A new history of ecclesiastical writers containing an account of the authors of the several books of the Old and New Testament, of the lives and writings of the primitive fathers, an abridgement and catalogue of their works ... also a compendious history of the councils, with chronological tables of the whole / written in French by Lewis Ellies du Pin.

CHAP. II. (Book 2)

The History of the Condemnation of the Templars.

THE Affair of Boniface was not quite finish'd, when Philip the Fair, undertook another, * 1.1 which he brought to Effect more successfully, and with greater Ease; this was against the Order of the Templars, which he was resolved wholly to Extirpate. This Order was Establish'd, as we have said, in the Year 1118. by Hugo de Paganis, Jeoffry of St. Omer, and Seven other Knights, who made a Vow between the Hands of the Patriarch of Jerusalem, to live according to the Rule of the Canons Regular. They were appointed to Guard the Roads, and to defend Pilgrims, that went to Jerusalem. Baldwin II. King of Jerusalem, gave them for some time only a House near the Temple; from whence they took the Name of Templars. The Council of Troyes held in the Year 1118. approved of their Institution, gave them a Rule, and order'd their Habit they were to wear for the time to come, should be white. Eugenius III. added hereto a red Cross, and ordered, that the Knights and the Friars should wear it on their Cloak. In the beginning they were Poor, and few in Number; but by little and little they Multiplied, grew very Rich, and spread over all Christendom, where they had an infinite num∣ber of Houses, and vast Riches. Their Wealth made them Proud and Insolent: They shook off the Yoke of Obedience, which they owed the Patriarch of Jerusalem, exempted themselves from the Jurisdiction of the Ordinaries, and from paying of Tithes, and their Power carried them out to do several Unjust Enterprizes, and render'd them formidable to Princes and Kings. While they resided at Jerusalem, they imployed their Strength against the Infidels: This City being taken by Saladin in the Year 1187. they retreated to St. John of Acre, and after that to a Castle near Caesarea; from thence they continued to make War upon the Infidels, but they were almost all Slain at the Sacking of the City of Acre or Acon, in the Year 1191. There remain'd of them but Ten, who withdrew to the Isle of Cyprus; from whence they made In∣roads upon the Saracens. They possessed themselves of the Island of Tortosa, from whence the Sultan of Babylon expell'd them. They Equipped a Fleet in Sicily, with which they over-run all the Coasts of Greece, which they Plunder'd and Ransack'd, invaded Thrace, took Thessalonica, laid wast the Hellespont and Peleponnesus, took Athens, where they slew Robert de Brenne, who commanded there; insomuch, that abusing their Strength and Power, they turn'd those Arms against the Christians, which they ought to have imployed only against the Infidels. They no longer made War from a Principle of Devotion, as did their Predecessors, but to enrich them∣selves, and oftentimes engaged the Saracens to make Incursions upon the Christians, to make themselves Necessary, and to draw great Summs of Money from Christian Princes, not being able to endure any other, but themselves should engage in this War. They had no sooner for∣saken their Duty, but they fell into Disorders and Out-rages, which Licence and Impunity * 1.2 increased, and push'd on to a strange Excess. They remain'd a long time conceal'd, but were at last discover'd by two Knights, Condemned for their Crimes; the one, the Prior of Mont∣faulcon of the Province of Tholouse, an Apostate condemned by the Great Master of the Order,

Brother to Squinus of Foriano, put in Prison for his Crimes; The other named Noffo-Dei, a Flo∣rentine, condemned to rigorous Punishments by the Provost of Paris. These two Criminals took a Resolution to rescue themselves out of the Misery wherein they were, or else to involve their whole Order in the same Infamy, to discover the hidden Disorders of their Brethren. King Philip the Fair, who hated the Templars, and sought occasion to do them a displeasure, ordered that these two Informers should be examined, and their Depositions taken. They declared things so strange, and Crimes so heinous, that the King hardly believed them. Nevertheless, he would have the Matter searched to the bottom, and know the Truth: But in regard this Affair con∣cern'd an Order spread through all Christendom, he discoursed of it with Pope Clement the Fifth, when he assisted at his Coronation, and also had it spoken of to him at Poictiers by his Ambassa∣dors. The Pope could not believe the Crimes charged on them to be true, they were so very incredible, and appeared impossible. The Great Master of the Temple, and many Tem∣plars of divers Countries, whose Concern it was to justifie their Order, besought him to inform himself of these Accusations, submitting to the most severe Punishments, if they were found Guilty of what was charged on them. The Pope let the King understand it, by his Bull of the 23d. of August, in the Year 1306. in which he sends him word, that in a few days he should go to Poictiers, and there begin to make Inquisition concerning this Order; praying the King to transmit to him the Informations he had already taken.

Nevertheless the King fearing, lest this Business being discovered might cause Disturbance in * 1.3 the Kingdom, the Order of the Templars being so very Powerful in France, sent Letters to all the Judges of his Kingdom, with a Command to Arrest all the Templars on the same Day; and that the Matter might be kept the more Secret, they had Orders not to open the Letters, till the Evening before the Day 'twas to be put in Execution. This was punctually observed, and all the Templars throughout the Kingdom saw themselves Arrested and clapt into Prison the 5th. of October, in the Year 1307. if we may credit the Historians. But there are Bulls of the Pope dated in the Second Year of his Papacy, which ended in the Month of June 1305. and by consequence before October 1307. which suppose the Templars already Arrested: which might make it be thought, that that Accident ought rather to be referred to the Year 1306. than to that of 1307. if all the Historians of that time did not with one consent relate it done in the Year 1307. and Clement V. himself in a Bull dated the 11th. of July, in the Third Year of his Popedom. Wherefore it is most probable, that there is some Mistake in the Dates of Cle∣ment's Letters. The Great Master of the Order named James Molay, of the City Besancon, who was present in the Temple of Paris, was Arrested among the rest; The King possess'd himself of the Temple, and caused the Estates of the Templars to be seized. On the Morrow after the King Assembled the University, and caused it to be told them by Peter of Nogaret, who was the principal Actor in this Affair, what were the Reasons which had induced him to cause the Templars to be Arrested, and the heinous Crimes whereof they stood accused. The Pope took the Proceeding of the King ill, and sent him a Bull dated the 27th. of October, in the Second Year of his Papacy, Complaining, That he had caused the Templars, Subjects of the Roman Church to be Imprisoned absque medio, and had seized their Estates, though it belong'd not to the Secular Powers to judge Ecclesiastical Persons. He adds, That he has so much greater reason to complain of this proceeding, for that he had given him intimation, that he was getting Information against them, and sending to him two Cardinals [Berengarius Car∣dinal of the Title of the Saints, Nerea, and Aquileia, and Stephen, Cardinal of the Title of St. Ciriaca] to treat with him about this Affair, that he might put into their hands the Priso∣ners, and their Effects.

While these things were transacting, the King gave a Commission to William Paris, of the * 1.4 Order of the Friars Preachers, Inquisitor for the Pope in France, to make ready the Process against all the Templars, and order'd all the Lords of the Kingdom, and his Officers, to Arrest all the Templars they could light on, and thereupon to referr the Judgment and Cognisance to the Ecclesiastical Judges.

The detestable Crimes, whereof they were accused were, 1. That they obliged all those that * 1.5 entred into this Order, at the time of their Admission, to abjure Jesus Christ, and to spit three times upon a Crucifix. 2. That they obliged them, to Kiss him that admitted them, on the Mouth, on the Navel, and on the Extream part of the Back. 3. That they forbad them to converse Carnally with any Woman; but allowed them to commit Sodomy with their Brethren of the Society. 4. That they made them worship a Silver and Gilt wooden Head, with a great Beard; which they likewise exposed to be Adored in their General Assemblies. William Paris examined upon these Interrogatories an Hundred and four Templars in the Month of November, in the Year 1307. touching these Pranks. The Three first Heads were Confessed by almost all that were Impeached. The Fourth was owned to be true by some, but the others said, they knew nothing of it. There were in this great Number of Examinants, but Three, who said they had never seen any ill in the Order, and that they had taken notice of nothing therein, but what was of good Repute. James Molay, the Great Master of the Order, Hugh Perraut, and Guy, Brother of Dauphin de Viennois, who were the most considerable Persons among the Templars, were heard to this Information, and Confessed one Part of these Deeds. One of the Examinants, which was Jeffery of Gonneville, who had been received in England, declared, That at his Admission, having refused to abjure JESUS CHRIST, the Governour

Swore to him, that it could not hurt him; that it was the Custom of the Order, which had been introduced by a wicked Great Master, who having been taken Prisoner by a Sultan, had not been set at Liberty, but on Condition he would introduce this Custom into the Order; that others said, this had been brought up by Roncelin, Great Master of the Order, others by Thomas Beraldus, a Great Master likewise of the Order; and others, in fine, that it was in imitation of St. Peter, who denied JESUS CHRIST thrice. The greater part of the Examinants testified, they did not this, but with regret, that they had confess'd and repented of it.

There were several other Inquisitions, taken in divers places; to wit, one of an Hundred and Eleven Templars, by the same William Paris at Troyes, who agreed in all the Articles, except the Adoration: Another taken at Bigorre, by Bertrand d' Agassa; President of that City, who allowed hearing to five Templars: Another of thirteen Templars at Caen, by the Monks, who received a Commission for this purpose, from William Paris: One of these Thirteen denied the Articles; but being put to the Question, he confessed them: Another of seven Templars taken at Cahors, by John d' Arreblay: Another of ten Templars taken at Pont de l' Arche, by the Bailiff of Roan, and others: In fine, that, which was taken the same Year at Carcassonne, wherein seven Templars were Examined, who confessed the Articles, and thereto added remarkable Circum∣stances; among others John de Cassanhas Master to the House of Nogarede near Pamiez, who declared, that when he was admitted into the Order, they sent to him two Knights, who demanded of him, whether he would enter into it? who having answer'd, 'twas his intention; they told him, that it was a great Undertaking, and that their Rules were hard to be observed, and he saw nothing, but the outside; that persisting in his Resolution, they admitted him; that he fell on his Knees before the Master, assisted with about ten Brethren of the Order, who held a Book in his Hand, and asked him what he Craved? and that having made Answer, he desired to enter into the Order, he made him put his Hand upon the Book, which he held, and Swear that he had no Incumbrance of Debts, Marriage, or any other servile Obligation what∣ever; That next to this, he said to him, You must Promise to God and us, that you will live without Property, keep Chastity, and observe the Usages and Customs of the Order, and that you believe in God the Creator; that he is Dead, and shall not Die; the same, which he Swore. He after that cloathed himself with a Cloak, whilst a Priest read the Psalm, Ecce quam bonum, &c. That this being done, the Master kissed him on the Mouth, and next to that lay down on the Bench, whereon he sat; that he kissed the Master about the Fundament, upon his Garments, and the same being set, the other Brethren kissed him on the Navel: That after this, the Master pluckt out of a Box a Copper Image of a Humane Shape, placed it on a Chest, and said; Sirs, behold a Friend of God, who speaks to him, when he will; give him Thanks for that he hath brought you unto the Dignity you have so much desired, and hath accomplished all your Wishes; that forthwith they worshipped this Image three times, falling on their Knees, and they pro∣duced a Crucifix, to shew, that they renounced it, and spat thereon; that the Master gave him a small Girdle of Cord, and gave him leave, when he felt any Provocations of the Flesh, to make Use of his Brethren; that this being finished, he was conducted to another place invested with the habit of the Order, and brought back to the Master, who instructed him how he must behave himself at Church, in the War and at Table: Another of the Templars added to these Particulars, That the Master shewing the Image, kissed it, Saying, Yalla, which is a Saracen word. It is related in the History of Provence, That one of the Commissioners deputed by the King about Beaucaire, named Odoardus des Moulins, wrote to his Majesty, how he had Arrested Five and forty Templars, whereof there were five Knights, and one Priest; who being exa∣mined, they all Agreed as to the Denial of JESUS CHRIST, the Permission of Sodomy, and the shameful Kissing: That as to the Image, they said, that they never worshipped it, but once at a Provincial Chapter held at Montpellier; That the Priest added, how he that did admit him, had enjoined him never to Pronounce the Words us'd at the Consecration of the Host; the which he had observed in his distribution of it to the Brothers of the Society, but not as to that, which he shewed to the People, though he had been commanded not to Consecrate it. Some Authors accuse them further of other Crimes; as of burning the Body of those who died firm in their Idolatry, and of giving their Ashes to be Swallowed down by Novice-Templars; of Roasting the Children of the Women they had Abused, to rub their Image in the Grease, that dripped from them, and to cover it all over with the Skin of a Man; but these Accu∣sations were not Proved by their Interrogatories. The greatest part of these Inquisitions were taken at the end of the Year 1307. and the beginning of the Year 1308.

The Pope, to put a stop to these Proceedings, which he thought intrenched upon his Autho∣rity; * 1.6 forbad the Archbishops, Bishops and Inquisitors of France to intermeddle herein, and ordered the Cause to be Heard before himself: The King hereupon signified to him his Resent∣ment, and represented to him, that he was amazed, that his Holiness shew'd so great coldness in the Prosecution of this Affair; that 'twas, as if he consented to the Crimes of the Impeached, and would shew them a way to defend themselves; that he ought rather to stir up the Prelates, and Ordinaries of Places to do their Duty in the Extirpation of this Order; that they could better search out this Matter in their Dioceses, than Strangers; that 'tis a great Injustice to take from the Bishops without reason, the Administration wherewith God hath entrusted them, and the Merit of Defending the Faith; that neither the King, nor they could endure it; that the Suspension of the Inquisitors Power gave hopes to the Templars to find Favour in the Pope's

Court, and to spin out the time. The King, who desired to dispatch it out of hand, proposed it to the Divinity-Faculty at Paris, to be satisfied, whether he could not order Process against the Templars before Secular Judges. They answered him by their Resolve of 25. March, in the Year 1308. Shewing, 1. That the Authority of a Secular Judge, cannot extend so far as to * 1.7 proceed against any one for the Crime of Heresie, if it be not required by the Church, and she hath not resign'd up the Criminal to him; nevertheless, in case of Necessity, and where there is Danger, the Secular Judge may order Hereticks to be Arrested; but with a Resolution to resign them into the Power of the Church. 2. That those who are listed for the Defence of the Faith, and have made Profession of a Religion established by the Church, ought to pass among the Religious, and enjoy the benefit of Exemption. 3. That their Estates ought to be reserv'd to be employed to the Ends for which they were conferred on them. This Resolve discover'd the Wisdom and Steadiness of the Divinity-Faculty of Paris, which seeks not to please the King by agreeable Answers, and conform to his Designs, but explains to him the Truth sincerely without any Evasion or Disguise.

The King, that he might take just Measures, resolv'd to go himself to Poictiers, and before he * 1.8 repair'd thither, he appointed at Tours a Meeting of the Deputies of the Cities of the Kingdom by Letters Patents sent to the Bailiffs on the 25th. of March, in the Year 1308. But in Con∣clusion, having no way to do it otherwise, he resigned into the hands of two Cardinals sent to him by the Pope, some of the Principal Templars, and ordered them to be conveyed to Poi∣ctiers, where the Pope was, to the end he might know the Truth from their own Mouth. The Pope having examined them in presence of the two Cardinals, who had been sent to the King, and of three others; they confess'd the Crimes, whereof they were accused, and persisted in their Testimony. He understood likewise the same things from one of his Domesticks, a Knight of this Order, who confessed ingenuously all the Evil which was committed among them. The Pope being by this convinced of the Necessity of prosecuting this Affair, by a Bull * 1.9 directed to the Archbishops, Bishops, and to the Inquisitors of the Kingdom, dated the 5th. of July, in the Year 1308. he took off the Suspension of their Power, and permitted them to proceed in their Diocesses against the Templars, even to the Sentence, which should be pro∣nounced in their Provincial Councils, reserving nevertheless to himself, and the Holy See the Process against the Great Master of the Temple, and against the Masters and Heads of that Order in France, the Lands beyond the Seas, Normandy, Poictou, and Provence. He took Care of the keeping and preservation of their Estates by four other Bulls of the same Month, willing, that they should be reserved to the same end for which they had been given; that is to say, for the Relief of the Holy Land, without prejudicing the Rights, which the King, and the other Lords might have to them; that to this Effect he would Name two Administrators-General to make up the Account with them, who should be named on the King's behalf; and that the Money should be imployed for the Relief of the Holy Land, according to the Appoint∣ment of the Pope. The King consented to this Business, and named Administrators on his part: As to the Persons of the Templars, the Pope Commission'd Peter Capella Cardinal, Bi∣shop of Praenoste, that they should be put into his Custody, and joined to the Ordinaries, to prepare the Process against the Templars, two Canons of each Church, and two Grey Fryers. The King represented to him, that he meant not that what he had done in this Affair should be prejudicial to his Rights, and the Pope consented thereto in one of his Letters.

The Pope whether it were, that he had no entire Confidence in the Inquisitors of France, or * 1.10 rather, that he was willing to testifie, he had done nothing in this Affair, but with great Pre∣caution, deputed three Cardinals, Berengarius, Stephen, and Landulphus, to understand from the Prisoners themselves, whether the Examinations taken by the Inquisitors were true. The King made the Principal Prisoners to be removed to Chinon, where they were again Examined by the Cardinals, and they persisted in the Confession they made at Paris, among others the Great Master of the Order, Hugh Perrant and the Master of Cyprus; these three last and divers others prayed Absolution, and received it. The Cardinals made Entries of all this, on the 15th. of August, in the Year 1308. and gave the King to understand, that they intreated him to shew the Templars some Favour, on consideration they had Acknowledged, what they had done; but both the Pope and the King had a design wholly to break this Order. Whereupon the former, upon the Information of these Cardinals, in the close of the Month of August, in the * 1.11 Year 1308. directed several Bulls to the Archbishops, and Bishops of Christendom, wherein after the Recital of what had been already discover'd of the Templars Exploits; he orders them to make ready their Process, and sends them likewise the very Articles, on which they were to be Examined. The King on his part held an Assembly at Tours, where were present the Deputies of the Archbishops, Bishops, Lords, and Commonalty of the Towns, furnished with Letters of Attorney, giving them Power to appear before the King and the Pope, there to intreat of this Affair. After the Meeting of this Assembly, the King accompanied with one part of the Deputies, went to meet the Pope at Poictiers, and having conferr'd with him, they Agreed upon the Articles following: That the Templars should be kept in Custody by the King's Authority, at the Request of the Pope and the Prelates; That the Prelates might Judge the Templars in their respective Diocesses, except some few, whose Judgment was reserved to the Pope. That in case of putting down the Order, their Wealth should be imployed for the Relief of the Holy Land, and that no other use might be made thereof: That the Estates of

the Templars should be put into the Hands of the Administrators nam'd by the Pope; in the mean while the Pope order'd, that all the Templars should be Arrested, and put into the Hands of the Inquisitors, and named by his Bull dated the 11th. of August, of the Third Year of his Papacy (which must fall in the Year of our Lord 1307. if the Years of his Papacy be counted from the 5th. of June 1305. but according to the Authors of that Age, in the Year 1308.) the * 1.12 Archbishop of Narbonne, the Bishops of Bayeux, Mande, and Limoges, with Four other Clergy-men of the second Order; to make Process against the whole Order of the Templars in any of the Towns in the Province of Sens. These Commissioners met at Paris, in the Month of No∣vember, of the Year 1309. to hear the Depositions of the Witnesses, and the Answers of the Accused. James Molay, Great Master of the Order being Conven'd before them, they asked him, if he would defend his Order: He made Answer, That his Order having been approved of, and honour'd with divers Privileges by the Holy See, had no need of a Defender; that he * 1.13 was surprized, they would so suddenly abolish a considerable Order, since the Sentence of Depo∣sition against Frederick had been deferred for Two and thirty Years: that he was not wise enough to Undertake this Defence, but he would do what he could; That he had been a Captive, nei∣ther had he a Sous to defray the Charge; he demanded, that they would allow him Councel, and some Assistance; he desired, that, to know the truth of what concern'd his Order, they would take not only his Deposition, and those of his Order; but likewise the Testimonies of all the Kings in the Earth, of the Princes, Barons, Earls, and also of the Prelates. The Com∣missioners advised him to have a care what he adventur'd on, after the Deposition he himself had given against his Order; and told him, that in a Plea of Heresie, and of what concern'd the Faith, they proceeded singly, and without assistance of Councel or Advocate. The Com∣missioners hereupon caused their Commission to be read to him; and when they came to the Place, where mention was made of the Points, which, 'twas said he had confest, he appear'd amazed, made the sign of the Cross, and said, That if the Commissioners were of another quality, he knew what he would say to them; and as to their reply, that they were not in condition to accept a Challenge, he return'd, that that was not his meaning, but he prayed God to use his Slan∣derers in the same manner, as the Turks and Saracens used Impostors, whose Heads they cut off, or cleaved them asunder. The Commissioners told him, That the Church Judged Hereticks, and deliver'd up the Obstinate to the Secular Power. He withdrew, and having conferr'd with a certain Lord, he asked time till Friday, which was granted him; and appearing on that day, and being demanded, if he would defend his Order, he said, he was Poor and wanted Skill, but had understood in one of the Bulls read to him, that the Pope had reserved the Judg∣ment of him, and some other Masters of the Order to himself; so that he could do nothing at present but declare, he was ready to appear before the Pope; and entreated them to bring it about, that his Holiness might admit him to his Presence. The Commissioners shewed to him, that they were not entrusted with the Judgment of particular Persons, but that of the Order, and that he had liberty to speak, if he would offer any thing to hinder their insisting upon the making this Matter ready for a Hearing: He said, No; but he demanded of them only to behave themselves with Justice and Fidelity: as for the rest he thought himself obliged to lay before them, for discharge of his Conscience, three Things on the behalf of his Order. The First, That he believed, there were no Churches, except Cathedrals, which had better Or∣naments, more Reliques, or where they performed Divine Service better, than in those of his Order. The Second, That no Religious Order was more Charitable, than theirs, in regard they had a general Rule in all their Houses, of giving Alms three times a Week to all that presented themselves to receive it. The Third, That he knew no Order, nor Nation, which exposed their Lives more freely for the Defence of the Faith against the Enemies of the Christian Religion, and which was more fear'd by the Infidels. The Commissioners told him, that this was to no purpose without Faith: He replied, that was true; but that he believed in God, in a Trinity of Persons, and all that which is of Faith; that he was perswaded, there was but one God, one Faith, one Baptism, one Church; and that, when the Soul shall be separated from the Body, we shall know the Good and the Bad, and that every one shall know the Truth of what passes at present. Nogaret affirmed to him, that their Order had obeyed Sultan Saladin, and that this Tyrant had upbraided them with the Vice of Sodomy: He excused the Agreement he made with Saladin, from the Necessity they were in, to pre∣serve the Towns and Castles, which they could not have Defended, if they had not Com∣pounded with him.

A great many other Templars of several Provinces in the Kingdom, being after this by the King's Order at Paris brought before the Commissioners, the Articles were read to them, upon which they were Impeached, and about which they were Examined. Threescore and Four∣teen maintain'd the Innocence of their Order, and declared they were ready to defend it, and named Peter of Bononia for their Proctor, publickly averring, that all those shameful, foul, unreasonable, detestable and horrid Articles, upon which they were Impeach'd, were so many Falsities, Lyes, and Slanders, forged by their Enemies, and attested by false Witnesses; that their Order was pure, without Stain, and free from all Crimes; they demanded their Liberty to be in a Condition to defend it, and leave to go in Person to a General Council; they an∣swer'd to the Depositions of their Brethren, who had confessed these Crimes, That it was 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Confession, which fear of Death and Torments had extorted from them, or that they

had done it, to save themselves, being corrupted by Intreaties, or Promises. In fine, they intreated, that Justice might be done them, and they deliver'd from the Oppression they lay under. Bo∣nonia, by Virtue of this Power, with Nine other Templars presented a Memorial, in which he declares as well for himself, and these Eight Knights, as for the rest, they are ready as well in the general as in particular to defend themselves in a General Council, or any where else, when they shall be set at Liberty; They protest, that whatever any of their▪ Brethren have said against their Order, ought not to hurt nor prejudice them; they desired that the Brethren of their Order, who had quitted their Habit, should be put into Prison: That when any of their Brotherhood shall be Examined, no Lay Man be present; they say, it is strange more credit should be given to the false Depositions of some few, extorted by Fear, or surprized by Pro∣mises, than to those of so many Martyrs, who suffer with Constancy, Torments and Impri∣sonment; They add, that out of the Kingdom of France, none of the Templars had said any such thing of their Order; which makes it plain, that those who have deposed these things in France, have been constrain'd by force, or wrought upon by Money; That in defence of their Order they say plainly, it is founded on Charity and Brotherly Love, in honour of the Virgin Mary, and to defend the Holy Church, and the Christian Faith, and to destroy the Enemies of the Cross principally in the Holy Land; that their Religion is pure, and without spot, be∣fore God; that the Rules and the Discipline of it are; and ever have been most exactly ob∣served; that it hath been approved, and honour'd with many Privileges by the Holy See; that those, who enter into it, make Four principal Vows, of Poverty, of Obedience, of Cha∣stity and of Warfare, to Conquer, or to Preserve the Holy Land; that they are admitted with a Kiss of Peace; that the Habit is deliver'd to them together with a Cross, which they always carry in honour of JESUS CHRIST crucified; that they are instructed in their Rule, and the Customs, which they observe by the Church of Rome, and the Holy Fathers; that such is the Ceremony of the Profession, which is observed, and hath always been generally observ'd through their whole Order; that the heinous and abominable things charged on them are Lyes invented by Apostates from their Order, expell'd for their Crimes, who have been subor∣ned by others, and have deceived the King and the Pope: that many of those who have Con∣fessed through fear of Torments, are ready to retract, if they had freedom to speak the Truth, and did not fear being burnt for contradicting their Oaths. One of these Eight Templars added, That all the Depositions made use of against them are void, because that by a special Privilege none of their Number ought to Answer, unless before the Pope, and that no one can renounce that Privilege: That particular Persons ought not to be admitted to give Testimony against their Order; and that those who had been Sworn, were forc'd to speak what they knew not. The Commissioners replied, That it was not in their Power to set them at Liberty, because it was not they, who had put them in Prison; but they were the Pope's Prisoners, in whose Hands were the Revenues of their Order; that they had been very much traduced; that in respect to the Privileges, which they alledged, they took not place in Point of Heresie; that for them∣selves they had no other Charge, but to inquire into Matters of Fact, comprehended in the Memorial sent them by the Pope. So the Commissioners began their Inquisition, notwithstanding the Declarations of these Templars, who moreover gave in another Memorial, in which they set forth, that they had observed no judicial Form in making ready their Process, that several Violences had been exercised upon them, they had been Arrested, put in Prison, their Estates had been seized without any reason, they had been compelled by force of Torture, or by Pro∣mises, or by Rewards to Swear false things against their Order; that all the reasonable Pre∣sumptions were on their Side. 1. Because it was not to be believed, that any Body should have been so much a Fool as to engage, or continue in an Order so abominable. And, 2. Because their Order was made up of People of Quality, of good Morals, who would never have suffered these Disorders: They demanded a Copy of their Commission, the Articles of their Impeach∣ment, and the Names of the Witnesses which had Sworn, or of those that designed to Swear here∣after; that they would distinguish them, that had already been Sworn, from those that were yet to make Oath; that they should be made to depose, they would speak the Truth; and that they would Suborn no Person; that inquiry might be made into the manner, how some of their Bre∣thren came to their end, and the reason, why some of them declined to appear; that among others, it may be known of Friar Adam of Valencour, who had deserted their Order, to be enter'd in that of the Carthusians, and after that came back to it again, whether what was reported of their Order, were true.

While the Pope's Commissioners were informing themselves against the whole Order, the * 1.14 Archbishop of Sens held a Provincial Council at Paris, in the Month of May, in the Year 1310. wherein he undertook to proceed against the particular Members. The Knights engaged in the defence of their Order in General, set forth that it was not just, while the Pope's Commissio∣ners were taking their Inquest, the Archbishop of Sens should attempt to make out their Pro∣cess: That they appealed from all this Archbishop could do; and that if in bar of this Ap∣peal any Execution were brought against them, 'twere an Injustice: That they would put themselves under the Protection of the Pope: That they prayed the Commissioners to forbid the Archbishop of Sens, and other Bishops of the Realm, to proceed against any Templar, and that they would give them leave to signifie this Appeal to the Archbishop of Sens, and to make it Publick. The same Evening they presented another Writing directed to the Archbishop of

Sens, containing their Appeal. The Commissioners made Answer, That the Matter, which was handled by the Archbishop of Sens, and his Suffragans in their Council, was far different from that which they treated of: That they were likewise deputed by the Holy See, and that they had no Authority over them; and hereupon they did not believe, they could oblige them to delay the making out Process against the particular Members of the Order; nevertheless they should debate it more fully. The Commissioners went on with their Inquest, and heard Two hundred and one and thirty Witnesses, who took their Oaths against the Order, from the close of the Year 1309. to the Month of June, in the Year 1310. The greater part confess'd the Facts, whereof their Order stood accused; but some denied them, and others, after their Confession, retracted, and said they had not Sworn those things, but for fear of Punishment, or because they had perceived, they did design to Burn such of their Fellows, as had asserted the Innocence of their Order. But before the Inquisition of the Commissioners was finished, the Provincial Council of Sens pronounced several Judgments upon particular Men of this Order: Some were Absolved, others Condemned to certain Penances, and afterwards released: some confined more closely, or condemn'd to perpetual Imprisonment, and Nine and fifty, who persisted in the dis∣owning of what they had confessed, were degraded as Relapsed, and deliver'd up to the Secular Power, and condemned to be Burnt; which was accordingly put in Execution without the * 1.15 Gate of St. Anthony, in the Month of May in the Year 1610. These poor Wretches declar'd to the last moment, that they were Innocent. They dug up the same Year the Body of John de Turreio, who had been Treasurer of the Temple, to burn his Bones.

They proceeded likewise in other Kingdoms against the Templars, in pursuance of the Pope's Bulls. In Italy the Archbishop of Ravenna caused those of his Diocess to be Arrested, and got * 1.16 Information against them. After that, he assembled a Council of his Province, wherein he made Report of the Charge he had against them, and asked, whether they ought to be put to the Rack: it was concluded in the Negative, though the Inquisitors maintained, that Hereticks ought to be put to it; It was demanded, whether they should be sent back to the Pope; they said, No; seeing a General Council was suddenly to be called; that they ought to be absolved, or clear themselves. On the next day, the Bishops being met, declared, That the innocent ought to be dismissed with Absolution, and the guilty punished according to the Law: that the Order ought to be kept up, if the greater part were found and innocent. The Examinations taken by the Archbishops of Pisa and Florence, and other Persons Commission'd by the Pope, to inquire in Lombardy and Tuscany, were less favourable to the Templars; for the Witnesses depos'd, that they had seen, heard, and had Knowledge of the horrid and detestable Crimes, of which they were accused. James II. King of Arragon, having received a Letter from the King of France against the Templars, charged the Bishops of Valentia and Saragosa, and the Inquisitor General of his Kingdom, to get Information against them; and notice being given him that the Tem∣plars retreated to their strong Forts, he caus'd all to be Arrested, that he could light on, and prepared to force the others in their Castles, while the Inquisitor General, who had cited them to Valentia, made ready their Process. The Knights of this Kingdom writ to the Pope, that they were falsely accused; that their Innocence was known to all the World; that they were so far from denying JESUS CHRIST, that there were now a great Number of their Brethren in the hands of the Infidels; who chose rather to continue in Captivity, and suffer divers Tor∣ments, than renounce the Faith: That if some had confess'd Abominable Crimes, they ought to be Punished; but that it was not just, the whole Order, or the Innocent should Suffer: they besought the Pope to grant them his Protection, declaring, that they submitted to his Judgment, and that waiting for his Answer, they were retired to their Fortresses. The King of Arragon took several of their Castles, and the Pope commission'd the Bishop of Valentia to proceed upon them, who were taken. In Castile King Ferdinand IV. caused all the Templars to be Arrested, and took Informations against them, by the Archbishops of Compostella and Toledo, and by the Inquisitor Aimerick. Their Estates were seized, and the Bishops appointed Guardians. The Matter having been debated in the Provincial Councils, the Templars were declared Innocent, and nevertheless sent back to the Pope. In England they were all Arrested the same day, examined in an Assembly held at London, which lasted for two Months, and they there confessed the Crimes whereof they were accused. The Pope sent a Commissioner into Germany to Examine those of that Country, and Exhorted the Princes and Prelates of Germany to prosecute the Tem∣plars; but it appears not that they did any thing against them. He gave Order also to Arrest them in the Isle of Cyprus, but Almericus, Lord of Tyre and Governor of the Kingdom, sent him word, that he could not put that Order in Execution, because the Templars had taken Arms upon the Notice they had of it: that nevertheless Ten of the Chief came and resigned them∣selves into his Hands, and had promised to obey. In Provence Charles II. King of Sicily, and Earl of Provence Arrested them all, the 24th. of January, in the Year 1308. and seized their Estates. They were condemned to Death and Executed, their Personal Estates divided betwixt the Pope and the Earl, and the Real kept for the Hospitallers.

The time of the General Council, which the Pope had appointed, drawing near, King Philip * 1.17 the Fair, wrote to the Pope in the beginning of the Year 1311. That since the Templars appear to be Charged so fully by the Informations, they ought to be rooted out by the Judgment of the future Council. He besought his Holiness to order it so, that their Goods might be em∣ployed in some new Expedition, or rather be transferred to some Military Order already esta∣blished

for the Relief of the Holy Land. The Pope agreed to this Proposal, by his Bull of the Month of March, in the same Year.

In fine, the General Council of Vienna being Assembled, and the First Session held the 16th. of October in the Year 1311. the first thing, that the Pope proposed, was the Affair of the Tem∣plars. There were divers Opinions about them. Some were of the Mind, that they ought to be heard before they abolished the Order; others on the contrary were of Opinion, that it ought to be no longer deferred; and that if it were, 'twould be a great Scandal to the Church, after the enormous Crimes, of which they stood Convict. William Durantus, Bishop of Menda, was of this Opinion, and deliver'd a Memorial to the Pope to prove it. On Wednesday in the Holy Week, in the Year following, which was the 19th. of March, the Pope held a particular Assem∣bly of Cardinals and Prelates, in which the Destruction of the Order of the Templars was re∣solved on. The Bull of it was Published in the following Session held the 22. of May 1312. at which the King was present. The Substance of it was this; That the Templars being convi∣cted of a great Number of Crimes, he decreed the Abolishing of them, with the Approbation of the Council, not in form of a definitive Sentence, because it could not in rigour of Justice be carried so far, according to the Informations and the Process, which had been made, but in form of Provision, or an Apostolical Direction, and that he forbid any whomsoever to enter into that Order for the future, and to take, or wear their Habit, on Pain of Excommunication ipso facto. That all their Estates should remain in the disposal of the Holy See; and that from this present time, after Mature Deliberation, and by the Advice of the Prelates of the Council, he did unite them for ever to the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, as well Moveables, as Immove∣ables, together with all their Rights, and their Privileges, excepting nevertheless the Goods which they had in the Kingdoms of Castile, Arragon, Portugal and Majorca, which shall not be given to the Hospitallers, and yet reserved to the disposal of the Holy See. In fine, he enjoins, under Pain of Excommunication, all Persons of what Degree soever, even Kings themselves, who have any thing in Possession belonging to the Templars, to return it into the hands of the Hospitallers, within one Month after the Publication of this Bull. And to that end, the Pope commissioned the Bishop of Nevers, the Abbot of St. German des Prez, and the Dean of Chartres, to put the Knights of the Hospital into Possession of the Goods, which the Templars had in France; and gave out several other Bulls, upon this Subject. The Judgment upon the Processes of particular Members of the Order were sent away to the Provincial Councils, and it was de∣creed, That those who were found Guilty, should be severely Punish'd, and that Pensions should be assign'd to the Innocent, out of the Goods of the Order. As to the Great Master, the Brother * 1.18 of the Dauphin, and some others, whom the Pope had reserved to his own Judgment, he sent Cardinals to Paris, to declare what he would have done on their score. These Cardinals order'd a Scaffold to be Erected before the great Gate of the Church of our Lady, in the Month of March, in the Year 1313. and having caused the Great Master, the Brother of the Dauphin, Hugh Perrauld, and another Knight to be fetched, they read to them the Sentence of the Pope, by which they were depos'd and condemned to perpetual Imprisonment. The Great Master, and the Dauphin's Brother upon hearing this Judgment, declared, That what they had Sworn against their Order, was false; that they had done it at the instance of the Pope and the King, and that they were ready to Die in defence of this Truth. The Cardinals delivered them up to the Provost of Paris; and the News thereof being carried to the King, he presently called his Council together, in which it was resolved, that in the Evening the Great Master, and the Brother of the Dauphin should be Burnt at the Point of the Isle of the Palace, between the King's Garden, and the Augustin Friars; which was performed accordingly. These Wretches endur'd the Punishment with Resolution, and persisted unto the last to assert their own Inno∣cence and that of their Order: this made many believe that they died innocent. The two others, which said nothing, had their Lives saved.

This was the End of the Order of Templars, which was abolished in all the Countries of Chri∣stendom, * 1.19 except Germany; where they stopt the Publication of the Bull, and procured Abso∣lution in a Provincial Council. The Knights Hospitallers in France were put in Possession of their Immoveables, but they were obliged to leave to the King two Thirds of their Moveable Goods, for the Expence he had been at in the Prosecution of the Templars, according to the Agreement made between King Lewis Hutin and the Great Master of the Hospital, on the 14th. of February, in the Year 1315. In Arragon the Pope, at the instance of King James, annex'd the Estates of the Templars to those of that Order of Calatrava, which was made an Order separate and independant from that of Castile of the same Name, having a Great Master resident in Arragon, and depending on the Order of Cistercians. The King of Arragon detain'd never∣theless Seventeen strong Forts, which had belonged to the Templars. Ferdinand IV. King of Castile, would not comply with the Sentence of the Pope, which join'd the Templars Estates to the Order of St. John of the Hospital, but laid to the ancient Inheritance of the Crown, the Towns, Lands, and other Goods, which they had in his Estate. Dionysius King of Portu∣gal, by advice of the Pope, instituted in his Kingdom, an Order of Knights of Christ, which was approved by Pope John XXII. and founded out of the Goods of the Templars, whose principal Imployment was to make War upon the Moors. In England, it was resolved in a Parliament held in the Year 1324. that the Estates of the Templars should be united to the Order of Hospitallers; which gave occasion to some English of that Order, to think they

were discharged from their Vows, and at liberty to Marry, which the Bishops of England opposed.

It is one of the famous Questions in History, to wit, whether the Templars were Guilty of all * 1.20 the Crimes, whereof they were accused, and justly condemned; or whether they were imputed to them falsely, and whether they were not compelled by the violence of Torments and Fear, to confess things which they had not done, to grow rich by their Spoils, and seize on their Effects, as some Historians have asserted. It may be alledged in their Defence, 1. That the Informers were two Wretches condemned for their Crimes, no way worthy of Credit, who thought of this Project, to rescue themselves from the Punishment, to which they were con∣demned. 2. That the Crimes whereof they stand accused are so horrid and execrable, and at the same time so extraordinary, that they must, if Guilty, have lost not only all sense of Ho∣nour and Religion, but also Modesty, Common Sense, and Understanding. Now is it credible, that a vast Number of Men of all Nations and Degrees, spread throughout all Christendom, should all fall into so horrid an Excess of Wickedness and Extravagance; and that neither Religion, nor Shame, nor fear of Discovery, nor any distast, which any of the Order might have taken, should induce none of them to reveal their Actions? This Silence is strange, if the Thing be true: A Silence, which lasted for almost an Hundred Years, which was observed reli∣giously by all those of the Order. During this time many Malecontents left the Order; how could it possibly be, that not one of them, to justifie his Desertion, should offer for a Reason the Disorders he had there met with? How could an infinite Number of People, who presented themselves to be admitted with a good intent, and not being yet corrupted, resolve at their Admittance to make so damnable a Profession, and therein persevere? 3. That they confessed not these Crimes, but for fear of Torments, wherewith they were threatned, and in hopes, which were given them, of being well used, and likewise rewarded for their Confession: that such as refused to own them, were put to the Rack, that Torments might force from their Mouths the Confession of what was False: that notwithstanding there were some, who would never Swear against their Order, and honourably asserted their Innocence: that the greater part of those, who were Cowardly enough to yield to Fear, or be wrought on by Promises, had recan∣ted, and persisted in that Recantation to their Death, ever protesting, that they had been im∣posed upon, or that they had spoken falsely, and that these Confessions were extorted from them by Threats or Promises, or by Violence: that they had shewn as much Constancy in this Retractation, as they had testified Weakness and Change from their former Deposition: In fine, that they chose rather to be Burnt alive, and going to Execution they declared aloud, that they died innocent; the time, in which the fear of Hell, and the Judgment of God before whom they must appear, forces the Truth from the Heart and Tongue of the most Wicked. 4. That there were found no other Witnesses against them, than themselves: that 'twas only in France, where they were constrained to confess these Crimes: that every where besides, whatever Pro∣secution was made against them, they were not found Guilty of these Crimes, neither did they confess them. 5. That their Judges were Parties; That Philip the Fair, had a Mind to this for a long time, accusing them of raising and fomenting Sedition against him: that he was the particular Enemy of the Great Master: that he owed them Money: that he desired to enrich himself with their Spoils, as it came to pass: that he engaged himself in the Prosecution of this Affair, with Zeal and Partiality: that he practised unheard of Cruelties on the accused: that the Pope was unwilling at the first to enter on this Business, as being acquainted with the Injustice of it; but that at the last he suffered himself to be prevailed with by the importunity of the King of France, and the offers he made him to leave the disposal of the Templars Possessions to his Holiness: that in fine, the Pope, the King of France, and other Princes found the Destru∣ction of this Order would turn to Account, and made Advantage of their Estates in whole or in part. 6. That the Proceedings against them were Irregular, and against the Forms prescribed by the Law: that at the first they were arrested upon slight Suspicions by the Authority of the King, and without having consulted the Pope; unto whom alone it belonged to judge them, because of their Privileges: that the first Examinations were taken either by the King's Officers or by the Inquisitor: that their Proceedings were not against the whole Order: that they were not Summon'd, nor their Process prepared according to Form: that the Pope acknowledged all these things, in declaring, that he could not of right give a definitive Sentence against this Order, according to the Inquest, and the Method wherein the Process was prepared: Non per modum definitivae Sententiae, cum eam super hoc secundum inquisitiones & processus super his habitos non possumus ferre de jure. That he Condemn'd them nevertheless and Abrogated their Order, by way of Provision, as if the utter abolishing of an Order could be decreed by Provision, when 'twas acknowledged, it could not be decreed of right.

It may be answer'd to these Arguments, That in Matters of Fact, we are not to make use of * 1.21 Conjectures, and Reasonings against the Depositions and Confessions themselves of the Criminals, upon which they were legally Condemned: That we have the Interrogatories of a vast number of Templars, who have Acknowledged the Crimes whereof they were accused: That it matters not, who are the Informers, provided that in the Sequel the Fact be Evident: that the Crimes, whereof they are accused, are in good earnest very heinous; but Men that give themselves over to their Passions and Lusts, are capable of all of them, and there is no disorder so strange, into which they may not fall▪ That those, whereof the Templars are accused, are of two Sorts, Im∣pieties,

and a kind of Idolatry, and the Vice of Sodomy; that the Commerce which they had with the Saracens, might engage them in the former, which is the more Extraordinary, and that Debauchery hurried them to the Second: that these Disorders had been a long time kept secret, because all the Members were concern'd to conceal them: that 'twas the Order gave them their Settlement and Fortune, and that they could not accuse it without undoing them∣selves, and accusing themselves of Shameful Crimes; besides that it was dangerous to bring about their Ears an Order so powerful, on which they had their dependance: which was likewise the Reason, why those, who had deserted the Order, made no Discovery: that some had revealed these filthy acts to particular Persons; who did not dare to mention them: that many of them, who had confessed these Crimes, had done it voluntarily, and without Constraint: that they all agreed in their Depositions; but that some had not Sworn to all the Articles, because they had knowledge but of part, which proves their Sincerity: that they all speak of Circumstances so particular, that it is hard to imagine they should be invented: that the greatest part stuck to their Depositions: that such as had retracted, did it not, till they saw they must undergo the Punishment their Fault deserved, and to cover their Disgrace: that since they kept these Dis∣orders very secret, and discover'd them not, but to those of their Order, it is not to be won∣der'd at, if the principal Witnesses were such as were accused: that tho' they prepared not their Process in Form in other Kingdoms; yet for all that there was proof enough found against them to pull down their Order: that King Philip the Fair acted not in this Matter, but upon a Principle of Justice: that he had not ordered them to be Arrested so suddenly, but because it was to be fear'd, lest, since they vvere Powerful, if they had had notice of the Design, they should have made an Insurrection in the Kingdom: that he had caused an Inqui∣sition upon them to be taken for his own Justification, and thereupon left the Judgment to the Pope, into whose hands he resign'd them: that he enriched not himself with their Estates, but always offer'd they should be employed for the good of the Holy Land: that he consented to the Incorporation of them into the Order of the Hospitallers, and had restored them to it with∣out any Deceit, retaining only what he was obliged to expend in Suing out the Process: that the Proceedings, and Examinations taken against them, were sufficient to prove the Irregularities of the Order in general: that it was Necessary to abolish it, and there was no Remedy to be applied otherwise, though possibly according to the Formalities of Law there must have been another manner of Proceeding, in order to the giving a Definitive Sentence: Yet this hinder'd not, but that by way of Provision, that is to say, of Discipline, Equity and Justice, the Order might be wholly abolished, and their Estates given to an Order, which ought to put them to the use to which they were designed. These Reasons are sufficient to maintain the Judgment given by the Pope in the Council of Vienna, against the Order of the Templars, and to justifie the Behaviour of Philip the Fair, in this matter.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Settle∣ment, Pro∣gress, and Declension of the Or∣der of Tem∣plars.
• * 1.2

  The Infor∣mers a∣gainst the Templars.
• * 1.3

  The Tem∣plars Ar∣rested, and their E∣states Sei∣zed.
• * 1.4

  Informa∣tions a∣gainst the Templars.
• * 1.5

  The Crimes they be Charged with.
• * 1.6

  The Pope forbids the Ordinaries and the In∣quisitor to meddle with the Affair of the Tem∣plars.
• * 1.7

  The An∣swer of the Divinity-Faculty at Paris.
• * 1.8

  The Pope himself ex∣amines the Templars.
• * 1.9

  The Pope permits the carrying on the Process against the Templars.
• * 1.10

  Inquisitions taken by three Car∣dinals at Chinon.
• * 1.11

  Bulls a∣gainst the Templars
• * 1.12

  Judges de∣puted to Proceed against the Order of the Tem∣plars.
• * 1.13

  An Inquest taken by the Com∣missioners of the Pope.
• * 1.14

  A Provin∣cial Coun∣cil held at Paris a∣gainst the Templars, in the Year 1310.
• * 1.15

  The Execu∣tion of the Templars at Paris.
• * 1.16

  Prosecu∣tions of the Templars in several Kingdoms.
• * 1.17

  The Pope's Judgment in the Council of Vienne, a∣••••inst the 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.18

  The Execu∣tion of the Great Ma∣ster and a∣nother Tem∣plar at Pa∣ris.
• * 1.19

  The use of the Tem∣plars E∣states in several Kingdoms.
• * 1.20

  Arguments which may be alledged for the ju∣stification of the Tem∣plars.
• * 1.21

  The Rea∣sons, which p•…•… the Ju••••ice of ab••lishing the Order 〈◊〉〈◊〉 T•…•…