Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Brief History Of The Religious And Military Order Of The Knights Templars Of St. John Of Jerusalem.
he resided . Edward II . King of England , no sooner heard of the transaction , than he wrote to the Pope in behalf of the Order , which was , he said , reverenced throughout his dominions for the eminent services which its Kni ghts had done to the Christian reli gion , as well as for their sound belief , and the purity of their manners . This declaration in their favour is of itself alone sufficient to wipe all
away the infamous aspersions which their interested calumniators had thrown upon them . Philip , however , was not to be diverted from his purpose , but ordered a commission for trying the Templars , composed of several of his own bishops and the Inquisitor General of his kingdom . The Pope , roused at this conduct , vented the bitterest complaints against the king , and suspended the powers of the
ecclesiastical judges , and even went so far as to inhibit them from the exercise of their ministerial function . The king replied and excused himself as well as he could , but still continued the prosecutions , andhis Holiness was at length compelled to yield to an authority superior to his own . The Knights were now eagerly sought after throughout France ; no
sooner were any of them found but they were put to the most excruciating tortures , to oblige them to confess crimes which their oppressors imputed to them . All the horrors of the rack were exercised upon them , and the infernal persecutors went so far as frequently to tear off the flesh of the tortured party with red-hot pincers . Punishments so terrible must make the most stout-hearted
tremble in the prospect . That some of these religious warriors confessed crimes of which they were innocent is not , therefore , to be wondered at ; there are few , if any , so dauntless as to be capable of looking on the agonies of torture with a steady determination to persevere in the negation of what they are sensible their persecutors are resolved , by the exercise of every cruel invention , to make them confess .
Some of the Templars , while under torment , confessed the crimes of which the whole body were accused , and a few did so to prevent suffering the rack . The major part , however , stoutly persisted in maintaining their innocence and the honour of their society , against all the attempts of their adversaries ; The Grand Master was examined b 3 ^ the Pope at Poitierswhere
, , according to some authors , he also acknowledged the justice of the stain fixed on the institution . But all those Kni ghts who had been forced into a confession , afterwards recanted their declaration , and bravely refused the royal pardon which was offered them . The Grand Master de Moiay . was brought from Poitiers to Paris , where he was tried by those who were predisposed to condemn . His
fudges demanded what he had to say in vindication of himself and his brethren , though they were before resolved not to believe any thing fie should say . He demanded counsel to assist him in his defence , and this was refused , because it would have been additional trouble to the court , and it might have been the means of shewing still more strong ly the iniquity of their proceedings .,
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Brief History Of The Religious And Military Order Of The Knights Templars Of St. John Of Jerusalem.
he resided . Edward II . King of England , no sooner heard of the transaction , than he wrote to the Pope in behalf of the Order , which was , he said , reverenced throughout his dominions for the eminent services which its Kni ghts had done to the Christian reli gion , as well as for their sound belief , and the purity of their manners . This declaration in their favour is of itself alone sufficient to wipe all
away the infamous aspersions which their interested calumniators had thrown upon them . Philip , however , was not to be diverted from his purpose , but ordered a commission for trying the Templars , composed of several of his own bishops and the Inquisitor General of his kingdom . The Pope , roused at this conduct , vented the bitterest complaints against the king , and suspended the powers of the
ecclesiastical judges , and even went so far as to inhibit them from the exercise of their ministerial function . The king replied and excused himself as well as he could , but still continued the prosecutions , andhis Holiness was at length compelled to yield to an authority superior to his own . The Knights were now eagerly sought after throughout France ; no
sooner were any of them found but they were put to the most excruciating tortures , to oblige them to confess crimes which their oppressors imputed to them . All the horrors of the rack were exercised upon them , and the infernal persecutors went so far as frequently to tear off the flesh of the tortured party with red-hot pincers . Punishments so terrible must make the most stout-hearted
tremble in the prospect . That some of these religious warriors confessed crimes of which they were innocent is not , therefore , to be wondered at ; there are few , if any , so dauntless as to be capable of looking on the agonies of torture with a steady determination to persevere in the negation of what they are sensible their persecutors are resolved , by the exercise of every cruel invention , to make them confess .
Some of the Templars , while under torment , confessed the crimes of which the whole body were accused , and a few did so to prevent suffering the rack . The major part , however , stoutly persisted in maintaining their innocence and the honour of their society , against all the attempts of their adversaries ; The Grand Master was examined b 3 ^ the Pope at Poitierswhere
, , according to some authors , he also acknowledged the justice of the stain fixed on the institution . But all those Kni ghts who had been forced into a confession , afterwards recanted their declaration , and bravely refused the royal pardon which was offered them . The Grand Master de Moiay . was brought from Poitiers to Paris , where he was tried by those who were predisposed to condemn . His
fudges demanded what he had to say in vindication of himself and his brethren , though they were before resolved not to believe any thing fie should say . He demanded counsel to assist him in his defence , and this was refused , because it would have been additional trouble to the court , and it might have been the means of shewing still more strong ly the iniquity of their proceedings .,