The Knights Templar.

It was , in effect , contemplated to unite the three orders . This project produced a memorial from Jaques de Molay to his Holiness . The general opinion is that this illustrious chevalier could not write ; but , in the memorial which he caused to be transcribed there appear principles of judgment and wisdom that would do honour to a man of erudition . The Grand Master foresees the discord that would prevail amongst the

incorporated brethren ; he thinks he hears them repeat to each other , " In our former state we performed more than you , and were more respectable "— " Nos melius valebamus et plura faciebamus bona . " It appears that the rale of the Templars was more severe , and their comportment more austere than those of the Hospitallers ; for the Grand Master adds : " It would be necessary that the Templars should relax much in their

discipline , or that the Hospitallers should reform in many points "— " Multum oporteret quod Templarii largarentur , vel Hospitalarii restringerentur in pluribus . " * In perusing this memorial respecting the incorporation of the Orders , and that respecting the means of recovering the Holy Land , there appears a frankness and zeal of a knight emboldened by religion and honourwhich cannot

, fail to cause the admiration of the reader ; and who , above all , had a right to treat with the sovereign pontiff , about the affairs of his order , without dread of being reproached with the misconduct of his members . Moreover , before the pope supported the violent measures of Philip the Fair , he could not help testifying to him that the accusations brought against the Templars must astonish him .

The king of England bore a testimony much more honourable in favour of the Templars . He wrote to the kings of Portugal , of Castile , of Sicily , and of Arragon , requesting them not to give any credit to the calumnies spread abroad against the Order . - } -

He also wrote to the pope as follows : " As the Grand Master and his chevaliers , faithful to the purity of the Catholic Faith , are held in great consideration as well by us as those of our kingdom , both on account of their conduct and their manners , we cannot give credit to doubtful accusations till we shall have positive proofs of the certainty of them . " " Et quia preedicti magister et fratres iu fidei Catholicai puritate constantes

a nobis et ab omnibus de regno nostro tarn vita , quam moribus habentur multipliciter commendati , non possumus hujus modi suspectis relations dare fidem , donee super iis nobis plenior innotuerit certitude . "J This authentic ancl solemn testimony of Edward is so much the more valuable , whereas the Grand Master and the French Knights were then loaded with irons .

It is unnecessary to examine the political reasons which determined Edward afterwards to cause the Templars to be arrested in England . Let it suffice to convince the impartial reader , that at the epocha of their persecution , the Templars universally enjoyed the public esteem ; that not only no cotemporary writer , no enemy , whether secret or public , charged them with the crimes whereof they were afterwards accused ; but the kings who caused them to be condemned had paid the tribute of ample justiceboth to their zeal for

, religion and the purity of their morals . The modern writers who have adopted the opinion that the Order of the Templars , had degenerated , have not , perhaps , chosen to remember that the great majority of the kni ghts just rendered themselves illustrious b y their glorious efforts against the Musulmans . The Grand Master , with his chevaliers , was at the retaking of Jerusalem in 1299 ; after the reverse which the