The Knights Templars.

¦ Stephen gave the Templars the manors of Crossing , Witham , and Egle . King Henry the IL , ¦ the churches of Elle , Swynderby , and Skarle , with many other possessions both in England and in Jreland . King John , the lands of Radenach and

Harewood . King Henry III ., the manors of Blacolvesley and Rotheley , with many other lands rand churches , besides markets aud fairs . The charter of King Henry III ., of the eleventh year of his reign , grants many great privileges to

the brethren of the Order of the Temple in England . First , it " confirms to them all their possessions whatsoever , and that they enjoy them in ¦ all parts with sac and soc , and tol , and theam , and tinfangenethef , and unfangenethef , and hamsoc , and

: grithbirch , andblodwite , and futwite , and flictwite , ; and ferdvvite , and hengewite , and leirwite , and iflemenefrith , murder , robbery , forstol , ordel , and oresfce . That they be for ever exempted from aids to the king , or sheriff , and all depending on them ,

; and hidage , and carncage , and danegeld , and horngeld , and armies , and wapentachs , and seutage , and tallage , lestage , stallage , shires and

hundreds , suits and pleadings , ward and wardpeny , -and averpeny , and hundredspeny , ! and borethalpeny , and theltingepeny , and from works of castles jparks , bridges , enclosures , and all their lands , -woods , & c , to be quiet to themselves . That they

and all belonging to them be for ever free from all toll or like dues upon all accounts . That if any 'belonging to them should , for any crime , forfeit ¦ their chattels , the said brothers may seize the ¦ same . That all waifs on their lands belong to them .

That if any of their tenants forfeit , they may seize . That if any belonging to them be amerced , the fine be given to them , " & c . In the Parliaments of England , the Grand Prior

eat as a peer of the realm . Their first preceptory was at Holborn , but they removed from this to Fleet-street , in 1185 . The only remains of the latter residence is the beautiful circular edifice called the Temple Church , said to have been

constructed in imitation of the Church of the Hol y Sepulchre at Jerusalem . This appears to have been a favourite form with the Kni ghts , for their Church of St . Sepulchre at Cambridge is of a similar construction . In examining this building ,

says Britton , we are struck with its ponderous and durable appearance , as if it were intended for a castellated residence . The masonry of the ancient walls , and also of the pillars and arches , is such as to evince great skill in building , the stones being

all squared and chiselled with the most perfect accuracy to fit their respective places . Burnes gives the following account of the Order's possessions in Ireland : — 'The Order of Knights Templars was introduced into Ireland

about the year 1174 , by Richard , surnamed Strongbow , Earl of Pembroke , or Strigul . A priory was founded by him in that year , under the invocation of St . John the Baptist , at Kilmainham , in the county of Dublin , for Knights

Templars , ( see Archdall's Monasticon Hibernienin , pages 222 et seq . ) and King Henry II . granted his confirmation . Hugh de Cloghall was the first prior , and enjoyed that office till about the year 1190 . The noble founder had enfeoffed the Prior

in the whole lands of Kilmainham ; and dying in 1176 , was interred in Christ Church . The two Orders of Knights Templars aud Hospitallers were confirmed the same year . After this , Hugh Tirrel bestowed upon the prior of this hospital the lands

of Chapel-Izod and Kilmehanock , " free from all secular services and burthens , with all liberties and free customs , in wood and open country , in

meadows and pastures , in roads and paths , " & c . Kilmainham continued to be the Grand Priory or Preceptory of the Templars till their suppression in 1312 ; and the Superior of the Order , according to Sir James Ware , sat in the House of Peers

as a Raron , a privilege enjoyed , as regarded the military orders , only by the Grand Priors of Kilmainham for the Templars , and of Wexford for the Hospitallers . He is styled by Archdall , quoting different anceint records , sometimes prior

and sometimes Master , as in the case of Maurice de Prendergast , 1205 and 1210 ; sometimes Preceptor , as "D . Walens , Preceptor of the Templars , 1247 : " sometimes Grand Master , as " 1266 ,

Robert was Grand Master of the Templais m Ireland this year "' In 1288 , we find "William Fitz-Roger was Prior this year , and Thomas de Thoulouse Master of the Templars ; " in 1296 , "Walter le Bachelour was Master , and William de

Rosse was Prior , who the same year was made Lord-Doputy of Ireland . " He continued in these offices till 1302 , when he was made Chief Justice ; and appears in this year also to have preferred his complaint against the sheriff of Dublin for an illegal

seizue , as " the Master of the Templars . " . And in 1309 , Gerlald , son of Maurice , Lord of Kerry , is spoken of as " the last Grand Prior of the Order . " The subordinate governors of the Order appear to