Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Notes On The " United Orders Of The Temple And Hospital."
quoted by Dugdale , in his " Monasticon , ' * in each of which a different origin is assigned to the Hospitals at Jerusalem . In one they are traced to Julius Caesar ; in a second , they are stated to have been coeval with the Maccabees , and Christ
himself is said to have taken all things in common there with his disciples ; and in a third , the generally received account of the order having been founded by certain merchants of Amalji , for the succour and support of the pilgrims to Jerllc ; il / -. m
Godfrey de Bouillion conferred many privileges upon the order , and it was during his reign that their members entered the order of Augustine , and received the title of Hospitaller Brethren of St . J ohn of Jerusalem . Raymond Dn Puy applied to the Patriarch of Jerusalem for
permission for the Hospitallers to become a military order , without relinquishing the duties to which they had previously attended . Pope Boniface gave permission to the members to assume the title of Knights Hospitallers of St . John of Jerusalem . These facts account for the Master of St . John ' s accompanying the Patriarch to seek
military succour from England . Henry had , as I have said , promised to proceed in person to Palestine , and he undertook to go with a great army , and to maintain two hundred Templars at his own expense . To fortify their position , Knight says , the trio obtained letters from the Pope , threatening Henry with tlie judgment of Heaven if he failed in his engagement .
The Master of the Temple died at Verona , on the way ; the other two arrived in England in / ; 8 J . Henry met them at Reading , and listened with tears to their statements , as throwing themselves on their knees before him , they described
the state of the Holy Land , and besought his assistance . Their reception was very encouraging , and Henry promised to bring the matter before Parliament , when it met , on the lirst Sunday in Lent .
Meanwhile , the English Knights lVniplar brought Heraclius to their house ancl church here ( the round portion ) , now finished , and requested him to consecrate the latter . Familiar as he was , says Knight , with the gorgeous architectural splendours of Jerusalem , Heraclius must have
examined with pleasure the beautiful house of the Templars in London , which was not merel y beautiful , but replete with all that was suitable to so distinguished and wealthy a community , and every way fitted for the due performance of the discipline of the order . The church , with its
circular , sweeping colonade and tesselated pavement below , and noble arches , stained windows , and painted and groined ceiling above ; the peaceful looking cloisters ; the separate residences of the Prior or "Master , and the Knights , the Chaplains , and serving brethren , the retainers
and domestics ; the refectory , where the }* dined , and the chapter house , where they held their meetings ; and lastly , the garden or plcasaunce on the banks of the Thames , where the Knights walked , trained their horses , and performed their military exercises : all this must have impressed the Patriarch with the
wealth , dignity and station ot the Order . Heraclius consecrated the church , and it is said that until 169- ; , when it was destroyed by sonic Vandals of workmen , there was an inscription recording the circumstance , placed over the little door leading from the round into the cloisters , granting an indulgence of fifty days to those yearly seeking the sacred edifice .
It was during this visit that Heraclius also consecrated the church of the Knights Hospitallers at Clerkenwell . The noble Priory of St . John ' s at Clerkenwell was destroyed during the insurrection of Wat Tyler , iu 1 . 381 . In Cromwell ' s " History of
Clerkenwell , it is said , " This building , in its widely varied decorations , both internall y and externally , is said to have contained specimens of the arts both of Europe and Asia , together with a collection of books and rarities , the loss of which
in a less turbulent age . would have been a theme for national lamentation . " Wat Tyler , after setting fire to the Priory of Clerkenwell , which burned for seven or ei ght days , until nearl y thc whole of the buildings belonging to the Hospitallers were destroyed , out of mere hatred to
Notes On The " United Orders Of The Temple And Hospital."
the religious orders , sent some of the rebels to the manors of the Hospitallers at Highbury , and other places , giving orders that everything of value should be utterly destroyed . * A month after the performance of the ceremony at the Temple , the Parliament met at this
Priory ; when , among tbe distinguished persons present , were William , King of Scotland , and his brother David . An earnest discussion took place on Heraclius ' s demands for succour , the King expressing his desires to fulfil his promise , but secretly wishing , there is little doubt , to be
spared its performance , whilst the barons , and others present , represented to him that he was bound hy the solemn oath of his coronation , to stay at home and govern his dominions . They tried a kind of compromise , in offering to raise fifty thousand marks to defray the expenses of a
levy of troops , and added their desire that all nobles and others' desiring to join the Christian bands in Palestine , should be freely permitted so to do . The result is thus told by Fabyan , on the authority of a still older chronicler . " Lastly , the King gave answer , and said he mi ght not
leave his land without keeping , nor yet leave it to the prey and robbery of Frenchmen . But he would give largely of his own to such as would take upon them that voyage . With this answer the Patriarch was discontented , and said , 'We seek a man , and not money ; well-near every
Christian religion sendeth unto us money , but no land sendeth to us a prince . Therefore we ask a prince that needeth money , and not money that needeth a prince . But the King laid for him . such excuses , lhat the Patriarch departed from him , discontented and comfortless , whereof the
King being advertised , intending somewhat to recomfort him with pleasant words , followed him unto the sea-side . But the more the King thought to satisfy him with his fair speech , the more the Patriarch was discontented , inasmuch that , at the last , he said unto him . ' Hitherto
thou hast reigned gloriously , but hereafter thou shalt be forsaken of Him , whom thou , at this time , forsakest . Think on Him , what he hath given to thee , and what thou hast yielded to Him again ; how first thou wert false unto the King of France , and after slew thatholv man , Thomas
of Canterbury ; and , lastly , thou forsaketh the protection of Christian faith . ' The King was moved with these words , and said unto the Patriarch , ' Though all the men of my land were one body , and spoke with one mouth , they durst not speak to me such words . ' ' No wonder , '
said the Patriarch , ' for they love thine and not thee ; that is to mean , they love th y goods temporal , and fear thee for loss of promotion , but they love not th y soul . ' Ancl when he had so said he oflered his head to the King , saving , ' Do by me right as thou didst by that blessed
man , Thomas of Canterbury , for I had liever be slain of thee than of the Saracen , for thou art worse than any Saracen . ' But the King kept his patience , and said , ' 1 may not wend out of my land , for my sons will arise against me when I was absent . ' ' No wonder , ' said the Patriarch ,
'fur of the Devil they come , and to the Devil they shall go ; ' and so departed from the Kina in great ire . " Such was the result of the mission of the great Heraclius to England , from which so much had been hoped and expected . I suppose the consecration of the Temple
Church may be said to mark the consummation of the establishment of the famous Order in England . The Templars were truly fortunate in getting so great a man as St . Bernard to become their patron and gteat supporter . Their greatest privileges were derived from Pope
Alexantler , who promulgated a bull in their favour in 117 a . Some of the rules of St . Bernard will interest , whilst others may amuse , by their austerity , the Sir Knights present . Rule Sth directs that the fellow soldiers of Jesus Christ , and of the Temple of Solomon , shall take their meat together ,
and it is recommended that their wants should he made known by signs , or they are to softl y and privately ask for what they want—bearing in remembrance the injunction of the Apostle , " Eat thy bread in silence , " and the Psalmist ' s words , ' * I have set a watch upon my mouth . " Rule 20 directs that all the professed Knights ,
Notes On The " United Orders Of The Temple And Hospital."
both in summer ancl winter , wear white garments , as an indication of a pure and chaste life , whilst rule 21 requires that esquires ancl retainers be clothed in black garments or brown . Rule 22 says , it is granted to none to wear white habits , or to have white mantles , excepting the
above-named Knights of Christ . Pope Eugenius granted them the Red Cross in 1146 , whence they were called Red Friars , and Red Cross Knights . B y rule 55 , although , in common with the other reli gious orders , they took the vows of poverty , obedience , and celibacy ; they
were permitted to have married brethren amongst them , provided they left them all their property , but they were not permitted to wear the white mantle . And , lastly , the 68 th rule says : — " We hold it dangerous to till reli gion 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 . "
This must have been a very hard law , especially in tlie days of chivalry , when all good knights and true fought for the love of the lad y of their choice , and each knight errant wore her gage d ' amour in his helm , in tilt or tourney ; and especiall y hard when we remember many ladies went to the crusades .
I am afraid our present Knights Templar would scarcely like to adopt the harsh rule of St . Bernard , the hol y abbot of Clairvaux . The head of the house was now styled the Master ofthe Temple , and it was to distinguish the supreme head at Jerusalem from these minor potentates that it became a custom to call the latter the Grand Master .
I'lie Master was elected b y the Chapter or assembly of the Knights from among themselves . His jurisdiction extended not only over his own house in London , but over all the provincial Priors or Preceptors and their establishments . These houses the Master visited in succession .
The main body of the Templars were persons who had been previously Knights ( none other were admitted into their class ) . In this they differed from the Hospitallers , who were not necessaril y Knights before joining , and whose lathers were or might have been Knights . On
their entrance into the Order they had to declare themselves free from all obligations , that they were neither married nor betrothed , had never taken vows nor been consecrated in any other religious order , that they were neither in debt nor diseased , and that they possessed sound ,
healthy constitutions . On the south side of the Round there was to be found till the year 1827 , Knight says , an ancient structure , called the Chapel of St . Anne , formerl y enjoying a peculiar reputation , as making barren women , who resorted thither to pray , "joyful mothers of
children . In tins chapel , no donbt , according to the custom of the Templars generally , would take place the introduction of new candidates into the Order—a solemn and most impressive proceeding , during which the whole body of Kni ghts were present . After a variety of
preliminary questions , put to the candidate before his entrance into the midst of the assembly of the Knights , and satisfactory answers received , he was conducted to their presence , when kneeling before the AIaster with folded hands , he said , " Sir , I am come , before God , and before
you and the brethren , and pray and beseech you , for the sake of God and our dear Lady , to admit me into your Society and the good deeds of the Order , as one who will be , all his life long , the servant and slave of the Order . " To this the Master replied : —It is only the outward shell which you see ; that we have fine horses and
rich caparisons- —that we eat and drink well , and are splendidly clothed . * From this you conclude that you will be well off' with us . But you know not the rigorous maxims which are in our interior . For it is a hard matter for you , who arc your own master , to become the servant of another . You will hardly be * able to perform , in future , what you wish yourself .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Notes On The " United Orders Of The Temple And Hospital."
quoted by Dugdale , in his " Monasticon , ' * in each of which a different origin is assigned to the Hospitals at Jerusalem . In one they are traced to Julius Caesar ; in a second , they are stated to have been coeval with the Maccabees , and Christ
himself is said to have taken all things in common there with his disciples ; and in a third , the generally received account of the order having been founded by certain merchants of Amalji , for the succour and support of the pilgrims to Jerllc ; il / -. m
Godfrey de Bouillion conferred many privileges upon the order , and it was during his reign that their members entered the order of Augustine , and received the title of Hospitaller Brethren of St . J ohn of Jerusalem . Raymond Dn Puy applied to the Patriarch of Jerusalem for
permission for the Hospitallers to become a military order , without relinquishing the duties to which they had previously attended . Pope Boniface gave permission to the members to assume the title of Knights Hospitallers of St . John of Jerusalem . These facts account for the Master of St . John ' s accompanying the Patriarch to seek
military succour from England . Henry had , as I have said , promised to proceed in person to Palestine , and he undertook to go with a great army , and to maintain two hundred Templars at his own expense . To fortify their position , Knight says , the trio obtained letters from the Pope , threatening Henry with tlie judgment of Heaven if he failed in his engagement .
The Master of the Temple died at Verona , on the way ; the other two arrived in England in / ; 8 J . Henry met them at Reading , and listened with tears to their statements , as throwing themselves on their knees before him , they described
the state of the Holy Land , and besought his assistance . Their reception was very encouraging , and Henry promised to bring the matter before Parliament , when it met , on the lirst Sunday in Lent .
Meanwhile , the English Knights lVniplar brought Heraclius to their house ancl church here ( the round portion ) , now finished , and requested him to consecrate the latter . Familiar as he was , says Knight , with the gorgeous architectural splendours of Jerusalem , Heraclius must have
examined with pleasure the beautiful house of the Templars in London , which was not merel y beautiful , but replete with all that was suitable to so distinguished and wealthy a community , and every way fitted for the due performance of the discipline of the order . The church , with its
circular , sweeping colonade and tesselated pavement below , and noble arches , stained windows , and painted and groined ceiling above ; the peaceful looking cloisters ; the separate residences of the Prior or "Master , and the Knights , the Chaplains , and serving brethren , the retainers
and domestics ; the refectory , where the }* dined , and the chapter house , where they held their meetings ; and lastly , the garden or plcasaunce on the banks of the Thames , where the Knights walked , trained their horses , and performed their military exercises : all this must have impressed the Patriarch with the
wealth , dignity and station ot the Order . Heraclius consecrated the church , and it is said that until 169- ; , when it was destroyed by sonic Vandals of workmen , there was an inscription recording the circumstance , placed over the little door leading from the round into the cloisters , granting an indulgence of fifty days to those yearly seeking the sacred edifice .
It was during this visit that Heraclius also consecrated the church of the Knights Hospitallers at Clerkenwell . The noble Priory of St . John ' s at Clerkenwell was destroyed during the insurrection of Wat Tyler , iu 1 . 381 . In Cromwell ' s " History of
Clerkenwell , it is said , " This building , in its widely varied decorations , both internall y and externally , is said to have contained specimens of the arts both of Europe and Asia , together with a collection of books and rarities , the loss of which
in a less turbulent age . would have been a theme for national lamentation . " Wat Tyler , after setting fire to the Priory of Clerkenwell , which burned for seven or ei ght days , until nearl y thc whole of the buildings belonging to the Hospitallers were destroyed , out of mere hatred to
Notes On The " United Orders Of The Temple And Hospital."
the religious orders , sent some of the rebels to the manors of the Hospitallers at Highbury , and other places , giving orders that everything of value should be utterly destroyed . * A month after the performance of the ceremony at the Temple , the Parliament met at this
Priory ; when , among tbe distinguished persons present , were William , King of Scotland , and his brother David . An earnest discussion took place on Heraclius ' s demands for succour , the King expressing his desires to fulfil his promise , but secretly wishing , there is little doubt , to be
spared its performance , whilst the barons , and others present , represented to him that he was bound hy the solemn oath of his coronation , to stay at home and govern his dominions . They tried a kind of compromise , in offering to raise fifty thousand marks to defray the expenses of a
levy of troops , and added their desire that all nobles and others' desiring to join the Christian bands in Palestine , should be freely permitted so to do . The result is thus told by Fabyan , on the authority of a still older chronicler . " Lastly , the King gave answer , and said he mi ght not
leave his land without keeping , nor yet leave it to the prey and robbery of Frenchmen . But he would give largely of his own to such as would take upon them that voyage . With this answer the Patriarch was discontented , and said , 'We seek a man , and not money ; well-near every
Christian religion sendeth unto us money , but no land sendeth to us a prince . Therefore we ask a prince that needeth money , and not money that needeth a prince . But the King laid for him . such excuses , lhat the Patriarch departed from him , discontented and comfortless , whereof the
King being advertised , intending somewhat to recomfort him with pleasant words , followed him unto the sea-side . But the more the King thought to satisfy him with his fair speech , the more the Patriarch was discontented , inasmuch that , at the last , he said unto him . ' Hitherto
thou hast reigned gloriously , but hereafter thou shalt be forsaken of Him , whom thou , at this time , forsakest . Think on Him , what he hath given to thee , and what thou hast yielded to Him again ; how first thou wert false unto the King of France , and after slew thatholv man , Thomas
of Canterbury ; and , lastly , thou forsaketh the protection of Christian faith . ' The King was moved with these words , and said unto the Patriarch , ' Though all the men of my land were one body , and spoke with one mouth , they durst not speak to me such words . ' ' No wonder , '
said the Patriarch , ' for they love thine and not thee ; that is to mean , they love th y goods temporal , and fear thee for loss of promotion , but they love not th y soul . ' Ancl when he had so said he oflered his head to the King , saving , ' Do by me right as thou didst by that blessed
man , Thomas of Canterbury , for I had liever be slain of thee than of the Saracen , for thou art worse than any Saracen . ' But the King kept his patience , and said , ' 1 may not wend out of my land , for my sons will arise against me when I was absent . ' ' No wonder , ' said the Patriarch ,
'fur of the Devil they come , and to the Devil they shall go ; ' and so departed from the Kina in great ire . " Such was the result of the mission of the great Heraclius to England , from which so much had been hoped and expected . I suppose the consecration of the Temple
Church may be said to mark the consummation of the establishment of the famous Order in England . The Templars were truly fortunate in getting so great a man as St . Bernard to become their patron and gteat supporter . Their greatest privileges were derived from Pope
Alexantler , who promulgated a bull in their favour in 117 a . Some of the rules of St . Bernard will interest , whilst others may amuse , by their austerity , the Sir Knights present . Rule Sth directs that the fellow soldiers of Jesus Christ , and of the Temple of Solomon , shall take their meat together ,
and it is recommended that their wants should he made known by signs , or they are to softl y and privately ask for what they want—bearing in remembrance the injunction of the Apostle , " Eat thy bread in silence , " and the Psalmist ' s words , ' * I have set a watch upon my mouth . " Rule 20 directs that all the professed Knights ,
Notes On The " United Orders Of The Temple And Hospital."
both in summer ancl winter , wear white garments , as an indication of a pure and chaste life , whilst rule 21 requires that esquires ancl retainers be clothed in black garments or brown . Rule 22 says , it is granted to none to wear white habits , or to have white mantles , excepting the
above-named Knights of Christ . Pope Eugenius granted them the Red Cross in 1146 , whence they were called Red Friars , and Red Cross Knights . B y rule 55 , although , in common with the other reli gious orders , they took the vows of poverty , obedience , and celibacy ; they
were permitted to have married brethren amongst them , provided they left them all their property , but they were not permitted to wear the white mantle . And , lastly , the 68 th rule says : — " We hold it dangerous to till reli gion 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 . "
This must have been a very hard law , especially in tlie days of chivalry , when all good knights and true fought for the love of the lad y of their choice , and each knight errant wore her gage d ' amour in his helm , in tilt or tourney ; and especiall y hard when we remember many ladies went to the crusades .
I am afraid our present Knights Templar would scarcely like to adopt the harsh rule of St . Bernard , the hol y abbot of Clairvaux . The head of the house was now styled the Master ofthe Temple , and it was to distinguish the supreme head at Jerusalem from these minor potentates that it became a custom to call the latter the Grand Master .
I'lie Master was elected b y the Chapter or assembly of the Knights from among themselves . His jurisdiction extended not only over his own house in London , but over all the provincial Priors or Preceptors and their establishments . These houses the Master visited in succession .
The main body of the Templars were persons who had been previously Knights ( none other were admitted into their class ) . In this they differed from the Hospitallers , who were not necessaril y Knights before joining , and whose lathers were or might have been Knights . On
their entrance into the Order they had to declare themselves free from all obligations , that they were neither married nor betrothed , had never taken vows nor been consecrated in any other religious order , that they were neither in debt nor diseased , and that they possessed sound ,
healthy constitutions . On the south side of the Round there was to be found till the year 1827 , Knight says , an ancient structure , called the Chapel of St . Anne , formerl y enjoying a peculiar reputation , as making barren women , who resorted thither to pray , "joyful mothers of
children . In tins chapel , no donbt , according to the custom of the Templars generally , would take place the introduction of new candidates into the Order—a solemn and most impressive proceeding , during which the whole body of Kni ghts were present . After a variety of
preliminary questions , put to the candidate before his entrance into the midst of the assembly of the Knights , and satisfactory answers received , he was conducted to their presence , when kneeling before the AIaster with folded hands , he said , " Sir , I am come , before God , and before
you and the brethren , and pray and beseech you , for the sake of God and our dear Lady , to admit me into your Society and the good deeds of the Order , as one who will be , all his life long , the servant and slave of the Order . " To this the Master replied : —It is only the outward shell which you see ; that we have fine horses and
rich caparisons- —that we eat and drink well , and are splendidly clothed . * From this you conclude that you will be well off' with us . But you know not the rigorous maxims which are in our interior . For it is a hard matter for you , who arc your own master , to become the servant of another . You will hardly be * able to perform , in future , what you wish yourself .