Masonic Notes And Queries.

secretaries ; one for managing his Latin correspondence , whom he might , after a time , admit to become a Knight ot the Order ; the other , who was called his Saracenic secretary , and who was probably an eastern Christian , for carrying on his Arabic correspondence with the Infidels . He had , moreover , a farrier , a

cook , and a Turcopole ,- * two footmen , aud a Turcoman , f to serve as guide . On a march , the Turcoman rode on a horse behind an esquire ; during the time of war he was led by a cord , to prevent his escape . Ou any ordinary journey , the Master " might take two beasts of burden with him ; but in war-time

, or in case of his going beyond the Jordan , or the Dog ' s Pass , *} : he might extend the number to four , which the statutes thriftily direct to be put into the stable when he arrives at the house where he is going to stop , and to be employed in the service of the house . The master was finally commander-in-chief

of the Order in the field ; and then , like the Spartan kings , he could act iu some degree unfettered by the Chapter . When he died , he was buried with great solemnity and pomp , by the light of torches aud wax tapers—an honour bestowed by the Order on no other of its members . All the knights were required to attend the fuueral ; aud the prelates were invited to give their presence at it . Each brother who was present was to repeat 200 . Paternosters within seven

days , for the repose of the soul of the deceased ; and 100 poor persons were fed at home in the evening , with the same design . " On the other hand , the Master was bound to obey the Chapter ; and he could do nothing without consulting some of the brethren . He could not nominate

to any of the higher dignities of the Order ; but he might , with the advice and consent of some of the most reputable knights , appoint to the inferior priories and preceptories . He could not sell , or in any other way dispose of , any of the lands of the Orderwithout the cousent of the Chapter ; neither

, could he make peace or truce without their approbation . Their consent was also required to enable him to make any alteration in the laws of the society , to receive any person into it , or to send a brother beyond sea . He could take no money out of the treasury without the consent of the prior of

Jerusalem , who was the treasurer of the society . In fact , the Master of the Temple was so curbed and restrained in every way , and his office made so much an honorary one , that his dignity may best be compared with that of a Spartan king or a Venetian doge . It is rather curious that the Master of the Temple

should be thus limited in authority , when the abbot of the Benedictines , whose rules the Templars in a great measure adopted , enjoyed monarchial power . " Next in rank to the Master stood the seneschal , who , as his name denotes , § was the Master ' s

representative and lieutenant . He had a right to be present at all Chapters of the Order , and to be acquainted with all transactions of consequence . He was allowed the same number of horses as the Master ; but , instead of a mule , he was to have a palfrey : he had two esquiresand was assigned a kniht as his companion ;

, g a deacon acted as his chaplain aud Latin secretary ; he had also a Saracenic secretary and a Turcopole , with two footmen . Like the Master , he bore the seal of the Order .

" The marshal was the general of the Order ; he had charge of the banner , and led the brethren to battle . All the arms , equipments , and stables of the Order were under his superintendence . It was he who nominated the sub-marshal aud the standard-bearer . Like all the other great officers , ho was appointed by the Master and the Chapter . As we have seenwhen

, the Master died in the kingdom of Jerusalem , the marshal occupied his place till a great-prior was chosen . The marshal was allowed four horses , two esquires , a serving-brother , and a Turcopole . " The office of treasurer of the Order was always united with the dignity of preceptor of the kingdom

of Jerusalem . This officer had the charge of all the receipts and expenditure of the Order , of which he was bound to give an account , when required , to the Master and the Chapter . The wardrobe of the Order was also under him ; and the draper was assigned as his companion , without whose knowledge he could

not dispose of any of the clothes . As the ships , though few in number , which the Templars possessed , were under him , he may be regarded as , also , in some sort , the Admiral of the Order ; aud on this account the preceptor of Acre was subordinate to him . The treasurer had the same allowance of horses , & c , as the seneschal .

The draper had charge of the clothing of the Order ; he was to see that each brother was decently and properly dressed . His allowance was four horses , two esquires , and a pack-servant . "The Turcopilar was the commander of the lighthorse . All the armed serving-brethren and the

Turcopoles were under his command . He was himself subordinate to the marshal . When he was going into action , some of the knights were sent with him . These were under his orders ; but if their number amounted to ten , and they had with them a banner and a Kniht Preceptorthe Turcopilar became

subg , ordinate to this officer ; which proves that the office of Turcopilar was not oue of the higher dignities of the Order . The Turcopilar was allowed four horses . "Besides these offices of the Order in the Bast , there were the Great PriorsGreat Preceptorsor

, , Provincial Masters ( for the terms are synonymous ) of the three provinces of Jerusalem , Tripolis , and Antioch ; and the Preceptors , who were subordinate to them .

"The Great Prior of the kingdom of Jerusalem was also treasurer . His office has been already noticed . The Great Priors of Tripolis and Antioch . had the superintendence over the brethren and the possessions of the Order in these provinces . They had the same allowances of attendants and horses as the seneschal . The prior of Antioch , when on a journey to Armenia , which bordered on his province , and in which the Order had possessions , was allowed