The Knights Templars.

not impart to the wearer an appearance of arrogance beyond his fellows .

BOOK IL—CHAPTER IV . THE CHAPLAINS—SERVING BRETHREN , & C . II . THE CHAPLAINS . —From the purely military character of the Templars , at first there were no

priests attached to the Order , but the Knights attended the ministrations of the clergy of the nearest chapel . We have already shown that the Order of the Hospitallers was originally governed by priests , their duties being principally to attend

the sick . There was thus a division of labour between these two Orders . The Templars went forth to bring in the pilgrims safely to Jerusalem , and the Hospitallers attended to them whilst in the city . We think it very probable that , in the

first years of the existence of the Order , the Templars could not entertain the pilgrims who fell to their care , and must have , of necessity , handed them over to the charge of the Hospitallers . But when , with increasing wealth , the Templars

built chapels in connection with their houses , wherein to hold their Chapters , and to celebrate the functions of the Church , they naturally desired the presence of priests as members of their body . In 1158 they made application to Rome for

permission to receive into then- body churchmen ; but the Pope , fearful of giving offence to the Eastern bishops , who already had complained bitterly of the exemption of the Hospitallers from their sway , refused this petition . But when Alexander III .,

their great patron , ascended the papal chair , in 1162 , their object was attained in the grant of the Bull , Omne datum optimum . By this Bull they were required first to ask the permission of the Bishop of the diocese in which

the priest lived to his reception . This was a mere matter of form , however ; for if the Bishop refused to sanction such an admission , not an uncommon occurrence , the Knights were then empowered to receive the priest without his consent . These

priests had to serve a noviciate of a year before their reception ; but , as in the cas ' e of the Knights , this was dispensed with in their days of prosperity . The ritual of the reception of the Chaplains was similar to that used by the Benedictines , and they

took the three vows of poverty , chastity , and obedience . Their reception took place in secret , with the formalities used in receiving a Knight .

When the psalms were sung , the Master put on the candidate the dress of the Order , and the girdle and cap called " barret . " The dress was a tight-fitting tunic , made of white cloth , with the red cross on the left breast . The priests were not

permitted to assume the cloak of the Order so long as they were simple priests ; but if any one attained to episcopal dignity , this honour wasgladly permitted him . Another distinction between them and the Knights was , that where the

latter wore their beards , the former required to be closely shaven—a difference from the priests of the time , who wore the beard . They were likewise required to wear white gloves , " out of respect to the Lord's body . " It is a very remarkable

circumstance that at no time had the Templars a . full complement of Chaplains , and they had often to call in priests of a neighbouring chapel to perform the offices of the Church in then- houses . All who had received the first tonsure were eligible

to the office of Chaplain , and when a deacon or sub-deacon desired to be raised to the rank of priest , the Master sent him to the Bishop of the diocese , who was bound to confer the required Order , on the demand of the Master .

The clergy were , by their oath , bound to obey the Master in all things , and the Master and the chief officers of the Order always had one or morepriests in their trains to act as their secretaries , celebrate mass , and other religious functions .

Thepriests , although forbidden to take any part in thegovernment of the Order , soon obtained great power , and , as secretaries , if men of sense and talent , their counsels were implicitly followed . Their presence , however , gave great offence

toseveral of the Knights , for we have Gerard de-Caux , in his examination before the King of France in the days of the persecution of the Order ,

declaring that "the aged men of the Order were unanimous in maintaining that it had gained nothing in internal goodness by the admission of learned members . " The duties of the priests were precisely similar

to those of monks in general . They officiated at all the services of the Order , and were present at the chapters . Their privileges were very unimportant . They had the best clothes , sat next the Master in chapter and refectory , and were served

first at table . If they committed any offence , they were more lightly punished . If the heads of the Order , saw fit , they could rise to high honours , and they were very often found among the pre-