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Article THE KNIGHTS TEMPLARS. ← Page 2 of 2 Article CHAPTER XVII. Page 1 of 1 Article CHAPTER XVII. Page 1 of 1 Article MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES. Page 1 of 4 →
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The Knights Templars.
enjoined the Archbishop of Rheims and the Bishops of Poictiers and Mende to render an account to the established stewards of the revenues of the Templars , and to transport what remained entirely out of the kingdom , under the protection
of the King . This was a clear indication that the Pope intended , along with the King , to dispose of the goods as he should see fit .
Chapter Xvii.
CHAPTER XVII .
The Commissioners continue the examination of Witnesses —Aymeric de Tillars-le-Duc—Proceedings against the Order at Senlis—Ponte-de-VArchc , Sfo . —The Commissioners summon two of the Defenders of the Order to assist at the examination of Witnesses They refuse — Evidence of John de Pollenaoicrt—The Demon Head—Evidence of Peter de la Palu—A . v . 1310-11 .
On Wednesday , the day after the burning of the fifty-four Templars , the Papal Commissioners continued the examination of the witnesses . Aymeric de Villars-le-Duc , aged about fifty years , appeared . He was examined regarding his former
confessions , and the articles upon which he was to depose being explained to him , he asseverated in the strongest manner his resolution to speak the truth . He was quite pallid , and seemed terrified beyond measure ; yet , striking his breast
with his clenched hands , he bent his knees , and , stretching his arms towards the altar , uttered these words : — " I speak upon my oath , and , if not truly , at the peril of my soul . If I lie , may death suddenly smite me before your eyes , and may I descend , body and soul , to hell . I persist , then , in maintaining that the crimes imputed to
the Templars are altogether false , though I have confessed some of them myself , overcome by the tortures which G . de Marcillac and Hugo de Celle , the King's Knights , ordered to be inflicted upon me . I have seen the fifty four Templars led in
carts to be committed to the flames , because they would not make the confessions required of them . I have heard that they were burnt ; and I doubt if I could , like them , have had the noble constancy to brave the terrors of the pile . I believe that , if
I were threatened with it , I should depose on oath before the Commission , and before any other persons who should interrogate me , that these same crimes imputed to the Order are true . 1 would hill God himself if it was required of me .
Are not these remarkable words ? Candour , in the midst of despair ; truth , and even courage , in the midst of terror . He then implored the Com-
Chapter Xvii.
missioners and the notaries who were present not to reveal what he had uttered to the King's officers and the keepers of the Templars , who would assuredly consign him to the flames . The Commissioners were gradually perceiving
that justice was out of the question in proceeding with their duty . A witness came to them late at night , and implored that his deposition might be kept secret , on account of the danger which he ran should it come to the King ' s ears . The
terror of the witnesses , and the determination of the King to allow no defence , satisfied them that their labours had better be suspended for some time . Accordingly , on the 21 st May , in the absence of the Archbishop of Narbonne and the
Archdeacon of Trent , they met , and declared their sittings suspended , and adjourned to the 3 rd of November . ( To he continued . )
Masonic Notes And Queries.
MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .
I-BEEllASONItY ABOUT TWO HTTNDEED YEABS OLD . As I expected , " A Masonic Student " has entirely failed to bring forward the least proof of the existence of the M . M . degree previous to about the beginning of the last century . I am sorry for this , because , if he had fully and definitely written out and stated in
the Magazine the grounds or foundation on which he built his opinion , we would have known what to make of his ideas and evidence , and seen what they were worth ; hut all we get is ipse dixit ! which is of very little worth when it goes contrary to the evidence derived from the old lodge minutes written about or
before a century and a half ago . Then , to crown all , " A Masonic Student" says , — " I unreservedly accept the tradition of our Order which connects us with King Solomon and the Temple ! " Talk of faith , why there is any amount of hope for Canmore after that ! He and Solomon may yet serve as supporters for the
Masons' Arms . Hurrah ! the funds are rising . 0 Solomon , Solomon ! see what itis to be a King . That little Temple of yours , which neither yourself nor your subjects could build , but in order to construct which you had to employ foreigners , has led many , many very worthy believing brethren a funny dance .
They forget that the great glory of your Temple did not consist in its structure but in its worship , and the ideas connected therewith ; further , Mr . Solomon , vou know you were no more the " Grand Master , " or " Master of Wark , " at the building of the Temple than I am . You had something else to doalthough
, you undoubtedly laid out much money on buildings , & c ., by which you not only spent—as many other heirs have done—all your father ' s money , but also managed to grind down your subjects so hard with
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Knights Templars.
enjoined the Archbishop of Rheims and the Bishops of Poictiers and Mende to render an account to the established stewards of the revenues of the Templars , and to transport what remained entirely out of the kingdom , under the protection
of the King . This was a clear indication that the Pope intended , along with the King , to dispose of the goods as he should see fit .
Chapter Xvii.
CHAPTER XVII .
The Commissioners continue the examination of Witnesses —Aymeric de Tillars-le-Duc—Proceedings against the Order at Senlis—Ponte-de-VArchc , Sfo . —The Commissioners summon two of the Defenders of the Order to assist at the examination of Witnesses They refuse — Evidence of John de Pollenaoicrt—The Demon Head—Evidence of Peter de la Palu—A . v . 1310-11 .
On Wednesday , the day after the burning of the fifty-four Templars , the Papal Commissioners continued the examination of the witnesses . Aymeric de Villars-le-Duc , aged about fifty years , appeared . He was examined regarding his former
confessions , and the articles upon which he was to depose being explained to him , he asseverated in the strongest manner his resolution to speak the truth . He was quite pallid , and seemed terrified beyond measure ; yet , striking his breast
with his clenched hands , he bent his knees , and , stretching his arms towards the altar , uttered these words : — " I speak upon my oath , and , if not truly , at the peril of my soul . If I lie , may death suddenly smite me before your eyes , and may I descend , body and soul , to hell . I persist , then , in maintaining that the crimes imputed to
the Templars are altogether false , though I have confessed some of them myself , overcome by the tortures which G . de Marcillac and Hugo de Celle , the King's Knights , ordered to be inflicted upon me . I have seen the fifty four Templars led in
carts to be committed to the flames , because they would not make the confessions required of them . I have heard that they were burnt ; and I doubt if I could , like them , have had the noble constancy to brave the terrors of the pile . I believe that , if
I were threatened with it , I should depose on oath before the Commission , and before any other persons who should interrogate me , that these same crimes imputed to the Order are true . 1 would hill God himself if it was required of me .
Are not these remarkable words ? Candour , in the midst of despair ; truth , and even courage , in the midst of terror . He then implored the Com-
Chapter Xvii.
missioners and the notaries who were present not to reveal what he had uttered to the King's officers and the keepers of the Templars , who would assuredly consign him to the flames . The Commissioners were gradually perceiving
that justice was out of the question in proceeding with their duty . A witness came to them late at night , and implored that his deposition might be kept secret , on account of the danger which he ran should it come to the King ' s ears . The
terror of the witnesses , and the determination of the King to allow no defence , satisfied them that their labours had better be suspended for some time . Accordingly , on the 21 st May , in the absence of the Archbishop of Narbonne and the
Archdeacon of Trent , they met , and declared their sittings suspended , and adjourned to the 3 rd of November . ( To he continued . )
Masonic Notes And Queries.
MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .
I-BEEllASONItY ABOUT TWO HTTNDEED YEABS OLD . As I expected , " A Masonic Student " has entirely failed to bring forward the least proof of the existence of the M . M . degree previous to about the beginning of the last century . I am sorry for this , because , if he had fully and definitely written out and stated in
the Magazine the grounds or foundation on which he built his opinion , we would have known what to make of his ideas and evidence , and seen what they were worth ; hut all we get is ipse dixit ! which is of very little worth when it goes contrary to the evidence derived from the old lodge minutes written about or
before a century and a half ago . Then , to crown all , " A Masonic Student" says , — " I unreservedly accept the tradition of our Order which connects us with King Solomon and the Temple ! " Talk of faith , why there is any amount of hope for Canmore after that ! He and Solomon may yet serve as supporters for the
Masons' Arms . Hurrah ! the funds are rising . 0 Solomon , Solomon ! see what itis to be a King . That little Temple of yours , which neither yourself nor your subjects could build , but in order to construct which you had to employ foreigners , has led many , many very worthy believing brethren a funny dance .
They forget that the great glory of your Temple did not consist in its structure but in its worship , and the ideas connected therewith ; further , Mr . Solomon , vou know you were no more the " Grand Master , " or " Master of Wark , " at the building of the Temple than I am . You had something else to doalthough
, you undoubtedly laid out much money on buildings , & c ., by which you not only spent—as many other heirs have done—all your father ' s money , but also managed to grind down your subjects so hard with