the year 1816 it +was almost entirely rebuilt, and the following extract from "The Report +and Observations of the Treasurer on the late Repairs of the Inner Temple +Hall" may prove interesting, as showing the state of the edifice previous +to that period. + +"From the proportions, the state of decay, the materials of the eastern +and southern walls, the buttresses of the southern front, the pointed form +of the roof and arches, and the rude sculpture on the two doors of public +entrance, the hall is evidently of very great antiquity.... The northern +wall appears to have been rebuilt, except at its two extremities, in +modern times, but on the old foundations.... The roof was found to be in a +very decayed and precarious state; many timbers were totally rotten. It +appeared to have undergone reparation at three separate periods of time, +at each of which timber had been unnecessarily added, so as finally to +accumulate a weight which had protruded the northern and southern walls. +It became, therefore, indispensable to remove all the timber of the roof, +and to replace it in a lighter form. On removing the old wainscoting of +the western wall, a perpendicular crack of considerable height and width +was discovered, which threatened at any moment the fall of that extremity +of the building with its superincumbent roof.... The turret of the clock +and the southern front of the hall are only cased with stone; this was +done in the year 1741, and very ill executed. The structure of the turret, +composed of chalk, rag-stone, and rubble, (the same material as the walls +of the church,) seems to be very antient.... The wooden cupola of the bell +was so decayed as to let in the rain, and was obliged to be renewed in a +form to agree with the other parts of the southern front." + +"Notwithstanding the Gothic character of the building, in the year 1680, +during the treasurership of Sir Thomas Robinson, prothonotary of C. B., a +Grecian screen of the Doric order was erected, surmounted by lions' heads, +cones, and other incongruous devices." + +"In the year 1741, during the treasurership of John Blencowe, esq., low +windows of Roman architecture were formed in the southern front." + +"The dates of such innovations appear from inscriptions with the +respective treasurers' names." + +This antient hall formed the far-famed refectory of the Knights Templars, +and was the scene of their proud and sumptuous hospitality. Within its +venerable walls they at different periods entertained king John, king +Henry the Third, the haughty legates of Roman pontiffs, and the +ambassadors of foreign powers. The old custom, alluded to by Matthew +Paris,[542] of hanging around the wall the shields and armorial devices of +the antient knights, is still preserved, and each succeeding treasurer of +the Temple still continues to hoist his coat of arms on the wall, as in +the high and palmy days of the warlike monks of old. + +At the west end of the hall are considerable remains of the antient +convent of the Knights Templars. A groined Gothic arch of the same style +of architecture as the oldest part of the Temple Church forms the ceiling +of the present buttery, and in the apartment beyond is a groined vaulted +ceiling of great beauty. The ribs of the arches in both rooms are +elegantly moulded, but are sadly disfigured with a thick coating of +plaster and barbarous whitewash. In the cellars underneath these rooms are +some old walls of immense thickness, the remains of an antient window, a +curious fireplace, and some elegant pointed Gothic arches corresponding +with the ceilings above; but they are now, alas! shrouded in darkness, +choked with modern brick partitions and staircases, and soiled with the +damp and dust of many centuries. These interesting remains form an upper +and an under story, the floor of the upper story being on a level with the +floor of the hall, and the floor of the under story on a level with the +terrace on the south side thereof. They were formerly connected with the +church by means of a covered way or cloister, which ran at right angles +with them over the site of the present cloister-chambers, and communicated +with the upper and under story of the chapel of St. Anne, which formerly +stood on the south side of the church. By means of this corridor and +chapel the brethren of the Temple had private access to the church for the +performance of their strict religious duties, and of their secret +ceremonies of admitting novices to the vows of the order. In 9 Jac. I. A. +D. 1612, some brick buildings three stories high were erected over this +antient cloister by Francis Tate, esq., and being burnt down a few years +afterwards, the interesting covered way which connected the church with +the antient convent was involved in the general destruction, as appears +from the following inscription upon the present buildings: + +"VETUSTISSIMA TEMPLARIORUM PORTICU IGNE CONSUMTA, ANNO 1678, NOVA HAEC, +SUMPTIBUS MEDII TEMPLI EXTRUCTA ANNO 1681 GULIELMO WHITELOCKE ARMIGERO, +THESAURARIO. + +"The very antient portico of the Templars being consumed by fire in the +year 1678, these new buildings were erected at the expense of the Middle +Temple in the year 1681, William Whitlock, esq., being treasurer." + +The cloisters of the Templars formed the medium of communication between +the hall, the church, and the cells of the serving brethren of the +order.[543] + +During the formation of the present new entrance into the Temple by the +church, at the bottom of the Inner Temple-lane, a considerable portion of +the brickwork of the old houses was pulled down, and an antient wall of +great thickness was disclosed. It was composed of chalk, rag-stone, and +rubble, exactly resembling the walls of the church. It ran in a direction +east and west, and appeared to have formed the extreme northern boundary +of the old convent. + +The site of the remaining buildings of the antient Temple cannot now be +determined with certainty. + +The mansion-house, (_Mansum Novi Templi_,) the residence of the Master and +knights, who were lodged separately from the serving brethren and ate at a +separate table, appears to have stood at the east end of the hall, on the +site of the present library and apartments of the masters of the bench. + +The proud and powerful Knights Templars were succeeded in the occupation +of the TEMPLE by a body of learned lawyers, who took possession of the old +hall and the gloomy cells of the military monks, and converted the chief +house of their order into the great and most antient Common Law University +of England. + +For more than five centuries the retreats of the religious warriors have +been devoted to "the studious and eloquent pleaders of causes," a new kind +of Templars, who, as Fuller quaintly observes, now "defend one Christian +from another as the old ones did Christians from Pagans." The modern +Templars have been termed _milites justitiae_, or "_soldiers of justice_," +for, as John of Salisbury, a writer of the twelfth century, saith, "neque +reipublicae militant soli illi, qui galeis thoracisque muniti in hostes +exercent tela quaelibet, sed et patroni causarum, qui lapsa erigunt, +fatigata reparant, nec minus provident humano generi, quam si laborantium +vitam, spem, posterosque, armorum praesidio, ab hostibus tuerentur." "They +do not alone fight for the state who, panoplied in helmets and +breastplates, wield the sword and the dart against the enemy, for the +pleaders of causes, who redress wrongs, who raise up the oppressed, do +protect and provide for the human race as much as if they were to defend +the lives, fortunes, and families of industrious citizens with the +sword."[544] + + "Besides encounters at the bar + Are braver now than those in war, + In which the law does execution + With less disorder and confusion; + Has more of honour in't, some hold, + Not like the new way, but the old, + When those the pen had drawn together + Decided quarrels with the feather, + And winged arrows killed as dead, + And more than bullets now of lead: + So all their combats now, as then, + Are managed chiefly by the pen; + That does the feat, with braver vigours, + In words at length, as well as figures." + +The settlement of the lawyers in the Temple was brought about in the +following manner. + +On the imprisonment of the Knights Templars, the chief house of the order +in London, in common with the other property of the military monks, was +seized into the king's hands, and was committed to the care of James le +Botiller and William de Basing, who, on the 9th of December, A. D. 1311, +were commanded to hand it over to the sheriffs of London, to be taken +charge of by them.[545] Two years afterwards the Temple was granted to +that powerful nobleman, Aymer de Valence, earl of Pembroke, who had been +one of the leaders of the baronial conspiracy against Piers +Gavaston.[546] As Thomas earl of Lancaster, however, claimed the +Temple by escheat as the immediate lord of the fee, the earl of Pembroke, +on the 3rd of Oct., A. D. 1315, at the request of the king, and in +consideration of other lands being granted to him by his sovereign, +remised and released all his right and title therein to Lancaster.[547] +This earl of Lancaster was cousin-german to the English monarch, and first +prince of the blood; he was the most powerful and opulent subject of the +kingdom, being possessed of no less than six earldoms, with a +proportionable estate in land, and at the time that the Temple was added +to his numerous other possessions he was at the head of the government, +and ruled both the king and country as president of the council. In an +antient MS. account of the Temple, formerly belonging to lord Somers and +afterwards to Nicholls, the celebrated antiquary, apparently written by a +member of the Inner Temple, it is stated that the lawyers "made +composition with the earl of Lancaster for a lodging in the Temple, and so +came hither, and have continued here ever since." That this was the case +appears highly probable from various circumstances presently noticed. + +The earl of Lancaster held the Temple rather more than six years and a +half. + +When the king's attachment for Hugh le Despenser, another favourite, was +declared, he raised the standard of rebellion. He marched with his forces +against London, gave law to the king and parliament, and procured a +sentence of attainder and perpetual exile against Hugh le Despenser. The +fortune of war, however, soon turned against him. He was defeated, and +conducted a prisoner to his own castle of Pontefract, where king Edward +sat in judgment upon him, and sentenced him to be hung, drawn, and +quartered, as a rebel and a traitor. The same day he was clothed in mean +attire, was placed on a lean jade without a bridle, a hood was put on his +head, and in this miserable condition he was led through the town of +Pontefract to the place of execution, in front of his own castle.[548] + +A few days afterwards, the king, whilst he yet tarried at Ponfract, +granted the Temple to Aymer de Valence, earl of Pembroke, by a royal +charter couched in the following terms:-- + +"Edward by the grace of God, king, &c., to the archbishops, bishops, +abbots, priors, earls, barons, justiciaries, &c. &c., health. Know that on +account of the good and laudable service which our beloved kinsman and +faithful servant Aymer de Valence hath rendered and will continue to +render to us, we have given and granted, and by our royal charter have +confirmed to the said earl, the mansion-house and messuage called the New +Temple in the suburb of London, with the houses, rents, and all other +things to the same mansion-house and messuage belonging, formerly the +property of the Templars, and afterwards of Thomas earl of Lancaster, our +enemy and rebel, and which, by the forfeiture of the same Thomas, have +come into our hands by way of escheat, to be had and holden by the same +Aymer and the heirs of his body lawfully begotten, of us and our heirs, +and the other chief lords of the fee, by the same services as those +formerly rendered; but if the said Aymer shall die without heirs of his +body lawfully begotten, then the said mansion-house, messuage, &c. &c., +shall revert to us and our heirs."[549] + +Rather more than a year after the date of this grant, Aymer de Valence was +murdered. He had accompanied queen Isabella to the court of her father, +the king of France, and was there slain (June 23rd, A. D. 1323) by one of +the English fugitives of the Lancastrian faction, in revenge for the death +of the earl of Lancaster, whose destruction he was believed to have +compassed. His dead body was brought over to England, and buried in +Westminster Abbey at the head of Edmund Crouchback, earl of Lancaster. He +left no issue, and the Temple, consequently, once more reverted to the +crown.[550] + +It was now granted to Hugh le Despenser the younger, the king's favourite, +at the very time that the act of parliament (17 Edward II.) was passed, +conferring all the lands of the Templars upon the Hospitallers of St. +John.[551] Hugh le Despenser, in common with the other barons, paid no +attention to the parliament, and held the Temple till the day of his +death, which happened soon after, for on the 24th of September, A. D. +1326, Queen Isabella landed in England with the remains of the Lancastrian +faction; and after driving her own husband, Edward the Second, from the +throne, she seized the favourite, and caused him instantly to be condemned +to death. On St. Andrew's Eve he was led out to execution; they put on him +his surcoat of arms reversed, a crown of nettles was placed on his head, +and on his vestment they wrote six verses of the psalm, beginning, _Quid +gloriaris in malitia_.[552] After which he was hanged on a gallows eighty +feet high, and was then beheaded, drawn, and quartered. His head was sent +to London, and stuck upon the bridge; and of the four quarters of his +body, one was sent to York, another to Bristol, another to Carlisle, and +the fourth to Dover.[553] + +Thus perished the last private possessor of the Temple at London. + +The young prince, Edward the Third, now ascended the throne, leaving his +parent, the dethroned Edward the Second, to the tender mercies of the +gaolers of Berkeley Castle. He seized the Temple, as forfeited to him by +the attainder of Hugh le Despenser, and committed it to the keeping of the +mayor of London, his escheator in the city. The mayor, as guardian of the +Temple, took it into his head to close the gate leading to the waterside, +which stood at the bottom of the present Middle Temple Lane, whereby the +lawyers were much incommoded in their progress backwards and forwards from +the Temple to Westminster. Complaints were made to the king on the +subject, who, on the 2nd day of November, in the third year of his reign, +wrote as follows to the mayor: + +"The king to the mayor of London, his escheator[554] in the same city. + +"Since we have been given to understand that there ought to be a free +passage through the court of the New Temple at London to the river Thames, +for our justices, clerks, and others, who may wish to pass by water to +Westminster to transact their business, and that you keep the gate of the +Temple shut by day, and so prevent those same justices, clerks of ours, +and other persons, from passing through the midst of the said court to the +waterside, whereby as well our own affairs as those of our people in +general are oftentimes greatly hindered, we command you, that you keep the +gates of the said Temple open by day, so that our justices and clerks, and +other persons who wish to go by water to Westminster, may be able so to do +by the way to which they have hitherto been accustomed. + +"Witness ourself at Kenilworth, the 2nd day of November, and third year of +our reign."[555] + +The following year the king again wrote to the mayor, his escheator in the +city of London, informing him that he had been given to understand that +the bridge in the said court of the Temple, leading to the river, was so +broken and decayed, that his clerks and law officers, and others, could no +longer get across it, and were consequently prevented from passing by +water to Westminster. "We therefore," he proceeds, "being desirous of +providing such a remedy as we ought for this evil, command you to do +whatever repairs are necessary to the said bridge, and to defray the cost +thereof out of the proceeds of the lands and rents appertaining to the +said Temple now in your custody; and when we shall have been informed of +the things done in the matter, the expense shall be allowed you in your +account of the same proceeds. + +"Witness ourself at Westminster, the 15th day of January, and fourth year +of our reign."[556] + +Two years afterwards (6 E. III, A. D. 1333) the king committed the custody +of the Temple to "his beloved clerk," William de Langford, "and farmed out +the rents and proceeds thereof to him for the term of ten years, at a rent +of 24_l._ per annum, the said William undertaking to keep all the houses +and tenements in good order and repair, and so deliver them up at the end +of the term."[557] + +In the mean time, however, the pope, the bishops, and the Hospitallers had +been vigorously exerting themselves to obtain a transfer of the property, +late belonging to the Templars, to the order of the Hospital of Saint +John. The Hospitallers petitioned the king, setting forth that the church, +the cloisters, and other places within the Temple, were consecrated and +dedicated to the service of God, that they had been unjustly occupied and +detained from them by Hugh le Despenser the younger, and, through his +attainder, had lately come into the king's hands, and they besought the +king to deliver up to them possession thereof. King Edward accordingly +commanded the mayor of London, his escheator in that city, to take +inquisition concerning the premises. + +From this inquisition, and the return thereof, it appears that many of the +founders of the Temple Church, and many of the brethren of the order of +Knights Templars, then lay buried in the church and cemetery of the +Temple; that the bishop of Ely had his lodging in the Temple, known by the +name of the bishop of Ely's chamber; that there was a chapel dedicated to +St. Thomas-a-Becket, which extended from the door of the TEMPLE HALL as +far as the ancient gate of the Temple; also a cloister which began at the +bishop of Ely's chamber, and ran in an _easterly_ direction; and that +there was a wall which ran in a northerly direction as far as the said +king's highway; that in the front part of the cemetery towards the north, +bordering on the king's highway, were thirteen houses formerly erected, +with the assent and permission of the Master and brethren of the Temple, +by Roger Blom, a messenger of the Temple, for the purpose of holding the +lights and ornaments of the church; that the land whereon these houses +were built, the cemetery, the church, and all the space inclosed between +St. Thomas's chapel, the church, the cloisters, and the wall running in a +northerly direction, and all the buildings erected thereon, together with +the hall, cloisters, and St. Thomas's chapel, were sanctified places +dedicated to God; that Hugh le Despenser occupied and detained them +unjustly, and that through his attainder and forfeiture, and not +otherwise, they came into the king's hands.[558] + +After the return of this inquisition, the said sanctified places were +assigned to the prior and brethren of the Hospital of Saint John; and the +king, on the 11th of January, in the tenth year of his reign, A. D. 1337, +directed his writ to the barons of the Exchequer, commanding them to take +inquisition of the value of the said sanctified places, so given up to the +Hospitallers, and of the residue of the Temple, and certify the same under +their seals to the king, in order that a reasonable abatement might be +made in William de Langford's rent. From the inquiry made in pursuance of +this writ before John de Shorditch, a baron of the Exchequer, it further +appears that on the said residue of the Temple upon the land then +remaining in the custody of William de Langford, and withinside the great +gate of the Temple, were another HALL[559] and four chambers connected +therewith, a kitchen, a garden, a stable, and a chamber beyond the great +gate; also eight shops, seven of which stood in Fleet Street, and the +eighth in the suburb of London, without the bar of the New Temple; that +the annual value of these shops varied from ten to thirteen, fifteen, and +sixteen shillings; that the fruit out of the garden of the Temple sold for +sixty shillings per annum in the gross; that seven out of the thirteen +houses erected by Roger Blom were each of the annual value of eleven +shillings; and that the eighth, situated beyond the gate of entrance to +the church, was worth four marks per annum. It appears, moreover, that the +total annual revenue of the Temple then amounted to 73_l._ 6_s._ 11_d._, equal +to about 1,000_l._ of our present money, and that William de Langford was +abated 12_l._ 4_s._ 2_d._ of his said rent.[560] + +Three years after the taking of this inquisition, and in the thirteenth +year of his reign, A. D. 1340, king Edward the Third in consideration of +the sum of one hundred pounds, which the prior of the Hospital promised to +pay him towards the expense of his expedition into France, granted to the +said prior all the residue of the Temple then remaining in the king's +hands, to hold, together with the cemetery, cloisters, and the other +sanctified places, to the said prior and his brethren, and their +successors, of the king and his heirs, for charitable purposes, for +ever.[561] From the above grant it appears that the porter of the Temple +received sixty shillings and tenpence per annum, and twopence a day wages, +which were to be paid him by the Hospitallers. + +At this period Philip Thane was prior of the Hospital; and he appears to +have exerted himself to impart to the celebration of divine service in the +Temple Church, the dignity and the splendour it possessed in the time of +the Templars. He, with the unanimous consent and approbation of the whole +chapter of the Hospital, granted to Brother Hugh de Lichefeld, priest, and +to his successors, guardians of the Temple Church, towards the improvement +of the lights and the celebration of divine service therein, all the land +called Ficketzfeld, and the garden called Cotterell Garden;[562] and two +years afterwards he made a further grant, to the said Hugh and his +successors, of a thousand fagots a year to be cut of the wood of +Lilleston, and carried to the New Temple to keep up the fire in the said +church.[563] + +King Edward the Third, in the thirty-fifth year of his reign, A. D. 1362, +notwithstanding the grant of the Temple to the Hospitallers, exercised the +right of appointing to the porter's office and by his letters patent he +promoted Roger Small to that post for the term of his life, in return for +the good service rendered him by the said Roger Small.[564] + +It is at this period that the first distinct mention of a society of +lawyers in the Temple occurs. + +The poet Chaucer, who was born at the close of the reign of Edward the +Second, A. D. 1327, and was in high favour at court in the reign of Edward +the Third, thus speaks of the MANCIPLE, or the purveyor of provisions of +the lawyers in the Temple: + + "A gentil Manciple was there of the TEMPLE, + Of whom achatours mighten take ensemple, + For to ben wise in bying of vitaille. + For whether that he paid or toke by taille, + Algate he waited so in his achate, + That he was aye before in good estate. + Now is not that of God a full fayre grace, + That swiche a lewed mannes wit shal pace, + The wisdome of an hepe of lerned men?" + "Of maisters had he mo than thries ten, + THAT WERE OF LAWE EXPERT AND CURIOUS: + Of which there was a dosein in that hous + Worthy to ben stewardes of rent and lond + Of any lord that is in Englelond, + To maken him live by his propre good, + In honour detteles, but if he were wood, + Or live as scarsly, as him list desire; + And able for to helpen all a shire, + In any cas that mighte fallen or happe; + And yet this manciple sette hir aller cappe."[565] + +It appears, therefore, that the lawyers in the Temple, in the reign of +Edward the Third, had their purveyor of provisions as at this day, and +were consequently then keeping commons, or dining together in hall. + +In the fourth year of the reign of Richard the Second, A. D. 1381, a still +more distinct notice occurs of the Temple, as the residence of the +_learners_ and the _learned_ in the law. + +We are told in an antient chronicle, written in Norman French, formerly +belonging to the abbey of St. Mary's at York, that the rebels under Wat +Tyler went to the Temple and pulled down the houses, and entered the +church and took all the books and the rolls of remembrances which were in +the chests of the LEARNERS OF THE LAW in the Temple, and placed them under +the large chimney and burnt them. ("Les rebels alleront a le TEMPLE et +jetteront les measons a la terre et avegheront tighles, issint que ils +fairont coverture en mal array; et alleront en l'esglise, et pristeront +touts les liveres et rolles de remembrances, que furont en leur huches +deins LE TEMPLE DE APPRENTICES DE LA LEY; et porteront en le haut chimene +et les arderont."[566]) And Walsingham, who wrote in the reign of Henry +the Sixth, about fifty years after the occurrence of these events, tells +us that after the rebels, under Wat Tyler and Jack Straw, had burnt the +Savoy, the noble palace of John of Gaunt, duke of Lancaster, they pulled +down the place called Temple Barr, where the apprentices or learners of +the highest branch of the profession of the law dwelt, on account of the +spite they bore to Robert Hales, Master of the Hospital of Saint John of +Jerusalem, and burnt many deeds which the lawyers there had in their +custody. ("Quibus perpetratis, satis malitiose etiam locum qui vocatur +Temple Barre, in quo _apprenticii juris_ morabantur _nobiliores_, +diruerunt, ob iram quam conceperant contra Robertum de Hales Magistrum +Hospitalis Sancti Johannis Jerusalem, ubi plura munimenta, quae Juridici in +custodia habuerunt, igne consumpta sunt.")[567] + +In a subsequent passage, however, he gives us a better clue to the attack +upon the Temple, and the burning of the deeds and writings, for he tells +us that it was the intention of the rebels to decapitate all the lawyers, +for they thought that by destroying them they could put an end to the law, +and so be enabled to order matters according to their own will and +pleasure. ("Ad decollandum omnes juridicos, escaetores, et universos qui +vel in lege docti fuere, vel cum jure ratione officii communicavere. Mente +nempe conceperant, doctis in lege necatis, universa juxta communis plebis +scitum de caetero ordinare, et nullam omnino legem fore futuram, vel si +futura foret, esse pro suorum arbitrio statuenda.") + +It is evident that the lawyers were the immediate successors of the +Knights Templars in the occupation of the Temple, as the _lessees_ of the +earl of Lancaster. + +Whilst the Templars were pining in captivity in the dungeons of London and +of York, king Edward the Second paid to their servants and retainers the +pensions they had previously received from the treasury of the Temple, on +condition that they continued to perform the services and duties they had +rendered to their antient masters. On the 26th of November, A. D. 1311, he +granted to Robert Styfford, clerk, for his maintenance in the house of the +Temple at London, two deniers a day, and five shillings a year for +necessaries, provided he did service in the church; and when unable to do +so, he was to receive only his food and lodging. Geoffrey Talaver was to +receive, in the same house of the Temple, three deniers a day for his +sustenance, and twenty shillings a year for necessaries, during the +remainder of his life; also one denier a day for the support of his boy, +and five shillings a year for his wages. Geoffrey de Cave, clerk, and John +de Shelton, were also, each of them, to receive from the same house, for +their good services, an annual pension of forty shillings for the term of +their lives.[568] Some of these retainers, in addition to their various +stipends, were to have a gown of the class of free-serving brethren of the +order of the Temple[569] each year; one old garment out of the stock of +old garments belonging to the brethren;[570] one mark a year for their +shoes, &c.; their sons also received so much _per diem_, on condition that +they did the daily work of the house. These retainers were of the class of +free servants of office; they held their posts for life, and not being +members of the order of the Temple, they were not included in the general +proscription of the fraternity. In return for the provision made them by +the king, they were to continue to do their customary work as long as they +were able. + +Now it is worthy of remark, that many of the rules, customs, and usages of +the society of Knights Templars are to this day observed in the Temple, +naturally leading us to conclude that these domestics and retainers of the +antient brotherhood became connected with the legal society formed +therein, and transferred their services to that learned body. + +From the time of Chaucer to the present day, the lawyers have dined +together in the antient hall, as the military monks did before them; and +the rule of their order requiring "two and two to eat together," and "all +the fragments to be given in brotherly charity to the domestics," is +observed to this day, and has been in force from time immemorial. The +attendants at table, moreover, are still called _paniers_, as in the days +of the Knights Templars.[571] The leading punishments of the Temple, too, +remain the same as in the olden time. The antient Templar, for example, +for a light fault, was "withdrawn from the companionship of his fellows," +and not allowed "to eat with them at the same table,"[572] and the modern +Templar, for impropriety of conduct, is "expelled the hall" and "put out +of commons." The brethren of the antient fraternity were, for grave +offences, in addition to the above punishment, deprived of their +lodgings,[573] and were compelled to sleep with the beasts in the open +court; and the members of the modern fellowship have in bygone times, as a +mode of punishment, been temporarily deprived of their chambers in the +Temple for misconduct, and padlocks have been put upon the doors. The +Master and Chapter of the Temple, in the time of the Knights Templars, +exercised the power of imprisonment and expulsion from the fellowship, and +the same punishments have been freely used down to a recent period by the +Masters of the Bench of the modern societies. Until of late years, too, +the modern Templars have had their readers, officers of great dignity, +whose duty it has been to read and expound LAW in the hall, at and after +meals, in the same way as the readers of the Knights Templars read and +expounded RELIGION. + +There has also been, in connexion with the modern fellowship, a class of +_associates_ similar to the associates of the antient Templars.[574] These +were illustrious persons who paid large sums of money, and made presents +of plate, to be admitted to the fellowship of the Masters of the Bench; +they were allowed to dine at the Bench table, to be as it were honorary +members of the society, but were freed from the ordinary exercises and +regulations of the house, and had at the same time no voice in the +government thereof. + +The conversion of the chief house of the most holy order of the Temple of +Solomon in England into a law university, was brought about in the +following manner. + +Both before, and for a very considerable period after, the Norman +conquest, the study of the law was confined to the ecclesiastics, who +engrossed all the learning and knowledge of the age.[575] In the reign of +king Stephen, the foreign clergy who had flocked over after the conquest, +attempted to introduce the ancient civil law of Rome into this country, as +calculated to promote the power and advantage of their order, but were +resolutely resisted by the king and the barons, who clung to their old +customs and usages. The new law, however, was introduced into all the +ecclesiastical courts, and the clergy began to abandon the municipal +tribunals, and discontinue the study of the common law. Early in the reign +of Henry the Third, episcopal constitutions were published by the bishop +of Salisbury, forbidding clerks and priests to practise as advocates in +the common law courts. (_Nec advocati sint clerici vel sacerdotes in foro +saeculari, nisi vel proprias causas vel miserabilium personarum +prosequantur._[576]) Towards the close of the same reign, (A. D. 1254,) +Pope Innocent IV. forbade the reading of the common law by the clergy in +the English universities and seminaries of learning, because its decrees +were not founded on the _imperial constitutions_, but merely on the +_customs of the laity_.[577] + +As the common law consequently gradually ceased to be studied and taught +by the clergy, who were the great depositaries of legal learning, as of +all other knowledge in those days, it became necessary to educate and +train up a body of laymen to transact the judicial business of the +country; and Edward the First, who, from his many legal reforms and +improvements, has been styled "the English Justinian," made the practice +of the common law a distinct profession. + +In antient times the Court of _Common Pleas_ had the exclusive +administration of the _common law_, and settled and decided all the +disputes which arose between _subject_ and _subject_; and in the twentieth +year of the reign of Edward the First, (A. D. 1292,) the privilege of +pleading causes in this court was confined to a certain number of learned +persons appointed by authority. By an order in council, the king commanded +John de Metingham, chief justice of the Court of Common Pleas, and the +rest of his fellow justices, that they, according to their discretions, +should provide and ordain from every county a certain number of attorneys +and apprentices of the law, of the best and most apt for their learning +and skill, to do service to his court and people, and those so chosen +should follow his court and transact the affairs therein, and _no others_; +the king and his council deeming the number of fourscore to be sufficient +for that employment; but it was left to the discretion of the said +justices to add to that number, or to diminish it, as they should think +fit.[578] + +At this period the Court of Common Pleas had been fixed at Westminster, +which brought together the professors of the common law at London; and +about the period of the dissolution of the order of the Temple, a society +appears to have been in progress of formation, under the sanction of the +judges, for the education of a body of learned secular lawyers to attend +upon that court. The deserted convent of the Knights Templars, seated in +the suburb of London, away from the noise and bustle of the city, and +presenting a ready and easy access by water to Westminster, was a +desirable retreat for the learned members of this infant legal society; +and we accordingly find, that very soon after the dissolution of the +religio-military order of Knights Templars, the professors of the common +law of England mustered in considerable strength in the Temple. + +In the sixth year of the reign of Edward the Third, (A. D. 1333,) when the +lawyers had just established themselves in the convent of the Temple, and +had engrafted upon the old stock of Knights Templars their infant society +for the study of the practice of the common law, the judges of the Court +of Common Pleas were made KNIGHTS,[579] being the earliest instance on +record of the grant of the honour of knighthood for services purely +civil, and the professors of the common law, who had the exclusive +privilege of practising in that court, assumed the title or degree of +FRERES SERJENS or FRATRES SERVIENTES, so that knights and +serving-brethren, similar to those of the antient order of the Temple, +were most curiously revived and introduced into the profession of the law. + +It is true that the word _serviens_, _serjen_, or serjeant, was applied to +the professors of the law long before the reign of Edward the Third, but +not to denote a _privileged brotherhood_. It was applied to lawyers in +common with all persons who did any description of work for another, from +the _serviens domini regis ad legem_, who prosecuted the pleas of the +crown in the county court, to the _serviens_ or _serjen_ who walked with +his cane before the concubine of the Patriarch in the streets of +Jerusalem.[580] The priest who worked for the Lord was called _serjens de +Dieu_, and the lover who served the lady of his affections _serjens +d'amour_.[581] It was in the order of the Temple that the word _freres_ +serjens or _fratres_ servientes signified an honorary title or degree, and +denoted a powerful privileged class of men. The _fratres servientes +armigeri_ or _freres serjens des armes_, of the chivalry of the Temple, +were of the rank of gentlemen. They united in their own persons the +monastic and the military character, they were allotted one horse each, +they wore the red cross of the order of the Temple on their breasts,[582] +they participated in all the privileges of the brotherhood, and were +eligible to the dignity of Preceptor. Large sums of money were frequently +given by seculars who had not been advanced to the honour of knighthood, +to be admitted amongst this highly-esteemed order of men. + +The _freres serjens_ of the Temple wore linen _coifs_, and red caps close +over them.[583] At the ceremony of their admission into the fraternity, +the Master of the Temple placed the coif upon their heads, and threw over +their shoulders the white mantle of the Temple; he then caused them to sit +down on the ground, and gave them a solemn admonition concerning the +duties and responsibilities of their profession.[584] They were warned +that they must enter upon a new life, that they must keep themselves fair +and free from stain, like the white garment that had been thrown around +them, which was the emblem of purity and innocence; that they must render +complete and perfect obedience to their superiors; that they must protect +the weak, succour the needy, reverence old men, and do good to the poor. + +The knights and serjeants of the common law, on the other hand, have ever +constituted a privileged _fraternity_, and always address one another by +the endearing term _brother_. The religious character of the antient +ceremony of admission into this legal brotherhood, which took place in +church, and its striking similarity to the antient mode of reception into +the fraternity of the Temple, are curious and remarkable. + +"Capitalis Justitiarius," says an antient MS. account of the creation of +serjeants-at-law in the reign of Henry the Seventh, "monstrabat eis plura +bona exempla de eorum praedecessoribus, et tunc posuit les _coyfes_[585] +super eorum capitibus, et induebat eos singulariter de capital de +skarletto, et sic creati fuerunt _servientes ad legem_." In his admonitory +exhortation, the chief justice displays to them the moral and religious +duties of their profession. "Ambulate in vocatione in qua vocati estis.... +Disce cultum Dei, _reverentiam superioris(!), misericordiam pauperi_." He +tells them the coif is sicut vestis _candida_ et immaculata, the emblem of +purity and virtue, and he commences a portion of his discourse in the +scriptural language used by the popes in the famous bull conceding to the +Templars their vast spiritual and temporal privileges, "_Omne datum +optimum et omne donum perfectum desursum est descendens a patre luminum, +&c. &c._!"[586] + +The _freres serjens_ of the Temple were strictly enjoined to "eat their +bread in silence," and "place a watch upon their mouths," and the _freres +serjens_ of the law, we are told, after their admission, did "dyne +together with sober countenance and lytel communycacion." + +The common-law lawyers, after their location in the Temple, continued +rapidly to increase, and between the reigns of Richard the Second and +Henry the Sixth, they divided themselves into two bodies. "In the raigne +of king Henry the Sixth," says the MS. account of the Temple, written 9 +Charles the First, "they were soe multiplied and grown into soe great a +bulke as could not conveniently be regulated into one society, nor indeed +was the old hall capable of containing so great a number, whereupon they +were forced to divide themselves. A new hall was then erected which is now +the Junior Temple Hall, whereunto divers of those who before took their +repast and diet in the old hall resorted, and in process of time became a +distinct and divided society." + +From the inquisition taken 10. E. III. A. D. 1337, it appears that in the +time of the Knights Templars there were _two halls_ in the Temple, so that +it is not likely that a fresh one was built. One of these halls, the +present Inner Temple Hall, had been assigned, the year previous to the +taking of that inquisition, to the prior and brethren of the Hospital of +Saint John, together with the church, cloisters, &c., as before mentioned, +whilst the other hall remained in the hands of the crown, and was not +granted to the Hospitallers until 13 E. III. A. D. 1340. It was probably +soon after this period that the Hospitallers conceded the use of _both +halls_ to the professors of the law, and these last, from dining apart and +being attached to different halls, at last separated into two societies, +as at present. + +"Although there be two several societies, yet in sundry places they are +promiscuously lodged together without any metes or bounds to distinguish +them, and the ground rooms in some places belong to the new house, and the +upper rooms to the old one, a manifest argument that both made at first +but one house, nor did they either before or after this division claim by +several leases, but by one entire grant. And as they took their diet +apart, so likewise were they stationed apart in the church, viz. those of +the Middle Temple on the left hand side as you go therein, and those of +the old house on the right hand side, and so it remains between them at +this day."[587] + +Burton, the antiquary, who wrote in the reign of queen Elizabeth, speaks +of this "old house" (the Inner Temple) as "the mother and most antient of +all the other houses of courts, to which," says he, "I must acknowledge +all due respect, being a fellow thereof, admitted into the same society on +the 20th of May, 1593."[588] The two societies of the Temple are of _equal +antiquity_; the members in the first instance dined together in one or +other of the antient halls of the Templars as it suited their convenience +and inclination; and to this day, in memory of the old custom, the +benchers or antients of the one society dine once every year in the hall +of the other society. The period of the division has been generally +referred to the commencement of the reign of Henry the Sixth, as at the +close of that long reign the present _four_ Inns of Court were all in +existence, and then contained about two thousand students. The Court of +King's Bench, the Court of Exchequer, and the Court of Chancery, had then +encroached upon the jurisdiction of the Common Pleas, and had taken +cognizance of civil causes between subject and subject, which were +formerly decided in that court alone.[589] The legal business of the +country had consequently greatly increased, the profession of the law +became highly honourable, and the gentry and the nobility considered the +study of it a necessary part of education. + +Sir John Fortescue, who was chief justice of the King's Bench during half +the reign of Henry the Sixth, in his famous discourse _de laudibus legum +Angliae_, tells us that in his time the annual expenses of each law-student +amounted to more than 28_l._, (equal to about 450_l._ of our present +money,) that all the students of the law were gentlemen by birth and +fortune, and had great regard for their character and honour; that in each +Inn of Court there was an academy or _gymnasium_, where singing, music, +and dancing, and a variety of accomplishments, were taught. Law was +studied at stated periods, and on festival days: after the offices of the +church were over, the students employed themselves in the study of +history, and in reading the Holy Scriptures. Everything good and virtuous +was there taught, vice was discouraged and banished, so that knights, +barons, and the greatest of the nobility of the kingdom, placed their sons +in the Temple and the other Inns of Court; and not so much, he tells us, +to make the law their study, or to enable them to live by the profession, +as to form their manners and to preserve them from the contagion of vice. +"Quarrelling, insubordination, and murmuring, are unheard of; if a student +dishonours himself, he is expelled the society; a punishment which is +dreaded more than imprisonment and irons, for he who has been driven from +one society is never admitted into any of the others; whence it happens, +that there is a constant harmony amongst them, the greatest friendship, +and a general freedom of conversation." + +The two societies of the Temple are now distinguished by the several +denominations of the Inner and the Middle Temple, names that appear to +have been adopted with reference to a part of the antient Temple, which, +in common with other property of the Knights Templars, never came into the +hands of the Hospitallers. After the lawyers of the Temple had separated +into two bodies and occupied distinct portions of ground, this part came +to be known by the name of the outward Temple, as being the farthest away +from the city, and is thus referred to in a manuscript in the British +Museum, written in the reign of James the First.--"A third part, called +_outward Temple_, was procured by one Dr. Stapleton, bishop of Exeter, in +the days of king Edward the Second, for a residing mansion-house for him +and his successors, bishops of that see. It was called Exeter Inn until +the reign of the late queen Mary, when the lord Paget, her principal +secretary of state, obtained the said third part, called Exeter-house, to +him and his heirs, and did re-edify the same. After whom the said third +part of the Templar's house came to Thomas late duke of Norfolk, and was +by him conveyed to Sir Robert Dudley, knight, earl of Leicester, who +bequeathed the same to Sir Robert Dudley, knight, his son, and lastly, by +purchase, came to Robert late earl of Essex, who died in the reign of the +late queen Elizabeth, and is still called Essex-house."[590] + +When the lawyers came into the Temple, they found engraved upon the +antient buildings the armorial bearings of the Knights Templars, which +were, on a shield argent, a plain cross gules, and (_brochant sur le +tout_) the holy lamb bearing the banner of the order, surmounted by a red +cross. These arms remained the emblem of the Temple until the fifth year +of the reign of queen Elizabeth, when unfortunately the society of the +Inner Temple, yielding to the advice and persuasion of Master Gerard +Leigh, a member of the College of Heralds, abandoned the antient and +honourable device of the Knights Templars, and assumed in its place a +galloping winged horse called a Pegasus, or, as it has been explained to +us, "a horse striking the earth with its hoof, or _Pegasus luna on a field +argent_!" Master Gerard Leigh, we are told, "emblazoned them with precious +stones and planets, and by these strange arms he intended to signify that +the knowledge acquired at the learned seminary of the Inner Temple would +raise the professors of the law to the highest honours, adding, by way of +motto, _volat ad aethera virtus_, and he intended to allude to what are +esteemed the more liberal sciences, by giving them Pegasus forming the +fountain of Hippocrene, by striking his hoof against the rock, as a proper +emblem of lawyers becoming poets, as Chaucer and Gower, who were both of +the Temple!" + +The society of the Middle Temple, with better taste, still preserves, in +that part of the Temple over which its sway extends, the widely-renowned +and time-honoured badge of the antient order of the Temple. + +The assumption of the prancing winged horse by the one society, and the +retention of the lamb by the other, have given rise to the following witty +lines-- + + "As thro' the Templars' courts you go, + The lamb and horse displayed, + The emblematic figures show + The merits of their trade. + + That clients may infer from hence + How just is their profession; + The lamb denotes their INNOCENCE, + The horse their EXPEDITION. + + Oh, happy Britain! happy isle! + Let foreign nations say, + Here you get justice without guile, + And law without delay." + + + ANSWER. + + "Unhappy man! those courts forego, + Nor trust such cunning elves, + The artful emblems only show + Their _clients_, not _themselves_. + + These all are tricks, + These all are shams, + With which they mean to cheat ye, + But have a care, for you're the LAMBS, + And they the wolves that eat ye. + + Nor let the plea of no delay + To these their courts misguide ye, + For you're the PRANCING HORSE; and they + The jockeys that would ride you!" + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +THE TEMPLE. + + The Temple Garden--The erection of new buildings in the Temple--The + dissolution of the order of the Hospital of Saint John--The law + societies become lessees of the crown--The erection of the magnificent + Middle Temple Hall--The conversion of the old hall into chambers--The + grant of the inheritance of the Temple to the two law societies--Their + magnificent present to his Majesty--Their antient orders and customs, + and antient hospitality--Their grand entertainments--Reader's + feasts--Grand Christmasses and Revels--The fox-hunt in the hall--The + dispute with the Lord Mayor--The quarrel with the custos of the Temple + Church. + + "PLANTAGENET. Great lords and gentlemen, what means this silence? + Dare no man answer in a case of truth? + + SUFFOLK. Within the TEMPLE HALL we were too loud: + The GARDEN here is more convenient." + + +Shakspeare makes the Temple Garden, which is to this day celebrated for +the beauty and profusion of its flowers, the scene of the choice of the +white and red roses, as the badges of the rival houses of York and +Lancaster. Richard Plantagenet and the earl of Somerset retire with their +followers from the hall into the garden, where Plantagenet thus addresses +the silent and hesitating bystanders: + + "Since you are tongue-ty'd, and so loath to speak, + In dumb significants proclaim your thoughts: + Let him, that is a true-born gentleman, + And stands upon the honour of his birth, + If he suppose that I have pleaded truth, + From off this brier pluck a white rose with me. + _Somerset._ Let him that is no coward, nor no flatterer, + But dare maintain the party of the truth, + Pluck a red rose from off this thorn with me. + _Warwick._ I love no colours; and, without all colour + Of base insinuating flattery, + I pluck this white rope with Plantagenet. + _Suffolk._ I pluck this red rose with young Somerset, + And say withal I think he held the right. + + * * * * * + + _Vernon._ Then for the truth and plainness of the case, + I pluck this pale and maiden blossom here, + Giving my verdict on the white rose side. + _Somerset._ ... Come on, who else? + _Lawyer._ Unless my study and my books be false, + The argument you held was wrong in you; + In sign whereof I pluck a white rose too. [TO SOMERSET. + + * * * * * + + _Warwick._ ... This brawl to-day, + Grown to this faction in the Temple Garden, + Shall send, between the red rose and the white, + A thousand souls to death and deadly night." + +In the Cotton Library is a manuscript written at the commencement of the +reign of Henry the Eighth, entitled "A description of the Form and Manner, +how, and by what Orders and Customs the State of the Fellowshyppe of the +Myddil Temple is maintained, and what ways they have to attaine unto +Learning."[591] It contains a great deal of curious information concerning +the government of the house, the readings, mot-yngs, boltings, and other +exercises formerly performed for the advancement of learning, and of the +different degrees of benchers, readers, cupboard-men, inner-barristers, +utter-barristers, and students, together with "the chardges for their mete +and drynke by the yeare, and the manner of the dyet, and the stipende of +their officers." The writer tells us that it was the duty of the "Tresorer +to gather of certen of the fellowship a tribute yerely of iii_s._ iii_d._ +a piece, and to pay out of it the rent due to my lord of Saint John's for +the house that they dwell in." + +"Item; they have no place to walk in, and talk and confer their learnings, +but in the church; which place all the terme times hath in it no more of +quietnesse than the perwyse of Pawles, by occasion of the confluence and +concourse of such as be suters in the lawe." The conferences between +lawyers and clients in the Temple Church are thus alluded to by Butler: + + "Retain all sorts of witnesses + That ply in the Temple under trees, + Or walk the Round with knights of the posts, + About the cross-legged knights their hosts." + +"Item; they have every day three masses said one after the other, and the +first masse doth begin at seaven of the clock, or thereabouts. On +festivall days they have mattens and masse solemnly sung; and during the +matyns singing they have three masses said."[592] + +At the commencement of the reign of Henry VIII. a wall was built between +the Temple Garden and the river; the Inner Temple Hall was "seeled," +various new chambers were erected, and the societies expended sums of +money, and acted as if they were absolute proprietors of the Temple, +rather than as lessees of the Hospitallers of Saint John. + +In 32 Hen. VIII. was passed the act of parliament dissolving the order of +the Hospital, and vesting all the property of the brethren in the crown, +saving the rights and interests of lessees, and others who held under +them. + +The two law societies consequently now held of the crown. + +In 5 Eliz. the present spacious and magnificent Middle Temple Hall, one of +the most elegant and beautiful structures in the kingdom, was commenced, +(the old hall being converted into chambers;) and in the reigns both of +Mary and Elizabeth, various buildings and sets of chambers were erected in +the Inner and Middle Temple, at the expense of the Benchers and members of +the two societies. All this was done in full reliance upon the justice and +honour of the crown. In the reign of James I., however, some Scotchman +attempted to obtain from his majesty a grant of the fee-simple or +inheritance of the Temple, which being brought to the knowledge of the two +societies, they forthwith made "humble suit" to the king, and obtained a +grant of the property to themselves. By letters patent, bearing date at +Westminster the 13th of August, in the sixth year of his reign, A. D. +1609, king James granted the Temple to the Benchers of the two societies, +their heirs and assigns for ever, for the lodging, reception, and +education of the professors and students of the laws of England, the said +Benchers yielding and paying to the said king, his heirs, and successors, +ten pounds yearly for the mansion called the Inner Temple, and ten pounds +yearly for the Middle Temple.[593] + +In grateful acknowledgment of this donation, the two societies caused to +be made, at their mutual cost, "a stately cup of pure gold, weighinge two +hundred ounces and an halfe, of the value of one thousand markes, or +thereabouts, the which in all humbleness was presented to his excellent +majestie att the court att Whitehall, in the said sixth year of his +majestie's raigne over the realme of England, for a new yeare's gifte, by +the hands of the said sir Henry Mountague, afterwards baron Mountague, +viscount Mandevil, the earl of Manchester, Richard Daston, esq., and other +eminent persons of both those honourable societies, the which it pleased +his majesty most gratiously to accept and receive.... Upon one side of +this cup is curiously engraven the proporcion of a church or temple +beautified, with turrets and pinnacles, and on the other side is figured +an altar, whereon is a representation of a holy fire, the flames propper, +and over the flames these words engraven, _Nil nisi vobis_. The cover of +this rich cup of gold is in the upper parte thereof adorned with a fabrick +fashioned like a pyramid, whereon standeth the statue of a military person +leaning, with the left hand upon a Roman-fashioned shield or target, the +which cup his excellent majestie, whilst he lived, esteemed for one of his +roialest and richest jewells."[594] + +Some of the antient orders and regulations for the government of the two +societies are not unworthy of attention. + +From the record of a parliament holden in the Inner Temple on the 15th of +November, 3 and 4 Ph. and Mary, A. D. 1558, it appears that eight +gentlemen of the house, in the previous reading vocation, "were _committed +to the Fleete_ for wilfull demenoure and disobedience to _the Bench_, and +were worthyly expulsed the fellowshyppe of the house, since which tyme, +upon their humble suite and submission unto the said Benchers of the said +house, it is agreed that they shall be readmitted into the fellowshyppe, +and into commons again, without payeing any ffine."[595] + +Amongst the ancient customs and usages derived from the Knights Templars, +which were for a lengthened period religiously preserved and kept up in +the Temple, was the oriental fashion of long beards. In the reign of +Philip and Mary, at the personal request of the queen, attempts were made +to do away with this time-honoured custom, and to limit + +THE LENGTH OF A LAWYER'S BEARD. + +On the 22nd of June, 3 and 4 Philip and Mary, A. D. 1557, it was ordered +that none of the companies of the Inner and Middle Temple, under the +degree of a knight being in commons, should wear their beards above three +weeks growing, upon pain of XL_s._, and so double for every week after +monition. They were, moreover, required to lay aside their arms, and it +was ordered "that none of the companies, when they be in commons, shall +wear Spanish cloak, sword and buckler, or rapier, or gownes and hats, or +gownes girded with a dagger;" also, that "none of the COMPANIONS, except +Knights or Benchers, should thenceforth wear in their doublets or hoses +any light colours, except scarlet and crimson; or wear any upper velvet +cap, or any scarf, or wings on their gownes, white jerkyns, buskins or +_velvet shoes_, double cuffs on their shirts, feathers or ribbens on their +caps"! That no attorney should be admitted into either of the houses, and +that, in all admissions from thenceforth, it should be an implied +condition, that if the party admitted "should practyse any attorneyship," +he was _ipso facto_ dismissed.[596] + +In 1 Jac. I., it was ordered, in obedience to the commands of the king, +that no one should be admitted a member of either society who was not _a +gentleman by descent_;--that none of the gentlemen should come into the +hall "in cloaks, boots, spurs, swords, or daggers;" and it was publicly +declared that their "yellow bands, and ear toyes, and short cloaks, and +weapons," were "much disliked and forbidden." + +In A. D. 1623, king James recommended the antient way of wearing caps to +be carefully observed; and the king was pleased to take notice of the good +order of the house of the Inner Temple in that particular. His majesty was +further pleased to recommend that boots should be laid aside as ill +befitting gownsmen; "for boots and spurs," says his majesty, "are the +badges rather of roarers than of civil men, who should use them only when +they ride. Therefore we have made example in our own court, that no boots +shall come into our presence." + +The modern Templars for a long period fully maintained the antient +character and reputation of the Temple for sumptuous and magnificent +hospitality, although the venison from the royal forests, and the wine +from the king's cellars,[597] no longer made its periodical appearance +within the walls of the old convent. Sir John Fortescue alludes to the +revels and pastimes of the Temple in the reign of Henry VI., and several +antient writers speak of the grand Christmasses, the readers' feasts, the +masques, and the sumptuous entertainments afforded to foreign ambassadors, +and even to royalty itself. Various dramatic shows were got up upon these +occasions, and the leading characters who figured at them were the +"_Marshall of the Knights Templars_!" the constable marshall, the master +of the games, the lieutenant of the Tower, the ranger of the forest, the +lord of misrule, the king of Cockneys, and Jack Straw! + +_The Constable Marshall_ came into the hall on banqueting days "fairly +mounted on his mule," clothed in complete armour, with a nest of feathers +of all colours upon his helm, and a gilt pole-axe in his hand. He was +attended by halberdiers, and preceded by drums and fifes, and by sixteen +trumpeters, and devised some sport "for passing away the afternoon." + +_The Master of the Game_, and _the Ranger of the Forest_, were apparelled +in green velvet and green satin, and had hunting horns about their necks, +with which they marched round about the fire, "blowing three blasts of +venery." + +The most remarkable of all the entertainments was _the hunt in the hall_, +when the huntsman came in with his winding horn, dragging in with him a +cat, a fox, a purse-net, and nine or ten couple of hounds! The cat and the +fox were both tied to the end of a staff, and were turned loose into the +hall; they were hunted with the dogs amid the blowing of hunting horns, +and were killed under the grate!! + +The quantity of venison consumed on these festive occasions, particularly +at the readers' feasts, was enormous. In the reign of Queen Mary, it was +ordered by the benchers of the Middle Temple, that no reader should spend +less than fifteen bucks in the hall, and this number was generally greatly +exceeded: "there be few summer readers," we are informed in an old MS. +account of the readers' feasts, "who, in half the time that heretofore a +reading was wont to continue, spent so little as threescore bucks, besides +red deer; some have spent fourscore, some a hundred...."[598] The lawyers +in that golden age breakfasted on "brawn and malmsey," and supped on +"venison pasties and roasted hens!" Among the viands at dinner were "faire +and large bores' heads served upon silver platters, with minstralsye, +roasted swans, bustards, herns, bitterns, turkey chicks, curlews, godwits, +&c. &c." + +The following observations concerning the Temple, and a grand +entertainment there, in the reign of Queen Mary, will be read with +interest. "Arriuing in the faire river of Thames, I landed within halfe a +leage from the city of London, which was, as I coniecture, in December +last. And drawing neere the citie, sodenly hard the shot of double +cannons, in so great a number, and so terrible, that it darkened the whole +aire, wherewith, although I was in my native countrie, yet stoode I +amazed, not knowing what it ment. Thus, as I abode in despaire either to +returne or to continue my former purpose, I chaunced to see comming +towardes me an honest citizen, clothed in long garment, keping the +highway, seming to walke for his recreation, which prognosticated rather +peace than perill. Of whom I demaunded the cause of this great shot, who +frendly answered, 'It is the warning shot to th' officers of the Constable +Marshall of the Inner Temple to prepare to dinner!' Why, said I, is he of +that estate, that seeketh not other meanes to warn his officers, then with +such terrible shot in so peaceable a countrey? Marry, saith he, he +vttereth himselfe the better to be that officer whose name he beareth. I +then demanded what prouince did he gouerne that needeth such an officer. +Hee answered me, the prouince was not great in quantitie, but antient in +true nobilitie; a place, said he, priuileged by the most excellent +princess, the high gouernour of the whole land, wherein are store of +gentilmen of the whole realme, that repaire thither to learne to rule, and +obey by LAWE, to yeelde their fleece to their prince and common weale, as +also to vse all other exercises of bodie and minde whereunto nature most +aptly serueth to adorne by speaking, countenance, gesture, and vse of +apparel, the person of a gentleman; whereby amitie is obtained and +continued, that gentilmen of al countries in theire young yeares, norished +together in one place, with such comely order and daily conference, are +knit by continual acquaintance in such vnitie of mindes and manners, as +lightly neuer after is seuered, then which is nothing more profitable to +the commonweale. + +"And after he had told me thus much of honor of the place, I commended in +mine own conceit the pollicie of the gouernour, which seemed to vtter in +itselfe the foundation of a good commonweale. For that the best of their +people from tender yeares trayned vp in precepts of justice, it could not +chose but yeelde forth a profitable people to a wise commonweale. +Wherefore I determined with myselfe to make proofe of that I heard by +reporte. + +"The next day I thought for my pastime to walke to this Temple, and +entering in at the gates, I found the building nothing costly; but many +comly gentlemen of face and person, and thereto very courteous, saw I +passe too and fro. Passing forward, I entered into a church of auncient +building, wherein were many monumentes of noble personnages armed in +knighteley habite, with their cotes depainted in auncient shieldes, +whereat I took pleasure to behold.... + +"Anon we heard the noise of drum and fyfe. What meaneth this drumme? said +I. Quod he, this is to warn gentlemen of the household to repaire to the +dresser; wherefore come on with me, and yee shall stand where ye may best +see the hall serued; and so from thence brought me into a long gallerie +that stretcheth itselfe alongest the hall, neere the prince's table, where +I saw the prince set, a man of tall personage, of mannelye countenance, +somewhat browne of visage, strongelie featured, and thereto comelie +proportioned. At the neather end of the same table were placed the +ambassadors of diuers princes. Before him stood the caruer, seruer, and +cup-bearer, with great number of gentlemen wayters attending his person. +The lordes steward, treasorer, with diuers honorable personages, were +placed at a side-table neere adjoyning the prince on the right hand, and +at another table on the left side were placed the treasorer of the +household, secretarie, the prince's serjeant of law, the four masters of +the reaulles, the king of armes, the deane of the chapell, and diuers +gentlemen pentioners to furnish the same. At another table, on the other +side, were set the maister of the game, and his chiefe ranger, maisters of +household, clerkes of the greene cloth and checke, with diuers other +strangers to furnish the same. On the other side, againste them, began the +table of the lieutenant of the Tower, accompanied with diuers captaines of +footbandes and shot. At the neather ende of the hall, began the table of +the high butler and panter, clerkes of the kitchen, maister cooke of the +priue kitchen, furnished throughout with the souldiours and guard of the +prince.... + +"The prince was serued with tender meates, sweet fruites, and daintie +delicates, confectioned with curious cookerie, as it seemed woonder a word +to serue the prouision. And at euerie course, the trompettes blew the +courageous blaste of deadlye warre, with noise of drum and fyfe, with the +sweet harmony of viollens, shakbuts, recorders, and cornettes, with other +instruments of musicke, as it seemed Apolloe's harpe had tewned their +stroke." + +After dinner, prizes were prepared for "tilt and turney, and such +knighteley pastime, and for their solace they masked with bewtie's dames +with such heauenly armonie as if Apollo and Orpheus had shewed their +cunning."[599] + +Masques, revels, plays, and eating and drinking, seem to have been as much +attended to in the Temple in those days as the grave study of the law. Sir +Christopher Hatton, a member of the Inner Temple, gained the favour of +Queen Elizabeth, for his grace and activity in a _masque_ which was acted +before her majesty. He was made vice-chamberlain, and afterwards lord +chancellor![600] In A. D. 1568, the tragedy of Tancred and Gismund, the +joint production of five students of the Inner Temple, was acted at the +Temple before queen Elizabeth and her court.[601] + +On the marriage of the lady Elizabeth, daughter of king James I., to +prince Frederick, the elector palatine, (Feb. 14th, A. D. 1613,) a masque +was performed at court by the gentlemen of the Temple, and shortly after, +twenty Templars were appointed barristers there in honour of prince +Charles, who had lately become prince of Wales, "the chardges thereof +being defrayed by a contribution of xxxs, from each bencher, xvs. from +euery barister of seauen years' standing, and xs. a peice from all other +gentlemen in commons."[602] + +Of all the pageants prepared for the entertainment of the sovereigns of +England, the most famous one was that splendid masque, which cost upwards +of L20,000, presented by the Templars, in conjunction with the members of +Lincoln's Inn and Gray's Inn, to king Charles I., and his young queen, +Henrietta of France. Whitelock, in his Memorials, gives a minute and most +animated account of this masque, which will be read with interest, as +affording a characteristic and admirable exhibition of the manners of the +age. + +The procession from the Temple to the palace of Whitehall was the most +magnificent that had ever been seen in London. "One hundred gentlemen in +very rich clothes, with scarce anything to be seen on them but gold and +silver lace, were mounted on the best horses and the best furniture that +the king's stable and the stables of all the noblemen in town could +afford." Each gentleman had a page and two lacqueys in livery waiting by +his horse's side. The lacqueys carried torches, and the page his master's +cloak. "The richness of their apparel and furniture glittering by the +light of innumerable torches, the motion and stirring of their mettled +horses, and the many and gay liveries of their servants, but especially +the personal beauty and gallantry of the handsome young gentlemen, made +the most glorious and splendid show that ever was beheld in England." + +These gallant Templars were accompanied by the finest band of picked +musicians that London could afford, and were followed by the _antimasque_ +of beggars and cripples, who were mounted on "the poorest, leanest jades +that could be gotten out of the dirt-carts." The habits and dresses of +these cripples were most ingeniously arranged, and as the "gallant Inns of +Court men" had their music, so also had the beggars and cripples. It +consisted of _keys, tongs, and gridirons_, "snapping and yet playing in +concert before them." After the beggars' antimasque came a band of pipes, +whistles, and instruments, sounding notes like those of birds, of all +sorts, in excellent harmony; and these ushered in "_the antimasque of +birds_," which consisted of an owl in an ivy bush, with innumerable other +birds in a cluster about the owl, gazing upon her. "These were little boys +put into covers of the shape of those birds, rarely fitted, and sitting on +small horses with footmen going by them with torches in their hands, and +there were some besides to look unto the children, and these were very +pleasant to the beholders." Then came a wild, harsh band of northern +music, bagpipes, horns, &c., followed by the "_antimasque of projectors_," +who were in turn succeeded by a string of chariots drawn by four horses +abreast, filled with "gods and goddesses," and preceded by heathen +priests. Then followed the chariots of the grand masquers drawn by four +horses abreast. + +The chariots of the Inner and Middle Temple were silver and blue. The +horses were covered to their heels with cloth of tissue, and their heads +were adorned with huge plumes of blue and white feathers. "The torches and +flaming flamboys borne by the side of each chariot made it seem lightsom +as at noonday.... It was, indeed, a glorious spectacle." + +Whitelock gives a most animated description of the scene in the +banqueting-room. "It was so crowded," says he, "with fair ladies +glittering with their rich cloaths and richer jewels, and with lords and +gentlemen of great quality, that there was scarce room for the king and +queen to enter in." The young queen danced with the masquers herself, and +judged them "as good dancers as ever she saw!" The great ladies of the +court, too, were "very free and easy and civil in dancing with all the +masquers as they were taken out by them." + +Queen Henrietta was so delighted with the masque, "the dances, speeches, +musick, and singing," that she desired to see the whole thing _acted over +again_! whereupon the lord mayor invited their majesties and all the Inns +of Court men into the city, and entertained them with great state and +magnificence at Merchant Taylor's Hall.[603] + +Many of the Templars who were the foremost in these festive scenes +afterwards took up arms against their sovereign. Whitelock himself +commanded a body of horse, and fought several sanguinary engagements with +the royalist forces. + +The year after the restoration, Sir Heneage Finch, afterwards earl of +Nottingham, kept his readers' feast in the great hall of the Inner Temple +with extraordinary splendour. The entertainments lasted from the 4th to +the 17th of August. + +At the first day's dinner were several of the nobility of the kingdom and +privy councillors, with divers others of his friends; at the second were +the lord mayor, aldermen, and principal citizens of London; to the third, +which was two days after the former, came the whole college of physicians, +who all appeared in their caps and gowns; at the fourth were all the +judges, advocates, and doctors of the civil law, and all the society of +Doctors' Commons; at the fifth were entertained the archbishops, bishops, +and chief of the clergy; and on the 15th of August his majesty king +Charles the Second came from Whitehall in his state barge, and dined with +the reader and the whole society in the hall. His majesty was accompanied +by the duke of York, and attended by the lord chancellor, lord treasurer, +lord privy seal, the dukes of Buckingham, Richmond, and Ormond; the lord +chamberlain, the earls of Ossory, Bristol, Berks, Portland, Strafford, +Anglesy, Essex, Bath, and Carlisle; the lords Wentworth, Cornbury, De la +Warre, Gerard of Brandon, Berkley of Stratton and Cornwallis, the +comptroller and vice-chamberlain of his majesties's household; Sir William +Morice, one of his principal secretaries of state; the earl of Middleton, +lord commissioner of Scotland, the earl of Glencairne, lord chancellor of +Scotland, the earls of Lauderdale and Newburgh, and others the +commissioners of that kingdom, and the earl of Kildare and others, +commissioners of Ireland. + +An entrance was made from the river through the wall into the Temple +Garden, and his majesty was received on his landing from the barge by the +reader and the lord chief justice of the Common Pleas, whilst the path +from the garden to the hall was lined with the readers' servants in +scarlet cloaks and white tabba doublets, and above them were ranged the +benchers, barristers, and students of the society, "the loud musick +playing from the time that his majesty landed till he entered the hall, +where he was received with xx. violins." Dinner was brought up by fifty of +the young gentlemen of the society in their gowns, "who gave their +attendance all dinner-while, none other appearing in the hall but +themselves." + +On the 3rd of November following, his royal highness the duke of York, the +duke of Buckingham, the earl of Dorset, and Sir William Morrice, secretary +of state, were admitted members of the society of the Inner Temple, the +duke of York being called to the bar and bench.[604] + +In 8 Car. II., A. D. 1668, Sir William Turner, lord mayor of London, came +to the readers' feast in the Inner Temple with his sword and mace and +external emblems of civic authority, which was considered to be an affront +to the society, and the lord mayor was consequently very roughly handled +by some of the junior members of the Temple. His worship complained to the +king, and the matter was inquired into by the council, as appears from the +following proceedings:-- + +"At the Courte att Whitehall, the 7th April, 1669, + +"Present the king's most excellent majestie." + + H. R. H. the duke of York. Lord bishop of London. + Lord Keeper. Lord Arlington. + Duke of Ormonde. Lord Newport. + Lord Chamberlaine. Mr. Treasurer. + Earle of Bridgewater. Mr. Vice-chamberlaine. + Earle of Bath. Mr. Secretary Trevor. + Earle of Craven. Mr. Chancellor of the Dutchy. + Earle of Middleton. Mr. John Duncombe. + +"Whereas, it was ordered the 31st of March last, that the complaints of +the lord maior of the city of London concerneing personall indignities +offered to his lordshippe and his officers when he was lately invited to +dine with the reader of the Inner Temple, should this day have a further +hearing, and that Mr. Hodges, Mr. Wyn, and Mr. Mundy, gentlemen of the +Inner Temple, against whome particular complaint was made, sshould appeare +att the board, when accordingly, they attendinge, and both parties being +called in and heard by their counsell learned, and affidavits haveing been +read against the said three persons, accuseing them to have beene the +principall actors in that disorder, to which they haveing made their +defence, and haveing presented severall affidavits to justifie their +carriage that day, though they could not extenuate the faults of others +who in the tumult affronted the lord maior and his officers; and, the +officers of the lord maior, who was alleaged to have beene abused in the +tumult, did not charge it upon anie of their particular persons; upon +consideration whereof it appeareing to his majestie that the matter +dependinge very much upon the right and priviledge of beareing up the lord +maior's sword within the Temple, which by order of this board of the 24th +of March last is left to be decided by due proceedings of lawe in the +courts of Westminster Hall; his majestie therefore thought fitt to suspend +the declaration of his pleasure thereupon until the said right and +priviledge shall accordinglie be determined att lawe." + +On the 4th of November, 14 Car. II., his highness Rupert prince palatine, +Thomas earl of Cleveland, Jocelyn lord Percy, John lord Berkeley of +Stratton, with Henry and Bernard Howard of Norfolk, were admitted members +of the fellowship of the Inner Temple.[605] + +We must now close our remarks on the Temple, with a short account of the +quarrel with Dr. Micklethwaite, the _custos_ or guardian of the Temple +Church. + +After the Hospitallers had been put into possession of the Temple by king +Edward the Third, the prior and chapter of that order, appointed to the +antient and honourable post of _custos_, and the priest who occupied that +office, had his diet in one or other of the halls of the two law +societies, in the same way as the guardian priest of the order of the +Temple formerly had his diet in the hall of the antient Knights Templars. +He took his place, as did also the chaplains, by virtue of the appointment +of the prior and chapter of the Hospital, without admission, institution +or induction, for the Hospitallers were clothed with the privileges, as +well as with the property, of the Knights Templars, and were exempt from +episcopal jurisdiction. The _custos_ had, as before mentioned, by grant +from the prior and chapter of the order of St. John, one thousand faggots +a year to keep up the fire in the church, and the rents of Ficketzfeld and +Cotterell Garden to be employed in improving the lights and providing for +the due celebration of divine service. From two to three chaplains were +also provided by the Hospitallers, and nearly the same ecclesiastical +establishment appears to have been maintained by them, as was formerly +kept up in the Temple by the Knights Templars. In 21 Hen. VII. these +priests had divers lodgings in the Temple, on the east side of the +churchyard, part of which were let out to the students of the two +societies. + +By sections 9 and 10 of the act 32 _Hen._ VIII., dissolving the order of +the Hospital of St. John, it is provided that William Ermsted, clerk, the +_custos_ or guardian of the Temple Church, who is there styled "Master of +the Temple," and Walter Limseie and John Winter, chaplains, should receive +and enjoy, during their lives, all such mansion-houses, stipends, and +wages, and all other profits of money, in as large or ample a manner as +they then lawfully had the same, the said Master and chaplains of the +Temple doing their duties and services there, as they had previously been +accustomed to do, and letters patent confirming them in their offices and +pensions were to be made out and passed under the great seal. This +appellation of "Master of the Temple," which antiently denoted the +superior of the proud and powerful order of Knights Templars in England, +the counsellor of kings and princes, and the leader of armies, was +incorrectly applied to the mere _custos_ or guardian of the Temple Church. +The act makes no provision for the _successors_ of the _custos_ and +chaplains, and Edward the Sixth consequently, after the decease of William +Ermsted, conveyed the lodgings, previously appropriated to the officiating +ministers, to a Mr. Keilway and his heirs, after which the custos and +clergymen had no longer _of right_ any lodgings at all in the Temple.[606] + +From the period of the dissolution of the order of Saint John, down to the +present time, the _custos_, or, as he is now incorrectly styled, "the +Master of the Temple," has been appointed by letters patent from the +crown, and takes his place as in the olden time, without the ceremony of +admission, institution, or induction. These letters patent are couched in +very general and extensive terms, and give the _custos_ or Master many +things to which he is justly entitled, as against the crown, but no longer +obtains, and profess to give him many other things which the crown had no +power whatever to grant. He is appointed, for instance, "to rule, govern, +and superintend the house of the New Temple;" but the crown had no power +whatever to make him governor thereof, the government having always been +in the hands of the Masters of the bench of the two societies, who +succeeded to the authority of the Master and chapter of the Knights +Templars. In these letters patent the Temple is described as a rectory, +which it never had been, nor anything like it. They profess to give to the +_custos_ "all and all manner of tythes," but there were no tythes to give, +the Temple having been specially exempted from tythe as a religious house +by numerous papal bulls. The letters patent give the _custos_ all the +revenues and profits of money which the _custodes_ had at any time +previously enjoyed by virtue of their office, but these revenues were +dissipated by the crown, and the property formerly granted by the prior +and chapter of Saint John, and by pious persons in the time of the +Templars, for the maintenance of the priests and the celebration of +divine service in the Temple Church was handed over to strangers, and the +_custos_ was thrown by the crown for support upon the voluntary +contributions of the two societies. He received, indeed, a miserable +pittance of 37_l._ 6_s._ 8_d._ per annum from the exchequer, but for this +he was to find at his own expense a minister to serve the church, and also +a clerk or sexton! + +As the crown retained in its own hands the appointment of the custos and +all the antient revenues of the Temple Church, it ought to have provided +for the support of the officiating ministers, as did the Hospitallers of +Saint John. + +"The chardges of the fellowshyppe," says the MS. account of the Temple +written in the reign of Hen. VIII., "towards the salary or mete and drink +of the priests, is none; for they are found by my lord of Saint John's, +and they that are of the fellowshyppe of the house are chardged with +nothing to the priests, saving that they have eighteen offring days in the +yeare, so that the chardge of each of them is xviii_d._"[607] + +In the reign of James the First, the _custos_, Dr. Micklethwaite, put +forward certain unheard-of claims and pretensions, which led to a rupture +between him and the two societies. The Masters of the bench of the society +of the Inner Temple, taking umbrage at his proceedings, deprived the +doctor of his place at the dinner-table, and "willed him to forbear the +hall till he was sent for." In 8 Car. I., A. D. 1633, the doctor presented +a petition to the king, in which he claims precedence within the Temple +"according to auncient custome, he being master of the house," and +complains that "his place in the hall is denyed him and his dyett, which +place the Master of the Temple hath ever had both before the profession of +the lawe kept in the Temple and ever since, whensoever he came into the +hall. That tythes are not payde him, whereas by pattent he is to have +_omnes et omnimodas decimas_.... That they denye all ecclesiastical +jurisdiction to the Master of the Temple, who is appointed by the king's +majesty master and warden of the house _ad regendum, gubernandum, et +officiendum domum et ecclesiam_," &c. The doctor goes into a long list of +grievances showing the little authority that he possessed in the Temple, +that he was not summoned to the deliberations of the houses, and he +complains that "they will give him no consideracion in the Inner House for +his supernumerarie sermons in the forenoon, nor for his sermons in the +afternoon," and that the officers of the Inner Temple are commanded to +disrespect the Master of the Temple when he comes to the hall. + +The short answer to the doctor's complaint is, that the _custos_ of the +church never had any of the things which the doctor claimed to be entitled +to, and it was not in the power of the crown to give them to him. + +The antient _custos_ being, as before mentioned, a priest of the order of +the Temple, and afterwards of the order of the Hospital, was a perfect +slave to his temporal superiors, and could be deprived of his post, be +condemned to a diet of bread and water, and be perpetually imprisoned, +without appeal to any power, civil or ecclesiastical, unless he could +cause his complaints to be brought to the ear of the pope. Dr. +Micklethwaite quite misunderstood his position in the Temple, and it was +well for him that the masters of the benches no longer exercised the +despotic power of the antient master and chapter, or he would certainly +have been condemned to the penitential cell in the church, and would not +have been the first _custos_ placed in that unenviable retreat.[608] + +The petition was referred to the lords of the council, and afterwards to +Noy, the attorney-general, and in the mean time the doctor locked up the +church and took away the keys. The societies ordered fresh keys to be +made, and the church to be set open. Noy, to settle all differences, +appointed to meet the contending parties in the church, and then alluding +to the pretensions of the doctor, he declared that if he were visitor he +would proceed against him _tanquam elatus et superbus_. + +In the end the doctor got nothing by his petition. + +In the time of the Commonwealth, after Dr. Micklethwaite's death, Oliver +Cromwell sent to inquire into the duties and emoluments of the post of +"Master of the Temple," as appears from the following letter:-- + +"From his highness I was commanded to speake with you for resolution and +satisfaction in theise following particulers-- + +"1. Whether the Master of the Temple be to be putt in him by way of +presentation, or how? + +"2. Whether he be bound to attend and preach among them in terme times and +out of terme? + +"3. Or if out of terme an assistant must be provided? then, whether at the +charge of the Master, or how otherwise? + +"4. Whether publique prayer in the chapell be allwayes performable by the +Master himselfe in terme times? And whether in time of vacation it be +constantly expected from himselfe or his assistant. + +"5. What the certain revenue of the Master is, and how it arises? + +"2. Sir, the gentleman his highness intends to make Master is Mr. Resburne +of Oundle, a most worthy and learned man, pastor of the church there, +whereof I myselfe am an unworthy member. + +"3. The church would be willing (for publique good) to spare him in terme +times, but will not part with him altogether. And in some of the +particulers aforementioned Mr. R. is very desirous to be satisfyd; his +highness chiefly in the first. + +"4. I begg of you to leave a briefe answer to the said particulars, and I +shall call on your servant for it. + +"For the honourable Henry Scobell, esq., theise."[609] + +During the late repair of the Temple Church, A. D. 1830, the workmen +discovered an antient seal of the order of the Hospital, which was carried +away, and appears to have got into the hands of strangers. On one side of +it is represented the holy sepulchre of Jerusalem, with the Saviour in his +tomb. At his head is an elevated cross, and above is a tabernacle or +chapel, from the roof of which depend two incense pots. Around the seal is +the inscription, "FR---- BERENGARII CUSTOS PAUPERUM HOSPITALIS +JHERUSALEM." On the reverse a holy man is represented on his knees in the +attitude of prayer before a patriarchal cross, on either side of which are +the letters _Alpha_ and _Omega_. Under the first letter is a star. + +These particulars have been furnished me by Mr. Savage, the architect. + + +THE END. + + +LONDON: + +PRINTED BY G. J. PALMER, SAVOY STREET, STRAND. + + + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[1] Elmacin, Hist. Saracen. Eutychius. + +[2] Ingulphus, the secretary of William the Conqueror, one of the number, +states that he sallied forth from Normandy with _thirty_ companions, all +stout and well-appointed horsemen, and that they returned _twenty_ +miserable palmers, with the staff in their hand and the wallet at their +back.--_Baronius ad ann. 1064_, No. 43, 56. + +[3] _Will. Tyr._, lib. i. cap. 10, ed. 1564. + +[4] Omnibus mundi partibus divites et pauperes, juvenes et virgines, senes +cum junioribus, loca sancta visitaturi Hierosolymam pergerent.--Jac. de +Vitriaco. _Hist. Hierosol._ cap. lxv. + +[5] "To kiss the holy monuments," says William of Tyre, "came sacred and +chaste widows, forgetful of feminine fear, and the multiplicity of dangers +that beset their path."--Lib. xviii. cap. 5. + +[6] Quidam autem Deo amabiles et devoti milites, charitate ferventes, +mundo renuntiantes, et Christi se servitio mancipantes in manu Patriarchae +Hierosolymitani professione et voto solemni sese astrinxerunt, ut a +praedictis latronibus, et viris sanguinum, defenderent peregrinos, et +stratas publicas custodirent, more canonicorum regularium in _obedientia +et castitate et sine proprio_ militaturi summo regi. _Jac. de Vitr. Hist. +Hierosol. apud Gesta Dei per Francos_, cap. lxv. p. 1083.--_Will. Tyr._ +lib. xii. cap. 7. There were three kinds of poverty. The first and +strictest (_altissima_) admitted not of the possession of any description +of property whatever. The second (_media_) forbade the possession of +individual property, but sanctioned any amount of wealth when shared by a +fraternity in common. The lowest was where a separate property in some few +things was allowed, such as food and clothing, whilst everything else was +shared in common. The second kind of poverty (media) was adopted by the +Templars. + +[7] _Pantaleon_, lib. iii. p. 82. + +[8] _D'Herbelot Bib. Orient._ p. 270, 687, ed. 1697. William of Tyre, who +lived at Jerusalem shortly after the conquest of the city by the +Crusaders, tells us that the Caliph Omar required the Patriarch Sophronius +to point out to him the site of the temple destroyed by Titus, which being +done, the caliph immediately commenced the erection of a fresh temple +thereon, "Quo postea infra modicum tempus juxta conceptum mentis suae +feliciter consummato, _quale hodie Hierosolymis esse dinoscitur_, multis +et infinites ditavit possessionibus."--_Will. Tyr._ lib. i. cap. 2. + +[9] Erant porro in eodem Templi aedificio, intus et extra ex opere musaico, +Arabici idiomatis literarum vetustissima monimenta, quibus et auctor et +impensarum quantitas et quo tempore opus inceptum quodque consummatum +fuerit evidenter declaratur.... In hujus superioris areae medio Templum +aedificatum est, forma quidem _octogonum_ et laterum totidem, tectum habens +sphericum plumbo artificiose copertum.... Intus vero in medio Templi, +infra interiorem columnarum ordinem _rupes_ est, &c.--_Will. Tyr._ lib. i. +cap 2, lib. viii. cap. 3. In hoc loco, supra _rupem_ quae adhuc in eodem +Templo consistit, dicitur stetisse et apparuisse David exterminator +Angelus.... Templum Dominicum in tanta veneratione habent Saraceni, ut +nullus eorum ipsum audeat aliquibus sordibus maculare; sed a remotis et +longinquis regionibus, a temporibus Salomonis usque ad tempora praesentia, +veniunt adorare.--_Jac. de Vitr. Hist. Hierosol._ cap. lxii. p. 1080. + +[10] _Procopius de aedificiis Justiniani_, lib. 5. + +[11] Phocas believes the whole space around these buildings to be the area +of the ancient temple. [Greek: En to archaio dapedo tou perionymou naou +ekeinou tou Solomontos theoroumenos ... Exothen de tou naou esti +periaulion mega lithostoton to palaion, hos oimai, tou megalou naou +dapedon.]--_Phocae descript. Terr. Sanc._ cap. xiv. Colon. 1653. + +[12] Quibus quoniam neque _ecclesia_ erat, neque certum habebant +domicilium, Rex in Palatio suo, quod secus Templum Domini ad _australem_ +habet partem, eis concessit habitaculum.--_Will. Tyr._ lib. xii. cap. 7. +And in another place, speaking of the Temple of the Lord, he says, Ab +_Austro_ vero domum habet Regiam, quae vulgari appellatione _Templum +Salomonis_ dicitur.--_Ib._ lib. viii. cap. 3. + +[13] Qui quoniam juxta Templum Domini, ut praediximus, in Palatio regio +mansionem habent, fratres militiae Templi dicuntur.--_Will. Tyr._ lib. xii. +cap. 7. + +[14] Est praeterea Hierosolymis Templum aliud immensae quantitatis et +amplitudinis, _a quo fratres militiae Templi, Templarii nominantur_, quod +Templum Salomonis nuncupatur, forsitan ad distinctionem alterius quod +specialiter Templum Domini appellatur.--_Jac. de Vitr._ cap. 62. + +[15] In Templo Domini abbas est et canonici regulares, et sciendum est +quod aliud est Templum Domini, aliud Templum militiae. Isti _clerici_, illi +_milites_.--_Hist. Orient. Jac. de Vitr. apud Thesaur. Nov. Anecd. +Martene_, tom. iii. col. 277. + +[16] _Will. Tyr._ lib. xii. cap. 7. + +[17] Prima autem eorum professio quodque eis a domino Patriarcha et +reliquis episcopis in remissionem peccatorum injunctum est, ut vias et +itinera, ad salutem peregrinorum contra latronum et incursantium insidias, +pro viribus conservarent.--_Will. Tyr._ lib. xii. cap. 7. + +[18] _Gibbon._ + +[19] _Reg. Constit. et Privileg. Ordinis Cisterc._ p. 447. + +[20] _Chron. Cisterc. Albertus Miraeus._ Brux. 1641. _Manricus ad ann. +1128_, cap. ii. _Act. Syn. Trec._ tom. x. edit. Labb. + +[21] Ego Joannes Michaelensis, praesentis paginae, jussu consilii ac +venerabilis abbatis Claraevallensis, cui creditum ac debitum hoc fuit, +humilis scriba esse, divina gratia merui.--_Chron. Cisterc._ ut sup. + +[22] See also Hoveden apud X script. page 479. Hen. Hunting. ib. page 384. + +[23] _Annales Benedictini_, tom. vi. page 166. + +[24] _Histoire de Languedoc_, lib. xvii. p. 407. + +[25] _Hist. de l'eglise de Gandersheim. Mariana de rebus Hispaniae_, lib. +x. cap. 15, 17, 18. _Zurita anales de la corona de Aragon_, tom. i. lib. +i. cap. 52. _Quarita_, tom. i. lib. ii. cap. 4. + +[26] Semel et secunda, et tertio, ni fallor, petiisti a me. Hugo +carrissime, ut tibi tuisque commilitonibus scriberem exhortationis +sermonem, et adversus hostilem tyrannidem, quia lanceam non liceret, +stilum vibrarem. _Exhortatio S. Bernardi ad Milites Templi, ed. Mabillon. +Parisiis_, 1839, tom. i. col. 1253 to 1278. + +[27] i. e. Without any _separate_ property. + +[28] _Will. Tyr._ lib. xiii. cap. 26; _Anselmus_, lib. iii. epistolarum. +epist. 43, 63, 66, 67; _Duchesne in Hist. Burg._ lib. iv. cap. 37. + +[29] Miles eximius et in armis strenuus, nobilis carne et moribus, dominus +Robertus cognomine Burgundio Magister militiae Templi.--_Will. Tyr._ lib. +xv. cap. 6. + +[30] Vir eximius frater militiae Templi Otto de Monte Falconis, omnes de +morte sua moerore et gemitu conficiens, occisus est.--_Will. Tyr._ lib. +xv. cap. 6. + +[31] _Abulfeda_, ad ann. Hegir. 534, 539. _Will. Tyr._ lib. xvi. cap. 4, +5, 7, 15, 16, who terms Zinghis, Sanguin. _Abulfaradge Chron. Syr._ p. +326, 328. _Will. Tyr._ lib. xvi. cap. 14. + +[32] _Odo de Diogilo_, p. 33. _Will. Tyr._ lib. xii. cap. 7; _Jac. de +Vitr._ cap. lxv.; _Paul. AEmil._ p. 254; _Monast. Angl._ vol. vii. p. 814. + +[33] In nomine sanctae et individuae Trinitatis omnibus dominis et amicis +suis, et Sanctae Dei ecclesiae filiis, Bernardus de Baliolo Salutem. Volo +notum fieri omnibus tam futuris quam praesentibus, quod pro dilectione Dei +et pro salute animae meae, antecessorumque meorum fratribus militibus de +Templo Salomonis dedi et concessi Wedelee, &c. ... Hoc donum in capitulo, +quod in Octavis Paschae Parisiis fuit feci, domino apostolico Eugenio +praesente, et ipso rege Franciae et archiepiscopo Seuver, et Bardell et +Rothomagi, et Frascumme, et fratribus militibus Templi alba chlamide +indutis cxxx praesentibus.--_Reg. Cart. S. Joh. Jerus. in Bib. Cotton. Nero +E. b._ No. xx. fo. 118. + +[34] _Gallia Christiana nova_, tom. i. col. 486. + +[35] _Odo de Diogilo de Ludov._ vii. _profectione in Orientem_, p. 67. + +[36] Rex per aliquot dies in Palatio Templariorum, ubi olim Regia Domus, +quae et Templum Salomonis constructa fuit manens, et sancta ubique loca +peragrans, per Samariam ad Galilaeam Ptolemaidam rediit.... Convenerat enim +cum rege militibusque Templi, circa proximum Julium, in Syriam ad +expugnationem Damasci exercitum ducere.--_Otto Frising_, cap. 58. + +[37] Ludovici regis ad abbatem Sugerium epist. 58.--_Duchesne hist. franc. +scrip._ tom. iv. p. 512; see also epist. 59, ibid. + +[38] _Simeonis Dunelmensis hist._ ad ann. 1148, _apud_ X _script._ + +[39] _Dugdale Baronage_, tom. i. p. 122, _Dugd. Monast._ vol. 7, p. 838. + +[40] Ex regist. Hosp. S. Joh. Jerusalem in Angli in _Bib. Cotton._ fol. +289, a-b. _Dugd. Monast. Angl._ ed. 1830, vol. vii. p. 820. + +[41] Ex. cod. vet. M. S. penes Anton. Wood, Oxon, fol. 14 a. Ib. p. 843. + +[42] _Liber Johannis Stillingflete_, M. S. in officio armorum (L. 17) fol. +141 a, Harleian M. S. No. 4937. + +[43] _Geoffrey of Clairvaux_ observes, however, that the second crusade +could hardly be called _unfortunate_, since, though it did not at all help +the Holy Land, it served to _people heaven with martyrs_. + +[44] His head and right hand were cut off by Noureddin, and sent to the +caliph at Bagdad.--_Abulfarag. Chron. Syr._ p. 336. + +[45] _Spicilegii Dacheriani_, tom. ii. p. 511; see also _Will. Tyr._ lib. +xvii. cap. 9. + +[46] _Will. Tyr._ lib. xvii. cap. 21. _L'art de verifier les dates_, p. +340. _Nobiliaire de Franche-Compte_, par Dunod, p. 140. + +[47] _Will. Tyr._ lib. xvii. cap. 20, ad ann. 1152. + +[48] _S. Bernardi epistolae_, 288, 289, 392, ed. Mabillon. + +[49] _Anselmi Gemblacensis Chron._ ad ann. 1153. _Will. Tyr._ lib. xvii. +cap. 27. + +[50] Captus est inter caeteros ibi Bertrandus de Blanquefort, Magister +Militiae Templi, vir religiosus ac timens Deum. _Will. Tyr._ lib. xviii. +cap. 14. _Registr. epist._ apud _Martene_ vet. script. tom. ii. col. 647. + +[51] Milites Templi circa triginta, ducentos Paganorum euntes ad nuphas +verterent in fugam, et divino praesidio comitante, omnes partim ceperunt, +partim gladio trucidarunt. _Registr. epist._ ut sup. col. 647. + +[52] _Will. Tyr._ lib. xix. cap. 8. + +[53] _Epist._ xvi. S. Remensi archiepiscopo et ejus suffraganeis pro +ecclesia Jerosolymitana et militibus Templi, apud _Martene vet. script._ +tom. ii. col. 647. + +[54] _Islam_, the name of the Mahometan religion. The word signifies +literally, delivering oneself up to God. + +[55] Keightley's Crusaders. + +[56] The virtues of Noureddin are celebrated by the Arabic Historian +_Ben-Schunah_, in his _Raoudhat Almenadhir_, by _Azzeddin Ebn-al-ather_, +by _Khondemir_, and in the work entitled, "The flowers of the two +gardens," by _Omaddeddin Kateb_. See also _Will. Tyr._ lib. xx. cap. 33. + +[57] _Regula_, cap. xlviii. + +[58] Vexillum bipartitum ex Albo et Nigro quod nominant _Beau-seant_ id +est Gallica lingua _Bien-seant_; eo quod Christi amicis candidi sunt et +benigni, inimicis vero terribiles atque nigri, _Jac. de Vitr. Hist. +Hierosol. apud Gesta Dei_, cap. lxv. The idea is quite an oriental one, +black and white being always used among the Arabs metaphorically, in the +sense above described. Their customary salutation is, May your day be +_white_, i. e. may you be happy. + +[59] _Alwakidi Arab. Hist._ translated by Ockley. _Hist. Saracen._ It +refers to a period antecedent to the crusades, but the same +religio-military enthusiasm prevailed during the holy war for the recovery +of Jerusalem. + +[60] _Cinnamus_, lib. iv. num. 22. + +[61] _Gesta Dei_, inter regum et principum epistolas, tom. i. p. 1173, 6, +7. _Hist. Franc. Script._ tom. iv. p. 692, 693. + +[62] Hist. de Saladin, par _M. Marin_, tom. i. p. 120, 1. _Gibbon_, cap. +59. + +[63] _Gesta Dei_, epist. xiv. p. 1178, 9. + +[64] De fratribus nostris ceciderunt LX. milites fortissimi, praeter +fratres clientes et Turcopulos, nec nisi _septem_ tantum evasere +periculum. Epist. _Gauf. Fulcherii_ procuratoris Templi Ludovico regi +Francorum. _Gesta Dei_, tom. i. p. 1182, 3, 4. + +[65] Registr. epist. apud _Martene_, vel script. tom. ii. col. 846, 847, +883. + +[66] "... praecipue pro fratribus Templi, vestram exoramus Majestatem ... +qui quotidie moriuntur pro Domino et servitio, et per quos possumus, si +quid possumus. In illis enim tota summa post Deum consistit omnium eorum, +qui sano fiunt consilio in partibus orientis...." _Gesta Dei_, tom. i. +epist. xxi. p. 1181. + +[67] Dominus fuit Arabiae secundae, quae est Petracensis, qui locus hodie +Crach dicitur, et Syriae Sobal ... factus est Magister Militiae +Templi.--_Will. Tyr._ lib. xxii. cap. 5. + +[68] _Will. Tyr._ lib. xviii. cap. 4, 5. + +[69] Fratres ejusdem domus non formidantes pro fratribus suis animas +ponere; cum servientibus et equitaturis _ad hoc officium specialiter +deputatis et propriis sumptibus retentis_, tam in eundo, quam redeundo ab +incursibus Paganorum defensant.--_De Vertot._ hist. des chev. de Malte, +liv. i. preuve 9. + +[70] _Will. Tyr._ lib. xx. cap. 5. + +[71] Praedicti enim Hospitalis fratres _ad imitationem_ fratrum militiae +Templi, armis materialibus utentes, milites cum servientibus in suo +collegio receperunt.--_Jac. de Vit._ cap. lxv. + +[72] _Will. Tyr._ lib. xx. cap. 5. + +[73] This assumption of arms by the Hospitallers was entirely at variance +with the original end and object of their institution. Pope Anastasius, in +a bull dated A. D. 1154, observes, "omnia vestra _sustentationibus +peregrinorum et pauperum_ debent cedere, ac per hoc nullatenus aliis +usibus ea convenit applicari."--_De Vertot_, liv. i. preuve 13. + +[74] _Gest. Dei per Francos_, p. 1177. + +[75] _Will. Tyr._ lib. xx. cap. 5. _Hoveden_ in Hen. 2, p. 622. _De +Vertot_, Hist. des Chevaliers de Malte, liv. ii. p. 150 to 161, ed. 1726. + +[76] _Will. Tyr._ lib. xxi. cap. 29. + +[77] _Will. Tyr._ lib. xx. xxi. xxii. + +[78] _Omne datum optimum_ et omne donum perfectum desursum est, descendens +a Patre luminum, apud quem non est transmutatio, nec vicissitudinis +obumbratio. + +[79] Acta Rymeri, tom. i. ad ann. 1172, p. 30, 31, 32. + +[80] _Wilcke_, Geschichte des Tempelherrenordens, vol. ii. p. 230. + +[81] 3 Concil. Lat. cap. 9. + +[82] Regula, cap. 20. + +[83] Cap. 21, 22. + +[84] Cap. 20, 27, of the rule. + +[85] _Jac. de Vitr._ Hist. Orient. apud _Martene_ thesaur. nov. anecdot. +tom. iii. col. 276, 277. + +[86] Narratio Patriarchae Hierosolymitani coram summo Pontifice de statu +Terrae Sanctae. ex M. S. Cod. Bigotiano, apud _Martene_ thesaur. nov. +anecdot. tom. iii. col. 276, 277. + +[87] Dissertation sur les Assassins, Academie des Inscriptions, tom. xvii. +p. 127, 170. _De Guignes_, Hist. des Huns.--_Will. Tyr._ lib. xx. cap. 31. + +[88] _Jac. de Vitr._ Hist. Orient. lib. iii. p. 1142. _Will. Tyr._ lib. +xx. cap. 32. + +[89] Adjecit etiam et alia _a spiritu superbiae_, quo ipse plurimum +abundabat, dictata, quae praesenti narrationi no multum necessarium est +interserere.--_Will. Tyr._ lib. xx. cap. 32. + +[90] _Will. Tyr._ lib. xxi. cap. 20, 22, 23. Abulfeda Abulpharadge, Chron. +Syr. p. 379. + +[91] Capti sunt ibi de nostris, Otto de Sancto Amando militiae Templi +Magister, homo nequaquam superbus et arrogans, spiritum furoris habens in +naribus, nec Deum timens, nec ad homines habens reverentiam.--_Will. Tyr._ +lib. xxi. cap. 29, Abulpharadge, Chron. Syr. p. 380, 381. + +[92] _Abulpharadge_, Chron. Syr. ut sup. Menologium Cisterciente, p. 194. +_Bernardus Thesaurarius_ de acq. _Terr. Sanc._ cap. 139. + +[93] Dicens non esse consuetudinis militum Templi ut aliqua redemptio +daretur pro eis praeter cingulum et cultellum. Chron. _Trivet_ apud _Hall_, +vol. i. p. 77. + +[94] Eodem anno quo captus est in vinculis et squalore carceris, nulli +lugendus, dicitur obiisse.--_Will. Tyr._ lib. xxi. cap. 29. Ib. lib. xxii. +cap. 7. Gallia christiana nova, tom. i. col. 258; ibid p. 172, +instrumentorum. + +[95] _Abulfeda_, ad ann. 1182, 3. _Will. Tyr._ lib. xxii. cap. 16-20. + +[96] Unde propter causas praedictas generali providentia statutum est, ut +Jerosolymitanus Patriarcha, petendi contra immanissimum hostem Saladinum +auxilii gratia, ad christianos principos in Europam mitteretur; sed maxime +ad illustrem Anglorum regem, cujus efficacior et promptia opera +sperabatur.--_Hemingford_, cap. 33; _Radulph de Diceto_, inter; _Hist. +Angl._ X. script. p. 622. + +[97] Concil. Magn. Brit. tom. iv. p. 788, 789. + +[98] _Arnauld_ of Troy. _Radulph de Diceto_, ut sup. p. 625. + +[99] Eodem anno (1185,) Baldewinus rex Jerusalem, et Templares et +Hospitalares, miserunt ad regem Angliae Heraclium, sanctae civitatis +Jerusalem Patriarcha, et summos Hospitalis et Templi Magistros una cum +vexillo regio, et clavibus sepulchri Domini, et turris David, et civitatis +Jerusalem; postulantes ab eo celerem succursum ... qui statim ad pedes +regis provoluti cum fletu magno et singultu, verba salutationis ex parte +regis et principum et universae plebis terrae Jerosolymitanae proferebant ... +tradiderunt ei vexillum regium, etc. etc.--_Hoveden_, ad ann. 1185; +_Radulph de Diceto_, p. 626. + +[100] _Matt. Westm._ ad ann. 1185; _Guill. Neubr._ tom. i. lib. iii. cap. +12, 13. _Chron. Dunst._ + +[101] _Speed._ Hist. Britain, p. 506. A. D. 1185. + +[102] _Stowe's_ Survey; _Tanner_, Notit. Monast.; _Dugd._ Orig. Jurid. + +[103] _Herbert_, Antiq. Inns of Court. + +[104] "Yea, and a part of that too," says Sir William Dugdale, in his +_origines juridiciales_, as appears from the first grant thereof to Sir +William Paget, Knight, Pat. ii. Edward VI. p. 2. + +[105] We read on many old charters and deeds, "Datum apud _vetus_ Templum +Londoniae." See an example, _Nichols'_ Leicestershire, vol. iii. p. 959; +see also the account, in Matt. Par. and Hoveden, of the king's visit to +Hugh bishop of Lincoln, who lay sick of a fever at the Old Temple, and +died there, the 16th November, A. D. 1200. + +[106] Anno ab incarnatione Domini MCLXXXV. facta est ista inquisitio de +terrarum donatoribus, et earum possessoribus, ecclesiarum scil. et +molendinorum, et terrarum assisarum, et in dominico habitarum, et de +redditibus assisis per Angliam, per fratrem Galfridum filium Stephani, +quando ipse suscepit balliam de Anglia, qui summo studio praedicta +inquirendo curam sollicitam exhibuit, ut majoris notitiae posteris +expressionem generaret, et pervicacibus omnimodam nocendi rescinderet +facultatem. Ex. cod. MS. in Scacc. penes Remor. Regis. fol. i. a.; _Dugd._ +Monast. Angl. vol. vi. part ii. p. 820. + +[107] Quorum res adeo crevit in immensum, ut hodie, trecentos in conventu +habeant equites, albis chlamydibus indutos: exceptis fratribus, quorum +pene infinitus est numerus. Possessiones autem, tam ultra quam citra mare, +adeo dicuntur immensas habere, ut jam non sit in orbe christiano provincia +quae praedictis fratribus suorum portionem non contulerit, et regiis +opulentiis pares hodie dicuntur habere copias.--_Will. Tyr._ lib. xii. +cap. 7. + +[108] Dominus Baldwinus illustris memoriae, Hierosolymorum rex quartus, +Gazam munitissimam fratribus militiae Templi donavit, _Will. Tyr._ lib. xx. +cap. 21. Milites Templi Gazam antiquam Palaestinae civitatem reaedificant, et +turribus eam muniunt, _Rob. de Monte_, appen. ad chron. Sig. p. 631. + +[109] _Marin. Sanut_, p. 221. _Bernard Thesaur._ p. 768. _Radulph +Coggleshale_, p. 249. Hoveden, p. 636. Radulph de Diceto, ut sup. p. 623. +Matt. Par. p. 142. Italia sacra, tom. iii. p. 407. + +[110] Tunc Julianus Dominus Sydonis vendidit Sydonem et Belfort +Templariis, _Marin. Sanut_, cap. vi. p. 221. + +[111] Atlas _Marianus_, p. 156; Siciliae Antiq., tom. iii. col. 1000. + +[112] Gallia christiana nova, tom. iii. col. 118; Probat. tom. ix. col. +1067, tom. x. col. 1292, tom. xi. col. 46; _Roccus Pyrrhus_, Sicil. Antiq. +tom. iii. col. 1093, 4, 5, 6, 7, &c. + +[113] _Petrus Maria Campus_ Hist. Placent. part ii. n. 28; _Pauli M. +Paciandi_ de cultu S. Johannis Bapt. Antiq. p. 297. + +[114] Description et delices d'Espagne, tom. iii. p. 259; Hist. Portugal, +_La Clede_, tom. i. p. 200, 202, &c.; Hispania illustrata, tom. iii. p. +49. + +[115] Annales Minorum, tom. v. p. 247; tom. vi. p. 211, 218; tom. viii. p. +26, 27; tom. ix. p. 130, 141.--_Campomanes._ + +[116] _Marcae_ Hispanicae, col. 1291, 1292, 1304. Gall. christ. nov. tom. i. +col. 195. _Mariana_, de. reb. Hisp. lib. ii. cap. 23. + +[117] Script. rer. Germ. tom. ii. col. 584. Annales Minorum, tom. vi. p. +5, 95, 177. Suevia and Vertenbergia sacra, p. 74. Annal. Bamb. p. 186. +Notitiae episcopatus Middelb. p. 11. Scrip. de rebus Marchiae Brandeburg, p. +13. _Aventinus_ annal. lib. vii. cap. 1. n. 7. Gall. christ. nov. tom. +viii. col. 1382; tom. i. col. 1129. + +[118] Constantinopolis christiana, lib. iv. p. 157. + +[119] Hist. de l'Eglise de Besancon, tom. ii. p. 397, 421, 450, 474, 445, +470, 509, &c. + +[120] Hist. de l'Eglise de St. Etienne a Dijon, p. 133, 137, 205. Hist. de +Bresse, tom. i. p. 52, 55, 84. + +[121] Hist. gen. de Languedoc, liv. ii. p. 523; liv. xvi., p. 362; liv. +xvii. p. 427; liv. xxii. p. 25, 226. Gall. christ. tom. vi. col. 727. +_Martene_ Thesaur. anecd. tom. i. col. 575. + +[122] Gall. christ. nov. tom. i. p. 32; tom. iii. col. 333; tom. ii. col. +46, 47, and 72. _La Martiniere_ dict. geogr. _Martene_, ampl. collect. +tom. vi. col. 226. Gloss. nov. tom. iii. col. 223. + +[123] Histoire de la ville de Paris, tom. i. p. 174. Gall. christ. nov. +tom. vii. col. 853. + +[124] Annales Trevir. tom. ii. p. 91, 197, 479. _Prodromus_ hist. Trevir. +p. 1077. _Bertholet_ hist. de Luxembourg, tom. v. p. 145. _Joh. Bapt._ +Antiq. Flandriae Gandavum, p. 24, 207. Antiq. Bredanae, p. 12, 23. +_Austroburgus_, p. 115. _Aub Miraei_ Diplomat. tom. ii. p. 1165, &c. + +[125] _Dugd._ Monast. Angl. vol. vi. part 2, p. 800 to 817. Concilia Magnae +Britanniae, tom. iii. p. 333 to 382. Acta _Rymeri_, tom. iii. p. 279, 288, +291, 295, &c. + +[126] Acta _Rymeri_, tom. iii. p. 279, 288, 291, 297, &c. + +[127] _Nichols'_ hist. of Leicestershire. + +[128] _Clutterbuck's_ hist. Hertfordshire. _Chauncey_, antiq. Hert. Acta +_Rymeri_, tom. iii. p. 133, 134. _Dodsworth_, M. S. vol. xxxv. + +[129] _Morant's_ hist. Essex, _Rymer._ tom. iii. p. 290 to 294. + +[130] Redditus omnium ecclesiarum et molendinorum et terrarum de baillia +de Lincolnscire. Inquis. terrar. ut sup. fol. 41 b to 48 b and 49 a. +_Peck's_ MS. in Museo Britannico, vol. iv. fol. 95 et seq. + +[131] _Peck's_ MS. ut sup. fol. 95. + +[132] Inquis. ut. sup. 58 b to 65 b. + +[133] Inquis. terrar. ut sup. fol. 12 a to 23 a. Dodsworth MS. vol. xx. p. +65, 67, ex quodam rotulo tangente terras Templariorum. Rot. 42, 46, p. +964. Dugd. Baron. tom. i. p. 70. + +[134] Monast. Angl. ut sup. p. 840. _Hasted._ hist. Kent. + +[135] Ex cod. MS. in officio armorum, L. xvii. fol. 141 a. Calendarium +Inquis. post mortem, p. 13. 18. + +[136] _Manning's_ Surrey. _Atkyn's_ Gloucestershire; and see the +references in Tanner. _Nash's_ Worcestershire. + +[137] _Bridge's_ Northamptonshire, vol. ii. p. 100. + +[138] _Thoroton's_ Nottinghamshire. _Burn and Nicholson's_ Westmoreland. +_Worsley's_ Isle of Wight. + +[139] Habuerunt insuper Templarii in Christianitate _novem millia_ +maneriorum ... praeter emolumenta et varios proventus ex fraternitatibus et +praedicationibus provenientes, et per privilegia sua accrescentes. _Mat. +Par._ p. 615, ed. Lond. 1640. + +[140] Amplis autem possessionibus tam citra mare quam ultra ditati sunt in +immensum, villas, civitates et oppida, ex quibus certam pecuniae summam, +pro defensione Terrae Sanctae, summo eorum magistro cujus sedes principalis +erat in Jerusalem, mittunt annuatim.--_Jac. de Vitr._ Hist. Hierosol. p. +1084. + +[141] Masculum pullum, si natus sit super terram domus, vendere non +possunt sine licentia fratrum. Si filiam habent, dare non possunt sine +licentia fratrum. Inquisitio terrarum, ut supr. fol. 18 a. + +[142] The Templars, by diverting the water, created a great nuisance. In +A. D. 1290, the _Prior et fratres de Carmelo_ (the white friars) +complained to the king in parliament of the putrid exhalations arising +from the Fleet river, which were so powerful as to overcome all the +frankincense burnt at their altar during divine service, and had +occasioned the deaths of many of their brethren. They beg that the stench +may be removed, lest they also should perish. The Friars preachers (black +friars) and the bishop of Salisbury (whose house stood in Salisbury-court) +made a similar complaint; as did also Henry Lacy, Earl of Lincoln, who +alleges that the Templars (_ipsi de novo Templo_) had turned off the water +of the river to their mills at Castle Baignard.--_Rot. Parl._ vol. i. p. +60, 200. + +[143] Ex cod. MS. in officio armorum, L. xvii. fol. 141 a. _Dugd._ Monast. +Angl. ut sup. p. 838. _Tanner_, Notit. Monast. + +[144] _Dugd._ Baronage. Monast. Angl. p. 800 to 844. + +[145] Power to hold courts; + +[146] to impose and levy fines and amerciaments upon their tenants; + +[147] to buy and sell, or to hold a kind of market; + +[148] to judge and punish their villains and vassals; + +[149] to try thieves and malefactors belonging to their manors, and taken +within the precincts thereof; + +[150] to judge foreign thieves taken within the said manors, &c. + +[151] Cart. 11. Hen. 3. M. 33. _Dugd._ Monast. p. 844. + +[152] Acta _Rymeri_, tom. i. p. 54, 298, 574, 575. + +[153] Page 431. + +[154] 13 Edward I. + +[155] 2 Inst. p. 432. + +[156] 2 Inst. p. 465. + +[157] Stat. Westr. 2, cap. 43, 13 Ed. I. + +[158] The title Master of the Temple was so generally applied to the +superiors of the western provinces, that we find in the Greek of the lower +empire, the words [Greek: Templou Maistor]. _Ducange._ Gloss. + +[159] Also summus magister, magister generalis. + +[160] Concil. Mag. Brit. tom. ii. p. 335, 339, 340. Monast. Angl. p. 818. + +[161] Concil. Mag. Brit. tom. ii. p. 355, 356. + +[162] In cujus rei testimonium huic praesenti scripto indentato sigillum +capituli nostri apposuimus. + +[163] MS. apud Belvoir. _Peck's_ MS. in Museo Britannico, vol. iv. p. 65. + +[164] _Nicholl's_ Hist. Leicestershire, vol. iii. pl. cxxvii. fig. 947, p. +943; vol. ii. pl. v. fig. 13. + +[165] Two of these visitors-general have been buried in the Temple Church. + +[166] Rot. claus. 49. H. III. m. xi. d. Acta _Rymeri_, tom. iii. p. 802. + +[167] L'histoire des Cisteaux, _Chrisost. Henriques_, p. 479. + +[168] Ricardus de Hastinges, Magister omnium militum et fratrum Templi qui +sunt in Anglia, salutem. Notum vobis facimus quod omnis controversia quae +fuit inter nos et monachos de Kirkested ... terminata et finita est +assensu et consilio nostro et militum et fratrum, &c., anno ab +incarnatione Domini 1155, 11 die kal. Feb. The archbishop of Canterbury, +the papal legate, the bishop of Lincoln, and several abbots, are witnesses +to this instrument.--_Lansdown_ MS. 207 E, fol. 467, p. 162, 163; see also +p. 319, where he is mentioned as Master, A. D. 1161. + +[169] Et paulo post rex Angliae fecit Henricum filium suum desponsare +Margaritam filiam regis Franciae, cum adhuc essent pueruli in cunis +vagientes; videntibus et consentientibus Roberto de Pirou et Toster de +Sancto Homero et Ricardo de Hastinges, Templariis, qui custodiebant +praefata castella, et statim tradiderunt illa castella regi Angliae, unde +rex Franciae plurimum iratus fugavit illos tres Templarios de regno +Franciae, quos rex Angliae benigne suscipiens, multis ditavit +honoribus.--_Rog. Hoveden_, script. post Bedam, p. 492. _Guilielmi +Neubrigiensis_ hist. lib. ii. cap. 4, apud _Hearne_. + +[170] Life of Henry II. tom. iv. p. 203. + +[171] Ib. tom. ii. p. 356. Hist. quad. p. 38. _Hoveden_, 453. _Chron. +Gervasii_, p. 1386, apud X script. + +[172] Ricardus Mallebeench, magister omnium pauperum militum et fratrum +Templi Salomonis in Anglia, &c. ... Confirmavimus pacem et concordiam quam +Ricardus de Hastings fecit cum Waltero abbate de Kirkested.--_Lansdown_ +MS. 207 E., fol. 467. + +[173] Gaufridus, filius Stephani, militiae Templi in Anglia _Minister_, +assensu totius capituli nostri dedi, &c., totum illud tenementum in villa +de Scamtrun quod Emma uxor Walteri Camerarii tenet de domo nostra, &c. Ib. +fol. 201. + +[174] Post. + +[175] The money is ordered to be paid "dilecto filio nostro Thesaurario +domus militiae Templi Londonien." Acta _Rymeri_, tom. i. p. 442, 4, 5. +_Wilkins_ Concilia, tom. ii. p. 230. + +[176] _Matt. Par._ p. 381. + +[177] _Matt. Par._ p. 253, 645. + +[178] _Wilkins_, Concilia Magnae Britanniae, tom. ii. p. 19, 26, 93, 239, +253, 272, 292. + +[179] _Bernard Thesaur._ cap. 157, apud _Muratori_ script. rer. Ital. p. +792. _Cotton_ MS., Nero E. vi. p. 60, fol. 466. + +[180] _Radulph de Diceto_, ut sup. p. 626. _Matt. Par._ ad ann. 1185. + +[181] _Hoveden_ annal. apud rer. Angl. script. post Bedam, p. 636, 637. + +[182] The above passage is almost literally translated from Abbot +Bromton's Chronicle. The Patriarch there says to the king, "Hactenus +gloriose regnasti, sed amodo ipse te deseret quem tu deseruisti. Recole +quae dominus tibi contulit, et qualia illi reddidisti; quomodo regi Franciae +infidus fuisti, beatum Thomam occidisti, et nunc protectionem +Christianorum abjecisti. Cumque ad haec rex excandesceret, obtulit +patriarcha caput suum et collum extensum, dicens, 'Fac de me quod de +_Thoma_ fecisti. Adeo libenter volo a te occidi in Anglia, sicut a +Saracenis in Syria, quia tu omni Saraceno pejor es.' Cui rex, 'Si omnes +homines mei unum corpus essent, unoque ore loquerentur, talia mihi dicere +non auderent.' Cui ille, 'Non est mirum, quia tu et non te diligunt, +praedam etiam et non hominem sequitur turba ista.' 'Recedere non possum, +quia filii mei insurgerent in me absentem.' Cui ille, 'Nec mirum, quia de +diabolo venerunt, et ad diabolum ibunt.' Et sic demum patriarcha navem +ascendens in Galliam reversus est."--_Chron. Joan. Bromton_, abbatis +Jornalensis, script. X. p. 1144, ad ann. 1185. + +[183] Sed haec omnia praefatus Patriarcha parum pendebat, sperabat enim quod +esset reducturus secum ad defensionem Ierosolymitanae terrae praefatum regem +Angliae, vel aliquem de filiis suis, vel aliquem virum magnae auctoritatis; +sed quia hoc esse non potuit, repatriaturus dolens et confusus a curia +recessit.--_Hoveden_ ut sup. p. 630. + +[184] _Contin. Hist. Bell. Sacr._ apud _Martene_, tom. v. col. 606. It +appears from _Mansi_ that this valuable old chronicle, formerly attributed +to Hugh Plagon, is the original French work of _Bernard the Treasurer_. + +[185] Quand le roi avoit offert sa corone au Temple Dominus, si avaloit +uns degres qui sont dehors le Temple, et entroit en son pales au Temple de +Salomon, ou li Templiers manoient. La etoient les tables por mengier, ou +le roi s'asseoit, et si baron et tuit cil qui mengier voloient.--Contin. +bell. sacr. apud _Martene_, tom. v. col. 586. + +[186] Contin. hist. ut sup., col. 593, 4. _Bernard. Thesaur._ apud +_Muratori_ script. rer. Ital., tom. vii. cap. 147, col. 782, cap. 148, +col. 173. Assizes de Jerusalem, cap. 287, 288. _Guill. Neubr._ cap. 16. + +[187] Vita et res gestae Saladini by _Bohadin F. Sjeddadi_, apud +_Schultens_, ex. MS. Arab. Pref. + +[188] Chron. terrae Sanctae apud _Martene_, tom. v. col. 551. Hist. +Hierosol. Gest. Dei, tom. i. pt. ii. p. 1150, 1. _Geoffrey de Vinisauf._ + +[189] Contin. hist. bell. sacr. ut sup., col. 599. + +[190] _Muhammed F. Muhammed_, _N. Koreisg. Ispahan_, apud _Schultens_, p. +18. + +[191] _Radulph Coggleshale_, an eye-witness, apud _Martene_, tom. v. col. +553. + +[192] Chron. Terrae Sanctae, apud _Martene_, tom. v. col. 558 and 545. A +most valuable history. + +[193] _Omad'eddin Kateb-Abou-hamed-Mohamed-Benhamed_, one of Saladin's +secretaries. Extraits Arabes, par _M. Michaud_. + +[194] Contin. hist. bell. sacr. apud _Martene_, tom. v. col. 608. +_Bernard. Thesaur._ apud _Muratori_ script. rer. Ital., cap. 46. col. 791. + +[195] _Bohadin_, cap. 35. _Abulfeda._ _Abulpharag._ + +[196] _Omad'eddin Kateb_, in his book called _Fatah_, celebrates the above +exploits of Saladin. Extraits Arabes, _Michaud_. _Radulph Coggleshale_, +Chron. Terr. Sanct. apud _Martene_, tom. v. col. 553 to 559. _Bohadin_, p. +70. _Jac. de Vitr._ cap. xciv. _Guil. Neubr._ apud Hearne, tom. i. lib. +iii. cap. 17, 18. _Chron. Gervasii_, apud X. script. col. 1502. +_Abulfeda_, cap. 27. _Abulpharag._ Chron. Syr. p. 399, 401, 402. +_Khondemir._ _Ben-Schunah._ + +[197] _Geoffrey de Vinisauf_ apud _Gale_, script. Antiq. Anglic. p. 15, "O +zelus fidei! O fervor animi!" says that admiring historian, cap. xv. p. +251. + +[198] _Geoffrey de Vinisauf_, ut sup. cap. v. p. 251. + +[199] Epistola Terrici Praeceptoris Templi de captione terrae +Jerosolymitanae, _Hoveden_ annal. apud rer. Angl. script. post Bedam, p. +636, 637. _Chron. Gervas._ ib. col. 1502. _Radulph de Diceto_, apud X. +script. col. 635. + +[200] Saladin's letter to the caliph _Nassir Deldin-Illah Aboul Abbas +Ahmed_.--_Michaud_, Extraits Arabes. + +[201] Les dames de Jerusalem firent prendre _cuves_ et mettre en la place +devant le monte Cauviaire, et emplir _d'eue froide_, et firent lors filles +entrer jusqu'au col, et couper lor treices et jeter les.--Contin. hist. +bell. sacr. apud _Martene_, tom. v. col. 615. + +[202] Chron. Terrae Sanctae, _Radulphi Coggeshale_, apud _Martene_, tom. v. +col. 572, 573; flentibus christianis, crines et vestes rumpentibus, +pectora et capita tundentibus, says the worthy abbot. + +[203] See ante, p. 6. + +[204] Saladin ot mande a Damas por eue rose asses por le Temple laver ... +il avoit quatre chamiex ou cinq tous chargies.--Contin. hist. Bell. Sacr. +col. 621. + +[205] Bohadin, cap. xxxvi., and the extracts from _Abulfeda_, apud +_Schultens_, cap. xxvii. p. 42, 43. _Ib'n Alatsyr_, Michaud, Extraits +Arabes. + +[206] _Hoveden_, annal. apud rer. Angl. script. post Bedam, p. 645, 646. + +[207] _Bohadin_ apud _Schultens_, cap. xxxvi. + +[208] _Ibn-Alatsyr_, hist. Arab. and the _Raoudhatein_, or "the two +gardens." _Michaud_, Extraits Arabes. Excerpta ex _Abulfeda_ apud +_Schultens_, cap. xxvii. p. 43. _Wilken_ Comment. Abulfed. hist. p. 148. + +[209] Omad'eddin Kateb.--_Michaud_, Extraits Arabes. + +[210] _Khotbeh_, or sermon of _Mohammed Ben Zeky_.--_Michaud_, Extraits +Arabes. + +[211] See the account of this remarkable stone, ante p. 7, 8. + +[212] _Hist. Hierosol._ Gesta Dei per Francos, tom. i. pt. ii. p. 1155. + +[213] _Hoveden_ ut sup. p. 646. _Schahab'eddin_ in the +Raoudhatein.--_Michaud._ + +[214] _Jac. de Vitr._ cap. xcv. _Vinisauf_, apud XV script. p. 257. +_Trivet_ ad ann. 1188, apud _Hall_, p. 93. + +[215] _Radulph de Diceto_ ut sup. col. 642, 643. _Matt. Par._ ad ann. +1188. + +[216] _Radulph Coggleshale_, p. 574. Hist. Hierosol. apud Gesta Dei, tom. +i. pars 2, p. 1165. _Radulph de Diceto_ ut sup., col. 649. _Vinisauf_, +cap. xxix. p. 270. + +[217] _Ducange_ Gloss. tom. vi. p. 1036. + +[218] _Geoffrey de Vinisauf_, apud XV script. cap. xxxv. p. 427. _Rad. +Coggleshale_ apud _Martene_, tom. v. col. 566, 567. _Bohadin_, cap. l. to +c. + +[219] _Bohadin_, cap. v. vi. + +[220] L'art de verif. tom. i. p. 297. + +[221] Hist. de la maison de Sable, liv. vi. chap. 5. p. 174, 175. Cotton +MS. Nero, E. vi. p. 60. folio 466, where he is called Robert de Sambell. +L'art de Verif. p. 347. + +[222] _Jac. de Vitr._ cap. 65. + +[223] Le roi de France ot le chastel d'Acre, ot le fist garnir et le roi +d'Angleterre se herberja en la maison du Temple.--Contin. Hist. bell. +sacr. apud _Martene_, tom. v. col. 634. + +[224] _Chron. Ottonis_ a S. Blazio, c. 36. apud Scriptores Italicos, tom. +vi. col. 892. + +[225] _Contin. Hist. bell. sacr._ apud Martene, tom. v. col. 633. +_Trivet_, ad. ann. 1191. _Chron. de S. Denis_, lib. ii. cap. 7. +_Vinisauf_, p. 328. + +[226] Primariam aciem deducebant Templarii et ultimam Hospitalarii, quorum +utrique strenue agentes magnarum virtutum praetendebant +imaginem.--_Vinisauf_, cap. xii. p. 350. + +[227] Ibi rex praeordinaverat quod die sequenti primam aciem ipse +deduceret, et quod Templarii extremae agminis agerent +custodiam.--_Vinisauf_, cap. xiv. p. 351. + +[228] Deducendae extremae legioni praefuerant Templarii, qui tot equos ea die +Turcis irruentibus, a tergo amiserunt, quod fere desperati sunt.--Ib. + +[229] _Bohadin_, cap. cxvi. p. 189. + +[230] Singulis noctibus antequam dormituri cubarent, quidam ad hoc +deputatus voce magna clamaret fortiter in medio exercitu dicens, ADJUVA +SEPULCHRUM SANCTUM; ad hanc vocem clamabant universi eadem verba +repetentes, et manus suas cum lacrymis uberrimis tendentes in caelum, Dei +misericordiam postulantes et adjutorium.--_Vinisauf_, cap. xii. p. 351. + +[231] Ibid. cap. xxxii. p. 369. + +[232] _Bedewini_ horridi, fuligine obscuriores, pedites improbissimi, +arcus gestantes cum pharetris, et ancilia rotunda, gens quidem acerrima et +expedita.--_Vinisauf_, cap. xviii. p. 355. + +[233] _Vinisauf_, cap. xxii. p. 360. _Bohadin_, cap. cxx. + +[234] Expedite descenderunt (Templarii) ex equis suis, et dorsa singuli +dorsis sociorum habentes haerentia, facie versa in hostes, sese viriliter +defendere coeperunt. Ibi videri fuit pugnam acerrimam, ictus validissimos, +tinniunt galeae a percutientium collisione gladiorum, igneae exsiliunt +scintillae, crepitant arma tumultuantium, perstrepunt voces; Turci se +viriliter ingerunt, Templarii strenuissime defendunt.--Ib. cap. xxx. p. +366, 367. + +[235] _Vinisauf_, cap. xxxii. p. 369. + +[236] Ib. cap. xxxvii. p. 392. _Contin. Hist. Bell. Sacr._ apud _Martene_, +v. col. 638. + +[237] _Vinisauf_, lib. v. cap. 1, p. 403. Ibid. lib. vi. cap. 2, p. 404. + +[238] Ib. cap. iv. v. p. 406, 407, &c. &c.; cap. xi. p. 410; cap. xiv. p. +412. King Richard was the first to enter the town. Tunc rex per cocleam +quandam, quam forte prospexerat in domibus Templariorum solus primus +intravit villam.--_Vinisauf_, p. 413, 414. + +[239] _Contin. Hist. Bell. Sacr._ apud _Martene_, tom. v. col. 641. + +[240] Concessimus omne jus, omne dominium quod ad nos pertinet et +pertineat, omnem potestatem, omnes libertates et liberas consuetudines +quas regia potestas conferre potest. _Cart. Ric._ 1. ann. 5, regni sui. + +[241] _Hispania Illustrata_, tom. iii. p. 59. _Hist. gen. de Languedoc_, +tom. iii. p. 409. Cotton, MS. Nero E. VI. 23. i. + +[242] Castrum nostrum quod Peregrinorum dicitur, see the letter of the +Grand Master _Matt. Par._ p. 312, and _Jac. de Vitr._ lib. iii. apud Gest. +Dei, p. 1131. + +[243] "Opus egregium," says _James of Vitry_, "ubi tot et tantas +effuderunt divitias, quod mirum est unde eas accipiunt."--_Hist. Orient._ +lib. iii. apud Gest. Dei, tom. i. pars 9, p. 1131. _Martene_, tom. iii. +col. 288. Hist. capt. Damietae, apud Hist. Angl. script. XV. p. 437, 438, +where it is called Castrum Filii Dei. + +[244] _Pococke_, Travels in the East, book i. chap. 15. + +[245] _Dufresne_, Gloss. _Archives d'Arles._ Cotton, MS. Nero E. VI. + +[246] Acta et Foedera _Rymeri_, tom. i. p. 134, ad. ann. 1203, ed. 1704. + +[247] _Rigord_ in Gest. Philippi. Acta _Rymeri_, tom. i. p. 165, 173. + +[248] Itinerarium regis Johannis, compiled from the grants and precepts of +that monarch, by _Thomas Duff Hardy_, published by the Record +Commissioners. + +[249] Acta _Rymeri_, tom. i. p. 170, ad. ann. 1213. + +[250] _Matt. Par._ ad. ann. 1213, p. 234, 236, 237. _Matt. Westr._ p. 271, +2. _Bib. Cotton._ Nero C. 2. Acta _Rymeri_, tom. i. p. 172, 173. King John +resided at Temple Ewell from the 7th to the 28th of May. + +[251] Teste meipso apud Novum Templum London.... Acta _Rymeri_, tom. i. p. +105. ad. ann. 1214, ed. 1704. + +[252] "Formam autem rei prolocutae inter nos et ipsos, scriptam et sigillo +nostro sigillatam ... in custodiam Templariorum commisimus."--_Literae +Regis sorori suae Reginae Berengariae_, ib. p. 194. + +[253] Berengaria Dei gratia, quondam humilis Angliae Regina. Omnibus, &c. +salutem.... Hanc pecuniam solvet in domo Novi Templi London. Ib. p. 208, +209, ad. ann. 1215. + +[254] _Matt. Par._ p. 253, ad. ann. 1215. + +[255] _Monast. Angl._ vol. vi. part ii. + +[256] Ital. et Raven. Historiarum _Hieronymi Rubei_, lib. vi. p. 380, 381, +ad ann. 1217. ed. Ven. 1603. + +[257] _Jac. de Vitr._ lib. iii. ad. ann. 1218. Gesta Dei, tom. i. 1, pars +2, p. 1133, 4, 5. + +[258] _Gall. Christ. nov._ tom. ii. col. 714, tom. vii. col. 229. + +[259] _Jac. de Vitr._ Hist. Orient. ut sup. p. 1138. Bernard Thesaur. apud +Muratori, cap. 190 to 200. + +[260] Epist. Magni Magistri Templi apud Matt. Par. p. 312, 313. + +[261] Our historian, James de Vitry; he subsequently became one of the +hostages. Contin. Hist. apud _Martene_, tom. v. col. 698. + +[262] Matt. Par. ad ann. 1222, p. 314. See also another letter, p. 313. + +[263] Actum London in domo Militiae Templi, II. kal. Octob. _Acta Rymeri_, +tom. i. p. 234, ad ann. 1219. + +[264] _Acta Rymeri_, tom. i. ad ann. 1223, p. 258. + +[265] Mittimus ad vos dilect. nobis in Christo, fratrem Alanum Marcell +Magistrum militiae Templi in Anglia, &c. ... Teste meipso apud Novum +Templum London coram Domino Cantuar--archiepiscopo, Huberto de Burgo +justitiario et J. Bath--Sarum episcopis. _Acta Rymeri_, tom. i. p. 270, ad +ann. 1224. + +[266] Ib. p. 275. + +[267] Ib. p. 311, 373, 380. + +[268] Sanut, lib. iii. c. x. p. 210. + +[269] _Cotton_, MS. Nero E. VI. p. 60. fol. 466. Nero E. VI. 23. i. + +[270] Cecidit autem in illo infausto certamine illustris miles Templarius, +Anglicus natione, Reginaldus de Argentomio, ea die Balcanifer; ... +indefessus vero vexillum sustinebat, donec tibiae cum cruribus et manibus +frangerentur. Solus quoque eorum Preceptor priusquam trucidaretur, +sexdecim hostium ad inferos destinavit.--_Matt. Par._ p. 443, ad ann. +1237. + +[271] A _Clerkenwelle_ domo sua, quae est Londoniis, per medium civitatis, +clypeis circiter triginta detectis, hastis elevatis, et praevio vexillo, +versus pontem, ut ab omnibus videntibus, benedictionem obtinerent, +perrexerunt eleganter. Fratres vero inclinatis capitibus, hinc et inde +caputiis depositis, se omnium precibus commendaverunt.--_Matt. Par._ p. +443, 444. + +[272] Et eodem anno (1239) ... passi sunt Judaei exterminium magnum et +destructionem, eosdem arctante et incarcerante, et pecuniam ab eisdem +extorquente Galfrido Templario, Regis speciali consiliario.--_Matt. Par._ +p. 489, ad ann. 1239. + +[273] In ipsa ira aufugavit fratrem Rogerum Templarium ab officio +eleemosynariae, et a curia jussit elongari.--Ib. + +[274] _Rymer_, tom. i. p. 404. + +[275] Post. + +[276] _Matt. Par._ p. 615. + +[277] _Michaud_ Extraits Arabes, p. 549. + +[278] _Steph. Baluz_. Miscell., lib. vi. p. 357. + +[279] _Marin Sanut_, p. 217. + +[280] _Matt. Par._ p. 631 to 633, ad ann. 1244. Huic scripto originali, +quod erat hujus exemplum, appensa fuerunt duodecim sigilla. + +[281] _Matt. Par._ p. 618-620. + +[282] Cotton MS. Nero E. VI. p. 60, fol. 466, vir discretus et +circumspectus; in negotiis quoque bellicis peritus. + +[283] Hospitalarii et Templarii milites neophitos et manum armatam cum +thesauro non modico illuc ad consolationem et auxilium ibi commorantium +festinanter transmiserunt. Epist. Pap. Innocent IV. + +[284] _Matt. Par._ p. 697, 698. + +[285] Literae Soldani Babyloniae ad Papam missae, a quodam Cardinali ex +Arabico translatae.--_Matt. Par._ p. 711. + +[286] Ibid. p. 733. + +[287] _Matt. Par._ p. 735. + +[288] Ib. in additamentis, p. 168, 169. + +[289] Quant les Templiers virent-ce, il se penserent que il seroient +honniz se il lessoient le Compte d'Artois aler devant eulz; si ferirent +des esperons qui plus plus, et qui miex miex, et chasserent les Turcs. +Hist. de San Louis par _Jehan Sire de Joinville_, p. 47. + +[290] Nec evasit de tota illa gloriosa militia nisi duo Templarii.--_Matt. +Par._ ad ann. 1250. Chron. _Nangis_, p. 790. + +[291] Et a celle bataille frere Guillaume le Mestre du Temple perdi l'un +des yex, et l'autre avoit il perdu le jour de quaresm pernant, et en fu +mort ledit seigneur, que Dieux absoille.--_Joinville_, p. 58. + +[292] Et sachez que il avoit bien un journel de terre dariere les +Templiers, qui estoit si charge de pyles que les Sarrazins leur avoient +lanciees, que il n'i paroit point de terre pour la grant foison de +pyles.--Ib. + +[293] _Joinville_, p. 95, 96. + +[294] Acta _Rymeri_, tom. i. p. 474, ad ann. 1252. + +[295] _Matt. Par._ ad ann. 1254, p. 899, 900. + +[296] ... Mandatum est Johanni de Eynfort, camerario regis London, quod +sine dilatione capiat quatuor dolia boni vini, et ea liberet Johanni de +Suwerk, ponenda in cellaria Novi Templi London. ad opus nuntiorum +ipsorum.--Acta _Rymeri_, tom. i. p. 557, ad ann. 1255. + +[297] Et mandatum est Ricardo de Muntfichet, custodi forestae Regis Essex, +quod eadem foresta sine dilatione capiat X. damos, et eos usque ad Novum +Templum London cariari faciat, liberandos praedicto Johanni, ad opus +praedictorum nuntiorum.--_Ib._ + +[298] Acta _Rymeri_, p. 557, 558. + +[299] MCCLVI. morut frere Renaut de Vichieres Maistre du Temple. Apres lui +fu fait Maistre frere Thomas Berard.--Contin. hist. apud _Martene_, tom. +v. col. 736. + +[300] Acta _Rymeri_, tom. i. p. 698, 699, 700. + +[301] Acta _Rymeri_, tom. i. p. 730, 878, 879, ad ann. 1261. + +[302] Furent mors et pris, et perdirent les Templiers tot lor hernois, et +le commandeor du Temple frere Matthieu le Sauvage.--Contin. hist. bell. +sacr. ut sup. col. 737. _Marin Sanut_, cap. 6. + +[303] _Marin Sanut Torsell_, lib. iii. pars 12, cap. 6, 7, 8. Contin. +hist. bell. sacr. apud _Martene_, tom. v. col. 742. See also Abulfed. +Hist. Arab. apud Wilkens, p. 223. _De Guignes_, Hist. des Huns, tom. iv. +p. 141. + +[304] _Michaud_, Extraits Arabes, p. 668. + +[305] _De Vertot_, liv. iii. Preuve. xiii. See also epist. ccccii. apud +_Martene_ thesaur. anec. tom. ii. col. 422. + +[306] Facta est civitas tam famosa quasi solitudo deserti.--_Marin Sanut_, +lib. iii. pars. 12, cap. 9. _De Guignes_, Hist. des Huns, tom. iv. p. 143. +Contin. Hist. apud _Martene_, tom. v. col. 743. _Abulpharag._ Chron. Syr. +p. 546. _Michaud_, Extraits Arabes, p. 681. + +[307] _Marin Sanut_ ut sup. cap. 11, 12. Contin. Hist. apud _Martene_, +col. 745, 746. + +[308] En testimoniaunce de la queu chose, a ceo testament avons fet mettre +nostre sel, et avoms pries les honurables Bers frere Hue, Mestre de +l'Hospital, et frere Thomas Berard, Mestre du Temple, ke a cest escrit +meisent ausi lur seus, etc. Acta _Rymeri_, tom. i. p. 885, 886, ad ann. +1272. + +[309] Trivet ad ann. 1272. Walsingham, p. 43. Acta _Rymeri_, tom. i. p. +889, ad ann. 1272, tom. ii. p. 2. + +[310] Monast. Angl., vol. vi. part 2, p. 800-844. + +[311] MCCLXXIII. a viii. jors d'Avri morut frere Thomas Berart, Maistre du +Temple le jor de la notre dame de Mars, et fu fait Maistre a xiii. jors de +May, frere Guillaume de Bieaujeu qui estoit outre _Commendeor_ du Temple +en Pouille, et alerent por lui querire frere Guillaume de Poucon, qui +avait tenu lieu de Maistre, et frere Bertrand de Fox; et frere Gonfiere fu +fait _Commandeor_ gran tenant lieu de Maistre.--Contin. Hist. apud +_Martene_, tom. v. col. 746, 747. This is the earliest instance I have met +with of the application of the term COMMANDER to the high officers of the +Temple. + +[312] Acta _Rymeri_, tom. ii. p. 34, ad ann. 1274. + +[313] Contin. hist. bell. sacr. apud _Martene_, tom. v. col. 748. + +[314] Life of Malek Mansour Kelaoun. _Michaud_, Extraits Arabes, p. 685, +686, 687. + +[315] De excidio urbis Aconis apud _Martene_ vet. script. tom. v. col. +767. + +[316] The famous Abul-feda, prince of Hamah, surnamed Amod-ed-deen, +(Pillar of Religion,) the great historian and astronomer, superintended +the transportation of the military engines from Hasn-el-Akrah to St. Jean +d'Acre. + +[317] Ex ipsis fratrem monachum Gaudini elegerunt ministrum generalem. De +excidio urbis Acconis apud _Martene_, tom. v. col. 782. + +[318] Videntes pulchros Francorum filios ac filias, manus his +injecerunt.--_Abulfarag_, Chron. Syr. p. 595. Maledicti Saraceni mulieres +et pueros ad loca domus secretiora ex eisdem abusuri distrahere +conabantur, turpibus ecclesiam obscoenitatibus cum nihil possent aliud +maculantes. Quod videntes christiani, clausis portis, in perfidos +viriliter irruerunt, et omnes a minimo usque ad maximum occiderunt, muros, +turres, atque portas Templi munientes ad defensam.--De excid. Acconis ut +sup. col. 782. _Marin Sanut_ ut sup. cap. xxii. p. 231. + +[319] Per totam noctem illam, dum fideles vigilarent contra perfidorum +astutiam, domum contra eos defensuri, fratrum adjutorio de thesauris quod +potuit cum sacrosanctis reliquiis ecclesiae Templi, ad mare salubriter +deportavit. Inde quidem cum fratribus paucis auspicato remigio, in Cyprum +cum cautela transfretavit.--De excid. Acconis, col. 782. + +[320] De excidio urbis Acconis apud _Martene_, tom. v. col. 757. _De +Guignes_, Hist. des Huns, tom. iv. p. 162. _Michaud_, Extraits Arabes, p. +762, 808. Abulfarag. Chron. Syr. p. 595. Wilkens, Comment. Abulfed. Hist. +p. 231-234. _Marin. Sanut Torsell_, lib. iii. pars 12, cap. 21. + +[321] _Raynald_, tom. xiv. ad ann. 1298. Cotton MS. Nero E. vi. p. 60. +fol. 466. + +[322] _Marin Sanut Torsell._ lib. iii. pars. 13, cap. x. p. 242. _De +Guignes_, Hist. des Huns, tom. iv. p. 184. + +[323] Acta _Rymeri_, tom. i. p. 575, 576-579, 582, tom. ii. p. 250. +_Martene_, vet. script. tom. vii. col. 156. + +[324] Acta _Rymeri_, tom. ii. p. 683. ad ann. 1295. + +[325] Chron. _Dunmow_. Annals of _St. Augustin_. _Rapin._ + +[326] Ipse vero Rex et Petrus thesaurum ipsius episcopi, apud Novum +Templum Londoniis reconditum, ceperunt, ad summam quinquaginta millia +librarum argenti, praeteraurum multum, jocalia et lapides preciosos.... +Erant enim ambo praesentes, cum cistae frangerentur, et adhuc non erat +sepultum corpus patris sui.--_Hemingford_, p. 244. + +[327] Chron. _Triveti_, ad ann. 1298. _Hemingford_, vol. i. p. 159. + +[328] _Dante_ styles him _il mal di Francia_, Del. Purgat. cant. 20, 91. + +[329] Questo Papa fue huomo molto cupido di moneta, e fue lusurioso, si +dicea che tenea per amica la contessa di Paragordo, bellissima donna!! +_Villani_, lib. ix. cap. 58. Fuit nimis cupiditatibus deditus.... Sanct. +Ant. Flor. de Concil. Vien. tit. 21. sec. 3. Circa thesauros colligendos +insudavit, says _Knighton_ apud X script. col. 2494. _Fleuri_, l. 92. p. +239. _Chron. de Namgis_, ad ann. 1305. + +[330] _Rainald._ tom. xv. ad ann. 1306, n. 12. _Fleuri_, Hist. Eccles. +tom. xix. p. 111. + +[331] _Bal. Pap. Aven._ tom. ii. p. 176. + +[332] _Bal. Pap. Aven._ tom. i. p. 99. Sexta Vita, Clem. V. apud _Baluz_, +tom. i. col. 100. + +[333] Hist. de la Condemnation des Templiers.--_Dupuy_, tom. ii. p. 309. + +[334] _Mariana_ Hispan. Illustr. tom. iii. p. 152. _Le Gendre_ Hist. de +France, tom. ii. p. 499. + +[335] Acta _Rymeri_, tom. iii. p. 18. ad ann. 1307. + +[336] Les forfaits pourquoi les Templiers furent ars et condamnez, pris et +contre eux approuvez. _Chron. S. Denis._ Sexta vita, Clem. V. _Dupuy_, p. +24. edition de 1713. + +[337] Liv. ii. chap. 106, chez _Dupuy_. + +[338] Sexta vita, Clem. V. col. 102. + +[339] Ostendens duo ossa quod dicebat illa esse quae ceciderunt de talis +suis. _Processus contra Templarios._ _Raynouard_ Monumens Historiques, p. +73, ed. 1813. + +[340] In quibus tormentis dicebat se quatuor dentes perdidisse. Ib. p. 35. + +[341] Fuit quaestionibus ponderibus appensis in genitalibus, et in aliis +membris usque ad exanimationem. Ib. + +[342] Tres des Chart. TEMPLIERS, cart. 3, _n._ 20. + +[343] Dat. apud Redyng, 4 die Decembris. Consimiles litterae diriguntur +Ferando regi Castillae et Ligionis, consanguineo regis, domino Karolo, regi +Siciliae, et Jacobo regi Aragoniae, amico Regis. Acta _Rymeri_, tom. iii. ad +ann. 1307, p. 35, 36. + +[344] Acta _Rymeri_, tom. iii. p. 37, ad ann. 1307. + +[345] Dat. Pictavis 10, kal. Dec. Acta _Rymeri_, tom. iii. ad ann. 1307, +p. 30-32. + +[346] Acta _Rymeri_, tom. iii. p. 34, 35, ad ann. 1307. + +[347] Ibid. p. 34, 35. + +[348] Ibid. p. 45. + +[349] _Knyghton_, apud X. script. col. 2494, 2531. + +[350] Acta _Rymeri_, tom. iii. p. 83. + +[351] Acta _Rymeri_, tom. iii. p. 101, 2, 3. + +[352] Acta _Rymeri_, tom. iii. p. 110, 111. _Vitae paparum Avenion_, tom. +ii. p. 107. + +[353] Ibid. tom. iii. p. 121, 122. + +[354] Ibid. p. 168. + +[355] Ibid. p. 168, 169. + +[356] Ibid. p. 174. + +[357] Acta _Rymeri_, tom. iii. p. 173, 175. + +[358] _Rainald_, tom. xv. ad ann. 1306. + +[359] Concil. Mag. Brit. tom. ii. p. 346, 347. + +[360] Acta _Rymeri_, tom. iii. p. 178, 179. + +[361] Concil. Mag. Brit. tom. ii. p. 304-311. + +[362] _Processus contra Templarios_, _Dugd._ Monast. Angl. vol. vi. part +2, p. 844-846 ed. 1830. + +[363] The original draft of these articles of accusation, with the +corrections and alterations, is preserved in the Tresor des Chartres +_Raynouard_, Monumens Historiques, p. 50, 51. The proceedings against the +Templars in England are preserved in MS. in the British Museum, Harl. No. +252, 62, f. p. 113; No. 247, 68, f. p. 144. Bib. Cotton Julius, b. xii. p. +70; and in the Bodleian Library and Ashmolean Museum. The principal part +of them has been published by _Wilkins_ in the Concilia Magnae Britanniae, +tom. ii. p. 329-401, and by _Dugdale_, in the Monast. Angl. vol. vi. part +2. p. 844-848. + +[364] Actum in Capella infirmariae prioratus Sanctae Trinitatis praesentibus, +etc. Concilia Magnae Britanniae, tom. iii. p. 344. Ibid. p. 334-343. + +[365] _Concil. Mag. Brit._, tom. ii. p. 305-308. + +[366] _Concil. Mag. Brit._, tom. ii. p. 312-314. + +[367] _Acta Rymeri_, tom. iii. p. 194, 195. + +[368] Ibid. p. 182. + +[369] Et ad evidentius praemissorum testimonium reverendus in Christo pater +dominus Willielmus, providentia divina S. Andreae episcopus, et magister +Johannes de Solerio praedicti sigilla sua praesenti inquisitioni +appenderunt, et eisdem sigillis post subscriptionem meam eandem +inquisitionem clauserunt. In quorum etiam firmius testimonium ego +Willielmus de Spottiswod auctoritate imperiali notarius qui praedictae +inquisitioni interfui die, anno, et loco praedictis, testibus praesentibus +supra dictis, signum meum solitum eidem apposui requisitus, et propria +manu scripsi rogatus.--_Acta contra Templarios._ _Concil. Mag. Brit._, +tom. ii. p. 380, 383. + +[370] Act. in ecclesia parochiali S. Dunstani prope Novum Templum.--Ib., +p. 349. + +[371] _Acta contra Templarios._ _Concil. Mag. Brit._, tom. ii. p. 350, +351, 352. + +[372] Acta _Rymeri_, tom. iii. ad ann. 1310. p. 202, 203. + +[373] Acta _Rymeri_, tom. iii. p. 179, 180. _Concil. Mag. Brit._, tom. ii. +p. 373 to 380. + +[374] Terrore tormentorum confessi sunt et _mentiti_.--_Concil. Mag. +Brit._, tom. ii. p. 365, 366, 367. + +[375] Depositiones Templariorum in Provincia Eboracensi.--_Concil. Mag. +Brit._, tom. ii. p. 371-373. + +[376] Eodem anno (1310) XIX. die Maii apud Eborum in ecclesia cathedrali, +ex mandato speciali Domini Papae, tenuit dominus Archiepiscopus concilium +provinciale. Praedicavitque et erat suum thema; _omnes isti congregati +venerunt tibi_, factoque sermone, recitavit et legi fecit _sequentem +bullam horribilem contra Templarios_, &c. &c. _Hemingford_ apud _Hearne_, +vol. i. p. 249. + +[377] Processus observatus in concilio provinciali Eboracensi in ecclesia +beati Petri Ebor. contra Templarios celebrato A. D. 1310, ex. reg. Will. +Grenefeld Archiepiscopi Eborum, fol. 179, p. 1.--_Concil. Mag. Brit._, +tom. ii. p. 393. + +[378] _Concil. Mag. Brit._, tom. ii. p. 367. + +[379] _Acta contra Templarios._ _Concil. Mag. Brit._, tom. ii. p. 358. + +[380] _Joan. can. Sanct. Vict._ Contin. de _Nangis_ ad ann. 1310. Ex +secunda vita _Clem._ V. p. 37. + +[381] Chron. _Cornel. Zanfliet_, apud _Martene_, tom. v. col. 159. +_Bocat._ de cas. vir. illustr. lib. 9. chap. xxi. _Raynouard_, Monumens +historiques. _Dupuy_, Condemnation des Templiers. + +[382] Vit. prim. et tert. Clem. V. col. 57, 17. _Bern. Guac._ apud +_Muratori_, tom. iii. p. 676. Contin. Chron. de _Nangis_ ad ann. 1310. +_Raynouard_, p. 120. + +[383] _Raynouard_, p. 155. + +[384] Inhibuisti ne contra ipsas personas et ordinem per _quaestiones_ ad +inquirendum super eisdem criminibus procedatur, quamvis iidem Templarii +diffiteri dicuntur super eisdem articulis veritatem.... Attende, quaesumus, +fili carissime, et prudenti deliberatione considera, si hoc tuo honori et +saluti conveniat, et statui congruat regni tui. Arch. secret. Vatican. +Registr. literar. curiae anno 5 domini Clementis Papae 5.--_Raynouard_, p. +152. + +[385] Acta _Rymeri_, tom. iii. ad ann. 1310, p. 224. + +[386] Ib., p. 224, 225. claus. 4. E. 2. M. 22. + +[387] Et si per hujusmodi arctationes et separationes nihil aliud, quam +prius, vellent confiteri, quod extunc _quaestionarentur_; ita quod +_quaestiones_ illae fierent ABSQUE MUTILATIONE ET DEBILITATIONE PERPETUA +ALICUJUS MEMBRI, ET SINE VIOLENTA SANGUINIS EFFUSIONE.--_Concil. Mag. +Brit._, tom. ii. p. 314. + +[388] Acta _Rymeri_, tom. iii. p. 227, 228. + +[389] Cum nuper, OB REVERIENTIAM SEDIS APOSTOLICAE, concessimus praelatis et +inquisitoribus ad inquirendum contra ordinem Templariorum, et contra +Magnum Praeceptorem ejusdem ordinis in regno nostro Angliae, quod iidem +praelati et inquisitores, de ipsis Templariis et eorum corporibus IN +QUAESTIONIBUS, et aliis ad hoc convenientibus ordinent et faciant, quoties +voluerint, id quod eis secundum legem ecclesiasticam, videbitur faciendum, +&c.--Teste rege apud Linliscu in Scotia, 23 die Octobris. Ibid. tom. iii. +p. 228, 229. + +[390] Acta _Rymeri_, tom. iii. p. 229. + +[391] Ibid. p. 230. + +[392] Acta _Rymeri_, tom. iii. p. 231. + +[393] Ibid. p. 231, 232. + +[394] Ibid. tom. iii. p. 232-235. + +[395] _Acta contra Templarios, Concil. Mag. Brit._ tom. ii. p. 368-371. + +[396] Suspicio (quae loco testis 21, in MS. allegatur,) probare videtur, +quod omnes examinati in aliquo dejeraverunt (pejeraverunt,) ut ex +inspectione processuum apparet.--MS. Bodl. Oxon. f. 5. 2. _Concil._ tom. +ii. p. 359. + +[397] This knight had been tortured in the Temple at Paris, by the +brothers of St. Dominic, in the presence of the grand inquisitor, and he +made his confession when suffering on the rack; he afterwards revoked it, +and was then tortured into a withdrawal of his revocation, notwithstanding +which the inquisitor made the unhappy wretch, in common with others, put +his signature to the following interrogatory, "Interrogatus utrum _vi_ vel +_metu carceris_ aut _tormentorum_ immiscuit in sua depositione aliquam +falsitatem, dicit _quod non_!" + +[398] _Acta contra Templarios._--_Concil. Mag. Brit._ tom. ii. p. 358-364. + +[399] _Concil. Mag. Brit._ tom. ii. p. 364. + +[400] Vobis, praefati vicecomites, mandamus quod illos, quos dicti praelati +et inquisitores, seu aliquis eorum, cum uno saltem inquisitore, +deputaverint ad supervidendum quod dicta custodia bene fiat, id +supervidere; et corpora dictorum Templariorum in QUAESTIONIBUS et aliis ad +hoc convenientibus, ponere; et alia, quae in hac parte secundum legem +ecclesiasticam fuerint facienda, facere permittatis. Claus. 4, E. 2. m. 8. +Acta _Rymeri_, tom. iii. p. 290. + +[401] _M. S. Bodl._ F. 5, 2. _Concil._ p. 364, 365. Acta _Rymeri_, tom. +iii. p. 228, 231, 232. + +[402] _Concil. Mag. Brit._, tom. ii. p. 383-387. + +[403] _Concil. Mag. Brit._, tom. ii. p. 388, 389. + +[404] Acta fuerunt haec die et loco praedictis, praesentibus patribus +antedictis, et venerandae discretionis viris magistris Michaele de Bercham, +cancellario domini archiepiscopi Cantuar.... et me Ranulpho de Waltham, +London, episcoporum notariis publicis.--_Acta contra Templarios._ _Concil. +Mag. Brit._, tom. ii. p. 387, 388. + +[405] _Concil. Mag. Brit._, tom. ii. p. 390, 391. + +[406] _Concil. Mag. Brit._, tom. ii. p. 394-401. + +[407] _Concilia Hispaniae_, tom. v. p. 233. _Zurita_, lib. v. c. 73. 101. +_Mariana_, lib. xv. cap. 10. _Mutius_, chron. lib. xxii. p. 211. +_Raynouard_, p. 199-204. + +[408] Ut det Templariis audientiam sive defensionem. In hac sententia +concordant omnes praelati Italiae praeter unum, Hispaniae, Theutoniae, Daniae, +Angliae, Scotiae, Hiberniae, etc. etc., ex secund. vit. Clem. V. p. +43.--_Rainald_ ad ann. 1311, n. 55. _Walsingham_, p. 99. _Antiq. +Britann._, p. 210. + +[409] _Muratorii_ collect. tom. iii. p. 448; tom. x. col. 377. _Mariana._ +tom. iii. p. 157. _Raynouard_, p. 191, 192. + +[410] _Raynouard_ ut supra. Tertia vita Clem. V. + +[411] Pro executoribus testamenti Wilielmi de la More, quondam Magistri +militiae Templi in Anglia, claus 6. E. 2. m. 15. Acta _Rymeri_, tom. iii. +p. 380. + +[412] Registr. Hosp. S. Joh. Jerus. _Cotton_ MS. Nero E. vi. 23. i. Nero +E. vi. p. 60. fol. 466. + +[413] _Lansdown_, MS. 207. E. vol. v. fol. 317. + +[414] Ib., fol. 284. + +[415] Ib., fol. 162, 163, 317. + +[416] Ib., fol. 467. + +[417] Ib., fol. 201. + +[418] Acta _Rymeri_, tom. i. p. 134, ad ann. 1203. He was one of those who +advised king John to sign Magna Charta.--_Matt. Par._, p. 253-255. + +[419] Ib., p. 258, 270. _Matt. Par._, p. 314. + +[420] Acta _Rymeri_, tom. i. p. 342, 344, 345. He was employed to +negotiate a marriage between king Henry the Third and the fair Eleanor of +Provence. + +[421] _Matt. Par._, p. 615, et in additamentis, p. 480. + +[422] _Concil. Mag. Brit._, tom. ii. p. 340. + +[423] Ib., p. 339, 341, 344. + +[424] Ib., p. 335, 343. _Prynne_, collect 3, 143. + +[425] Acta _Rymeri_, tom. i. part iii. p. 104. + +[426] In vilissimo carcere, ferro duplici constrictus, jussus est recludi, +et ibidem, donec aliud ordinatum extiterit, reservari; et interim +visitari, ad videndum si vellet _alterius aliqua confiteri_!--_Concil. +Mag. Brit._, tom. ii. p. 393. + +[427] _Processus contra Templarios._ _Dupuy_, p. 128, 139. _Raynouard_, p. +60. + +[428] _Villani_, lib. viii. cap. 92. Contin. Chron. de _Nangis_, ad ann. +1313. _Pap. Mass._ in Philip. pulchr. lib. iii. p. 393. _Mariana_ de reb. +Hisp. lib. xv. cap. 10. _Dupuy_, ed. 1700, p. 71. Chron. _Corn. Zanfliet_ +apud _Martene_, tom. v. col. 160. _Raynouard_, p. 209, 210. + +[429] Acta _Rymeri_, tom. iii. p. 323, 4, 5, ad ann. 1312. + +[430] _Zurita_, lib. v. c. 101. Institut. milit. Christi apud _Henriquez_, +p. 534. + +[431] Annales Minorum. Gall. Christ. nov. _Aventinus_, Annal. _De Vertot_, +liv. 3. + +[432] _Fuller's_ Hist. Holy War, book v. ch. iii. + +[433] _Dupuy_, p. 179, 184. + +[434] Essai sur les moeurs, &c., tom. ii. p. 242. + +[435] Nihil ad nos unquam pervenit nisi modica bona mobilia. Epist. ad +Philip, 2 non. May, 1309. _Raynouard_, p. 198. _De Vertot_, liv. iii. + +[436] _Raynouard_, 197, 198, 199. + +[437] The extents of the lands of the Templars are amongst the unarranged +records in the Queen's Remembrancer's office, and various sheriffs' +accounts are in the third chest in the Pipe Office. + +[438] Acta _Rymeri_, tom. iii. p. 130, 134, 139, 279, 288, 290, 1, 2, 297, +321. _Dodsworth._ MS. vol. xxxv. p. 65, 67. + +[439] Acta _Rymeri_, tom. iii. p. 292, 3, 4, 5. + +[440] Ib. tom. iii. p. 299. + +[441] Acta _Rymeri_, tom. iii. p. 303. + +[442] Ib., tom. iii. p. 326, 327. + +[443] Ib., tom. iii. p. 337. + +[444] Cart. 6. E. 2. No. 4. 41. + +[445] Acta _Rymeri_, tom. iii. p. 409, 410. + +[446] Acta _Rymeri_, tom. iii. p. 451. + +[447] Ib., p. 451, 454, 455, 457, 459-463. _Dugd. Monast. Angl._, vol. vi. +part 2. p. 809. + +[448] Rolls of Parliament, vol. ii. p. 41. + +[449] _Dugd. Monast. Angl._, vol. vi. part 2, p. 849, 850. _Concil. Mag. +Brit._, tom. ii. p. 499. + +[450] Acta _Rymeri_, tom. iii. p. 956-959, ad ann. 1322. + +[451] _Statutes at Large_, vol. ix. Appendix, p. 23. + +[452] _Rolls of Parliament_, vol. ii. p. 41. No. 52. + +[453] _Monast. Angl._, p. 810. + +[454] Acta _Rymeri_, tom. iii. p. 472. + +[455] _Concil. Mag. Brit._, tom. ii. + +[456] _Walsingham_, p. 99. + +[457] _Monast. Angl._, vol. vi. part ii. p. 848. + +[458] _Pat._ 4, E. 2, p. 2; m. 20. _Dugdale_, Hist. Warwickshire, vol. i. +p. 962, ed. 1730. + +[459] _Dublin Review_ for May, 1841, p. 301. + +[460] See ante, p. 80. On the 10th of March, before his departure from +this country, Heraclius consecrated the church of the Hospitallers at +Clerkenwell, and the altars of St. John and St. Mary. Ex registr. S. John +Jerus. in Bib. _Cotton_, fol. 1. + +[461] A fac-simile of this inscription was faithfully delineated by Mr. +Geo. Holmes, the antiquary, and was published by Strype, A. D. 1670. The +earliest copy I have been able to find of it is in a manuscript history of +the Temple, in the Inner Temple library, supposed to have been written at +the commencement of the reign of Charles the First by John Wilde, Esq., a +bencher of the society, and Lent reader in the year 1630. + +[462] Tempore quoque sub eodem (A. D. 1240) dedicata est nobilis ecclesia, +structurae aspectabilis Novi Templi _Londinensis_, praesente Rege et multis +regni Magnatibus; qui eodem die, scilicet die Ascensionis, completis +dedicationis solemniis, convivium in mensa nimis laute celebrarunt, +sumptibus Hospitaliorum.--_Matt. Par._ ad ann. 1240, p. 526, ed. 1640. + +[463] A large piscina, similar to the one in the Temple Church, may be +seen in Cowling church, Kent. _Archaeologia_, vol. xi. pl. xiv. p. 320. + +[464] Ib. p. 347 to 359. + +[465] _Acta contra Templarios._ Concil. Mag. Brit. tom. ii. p. 336, 350, +351. + +[466] _Jac. de Vitr._ De Religione fratrum militiae Templi, cap. 65. + +[467] _Processus contra Templarios_, apud Dupuy, p. 65; ed. 1700. + +[468] See the plan of this chapel and of the Temple Church, in the vetusta +monumenta of the Society of Antiquaries. + +[469] Acta fuerunt haec in capella juxta ecclesiam, apud Novum Templum +London, ex parte Australi ipsius ecclesiae sita, coram reverendis patribus +domino archiepiscopo et episcopis, &c. &. Acta _Rymeri_, tom. ii. p. 193, +ad ann. 1282. + +[470] Anecdotes and Traditions published by the _Camden_ Society. No. +clxxxi. p. 110. + +[471] De tribus Capellanis inveniendis, apud Novum Templum, Londoniarum, +pro anima Regis Henrici Tertii. Ex regist. Hosp. S. Johannis Jerus. in +Anglia. Bib. Cotton, f. 25. a. + +[472] Ibid. 30. b. + +[473] _Acta contra Templarios._ Concil. Mag. Brit., tom. ii. p. 383. + +[474] E registro mun. eviden. Prior. Hosp. Sanc. Joh. fol. 23, b.; fo. 24, +a. + +[475] _Nicholls'_ Hist. Leicestershire, vol. iii. p. 960, note. _Malcolm_, +Londinium Redivivum, vol. ii. p. 294. + +[476] _Burton's_ Leicestershire, p. 235, 236. + +[477] Monumens de la monarchie Francoise, par _Montfaucon_, tom. ii. p. +184, plate p. 185. Hist. de la Maison de Dreux, p. 86, 276. + +[478] _Ducange._ Gloss. tom. iii. p. 16, 17; ed. 1678, verb. _Oblati_. + +[479] _Peck._ MS. vol. iv. p. 67. + +[480] Plurimique nobiles apud eos humati fuerunt, quorum imagines visuntur +in hoc Templo, tibiis in crucem transversis (sic enim sepulti fuerunt +quotquot illo saeculo nomina bello sacro dedissent, vel qui ut tunc +temporis sunt locuti crucem suscepissent.) E quibus fuerunt Guilielmus +Pater, Guilielmus et Gilbertus ejus filii, omnes marescalli Angliae, +comitesque Pembrochiae.--_Camden's_ Britannia, p. 375. + +[481] _Stow's_ Survey. + +[482] MS. Inner Temple Library, No. 17. fol. 402. + +[483] Origines Juridiciales, p. 173. + +[484] _Nicholls'_ Leicestershire, vol. iii. p. 960. + +[485] "In _porticu_ ante ostium ecclesiae occidentale." The word porticus, +which means "a walking place environed with pillars," exactly corresponds +with the external circular walk surrounding the round tower of the church. + +[486] Some surprise has been expressed that the effigies of women should +be found in this curious position. It must be recollected, that women +frequently fought in the field during the Crusades, and were highly +applauded for so doing. + +[487] _Hoveden_ apud rer. Anglicar. script. post Bedam, p. 488. +_Dugdale's_ Baronage, vol. i. p. 201. Lel. Coll. vol. i. 864. + +[488] _Monast. Angl._, vol. i. p. 444 to 464. + +[489] _Dugd._ Bar., vol. i. p. 202. _Selden_, tit. hon. p. 647. + +[490] _Triveti_ annales apud Hall, p. 12, 13, ad ann. 1143. _Guill. +Neubr._ lib. i. cap. ii. p. 44, ad ann. 1143. _Hoveden_, p. 488, Hist. +Minor. Matt. Par. in bib. reg. apud S. Jacobum. + +[491] _Henry Huntingdon_, lib. viii. Rer. Anglicar. script. post Bedam, p. +393. _Chron. Gervasii_, apud script. X. col. 1360. _Radulph de Diceto_, +ib. col. 508. Vir autem iste magnanimus, velut equus validus et infraenus, +maneria, villas, caeteraque, proprietatem regiam contingentes, invasit, +igni combussit, &c. &c. MS. in Bibl. Arund., A. D. 1647, a. 43. cap. ix., +now in the Library of the Royal Society. _Annales Dunstaple_ apud Hearne, +tom. i. p. 25. + +[492] Vasa autem altaris aurea et argentea Deo sacrata, capas etiam +cantorum lapidibus preciosis ac opere mirifico contextas, casulas cum +albis et caeteris ecclesiastici decoris ornamentis rapuit, &c. MS. ut sup. +Gest. reg. Steph. p. 693, 694. + +[493] De vita scelerata et condigno interitu Gaufridi de +Magnavilla.--_Guill. Neubr._ lib. i. cap. xi. p. 44 to 46. Henry of +Huntingdon, who lived in king Stephen's reign, and kept up a +correspondence with the abbot of Ramsay, thus speaks of this wonderful +phenomenon, of which he declares himself an eye-witness. Dum autem +ecclesia illa pro castello teneretur, ebullivit sanguis a parietibus +ecclesiae et claustri adjacentis, indignationem divinam manifestans; +sceleratorum exterminationem denuntians, quod quidem multi viderant, et +_ego ipse quidem meis oculis inspexi_! _Script. post Bedam._ lib. viii. p. +393, ed. 1601, Francfort. Hoveden, who wrote shortly after, has copied +this account. Annales, ib. p. 488. + +[494] _Guill. Neubr._ ut supr. p. 45, 46. Chron. _Gervasii_, apud X. +script. col. 1360. _Annal. S. Augustin._ _Trivet_ ad ann. 1144, p. 14. +_Chron. Brompton_, col. 1033. _Hoveden_, ut supr. p. 488. + +[495] Grew mad with much anger. + +[496] Peter Langtoft's Chronicle, vol. i. 123, by Robert of Brunne, +translated from a MS. in the Inner Temple Library, Oxon. 1725. + +[497] In pomoerio suo veteris, scilicet Templi apud London, canali +inclusum plumbeo, in arbore torva suspenderant. _Antient MS. de fundatione +coenobii Sancti Jacobi de Waldena_, fol. 43, a. cap. ix. no. 51, in the +Library of the Royal Society. + +[498] Cumque Prior ille, corpus defunctum deponere, et secum Waldenam +transferre satageret, Templarii caute premeditati, statim illud tollentes, +in cimiterio Novi Templi ignobili satis tradiderunt sepulturae.--Ib. + +[499] A. D. MCLXIIII, sexto kal. Octobris, obiit Galfridus de Mandeuil, +comes Essexiae, fundator primus hujus monasterii de Walden, cujus corpus +jacet Londoniis humatum, apud Temple-bar _in porticu ante ostium ecclesiae +occidentale_. MS. in the library of the Royal Society, marked No. 29, +entitled _Liber de fundatione Sancti Jacobi Apostoli de Waldena_. +_Cotton_, MS. Vesp. E. vi. fol. 25. + +[500] Hoveden speaks of him as a man of the highest probity, but +irreligious. Erat autem summae probitatis, sed summae in Deum obstinationis, +magnae in mundanis diligentiae, magnae in Deum negligentiae. _Hoveden_ ut +supra. + +[501] It was a recess, hewn out of the chalk, of a bell shape and exactly +circular, thirty feet high and seventy feet in diameter. The sides of this +curious retreat were adorned with imagery in basso relievo of crucifixes, +saints, martyrs, and historical pieces, which the pious and eccentric lady +is supposed to have cut for her entertainment.--See the extraordinary +account of the discovery, in 1742, of the Lady Roisia's Cave at Royston, +published by _Dr. Stukeley_. Cambridge, 1795. + +[502] _Camden's_ Britannia, ed. 1600, p. 375. + +[503] Tradidit Willielmo Marescallo, familiari suo, crucem suam +Jerosolymam deferendam. _Hoveden_ ad ann. 1183, apud rer. Anglic. script. +post Bedam, p. 620. + +[504] _Chron. Joan Brompton_, apud X. script. col. 1158. _Hoveden_, p. +655, 666. + +[505] Selden's Tit. of Honour, p. 677. + +[506] _Hoveden_, p. 659, 660. _Radulf de Diceto_, apud X. script. p. 659. + +[507] _Matt. Par._, p. 196. _Hoveden_, p. 792. _Dugdale_ Baronage, tom. i. +p. 601. + +[508] _Trivet_, p. 144. _Gul. Britt._, lib. vii. _Ann. Waverley_, p. 168. + +[509] _Matt. Par._, p. 237. + +[510] _Matt. Par._, p. 253-256, ad ann. 1215. + +[511] See his eloquent address to the bishops and barons in behalf of the +young king.--_Hemingford_, lib. iii. cap. 1. p. 562, apud _Gale_ XV. +script. + +[512] _Matt. Par._, p. 289, ad ann. 1216. Acta _Rymeri_, tom. i. p. 216. + +[513] _Hemingford_, p. 565, 568. "These liberties, distinctly reduced to +writing, we send to you our faithful subjects, sealed with the seal of our +faithful William Marshall, earl of Pembroke, the guardian of us and our +kingdom, because we have not as yet any seal." Acta _Rymeri_, tom. i. part +1. p. 146, ed. 1816. _Thomson_, on Magna Charta, p. 117, 130. All the +charters and letters patent were sealed with the seal of the earl +marshall, "Rectoris nostri et regni, eo quod _nondum sigillum habuimus_." +Acta _Rymeri_, tom. i. p. 224, ed. 1704. + +[514] _Matt. Par._, p. 292-296. + +[515] Matthew Paris bears witness to the great superiority of the English +sailors over the French even in those days.--Ibid. p. 298. _Trivet_, p. +167-169. + +[516] Acta _Rymeri_, tom. i. p. 219, 221, 223. + +[517] _Dugd._ Baronage, tom. i. p. 602, A. D. 1219. Willielmus senior, +mareschallus regis et rector regni, diem clausit extremum, et Londini apud +Novum Templum honorifice tumulatur, scilicet in ecclesia, in Ascensionis +die videlicet xvii. calendas Aprilis.--_Matt. Par._ p. 304. _Ann. +Dunstaple_, ad ann. 1219. _Ann. Waverley_. + +[518] Miles strenuissimus et per universum orbem nominatissimus.--_Chron. +T. Wikes_ apud _Gale_, script. XV. p. 39. + +[519] _Monast. Angl._, p. 833, 834, 837, 843. + +[520] MS. Bib. Cotton. _Vitellius_, F. 4. _Monast. Angl._, tom. i. p. 728, +ed. 1655. + +[521] _Matt. Par._, p. 182. ad ann. 1196. + +[522] _Hoveden_ apud rer. Anglicar. script. post Bedam, p. 811. + +[523] _Matt. Par._ p. 254, 262. _Lel._ col. vol. i. p. 362. + +[524] Acta _Rymeri_, tom. i. p. 224, ad ann. 1217. + +[525] _Dugd._ Baronage, vol. i. p. 545, 546. + +[526] _Monast. Angl._, vol. vi. part ii. p. 838, 842. + +[527] _Matt. Par._ p. 254, 256. _Lel. col._ vol. i. p. 841. + +[528] _Matt. Par._ p. 317, ad ann. 1223. + +[529] _Matt. Par._ p. 366. _Ann. Dunst._ p. 99. 134, 150. + +[530] Eodem tempore, A. D. 1231, mense Aprili, Willielmus, Marescallus +comes Pembrochiae, in militia vir strenuus, in dolorem multorum, diem +clausit extremum, et Londoniis apud Novum Templum sepultus est, juxta +patrem suum, XVII calend. Maii. Rex autem qui eum indissolubiliter +dilexit, cum haec audivit, et cum vidisset, corpus defuncti palla +coopertum, ex alto trahens suspiria, ait, Heu, heu, mihi! nonne adhuc +penitus vindicatus est sanguis beati Thomae Martyris.--_Matt. Par._ p. 368. + +[531] _Dugd._ Monast. Angl. ut sup. p. 820. + +[532] Margaretam _puellam elegantissimam_ matrimonio sibi +copulaverat.--_Matt. Par._, p. 432, 404. + +[533] _Matt. Par._ p. 483. + +[534] Ib. p. 431, 483, 516, 524. + +[535] In crastino autem delatum est corpus Londinum, fratre ipsius praevio, +cum tota sua familia comitante, juxta patrem suum et fratrem +tumulandum.--Ib. p. 565. ad ann. 1241. + +[536] _Dugd._ Monast. Angl., p. 833. + +[537] "Paucis ante evolutis annis, post mortem omnium suorum filiorum, +videlicet, quando dedicata est ecclesia Novi Templi, inventum est corpus +saepedicti comitis quod erat insutum corio taurino, integrum, putridum +tamen et prout videri potuit detestabile."--_Matt. Par._ p. 688. Surely +this must be an interpolation by some wag. The last of the Pembrokes died +A. D. 1245, whilst, according to Matthew Paris's own showing, the eastern +part of the church was consecrated A. D. 1240, p. 526. + +[538] _Mill's_ Catalogues, p. 145. _Speed_, p. 551. _Sandford's_ +Genealogies, p. 92, 93, 2nd edition. + +[539] Ex Registr. Hosp. S. Joh. Jerus. in Anglia, in _Bib. Cotton_, fol. +25 a. + +[540] Ib. + +[541] _Nicolas_, Testamenta Vetusta, p. 6. + +[542] P. 899, 900. + +[543] Ante, p. 255. + +[544] _Joan Sarisburiensis._ Polycrat. lib. vi. cap. 1. + +[545] Acta _Rymeri_, tom. iii. p. 296, 297. + +[546] Cart. vi. E. 2. n. 41. _Trivet._ cont., p. 4. _T. de la More_, p. +593. + +[547] Pat. 8. E. 2. m. 17. The Temple is described therein as "de feodo +Thomae Comitis Lancastriae, et de honore Leicestrie." + +[548] Processus contra comitem Lancastriae. Acta _Rymeri_, tom. iii. p. +936. _Lel._ coll. vol. i. p. 668. _La More, Walsingham._ + +[549] Cart. 15. E. II. m. 21. Acta _Rymeri_, tom. iii. p. 940. + +[550] _Dugd._ Baron., vol. i. p. 777, 778. + +[551] Rot. Escaet. 1. E. III. + +[552] _H. Knyghton_, apud X. script. col. 2546. 7. _Lel._ Itin. vol. vi. p +86. _Walsingham_, 106. + +[553] Claus. 4. E. III. m. 9. Acta _Rymeri_, tom. iv. p. 461. + +[554] There was in those days an _escheator_ in each county, and in +various large towns: it was the duty of this officer to seize into the +king's hands all lands held _in capite_ of the crown, on receiving a writ +_De diem clausit extremum_, commanding him to assemble a jury to take +inquisition of the value of the lands, as to who was the next heir of the +deceased, the rents and services by which they were holden, &c. &c. + +[555] Claus 3. E. III. m. 6. d. Acta _Rymeri_, tom. iv. p. 406. + +[556] Claus. 4. E. III. m. 7. Acta _Rymeri_, tom. iv. p. 464. + +[557] Pat. 6. E. III. p. 2. m. 22. in original, apud Rolls Garden ex parte +Remembr. Thesaur. + +[558] Rot. Escaet. 10. E. 3. 66. Claus 11 E. 3. p. 1. m. 10. + +[559] Sunt etiam ibidem claustrum, capella Sancti Thomae, et quaedam platea +terrae eidem capellae annexata, cum _una aula_ et camera supra edificata, +quae sunt loca sancta, et Deo dedicata, et dictae ecclesiae annexata, et +eidem Priori per idem breve liberata.... Item dicunt, quod praeter ista, +sunt ibidem in custodia Wilielmi de Langford infra Magnam Portam dicti +Novi Templi, _extra metas et disjunctiones praedictas_, una _aula_ et +quatuor camerae, una coquina, unum gardinum, unum stabulum, et una camera +ultra Magnam Portam praedictam, &c. + +[560] In memorandis Scacc. inter recorda de Termino Sancti Hilarii, 11. E. +3. in officio Remembratoris Thesaurarii. + +[561] Pat. 12. E. 3. p. 2. m. 22. _Dugd._ Monasticon, vol. vii. p. 810, +811. + +[562] Ex registr. Sancti Johannis Jerus. fol. 141. a. _Dugd._ Monast., +tom. vi. part 2, p. 832. + +[563] Ibid. ad ann. 1341. + +[564] Rex omnibus ad quos &c. salutem. Sciatis quod de gratia nostra +speciali, et pro bono servitio quod Rogerus Small nobis impendit et +impendat in futuro, concessimus ei officium _Janitoris Novi Templi_ London +Habend. &c. pro vita sua &c. pertinend. &c. omnia vada et feoda &c. eodem +modo qualia Robertus Fetyt defunct. Qui officium illud ex concessione +domini Edwardi nuper regis Angliae patris nostri habuit.... Teste meipso +apud Westm. 5 die Aprilis, anno regni nostri 35. Pat. 35. E. 3. p. 2. m. +33. + +[565] Prologue to the Canterbury Tales. The wages of the Manciples of the +Temple, temp. Hen. VIII. were xxxvis. viiid. per annum. Bib. _Cotton._ +Vitellius, c. 9. f. 320, a. + +[566] Annal. Olim-Sanctae Mariae Ebor. + +[567] _Walsing._ 4 Ric. 2. ad ann. 1381. Hist. p. 249, ed. 1603. + +[568] Rot. claus 5. E. 2. m. 19. Acta _Rymeri_, tom. iii. p. 292, 293, +294. + +[569] Unam robam per annum de secta liberorum servientium, et quinque +solidos per annum, et deserviat quamdiu poterit loco liberi servientis in +domo praedicta. Ib. m. 2. Acta _Rymeri_, tom. iii. p. 331, 332. + +[570] Quolibet anno ad Natale Domini unum vetus indumentum de veteribus +indumentis fratrum, et quolibet die 2 denarios pro victu garcionis sui, et +5 solidos per annum per stipendiis ejusdem garcionis, sed idem garcio +deserviet in domo illa. Ib. + +[571] Thomas of Wothrope, at the trial of the Templars in England, was +unable to give an account of the reception of some brethren into the +order, quia erat _panetarius_ et vacabat circa suum officium. _Concil. +Mag. Brit._, tom. ii. p. 355. Tunc panetarius mittat comiti duos panes +atque vini sextarium.... Ita appellabant officialem domesticum, qui mensae +panem, mappas et manutergia subministrabat. _Ducange_, Gloss. verb. +panetarius. + +[572] _Regula Templariorum_, cap. lxvii. ante p. 25. + +[573] _Concil. Mag. Brit._, tom. ii. p. 371 to 373, ante, p. 235. + +[574] _Dugd._ Orig. Jurid., p. 212. + +[575] Nullus clericus nisi causidicus. Will. Malm., lib. iv. f. 69. +_Radulph de Diceto_, apud Hist. Angl. Script. Antiq., lib. vii. col. 606, +from whom it appears that the chief justitiary and justices itinerant were +all _priests_. + +[576] _Spelm._ Concil., tom. ii. ad ann. 1217. + +[577] INNOCENTIUS, &c. ... Praeterea cum in Angliae, Scotiae, Walliae regnis, +causae laicorum non imperatoriis legibus, sed laicorum consuetudinibus +decidantur, fratrum nostrorum, et aliorum religiosorum consilio et rogatu, +statuimus quod in praedictis regnis _leges saeculares_ de caetero non +legantur. _Matt. Par._, p. 883, ad ann. 1254, et in additamentis, p. 191. + +[578] Et quod ipsi quos ad hoc elegerint, curiam sequantur, et se de +negotiis in eadem curia intromittant, et alii non. Et videtur regi et ejus +concilio, quod septies vigenti sufficere poterint, &c.--_Rolls of Parl._ +20. E. 1. vol. i. p. 84, No. 22. + +[579] _Dugd._ Orig. Jurid., cap. xxxix. p. 102. + +[580] Ante, p. 118. Mace-bearers, bell-ringers, thief-takers, gaolers, +bailiffs, public executioners, and all persons who performed a specific +task for another, were called servientes, serjens, or serjeants. +--_Ducange_ Gloss. + +[581] _Pasquier's_ Researches, liv. viii. cap. 19. + +[582] _Will. Tyr._, lib. i. p. 50, lib. xii. p. 814. + +[583] _Dugd._ Hist. Warwickshire, p. 704. + +[584] Et tunc Magister Templi dedit sibi mantellum, et imposuit pileum +capiti suo, et tunc fecit eum sedere ad terram, injungens sibi, &c.--_Acta +contra Templarios._ _Concil. Mag. Brit._, tom. ii. p. 380. See also p. +335. + +[585] It has been supposed that the coif was first introduced by the +clerical practitioners of the common law to hide the _tonsure_ of those +priests who practised in the Court of Common Pleas, notwithstanding the +ecclesiastical prohibition. This was not the case. The early portraits of +our judges exhibit them with a coif of very much larger dimensions than +the coifs now worn by the serjeants-at-law, very much larger than would be +necessary to hide the _mere clerical tonsure_. A covering for that purpose +indeed would be absurd. The antient coifs of the serjeants-at-law were +small linen or silk caps fitting close to the top of the head. This +peculiar covering is worn universally in the East, where the people shave +their heads and cut their hair close. It was imported into Europe by the +Knights Templars, and became a distinguishing badge of their order. From +the _freres serjens_ of the Temple it passed to the _freres serjens_ of +the law. + +[586] Ex cod. MS. apud sub-thesaurarium Hosp. Medii Templi, f. 4. a. Dugd. +Orig. Jurid. cap. 43, 46. + +[587] MS. in Bib. Int. Temp. No. 17. fo. 408. + +[588] _Burton's_ Leicestershire, p. 235. + +[589] After the courts of King's Bench and Exchequer had by a fiction of +law drawn to themselves a vast portion of the civil business originally +transacted in the Common Pleas alone, the degree of serjeant-at-law, with +its exclusive privilege of practising in the last-named court, was not +sought after as before. The advocates or barristers of the King's Bench +and Exchequer were, consequently, at different times, commanded by writ to +take upon them the degree of the _coif_, and transfer their practice to +the Common Pleas. + +[590] _Malcom._ Lond. Rediviv., vol. ii. p. 282. + +[591] MS. _Bib. Cotton._ Vitellius, c. 9, fol. 320, a. + +[592] MS. _Bib. Cotton_, c. 9, fol. 320, a. + +[593] _Hargrave,_ MS. No. 19, 81. f. 5. fol. 46. + +[594] MS. in Bib. In. Temp., No. 19, fol. + +[595] In. Temp. Ad. Parliament, ibm. XV. die Novembris Anno Philippi et +Mariae tertio et quarto, coram Johe Baker Milite, Nicho Hare Milite, Thoma +Whyte Milite, et al. MS. Bib. In. Tem. Div. 9, shelf 5, vol. xvii. fol. +393. + +[596] Ex registr. In. Temp., f. 112, 119, b. Med. Temp., f. 24, a. +_Dugd._, Orig. Jurid., p. 310, 311. + +[597] Ante, p. 180. + +[598] _Dugd._ Orig. Jurid. p. 316. _Herbert_ Antiq., p. 223 to 272. + +[599] _Leigh's_ Armorie, fol. 119. ed. 1576. + +[600] _Naunton's_ Fragmenta Regalia, p. 248. + +[601] _Chalmer's_ Dict. Biograph., vol. xvii. p. 227. + +[602] _Dugd._ Orig. Jurid., p. 150. Ex registro Hosp. In. Temp. f. 123. + +[603] _Whitelock's_ Memorials, p. 18-22. Ed. 1732. + +[604] _Dugd._ Orig. p. 157. _Biog. Brit._ vol. xiv. p. 305. + +[605] _Dugd._ Orig. p. 158. + +[606] _Harleian_ MS., No. 830. + +[607] MS. Bib. _Cotton._ Vitellius, c. 9. fol. 320 a. + +[608] See the examination of Brother Radulph de Barton, priest of the +order of the Temple, and _custos_ of the Temple Church, before the papal +inquisitors at London.--_Concil. Mag. Brit._, tom. ii. p. 335, 337, ante, +p. 221, 222. + +[609] _Peck_, Desiderata Curiosa, lib. xiii. p. 504, 505. Ed. 1779. + + + + +Transcriber's Notes: + +Passages in italics are indicated by _italics_. + +The original text includes Greek characters. For this text version these +letters have been replaced with transliterations. + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The History of the Knights Templars, +the Temple Church, and the Temple, by Charles G. 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