The Knights Templars.

THE KNIGHTS TEMPLARS .

By ANTHONY ONEAL HAYE . [ Continued from page 268 ) . BOOK IL—CHAPTER IX . POSSESSIONS OE THE OEDEE IN SCOTLAND ,

ENGLAND , AND IEELAND . According to Keith , the Templars were introduced into Scotland in the reign of David . I ., for the Book of Coupar says , " Sanctus David de prasclara Militia Templi Hierosolomitani , optimos fratres secum retinens , eos diebus et notibus momum suorum fecit esse custodes . " And there

was scarce a parish wherein they had not some lands , farms , or houses . In Edinburgh , there were a great many buildings belonging to them , as also in Leith . When any of these buildings Avere feud out to seculars , they had a great care to order

the possessors to keep constantly the cross of the Order on the top of the house , as a token that they were subject to them , and that they Avere only liable to answer to their courts . The Kni ghts of St . John likewise inherited all their

lands in Scotland . In Scotland the Order was greatly cherished . It appears that both the Templars and Knights Hospitallers considered themselves subjects of the countries to which they belonged , and took part

in the national wars , for we find by the Ragman Holl , "Freere Johan de Sautre , Mestre de la Chevalier del Temple en Ecoce , " and another brother , sAvearing fealty to Edward I . in 1296 ;

and the author of the Annals of Scotland , taking notice of the Battle of Falkirk , I 2 th July , 1298 , informs us that the only persons of note Avho fell were Brian Le Jay , Master of the English Templars , and the Prior of Torphichen in Scotland , a

Knight of another Order of reli gious soldiery . The former of these Chevaliers met his death by the hand of the redoubted Sir William Wallace , Avho advanced alone from the midst of his little band , and slew him with a single blow , although the

historian adds that Sir Brian le Jay was a Knight Templar of higb military renown , who had shown himself most active against the Scots . Little is known of the farther history of the Knights Templars in Scotland from the time of Alexander II .

down to the beginning of the 14 th century , excepting that their privileges Avere continued to them by succeeding kings , Avhose bounty and piety were in those ages continually directed towards

The Knights Templars.

the religious Orders . By their endoAvments , and the bequest of the nobles , the possessions of the Order came to be so extensive that their lands were scattered " per totum regain Scotias , a liniitibus versus Angliam , et sic discendo per totum

regnum usque ad Orchades" Besides the house of the Temple in Mid-Lothian , the following establishments or priories of the Order may be enumerated , viz ., St . Germains , in East Lothian ; Inchynan , in Renfrewshire ; Maryculter , in

Kincardineshire ; Aggerstone , in Stirlingshire ; Aboyne , in Aberdeenshire ; Derville or Derval , in Ayrshire ; Dimvoodie , in Dumfriesshire ; Redabbey-stedd , in Roxburghshire ; and Temple Liston , in West-Lothian . Douglas g ives an interesting account of the

Order ' s possessions in England , of which we give the following abridgement . For a more particular account , see his famous Monasticon . King Henry III ., by a solemn formal deed , dated the 19 th year of his reign , ordained bis

body , Avhen it should p lease God to put an end to his life , " to be carried to the house of the chivalry of the Temple in London , and be there decently buried . " Such , also , had been the intention of his consort , Queen Eleanor , for in the instructions

regarding the burial of her body she says , "I will that my body be buried in the church of the blessed Edward of Westminster , there being no impediment , having formerly appointed my "bod y to be buried in the New Temple . "

The said King Henry gave to the Knights Templars of London £ 8 per annum , to be paid out of the exchequer , for maintaining three Chaplains to say mass daily for ever , one of them for himself , another for all Christian people , and the third for

the faithful departed . Robert Oklbridge gave the Templars half his inheritance at Ostrefeld , to maintain one Chaplain to say mass for ever in their church . King Henry II . granted them a place at the Fleet to erect a mill , and by another

charter gave them the Church of St . Clement Danes , without London . The Bull of Pope Innocent , dated the third year of his pontificate , enjoins , under pain of excommunication , that none presume to lay violent hands

on the persons or goods of such as fly for sanctuary into the houses of the Templars . Roger de Mowbray gave them , says Camden , Ballshall in Warwickshire , where they built a preceptory . On account of the extraordinaiy munificence of this Knight towards the Templars , they