The Knights Templars.

them back to their prisons , ' and sought for evidence against them from among their enemies . They soon obtained abundant hearsay evidence . Henry Thanet , an Irishman , declared he had heard that a certain Preceptor , of the Chateau

Pelerin , was in the habit of making all the aspirants deny Christ ; and he had also heard that a certain Templar possessed a brazen head with two faces , which could answer any question put to it . John de Nassington had heard that the

Templars , once a year , at a solemn festival , worshipped a calf . John de Euro , a Knight , and sheriff of tho county of York , deponed , that he had once invited William de la Fenne , Preceptor of Wesdall , to dinner . After dinner the Preceptor took a book

from his bosom , and handed it to the sheriff's wife to read , who found a piece of paper fastened in the book , ou which were written certain heretical doctrines , such as that " Christ was not the Son of God , nor born of a virgin , but conceived of the

seed of Joseph , the husband of Mary , after the manner of other men , and that the Saviour was not a true but a false prophet , and was not crucified for the redemption of mankind , but for his own sins ; " and many other things contrary to the true

faith . Upon this important statement , the Inquisitors summoned the Preceptor to their presence . Ko admitted having dined with tlio sheriff , and also having lent his wife a book to read ; but he swore he was ignorant of the existence of the

paper fastened in the book , and of its contents . Dpou further examination , it appeared that the sheriff had kept this important information miclivnlgecl for the space of six years , nor had even challenged the Preceptor on discovering the

paper . William de la Fordo , a priest , rector of the parish , of Crofton , in tho dioceso of York , deponed to a verycxtraordinary circumstance . William de Peyiibur , a priest of tho Order of St Augustine ,

who was then dead , had told him that Patrick of Eippoti , sou of William of Gloucester , a Templar , and also dead , in the confessional , had stated , that , " at his reception he was led , clothed only in his shirt aud trousers , through a long uassage , to a secret chamber , and was there made to deny Ids God aud his Saviour . Ho was then shewn a

representation of the crucifixion , and told that , since he had previously honoured that emblem , he must . now dishonour it , and spit upon it , and that lie did so . " Furthermore , "Item dictum fuitei quod , depositis brachis , dorsum verteret ad

crucifixum ; " and this he did , but weeping bitterly . A calf was then produced , and placed upon an altar , and he was tolcl to kiss and worship the image , and he did so . After all this , they covered up his eyes , ancl led him about , kissing ancl

beingkissed by all the Brethren . It would then appear that tho' Augustine priest had been guilty of a crime scarcely inferior to those with which he had accused the Templars . He had revealed the secrets of the confessional , a crime which was , and is still ,

punished by the Church of Rome in the severest manner , and evidence obtained in such a manner was inadmissible . On being asked when he had been told these things , De la Forde replied , after the arrest of the Brethren by the King ' s orders .

The Minorites spoke as strongly against the Order . Robert of Oteringham , senior of the Minorites , deponed , that on one occasion he partook of the hospitality of the Templars at the Preceptory of Ribstane , in Yorkshire , and when

grace had been said , after supper , the chaplain of the house reprimanded the Brethren , and said , " The devil will burn you . Afterwards hearing a

bustle , he got up , and , as far as he recollects , saw one of the Templars , " brachis depositis , tenentem faciem versus occidentem et posteriora versus altare ! " About twenty years previous to that , he was the guest of the Templars at the Preceptory

of Wetherby , in Yorkshire , and when evening came , he heard that the Preceptor was not coming to supper , as he was arranging some relics which he had brought with him from the Holy Land . Afterwards , about midnight , he heard a confused

noise in the chapel , and getting up , he looked through the keyhole , and saw a great light , either from a fire or from candles . On the morrow , he asked a Templar the name of the saint in whose

honour they had celebrated the grand festival on the preceding evening , when the Brother turned aghast and pale , thinking he had seen what they had been doing , and answered , hastily , — " Go thy way , and ask me not ; and if you love me , or have

any regard for your own life , say nothing- of this before the superiors . " So much for peeping Tom . John do Goderal , another Minorite , had lately heard in the country that a Templar , Robert de Baysat , was once seen running about a meadow ,

exclaiming , — " Wo , wo is me ! that ever I was born . I have been forced to deny my God , and sell myself to the devil . " Another Minorite , Nicholas de Chinon , had heard that a Templar ' s son peeped through a chink in the door of the