Their begynnynge gan of deuocion
She grounde Itake of wylfull pouerte
And made first their habytacion
By the temple nat ferre from the cite
In tokne of clēnesse sworne to chastyte
Of the temple lyke to their desires
Toke that name and called were Templeres
〈◊〉〈◊〉 Honorye gaue theym auctoryte
Of holy church beynge that tyme hede
A white habyte they bare that tyme for chastyte
Eugenyus after gaue them a crosse of r••de
And to defende pylgrymes out of drede
Geyne sarazyns thrugh their high renoun
This was cheef poynt of their profession
Whyle they lyued in wylfull pouerte
These crossed knightes in mantell clad of white
They are spred in many ferre cuntre
For in perfeccion was set all their delyte
F••lke of deuocion caught an appetyte
Them for to encres gaue great almesse
By which they gan encres in great richesse
By processe within fewe yerys
The noumbre great of their religion
And the fame of the saide Templers
••an sprede wyde in many region
With their sodeyn rysinge of their profession
With toures castellys they gaue them to delices
Appalled in vertue which brought in many vices
It were to longe to rekne them all
But amonge other I fynde there was one
A manly knight folke Iaques dyd him call
Great of auctorite amonge them euerichon
As cronycles remembre of yore agon
The which Iaques in the realme of fraunce
Was borne of blode to great enheritaunce
The same Iaques holde a manly knight
In his gynnynge fressh lusty of corage
Had a brother by elder title of right
Occupyed all hole the heritage
Bycause Iaques yonger was of age
Which might nat by no condicion
No thinge cleyme of that possession
Hys elder brother occupyed all
While this Iaques but lowe was of degre
Wondre desyrous to be with him egall
Alway put backe by frowarde pouerte
And to surmounte if it wolde be
Fonde oute a mene lyke to his desires
Was chosyn mayster of the templers
Was promotyd by fre election
By them that shulde chese him of right
Wherby he had great domynacion
Rychesse / tresoure / great power and might
Of his persone was eke a manly knight
The same tyme put in remembraunce
Philyp la Bele crowned kynge of fraunce
Which had of Iaques greate indignacion
To all the templers and all the chyualrye
Caste wayes to their destruccion
Gaue auctorite his luste to fortefye
Doun fro the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 bokes specefye
Clement the concludinge if ye may
All the templers destroyed them on a day
For certeyn crymes horryble to here
All atones were set in pryson
By their frendes touchinge thys manere
Counceyled to axe mercy and perdon
That they shulde by playne confession
Requerynge him knelinge on arowe
And as it was their trespas been aknowe
Iaques was take and with him other thre
Kept in holde and to prison sent
And the remenaunt of their Iniquyte
Ordeyned were by open Iugement
To mighty stakes to be tyed and brent
The kynge in manere lyke to do them grace
So they wolde confesse their trespace
But all for nought they were so indurate
All of accorde and of one corage
To axe mercy were obstynate
The fyre redy all with one langage
Whan the flame approched their visage
Full pleynly spake cryed pytously
Of their actes which they were nat gylty
Fro their purpos they lyftnat to declyne
But with one voys echon and one soun
Fully affermed tyll they dyd fyne
Howe their ordre and their religion
Igroundyd was vpon perfection
And their deth verely in dede
Compassed was of malyce and hatrede