The Knights Templars.

able Pontiff , they were seized with involuntary awe , and those who had sought him with armed hands to slay him , sheathed their weapons and dared not lay a finger upon him , whom even in their rebellion , they viewed as God's viceroy upon

earth . They , however , kept him captive for three days ; but on the fourth , the people rose , drove the conspirators from the town , and released the Pope . Boniface thereupon returned to Rome , but his mind had given way before the

insults offered him . He was seized with paroxysms , during one of which he dashed his head so furiously against the wall of his chamber that he died shortly after in consequence of the injury . * Among the most zealous of the Pope's partisans ,

were the Templars . They hated Philip for many reasons , and being under the immediate patronage of the Pope , who was their only superior , they displayed an energy on his behalf which was extremely imprudent and even uncalled for . Not

only did they appear as his champions , but they lent him , through the treasurer of their savings , a considerable sum of money . This sum was advanced undoubtedly in secret , but the vigilant Philip , by means of his spies , soon became aware

of the loan . At the same time they importuned Philip for the repayment of certain monies lent to him by the Order . Irritated to the last degree against the Order , he sought for an opportuity of revenging himself upon it , and that opportunity , unfortunately for the Knights , soon arrived .

Benedict XL succeeded Boniface . He was a mild and good man , too gentle for the times he lived in , and his desire was to spread peace among his Christian flock . For this purpose he reestablished friendly terms with the Court of France ,

absolved Philip from the excommunication of Pope Boniface , and gave the king a tenth part of the ecclesiastical riches of his kingdom . The king now had a rod wherewith to scourge the Templars . He included in the ecclesiastical roll , their benefices ,

which , according to their privileges , were exempt from payment of any tithe . The Templars loudly complained of this imposition ; their complaints were unavailing , and their farmers were compelled to contribute a tenth . The whole Order was troubled and scandalised at this proceeding , which in their eyes appeared to be a perpetuation of the

The Knights Templars.

King ' s persecution of Pope Boniface . The King ,, however , proceeded to other measures , which speedily roused the whole of France against him ,, but which told fearfully in the long run against the Templars , who were in tbe matter

altogetherinnocent of any criminal action . By his wars with England and Flanders , Philip had exhausted his exchequer , and cast about for a means of replenishing it . He had recourse to a measure which is frequently fatal to states , for

while it yields a present benefit to the king , it is followed by disadvantages to the people , very difficult to repair . The measure adopted was the " sounding of the specie . " This operation consists chiefly in giving back to the subject a coin of

lesser weight than that which had been called in * to the profit of the monarch on the new specie-The people , upon whom the loss fell , complained loudly of this injustice , and refused to bring their gold and silver to the mint . The rapacity of the King alienated all classes , and so notorious was this that the Pope , in one of his letters , mentions

it as an admitted fact . * Foremost among the dissatisfied appeared the Templars , who were the more indignant and irritated at this unprincipled measure , as their greatest wealth consisted in enormous sums of money , being in that particular

the richest men in France . Alread y had Philip , in contravention of the sacred privileges conferred upon them by Popes and monarchs , seized upon a tenth of their revenue , and while they offered no active resistance to that spoliation , they

resolved not to submit to this new exaction . They accordingly sent messengers to the King , who expostulated with him on his injustice , and at length , when they could not persuade him byargument to withdraw his obnoxious measure ^ ,

carried away by passion , they gave utterance to threats . This was most injudicious , alike considering the haughty and vindictive character of the King , and the influence of such an example upon the people . The King was fearfully enraged

against the Order . Every where they had appeared in opposition to him , and the war with Boniface was still fresh in his mind . He resolved to crush :

their power , for he dreaded , since they had abanthe Holy Land , that they would found some military empire , which would destroy him and his realm . The Templars , at the same time , renewed their demand for the immediate repayment of the-