The Knights Templars.

sessions beyond the sea , as well as 111 these parts , being so vast , that there could not be a province in Christendom which did not conti'ibute to their support , and their wealth , consequently , equalled that of sovereign princes .

The Eastern provinces of the Order were Jerusalem , Tripoli , and Antioch . Jerusalem was the ruling one , the chief seat , and the capital of the Order . The Master and chapter resided there till the Holy City ' s capture by the Saracens , and the

downfall of Christianity in the East . The Preceptor of Jerusalem took precedence of all the other brethren of that rank , and , in virtue thereof , was the Treasurer of the Order . The Preceptories in the province of Jerusalem

were , accordiug to Lardner—1 . The Temple House at Jerusalem , the cradle of the Order , and the original residence of the Master and chapter . 2 . Chateau Pelerin , or the Pilgrim ' s Castle , a fort renowned in the annals of the Crusades . It was

built by the Templars in 1217 , iu order that it might be their chief seat after the loss of Jerusalem . It was situated on the east side of Mount

Carmel , which runs out into the sea between Caiphas and Ctesarea . The Templars had . long before this date , possessed a tower at a pass of this mountain , called Destruction , or the Tower of the Pass , for the defence of Pilgrims against the

robbers who lurked in the gorges of the mountains . This castle was meant likewise as a defence to Acre . In building it , the Templars were assisted by Walter d'Avesnes , and by the German Knights ( the Tentonick ) aud pilgrims who

were at the time in the Hol y Land . Burnes states that , in the erection of this statel y edifice , the Grand Master , William de Carnota , employed a number of pilgrims of the

Masonic class , and hence it was called the Pilgrim ' s Castle . Jacques de Vitro , who , at the time he wrote , was Bishop of Acre , thus describes it : —It was built on a promontory , three sides of which were washed by the sea . As they were sinking

the foundation , they came upon two walls of ancient masonry , and to some springs of remarkably pure water . They also found a quantity of ancient coins , with unknown inscriptions , given , as the Bishop piously deems , by God to his beloved sons

and warriors , to alleviate the toil and expense which they were at . The place had probably been fortified , in aucient times , by the Jews or the Romans . The builders raised two huge towers of large masses of rock on the landward side , each ,

one hundred feet high and seventy-four broad , * These were united by a lofty wall , broad enough at its summit for an armed Knight to stand at his case upon it . It had a parapet and battlements ,, with steps leading up to them . In the space

within this wall were a chapel , a palace , and several houses , with fish-ponds , salt-works , woods , meads , gardens , and vineyards . Lying at a distance of six miles from Mount Tabor , it commanded the interjacent plain and the sea-coast to Acre . There

the Master and the chapter took up their final abode , after having dwelt from 1118 to 11 S 7 afe Jerusalem , from 1187 to 1191 at Antioch , and from 1191 till 1217 at Acre . "The chief use , " says-De Vitri , " of this edifice is , that the whole

chapter of the Templars , withdrawn from the sinful city of Acre , which is full of all impurity , wilt reside under the protection of this castle till the ; walls of Jerusalem are rebuilt , " a prophacy never fulfilled . On the fall of Acre , in 1291 , Chateau

Pelerin was abandoned by the Knights , and its walls were levelled by the Infidels . 3 . They possessed the Castle of Safat at the foot of Mounfc :

Tabor . This strong fortalice was taken by Saladin , and destroyed in 1220 by Coradin . It was afterwards rebuilt by the Templars , who then held it till 1266 , when it was finally lost . 4 . In Acre , the Temple-house was a remarkably strong

building , and was the last place taken on the capture of that town by the Infidels . 5 . They possessed Dok , a hill fort , between Bethel and Jericho . 6 .. Faba , the ancient Aphek , close to Tyre . 7 . Some small castles near Acre , referred to in the Saladin

wars , such as La Cave , Marie , Citerne-Rouge , Castel-Blanc , La Sommellerie du Temple , & c . 8 . The Houses at Gaza , and 9 . Jaffa . 10 . The Castle of Assur , near that town . 11 . Gerinum . Parvum . 12 . The Castle of Beaufort , near Sidon ,.

purchased by the Order , in 1260 , from Julian , the lord of that town . 13 . The castle of Jacob's . Ford , at the Jordan , the scene of a bloody battle between Saladin and the Christians , referred to in a previous chapter of this history .

Tripoli . —In this province the Templars possessed Tripoli , Tortosa , Castel-Blanc , Laodicea , Tyre ,. Sidon , and Berytus .