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Article NOTITIÆ TEMPLARIÆ, No. 4. ← Page 3 of 6 →
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Notitiæ Templariæ, No. 4.
them with courage , without being daunted either by the number or force of the barbarians . All their confidence is in the God of Hosts , and in fighting for his cause they seek a sure victory , or a Christian and honourable death . "—E . vhortatio ad milites Templi . The constituent members of the Order demand a more particular detail . The Brotherhood of the Temple , then , were divided into three distinct and
separate classes , ivhich admitted of no inter-gradation as in the Masonic constitution : these were the Kni ghts , Chaplains , and serving Brethren . Although a previous noviciate was enjoined by the original canons , the kni ght was usuall y introduced per saltum into the society . He was bound to declare , before entering , that he owed no man any thing , and that he was without any private personal infirmity that miht affect
g his usefulness : he was most solemnly sworn never to desert the cause of the Order , nor to disobey the commands of his superiors , but to be ever read y to sacrifice every tiling—pleasure , property , and life itself " , should it be ' required of him . He was also asked on his reception , whether he had already received the secular accolade , and whether he
belonged to any other body . No specific sum seems to have been exacted from entrants , but each was expected to pay according to his means . Thus it is recorded of the Prince Guy Dauphin , that he gave to the Order 1500 pieces ( Livr . Tourn . ) for his own entry money , and 200 a-year from his parents , as an eleemosynary contribution . A story is related by the German Moldenhauer , of a certain gentleman named Nicholas Simons , who , upon his applying for initiation , shrewdly said , The Brethren will not fare ill if
" they receive me : I have plenty of gold ! " And no doubt money was then , as it is now , the sinews of war and of action . Each kni ght upon his admission was invested ivith a complete suit of equestrian armour , including sword , shield , lance and mace . Their armour was of a lighter make and material than that employed in European warfare , which was rendered necessary by the heat of the climateand the character of the Mameluke horsemen with whom
, they had to cope , who rivalled the ancient Parthians in the celerity and adroitness of their cavalry exercise and evolutions . Every knight was allotted three chargers , and one esquire or serving-brother . His dress , at least in the convent , was a flowing white mantle over a cassock of the same colour .
" And on his breast a bloodie crosse he wore , The dear remembrance of his d ying Lord , For whose sweet sake that glorious badge he bore , And dead , as living , ever him adored ; Upon his shield the like was also scored , For soveraine hope , which in his helpe he had . Right faithful true he was in deed and word ; But of his cheere did seeme too solemne sad : Yet nothing did he dread , but ever was ydrad . "
The second class of the Order of the Temple consisted of the chaplains , who had one year ' s rigid probation to pass before they could be invested with the girdle and habit of the fraternity . The priests ivere strictly prohibited from intermeddling with the affairs of the military chapters , or any thing else but what concerned their own avocations , except when specially consulted . The costume of these reli gious consisted of the white frock with the red cross upon iv , resembling that of
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Notitiæ Templariæ, No. 4.
them with courage , without being daunted either by the number or force of the barbarians . All their confidence is in the God of Hosts , and in fighting for his cause they seek a sure victory , or a Christian and honourable death . "—E . vhortatio ad milites Templi . The constituent members of the Order demand a more particular detail . The Brotherhood of the Temple , then , were divided into three distinct and
separate classes , ivhich admitted of no inter-gradation as in the Masonic constitution : these were the Kni ghts , Chaplains , and serving Brethren . Although a previous noviciate was enjoined by the original canons , the kni ght was usuall y introduced per saltum into the society . He was bound to declare , before entering , that he owed no man any thing , and that he was without any private personal infirmity that miht affect
g his usefulness : he was most solemnly sworn never to desert the cause of the Order , nor to disobey the commands of his superiors , but to be ever read y to sacrifice every tiling—pleasure , property , and life itself " , should it be ' required of him . He was also asked on his reception , whether he had already received the secular accolade , and whether he
belonged to any other body . No specific sum seems to have been exacted from entrants , but each was expected to pay according to his means . Thus it is recorded of the Prince Guy Dauphin , that he gave to the Order 1500 pieces ( Livr . Tourn . ) for his own entry money , and 200 a-year from his parents , as an eleemosynary contribution . A story is related by the German Moldenhauer , of a certain gentleman named Nicholas Simons , who , upon his applying for initiation , shrewdly said , The Brethren will not fare ill if
" they receive me : I have plenty of gold ! " And no doubt money was then , as it is now , the sinews of war and of action . Each kni ght upon his admission was invested ivith a complete suit of equestrian armour , including sword , shield , lance and mace . Their armour was of a lighter make and material than that employed in European warfare , which was rendered necessary by the heat of the climateand the character of the Mameluke horsemen with whom
, they had to cope , who rivalled the ancient Parthians in the celerity and adroitness of their cavalry exercise and evolutions . Every knight was allotted three chargers , and one esquire or serving-brother . His dress , at least in the convent , was a flowing white mantle over a cassock of the same colour .
" And on his breast a bloodie crosse he wore , The dear remembrance of his d ying Lord , For whose sweet sake that glorious badge he bore , And dead , as living , ever him adored ; Upon his shield the like was also scored , For soveraine hope , which in his helpe he had . Right faithful true he was in deed and word ; But of his cheere did seeme too solemne sad : Yet nothing did he dread , but ever was ydrad . "
The second class of the Order of the Temple consisted of the chaplains , who had one year ' s rigid probation to pass before they could be invested with the girdle and habit of the fraternity . The priests ivere strictly prohibited from intermeddling with the affairs of the military chapters , or any thing else but what concerned their own avocations , except when specially consulted . The costume of these reli gious consisted of the white frock with the red cross upon iv , resembling that of