The Knights Templars.

them were so sick at that time , that they could not ride , nor be any way brought into our presence ; we desiring- with them to know the truth of all the premises , and whether those things were true that where contained in their confessions and

depositions , which they were said to have made before the Inquisitor into heretical pravity in the kingdom of France , in the presence of several public notaries and many other good men , and which were exhibited to us and our brethren by

the same Inquisitor , under public hands , and shewn to our beloved sons , Berengareus , Cardinal of St . Nerius , and Aquileus , and Stephen , Cardinal of St . Giracns in Termis , priests , and Pandulphus , Cardinal Deacon of St . Angelo , of

whose prudence , experience , and fidelity we have undoubted confidence , we commissioned and commairded them that they should diligently inquire into the truth of the premises of the aforesaid Master and Preceptors , as well against those and

other persons of the said Order in general , as ¦ against the said Order itself , and report to us whatsoever they found in this particulai ' , and to swear to bring back and present to our Apostleship their confessions and depositions , put into

writing by public hands ; they being authorised to grant the same Master and brethren , according to the form of the Church , the benefit of

absolution from the sentence of excommunication , which thoy had incurred for the premises , if they were true , provided they humbly and devoutly desired absolution , as they ought . The which Cardinals going in person to the Master and Preceptors ,

signified the cause of their coming . " And in regard that their persons , and those of the other Templars in the kingdom of France , had been delivered up to us , they , by Apostolical authority , enjoined them to declare to the said

Cardinals the truth concerning the premises , freely without fear of any person , fully and plainly . The which Master and Preceptors of France , of the land beyond the sea , of Normandy , Aquitain , and Poitou , before the said Cardinals , in the presence

of our four public notaries and many other good men , having taken their oath on the Holy Gospel of God , by them corporally touched , that they would before them deliver the whole and plain trutli concerning the premises , did before them

singularly , freely , and of their own accord , without any compulsion or dread , depose , and confess among other things , the renouncing of Christ , and spitting upon the Cross , when they were received

into the Order of the Templars ; and some of them to have received many brothers under the same form , viz ., of renouncing Christ and spitting on the Cross ; some of them also confessed some other horrible and indecent things , which we

conceal to spare their shame for the present . " They said besides and confessed , that those things were true which are contained in their confessions and depositions before made , before the Inquisitor iuto Heretical pravity ; the which

confessions and depositions of the said Master and Preceptors were put into public writing by four public notaries in the presence of the said Master and Preceptors , aud some other good men ; and some days after were read before the same persons

by order of , and in the presence of the said Cardinals , and expounded to each of them in his own vulgar tongue ; who persisting in the same , did

expressly , of their own accord , approve the same as they had been read . And after these confessions and depositions they , on their knees , with their hands joined , humbly and devoutly , and shedding many tears , begged of the said Cardinals

absolution from the excommunication , which they had incurred on account of the premises . And those Cardinals , in regard that the Church does not exclude from its bosom such as return , the Master and Pi'ecepiors have abjured their heresy ,

expressly granted them the benefit of absolution by our authority , according to the form of the church ; and then returning to our presence , presented to us the confessions and depositions of the aforesaid Master and Preceptors , reduced into

public writings , by public hands , as aforesaid , and reported what they had done with the said Master and Preceptors .

" By which confessions and depositions and relation , we find that the aforesaid master and brothers have been heinously guilty of the premises , though some in more and others in fewer points . But in regard that we cannot in person

inquire into these things in all parts of the world , through which that Order is dispersed , and where the brothers of it live , we , by the advice of our brethren , ordain your brotherships , by apostolical writing , that you and some of you , viz ., in their

City and Diocese , together with the venerable the Patriarch of Jerusalem , the Archbishop of York , the Bishops of Lincoln , Chichester , and Orleans , and our beloved Sons the Abbots of the Monasteries of Lagni of the Diocese of Paris , and St . Germain des Prez near Paris , and Master