The Knights Templars.

with the Templars , and at the same time to comp lete the abolition of the Order , which would still appear to exist , so long as two officers of such highly rank maintained its innocence , he determined to murder them . He , the same afternoon , assembled

a Secret Council , ancl without even calling in the Commissioners to assist at the deliberation , resolved without losing a moment , to despatch the two Knights in the same manner as their Brethren had been murdered .

A pile was ordered to be raised in the King ' s gardens , at the point of an islet in the Seine , upon which was erected afterwards the statue of Henry IV . The doom of the two Templars was proclamed by sound of trumpet throughout Paris ,

and the people rushed from all quarters to gaze upon the frightful spectacle . The Provost had received the King's command to conduct the Grand

Master and the Dauphin to the place of execution . Two hours only elapsed between their being conducted back to prison by the Commissioners' orders , and their being led to the stake by the King ' s command . It was four o ' clock when the two

Knights reached the pile . While the executioners were finishing the preparations for their deaths , De Molai again addressed the people . " I declare , sirs , before heaven and in the sight of God , who hears me , and before whom I am this

day to appear , and I declare by the most solemn ancl sacred oaths of our Holy Eeligion , that we are innocent of the crimes imputed to us , and that the Holy Order , which has honoured us beyond our deserts , in admitting us into its sacred

brotherhood , is not at all guilty—it is pure and infinitely useful to our Holy Eeligion . But Ave have been guilty of the most execrable crimes in charging ourselves in our depositions , and in

charging our Order with impieties and abominawhich never existed but in the hearts of our traducers and murderers . We have made these avowals at first by weakness , to save ourselves of the cruel torments of the question , and at last

through human respect and terror at the solicitations and insinuations of the King—a fri ghtful crime , at which my heart is penetrated with the the liveliest grief . Seized with horror , I very humbly ask pardon of my God for myself and for

my Brethren . Ah ! If we had not committed these execrable crimes ! But the past being irrevocable—if these heinous offences can be expiated by our deaths , so as to appease our God , and to take away the scandal which we have

caused to fall upon our Holy Order , then we shall gladly suffer the torments which they prepare for us , and we would suffer them gladly , even were they still more cruel . I acknowledge that I merit death for the infamous deposition I have made . They

offer me life to retract my disavowal . What Avould I do with a life obtaiued by a second crime , which would make me still more criminal ? It would be odious and insupportable to me . " He wished to speak longer to the people , but

was prevented . An Envoy of the King at this time appeared , and offered the Templars liberty ancl a large pension if they would recant , The two noblemen refused , with every symptom of indignation , and the pile being lighted , the

executioners fastened them to the stake . The-Dauphin , while they were fastening him , repeated his denial of the crimes of the order , and proclaimed its innocence nearly in the same words as the Grand -Master had done . The two gallant

noblemen seemed to be consoled for all their past tribulations at being once more together , although now they were looking * across the dark waters of death . The friendship which had rendered their . lives so happy in the days of prosperity , and

thememory of which brightened even the evil days of their adversity , now shone triumphantly upon them as they prepared to cross the black valley ^ " In their lives they were lovely , and in death , they were not divided . ' - ' They were burnt by a-

slow fire of hot charcoal , prepared in the same manner as had been clone in burning their other Brethren . This is known , because there was neither flame nor much smoke—the King's intention being to cause them to suffer the most

incredible torture . They endured their awful torments with admirable calmness , neither cry nor groan escaped them . They implored the mercy of God , ancl although their bodies were half burnt away , they sang songs 0 f rejoicing ,

ancl still maintained the innocence and holiness of their Order . Legends say that the last words of De Molai were " Clement , false judge and cruel butcher , I summon thee to appear within forty clays before the tribunal of the Sovereign Judge 3 .

and thou , Philip , infamous and wicked King ; before the same tribunal , within a year . The Dauphin expired repeating the devout motto , which the Templars bore on their standards , " Non nobis , Domine , non nobis , sed nomini tua da gloriam * . "