The Knights Templars.

THE KNIGHTS TEMPLARS .

LONDON , SATURDAY , AVG-VST 8 , 1863 .

By ANTHONY ONEAL HATE , ( Continued from page 85 ) . BOOK THIRD—CHAPTER EIGHTH .

GRANDMASTER—WILLIAM DE SONNAC . Council of the Templars at Chateau Pelerin . —Messengers sent to Europe to summon reinforcements and collect money . —The Carizmans utterly destroyed . —Crusade of St . Louis . —Damietta talcen . —Battles with the Egyptians —Christians repidsed ivith great slaughter atMansourah . —Be Sonnac slain , A . D . 1247—1249 .

In 1247 a Chapter-General of the Templars was held at Chateau Pelerin , when the veteran warrior and leader , William de Sonnac , * was elected Grand Master . He is called in the Cotton MS . " vir discretus et circumspectus ; in negotiis guogue bellicis peritus . " At this assembly the

position of affairs of the Christians in the Holy Land came under review , and a long and anxious debate ensued . At length it was resolved to make one grand attempt to reconquer the Holy Land , recapture Jerusalem , ^ and drive out the infidel .

Eor this purpose mandates were signed empowering certain Knights of experience to proceed to Europe , to summon all the brethren not actuall y required for the management of the houses there , to repair to the East , and to withdraw all the

monies from the various treasures , and forward them to the head-quarters of the Templars at Acre . The Kni ghts appointed for this purpose set out at once for Europe , and a large body of troops , and great sums of money , were sent to the Holy

Land . The conduct of the Templars on this occasion won the wai'mest praises of the Pope , who could not sufficiently express his admiration at the readiness with which newly received Knights hastened to the East , or the manner in which the European brethren poured so lavishl y forth their treasures in the cause of the Cross . f

The Pope wrote the Sultan of Egypt proposing peace , bub this was declined on account of the alliance with the Emperor of Germany , with whom the Pope was at variance . Meanwhile the Carizmans , called to do battle against the Christians by the Sultan of Egypt , were left by him unsupported against the attacks

of the Sultans of Aleppo and Hems , and the Musselmen and Christians . He had no further use for them , and so they were speedily annihihilated by their numerous enemies . The Templars and Hospitallers in a conspicuous manner

slaughtered the unfortunate people , for to their aiding the Sultan of Egypt was ascribed the loss of Jerusalem *

To stir up the enthusiasm of the Christians in the West , William de Sonnac sent a most precious relic to England . This was a phial of Christ ' s blood . The crown of thorns which the Saviour wore while hanging on the cross had

some time previously been sent to the King of Erance . The authenticity of the relic was vouched for by the Patriarch of Jerusalem and a perfect army of archbishops , bishops , abbots , prelates , and nobles of the Holy Land , all of whom

appended their seals to the document descriptive of its history . The blood whieh had been shed on the cross was enclosed in a handsome crystalline vessel , and was brought to England by a valiant and trustworthy Templar . The nobles of the

kingdom were summoned to St . Paul's to do homage to the relic , and on St . Edward's Day a magnificent procession was formed . The king received the vessel with all honour , reverence , and awe ; He carried it above his head , while the procession went through the streets , walking on

foot , clad m a poor cloak without a hood , and preceded by the priests robed in their surplices and richest garments , attended by their clerks , with their symbols , crosses , and lighted tapers . The procession went from St . Paul ' s to the church at

Westminster , a distance of a mile , The King when he came to any rugged land used both , hands to protect' the phial , always keeping his eyes on Heaven , or upon the relic itself . Tho pali was borne on four spears , and two assistants

supported the King , lest his strength should fail him on the journey . After a great many ceremonies the King presented the phials to the Church of St . Peter at Westminster . Some doubts , however , were expressed as to tho genuineness of

the relic , when Theodoric , Prior of the Hospitallers , exclaimed , "Why do you doubt , my Lords ? Does any one demand recompence for the gift ? Does the brother who brought it hither ask any remuneration in gold or silver from the King or any one else ? " To this tlie King replied ,