The Knights Templars.

religious orders , which led to serious evils , and finally resulted in the downfall and extinction of the Templars themselves . Bertraud de Blauchefort died in 1165 , after ihaving ruled the Order with great distinction for

eleven years , and was succeeded by Andre de Montbar . He was the last survivor at the time of the nine Knights who founded the Order , and was raised to the Grand Mastership as much for that reason as for his excellent qualities as a leader .

It was supposed that under his sway the Templars Tvould return to their former humility and rigorous abstinence ; but though considerable reforms did lake place , his death , in 1169 , stopped any further improvements . Many authors , who delight to

trace in the history of the Templars , a secret cloctrine held by the Knights , and which they assert to have been that of the Gnostics , ascribe io de Montbar , the questionable honour of having introduced it into the Order . It is alleo-ed that

lie was initiated into these mysteries by the Old Man of the Mountain , along with Hugo de Payeus , and that these doctrines afterwards became the

religion of the Templars . In the account of the suppression of the Order we shall have occasion to refer to this ; but we may state here , that the character of de Montbar will at once prove the falsity of such a charge . Corruption had

undoubtedly spread among the brethren , but we do not think they were at all likely to trouble themselves with doctrines , so uncongenial to their warlike character , and more fitted for the studious inhabitants of the cloister . Andre de Montbar

was succeeded in the commaucl b y Philip de Naplous , the first Grand Master who was a born Syrian . Philip had been married , and , through his wife , became Lord of the fortress of Krak and Montreal in Arabia Petraa , but after her death he

entered theOrder , and took the vows . He was a man of the strictest integrity and unblemished honour , and his character is unsurpassed by any of the other Grand Masters . During his reign , the annals of the Order are disgraced by an act of cowardice ,

iiie only one that we can discover affecting it . Almarie , King of Jerusalem , who was an intimate friend of the Grand Master , entrusted the defence of one of the strong fortified caverns on the Jordan , and a castle in the county of Sidon to the

Templars . They were , shortly after taking possession , besieged by the Turks under Sheerkoh , who ¦ had entered Palestine for the purpose of retrieving iis defeat at the Nile . They , without making

any great resistance , capitulated , although perfectly aware that the king at the head of an immense army was proceeding to their relief . Almarie was so enraged at their cowardice , that he had twelve of the Knights hanged , a summary

mode of justice which the Templars did not see fit to interfere with , and in all probability they approved of the execution of the recreants who had cast a stain upon the honour of the Order . During the Mastership of Philip , aud at the

instigation of the Grand Master of St . John , Gilbert d'Assalit , a man whom De Verlot describes as " bold and enterprising-, and of an extravagant genius , " the King of Jerusalem , in spite of the existing treaty of peace , planned an invasion of

Egypt . Almaric ' s dream through life was the conquest of that country , whose richness had inflamed his cupidity . He had at this time married the daughter of Manuel Comnenus , Emperor of Constantinople , who approved of his scheme , and

promised to assist him with a fleet . The Master of the Templars was first asked to join in this expedition , but he flatly refused , nor would he

permit a single brother of the Order to join the ranks of the invaders ; "for it appeared , " writes William of Tyre , " a hard matter to the Templars to wage war without a cause , in defiance of treaties , aud against all honour and conscience , upon a

friendly nation , preserving faith with them , and relying on their own good faith . " He adds further , that the opposition by the Templars to take part in this invasion arose "because it was against their conscience , or because the Master of

the rival Order was the author or projector of it . " He inclines , however , to believe the more honourable motive swayed their councils—a belief in which we agree , for as yet the Hospitallers had

not taken a prominent part in the wars of the Holy Land , confining themselves to their duty of attending on the pilgrims . The character of Philip de Naplous , likewise , is in favour of this theory . The Templars were supported iu this opposition by

several of the wisest of the king's council , who declared that the Christians ought not to set the Mussulmans the example of violating treaties . " It perhaps would not , " said they , ' * ' be a difficult matter to obtain possession of Egypt , but it would

not be so easy to keep it as to conquer it . " They had enough to do in protecting their own territory , without trying to add another country to it , which would only make their position the more precarious , and add to the number of their enemies .