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Article THE KNIGHTS TEMPLARS. ← Page 2 of 2 Article CHAPTER VI. Page 1 of 2 →
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The Knights Templars.
custom of hearing public confession told heavily against the Order in the days of its persecution . By Chapter xxxiii . of the Rule , ifc was enjoined that when anything should bo ordered by the
Master , or by him to whom the Master hath given authority , there should be no hesitation , but the thing was to be done at once , as though it had been commanded by heaven ; even as the truth declared " In the hearing of the ear he hath obeyed
me . " Disobedience to the commands of the Grand Master or a superior officer , met with death , as in the case of Walter le Bachelor .
By Chapter xl ., it was enacted that bags and trunks with locks and keys were not to be granted , nor was anyone to have them , without the permission of the Grand Master , or the Preceptor of the House . This regulation , however , did not
extend to the Grand Master nor to the Preceptors in the different provinces . Chapter xii . declared it to be unlawful for any of the brothers to receive letters from his parents , or from any man , or to send letters , without the
license of the Master , or of his procurator . When the brother should obtain such leave , the letters were to be read in the presence of the Master , if he should so command . If his parents sent anything to him , he was on no account to receive it until he first informed the Master . This law
also did not apply to the Master or the Preceptors . The Grand Mastership was more an honour than a reality , resembling a Dogeship of Venice , or a Spartan Kingship . The holder could do nothing
without the concurrence of the leading brethren , or the consent of the cha ] 3 ter , nor could he take money from the Treasury without the acquiescence of the keeper , Avho was generally the Grand Prior of Jerusalem His chief power lay in his personal
qualities . He had many distinctions . The greater part of the executive was in his hands , and as Vicar General of the Pope , he hacl episcopal jurisdiction over the priests of the Order . His rod or sceptre of office was a staff called the Abacus .
It was six or seven feet long , made of hard wood , and bearing at the top a red cross within a circle of gold . On the circle was inscribed the motto of the Order . He ranked as head of the Order , as a sovereign prince , and took precedence of all ambassadors and peers in the general councils of the Church .
Chapter Vi.
CHAPTER VI .
'TEE DIGNITARIES OE THE OBBEE - „ The Seneschal was the next in rank t-o ike-Master , and was his representative and lientsHKjrs , He had a right to attend every meeting of the Order , and was conversant with all its affairs- , He
had the same number of horses as the Mastery was allowed two esquires , a Knig ht as companion-,, a Deacon as Chaplain and Latin secretary , a Saracenic secretary , a Turcopole , and two footmen , Like the Master , he bore the seal of the Qscler ,
The Great Seal of the Order bore two KnigMs riding on one horse , as explained in the first book , Other seals however were used in different countries . The English Seal hacl an Agnus Dsi for a device , with the words " Templi Sigillum . "
The Marshal was General of the Order ,, had charge of the Beauseant , and led the brethren to battle . He had the charge of executing- all military matters , and provided arms , tents , horses ., and the such like , requisite for war . All the arms ,
equipments , and horses , Avere under his snperintendance , and he had the ' right of appointing the Sub-Marshal ancl Standard Bearer . He was appointed by the chapter , and had , as we have already sa ° d , the peculiar privilege , after the Grand
Master ' s death , of exercising his functions . Hisallowances were four horses , two esquires , a serving brother , and a Turcopole . The Marshal was always a Knight of the most renowned courage ,, and-of the noblest family ; and in the records of
the Order we find the Marshal performing prodigies of valour , and generally sustaining the fight when all the other Knights had fallen . The holder of the office , upon the death of the Grand Master , was often elected to the vacant headship of the Order .
The Sub-Marshal had charge of the inferios ; accoutrements , and was placed over the handacraftsmen , who were obliged to account to him for their work . He supplied them with tools , granted them holidays , ancl was in all respects fcheir
Master . The Standard Bearer , on tlie other hand , had charge of the esquires , and the auxiliaries of the Order . He awarded them punishment aad paid them their wages . Whenever the horses
were led to pasture by the esquires , he preceded them with a banner ; and he likewise presided at the dinner-table of the esquires and serving
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Knights Templars.
custom of hearing public confession told heavily against the Order in the days of its persecution . By Chapter xxxiii . of the Rule , ifc was enjoined that when anything should bo ordered by the
Master , or by him to whom the Master hath given authority , there should be no hesitation , but the thing was to be done at once , as though it had been commanded by heaven ; even as the truth declared " In the hearing of the ear he hath obeyed
me . " Disobedience to the commands of the Grand Master or a superior officer , met with death , as in the case of Walter le Bachelor .
By Chapter xl ., it was enacted that bags and trunks with locks and keys were not to be granted , nor was anyone to have them , without the permission of the Grand Master , or the Preceptor of the House . This regulation , however , did not
extend to the Grand Master nor to the Preceptors in the different provinces . Chapter xii . declared it to be unlawful for any of the brothers to receive letters from his parents , or from any man , or to send letters , without the
license of the Master , or of his procurator . When the brother should obtain such leave , the letters were to be read in the presence of the Master , if he should so command . If his parents sent anything to him , he was on no account to receive it until he first informed the Master . This law
also did not apply to the Master or the Preceptors . The Grand Mastership was more an honour than a reality , resembling a Dogeship of Venice , or a Spartan Kingship . The holder could do nothing
without the concurrence of the leading brethren , or the consent of the cha ] 3 ter , nor could he take money from the Treasury without the acquiescence of the keeper , Avho was generally the Grand Prior of Jerusalem His chief power lay in his personal
qualities . He had many distinctions . The greater part of the executive was in his hands , and as Vicar General of the Pope , he hacl episcopal jurisdiction over the priests of the Order . His rod or sceptre of office was a staff called the Abacus .
It was six or seven feet long , made of hard wood , and bearing at the top a red cross within a circle of gold . On the circle was inscribed the motto of the Order . He ranked as head of the Order , as a sovereign prince , and took precedence of all ambassadors and peers in the general councils of the Church .
Chapter Vi.
CHAPTER VI .
'TEE DIGNITARIES OE THE OBBEE - „ The Seneschal was the next in rank t-o ike-Master , and was his representative and lientsHKjrs , He had a right to attend every meeting of the Order , and was conversant with all its affairs- , He
had the same number of horses as the Mastery was allowed two esquires , a Knig ht as companion-,, a Deacon as Chaplain and Latin secretary , a Saracenic secretary , a Turcopole , and two footmen , Like the Master , he bore the seal of the Qscler ,
The Great Seal of the Order bore two KnigMs riding on one horse , as explained in the first book , Other seals however were used in different countries . The English Seal hacl an Agnus Dsi for a device , with the words " Templi Sigillum . "
The Marshal was General of the Order ,, had charge of the Beauseant , and led the brethren to battle . He had the charge of executing- all military matters , and provided arms , tents , horses ., and the such like , requisite for war . All the arms ,
equipments , and horses , Avere under his snperintendance , and he had the ' right of appointing the Sub-Marshal ancl Standard Bearer . He was appointed by the chapter , and had , as we have already sa ° d , the peculiar privilege , after the Grand
Master ' s death , of exercising his functions . Hisallowances were four horses , two esquires , a serving brother , and a Turcopole . The Marshal was always a Knight of the most renowned courage ,, and-of the noblest family ; and in the records of
the Order we find the Marshal performing prodigies of valour , and generally sustaining the fight when all the other Knights had fallen . The holder of the office , upon the death of the Grand Master , was often elected to the vacant headship of the Order .
The Sub-Marshal had charge of the inferios ; accoutrements , and was placed over the handacraftsmen , who were obliged to account to him for their work . He supplied them with tools , granted them holidays , ancl was in all respects fcheir
Master . The Standard Bearer , on tlie other hand , had charge of the esquires , and the auxiliaries of the Order . He awarded them punishment aad paid them their wages . Whenever the horses
were led to pasture by the esquires , he preceded them with a banner ; and he likewise presided at the dinner-table of the esquires and serving