The Knights Templars.

in France , distinguished himself eminently by his charity . The Germans changed his charity for the poor into excess for themselves , observing the 11 th of November in such a manner that it ought no longer to be called a Saints day , but a day of

festivity . Drunkenness reduced them to such a state , that the Turks , falling upon them , killed more than twenty thousand of them . This clay which the Germans write in red letters in their

calendars , takes its colour from their own blood , and as their camp was a slaughter house , the Turks were their butchers . We may compare them to the oxen of St . Martin , which differ little from droves of drunkards . "

The Christians complained bitterly of the conduct of the Germans , through whose arrival they had been plunged into war when they had been at peace . "Our fellow Christians and self st yled allies found us at peace , they have left us at war .

They are like those ominous birds of passage whose appearance portends the coming storm . " The Holy Land was now left in a pitiful condition , and the feuds between the different sections of the Christians broke out with renewed fury .

To add to the general confusion , and to prevent any combined resistance to the Musselmen , a war broke out betwixt the Templars and the Hospitallers .

Vertot relatesf that at this time there was residing in Palestine a gentleman named Robert de Margat , who , as a vassal of the Hospitallers , was in possession of a castle , seated near that of Margat , and holding of it . The Templars , under

colour of some old pretensions , surprised the place , and made themselves masters of it by open force . Robert , thus driven forth of his home , complained to his superiors , the Hospitallers , who had then their head quarters at Margat . They

thereupon sent out a force , stormed the castle , and drove out the Templars . A war ensued , the other Christians , siding some with the Templars , others with the Hospitallers . The Patriarch and the Latin Bishops interposed , and out of respect

to them peace was declared , and tho decision of the affair left to the Pope . As deputies to Rome the Templars sent the Brothers Peter de Villeplane and Thierri , and the Hospitallers the Prior of Barletto , and the Preceptor Auger . Innocent III . who had succeeded Celestine III ., and who "was perhaps "unequalled in the Papacy , and whose

reign was the culminating point of the Roman Church power , having examined into tho pretensions of both parties , delivered , as a preliminary , that before final sentence should be pronounced upon the merits of the cause , the Hospitallers

should deliver back to the Templars the castle in dispute . That after the Templars had resided there Jquietly for the space of a month , Robert should have liberty to cite them before the judges at Margat to produce their title and the evidence

of their claim , but that the Hospitallers , to avoid all suspicion of partiality in their own magistrates and judges , should on this occasion have recourse to those of the principality of Antioch , or the County of Tripoli , that they should moreover

make choice of persons of integrity ; that this choice notwithstanding the Templars should be allowed to object to , and challenge any of these foreign magistrates that they suspected , but withal , if they refused to submit to the verdict which

should be afterwards brought in , the Hospitallers should be empowered to put their vassal again in possession of the castle .

In a letter addressed to the Grand Master and brethren of the hospital , the Pope represented to them , with much force and persuasiveness , how unsuitable their proceeding , and that of tho Templars ^ was to the character of religion's , if the

name of religious could be given to men , who were for deciding their rights by force and methods of violence . That though he knew well enough in . the main what party had right and justice on its side , yet he had chosen rather to make up tho

affair by an amicable composition , which the deputies of the two Orders hacl agreed to iu his presence , than to pronounce a rigorous judgement which would have fixed a slur upon the party

guilty of the wrong . He exhorted them ¦ ¦ ota to maintain unity ancl peace with one another , and , at the same time enjoined them , in virtue ot thoir holy obedience , and on pain of excomrauT ' , . oatio __ to determine the differences that should s ' -u-fc up

between them , in the manner directed by ' . he rales which Pope Alexander III . proscribed thorn , lanocent concludes his letter with threatening' ,- ;; : cii as should prove refractory with all the weigh ' u of his indignation . The judges chosen appear to have

decided against the Templars , who sur : o _ - .. uerQU . the castle , and peace for a time was restored , The Pope thereafter satisfied with their ~ , i _ hmission , wrote them recommending to thoir best attention the interests of Almerie , who alarmed at