| [CHAPTER I.] |
| Origin of the Templars—The pilgrimages to Jerusalem—The dangers to whichpilgrims were exposed—The formation of the brotherhood of the poor fellow-soldiersof Jesus Christ to protect them—Their location in the Temple—Adescription of the Temple—Origin of the name Templars—Hugh de Payenschosen Master of the Temple—Is sent to Europe by King Baldwin—Is introducedto the Pope—The assembling of the Council of Troyes—The formationof a rule for the government of the Templars | Page [1] |
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| [CHAPTER II.] |
| Regula Pauperum Commilitonum Christi et Templi Salomonis. |
| The most curious parts of the rule displayed—The confirmation of the rule bythe Pope—The visit of Hugh de Payens, the Master of the Temple, to England—Hiscordial reception—The foundation of the Order in this country—Landsand money granted to the Templars—Their popularity in Europe—Therapid increase of their fraternity—St. Bernard takes up the pen in theirbehalf—He displays their valour and piety | [15] |
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| [CHAPTER III.] |
| de Payens returns to Palestine—His death—Robert de Craon made Master—Successof the Infidels—The second Crusade—The Templars assume theRed Cross—Their gallant actions and high discipline—Lands, manors, andchurches granted them in England—Bernard de Tremelay made Master—Heis slain by the Infidels—Bertrand de Blanquefort made Master—He is takenprisoner, and sent in chains to Aleppo—The Pope writes letters in praise ofthe Templars—Their religious and military enthusiasm—Their war bannercalled Beauseant—The rise of the rival religio-military order of the Hospital of St. John | [36] |
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| [CHAPTER IV.] |
| The contests between Saladin and the Templars—The vast privileges of theTemplars—The publication of the bull, omne datum optimum—The Popedeclares himself the immediate Bishop of the entire Order—The differentclasses of Templars—The knights—Priests—Serving brethren—The hiredsoldiers—The great officers of the Temple—Punishment of cowardice—TheMaster of the Temple is taken prisoner, and dies in a dungeon—Saladin’sgreat successes—The Christians purchase a truce—The Master of the Templeand the Patriarch Heraclius proceed to England for succour—The consecrationof the Temple Church at London | [60] |
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| [CHAPTER V.] |
| The Temple at London—The vast possessions of the Templars in England—Theterritorial divisions of the order—The different preceptories in this country—Theprivileges conferred on the Templars by the kings of England—TheMasters of the Temple at London—Their power and importance | [81] |
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| [CHAPTER VI.] |
| The Patriarch Heraclius quarrels with the king of England—He returns toPalestine without succour—The disappointments and gloomy forebodings ofthe Templars—They prepare to resist Saladin—Their defeat and slaughter—Thevaliant deeds of the Marshal of the Temple—The fatal battle of Tiberias—Thecaptivity of the Grand Master and the true Cross—The captive Templarsare offered the Koran or death—They choose the latter, and are beheaded—Thefall of Jerusalem—The Moslems take possession of the Temple—Theypurify it with rose-water, say prayers, and hear a sermon—The Templarsretire to Antioch—Their letters to the king of England and the Master of theTemple at London—Their exploits at the siege of Acre | [114] |
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| [CHAPTER VII.] |
| Richard Cœur de Lion joins the Templars before Acre—The city surrenders,and the Templars establish the chief house of their order within it—Cœur deLion takes up his abode with them—He sells to them the island of Cyprus—TheTemplars form the van of his army—Their foraging expeditions andgreat exploits—Cœur de Lion quits the Holy Land in the disguise of aKnight Templar—The Templars build the Pilgrim’s Castle in Palestine—Thestate of the order in England—King John resides in the Temple at London—Thebarons come to him at that place, and demand Magna Charta—Theexploits of the Templars in Egypt—The letters of the Grand Master to theMaster of the Temple at London—The Templars reconquer Jerusalem | [141] |
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| [CHAPTER VIII.] |
| The conquest of Jerusalem by the Carizmians—The slaughter of the Templars,and the death of the Grand Master—The exploits of the Templars in Egypt—KingLouis of France visits the Templars in Palestine—He assists them inputting the country into a defensible state—Henry II., king of England, visitsthe Temple at Paris—The magnificent hospitality of the Templars in Englandand France—Benocdar, sultan of Egypt, invades Palestine—He defeats theTemplars, takes their strong fortresses, and decapitates six hundred of theirbrethren—The Grand Master comes to England for succour—The renewal ofthe war—The fall of Acre, and the final extinction of the Templars in Palestine | [165] |
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| [CHAPTER IX.] |
| The downfall of the Templars—The cause thereof—The Grand Master comes toEurope at the request of the Pope—He is imprisoned, with all the Templarsin France, by command of king Philip—They are put to the torture, and confessionsof the guilt of heresy and idolatry are extracted from them—EdwardII. king of England stands up in defence of the Templars, but afterwards persecutesthem at the instance of the Pope—The imprisonment of the Master ofthe Temple and all his brethren in England—Their examination upon eighty-sevenhorrible and ridiculous articles of accusation before foreign inquisitorsappointed by the Pope—A council of the church assembles at London topass sentence upon them—The curious evidence adduced as to the mode ofadmission into the order, and of the customs and observances of the fraternity | [193] |
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| [CHAPTER X.] |
| The Templars in France revoke their rack-extorted confessions—They are triedas relapsed heretics, and burnt at the stake—The progress of the inquiry inEngland—The curious evidence adduced as to the mode of holding the chaptersof the order—As to the penance enjoined therein, and the absolutionpronounced by the Master—The Templars draw up a written defence, whichthey present to the ecclesiastical council—They are placed in separate dungeons,and put to the torture—Two serving brethren and a chaplain of theorder then make confessions—Many other Templars acknowledge themselvesguilty of heresy in respect of their belief in the religious authority of theirMaster—They make their recantations, and are reconciled to the church beforethe south door of Saint Paul’s cathedral—The order of the Temple is abolishedby the Pope—The last of the Masters of the Temple in England dies inthe Tower—The disposal of the property of the order—Observations on the downfall of the Templars | [239] |
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| [CHAPTER XI.] |
| THE TEMPLE CHURCH. |
| The restoration of the Temple Church—The beauty and magnificence of thevenerable building—The various styles of architecture displayed in it—Thediscoveries made during the recent restoration—The sacrarium—The marblepiscina—The sacramental niches—The penitential cell—The ancient Chapel ofSt. Anne—Historical matters connected with the Temple Church—The holyrelics anciently preserved therein—The interesting monumental remains | [289] |
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| [CHAPTER XII.] |
| THE TEMPLE CHURCH. |
| The monuments of the crusaders—The tomb and effigy of Sir Geoffreyde Magnaville, earl of Essex, and constable of the Tower—His life and death,and famous exploits—Of William Marshall, earl of Pembroke, Protector ofEngland—Of the Lord de Ross—Of William and Gilbert Marshall, earls ofPembroke—Of William Plantagenet, fifth son of Henry the Third—Theanxious desire manifested by king Henry the Third, queen Eleanor, andvarious persons of rank, to be buried in the Temple Church | [309] |
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| [CHAPTER XIII.] |
| THE TEMPLE. |
| Antiquities in the Temple—The history of the place subsequent to the dissolutionof the order of the Knights Templars—The establishment of a society oflawyers in the Temple—The antiquity of this society—Its connexion with theantient society of the Knights Templars—An order of knights and servingbrethren established in the law—The degree of frere serjen, or frater serviens,borrowed from the antient Templars—The modern Templars divide themselvesinto the two societies of the Inner and Middle Temple | [342] |
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| [CHAPTER XIV.] |
| THE TEMPLE. |
| The Temple Garden—The erection of new buildings in the Temple—The dissolutionof the order of the Hospital of Saint John—The law societies becomelessees of the crown—The erection of the magnificent Middle Temple Hall—Theconversion of the old hall into chambers—The grant of the inheritanceof the Temple to the two law societies—Their magnificent present to hisMajesty—Their antient orders and customs, and antient hospitality—Theirgrand entertainments—Reader’s feasts—Grand Christmasses and Revels—Thefox-hunt in the hall—The dispute with the Lord Mayor—The quarrel with the custos of the Temple Church | [373] |