The Knights Templars.

The Saracens , however , seeing our deficiency , armed all their galleys and sent them to sea in the month of September , and these caused great loss among the Christians , who were coming to the assistance of the Holy Land . In our army there

was such a great deficiency of money that we could not maintain our ships for any length of time . Therefore , knowing that great loss would be incurred by the Christian army by means of these said galleys of the Saracens , we immediately

armed our galleys , galliots , and other vessels to oppose them . Be it also known to you that Coradin , the Sultan of Damascus , assembled an immense ai-my of Saracens , and finding that the cities of Acre and Tyre were not sufficiently

supplied with Knights and soldiers to oppose him , continually did serious injury to those places , both secretly ancl openly . Besides this , he often came and pitched his camp before our camp which is called the Pilgrims , doing us all kinds of injury .

He also besieged and reduced the Castle of Caesarea , in Palestine , although numbers of pilgrims were staying at Acre . I have also to inform you that Seraph , a son of Saif Eddin , and brother of the Sultans of Babylon and Damascus , is with a powerful army fighting against the

Saracens in the eastern parts , and has prevailed much against the more powerful of his enemies , although not against all ; for by God's favour he will not be able easily to conquer all of them , for if he could bring that war to a conclusion the

county of Antioch or Tripoli , Acre or Egypt , whichever of them he might turn his attention to , would be in the greatest danger , and if he were to lay siege to any one of our castles , we would not in any wise be able to drive him away . This

said dissension among the Pagans , however , gives us pleasure and comfort . Moreover , we have long expected the arrival of the Emperor and other nobles , by whom we hope to be relieved ; and on their arrival we hope this business which

has commenced by the hands of many to a happy termination ; but if we are deceived in the hope of this assistance in the ensuing summer , which I hope will not happen , both countries , namely , Syria and Egypt , and that which we have lately

gained possession of , as well as that which we have held for a long time , will be placed in a doubtful position . Besides , we aud the other people on our side of the water are oppressed by so many and great expenses in carrying on this Crusade , that we shall be unable to meet our

necessary expenses , unless by the Divine mercy we shortly receive assistance from our fellow Christians . Given at Acre , the 20 th September . " * The Grand Master likewise wrote in firm language to the Pope desiring him to order the

Emperor Frederick to repair to the Holy Land , in fulfilment of his vow . He also asked the Pope to forbid the practice of these sworn to the Crusade , compounding for their nonfulfilment of their engagements with money , which had a prejudical

effect upon the affairs of the Holy Land . H & likewise complained bitterly of the misapplication of the money raised throughout Europe for the Crusade , declaring that not a twentieth part of it reached the treasury ofthe kingdom . f

The Pope's reply took no notice of the Grand Master ' s demand as to the compounding for military service in Palestine , by a payment of of money , and with regard to the embezzlement of the funds destined for the defence of the Holy

Land , he replied that he had not fingered a farthing of it , and if it had not been all received , it was no fault of his , but the fault of those who had not obeyed his commands . J

The well founded complaint relative to the . misapplication of money threw the European ' priesthood , who had shamefully appropriated thegreater part of it , into the wildest fury . Matthew Paris , who hated both the Templars and

Hospitallers for their wealth and power , abused them " without measure . They were accused of squandering the money in the erection of gorgeous building and in luxury , as well as directing it topurposes , when received in the East , foreign

tothe intentions of the donors . The outcry grew so scandalous that the Pope at length sent to-Pelagius , the Patriarch of Jerusalem , and the leaders of the Crusaders , inquiring into the matter-The reply was a complete vindication of the Orders ,,

and the Pope wrote to the Bishops of England , France , and Sicily , commanding them to proclaim the innocence of the Knight ' s throughout their dioceses , and to honour , love , and protect them ,, as generous defenders of the faith .

No attention appears to have been given by any one to the compounding , even by the Templars , for we find in 1236 the Pope sending Thomas , his familiar , along with a Templar into England with his warrant to absolve those Crusadars , whom they