The Knights Templars.

THE KNIGHTS TEMPLARS .

By ANTHONY O NEAL HAYE . ( Continued from page 4-85 ) . BOOK IV . —CHAPTER XL—Conic ! -. The persecution of the Order in Ireland began

in 1307 , when Walter de Ewias , or de Aqua , being Prior , King Edward of England transmitted to John Wogan , the Justiciary of Ireland , the order made for the suppression of the Templars in England , on the Wednesday after the Feast ofthe

Epiphany , enjoining him to have it executed without delay , and before the rumour of what was done in England could reach that kingdom . The mandate was accordingly obeyed ; and on the morning of the Purification , the Templars were

everywhere seized . In 1309 , the King , by writ dated 29 th September , further commanded the Justiciary to apprehend , without delay , all the

Templars that had not been already seized , and to place them under sure ward in the Castle of Dublin , together with those already captured . In 1311 , on the petition of Henry Danet , or De Tanet , the Prior , and other Templars , the King , by writ ,

dated 4 th December , granted for their support the manors of Kilclogau , Crookc , and Kilbarry . The trial of the Templars was conducted with great solemnity in Dublin , before Richard Balybyn ^ Philip cle Slane , both Dominicans , aud Hugh St .

Leger . Against the Order appeared , Roger cle Heton , Walter de Prendergast , Abbot Thomas , Franciscans ; Simon , the Prior of St . Thomas the Martyr ' s Abbey , and Roger , Prior of the Augustinian Friars in Dublin . Although the evidence was of the weakest character , the Order was condemned and suppressod in Ireland .

The Pope dispatched Bulls for the persecution of the Templars in Germany to the Archbishops of Mayence , Treves , and Magdeburg , as well as to the Bishops of Constance and Strasbourg . They were directed to arrest the Templars and to

proceed against them , each in his own diocese , and also in the rest of the empire . He also sent Bulls to the King- of tho Romans , the Duke of Austria , and other princes , to aid iu the persecution . That nothing might be wanting , he

despatched the Abbot of Crudau , as legate , to assist in the goodly work , and wrote letters to the various leaders and prelates to aid tho Abbot with money aud to protect him in Ins duty . But no one supported the Abbot in extreme measures , and the

proceedings were conducted without imprisonment or torture . In December 1309 , the Elector , as Archbishop of Mayence , convoked a council to investigate the charges ag-ainst the Order , and the greater part of 1310 was occupied in this manner .

The details have not come down to the present day ,- but it is evident that the charges met with incredulity , and the whole proceedings were but a farce , and done simply to fulfil the commands of the Pope . When the Abbot of Crudau pressed for

their condemnation , the Waldgrave Hugo , surnamed the " Savage , " a Count of the Empire , and the Grand Preceptor of Germany , being wai'ned of it , took a bold step . Followed " by twenty Templars , all wearing- complete armour under their habits , he entered the council chamber , with a fierce and

menacing countenance . Addressing himself directly to the Elector of Mayence , as Archbishop and President of the Council , he said , " I learn that to-day , you , Sh-, and all those who compose this assembly , intend to condemn the Kni ghts of

the Temple to fearful tortures . You could not do anything more unjust . It is also said that you design abolishing the Holy Order of the Knights , who at the price of their blood , have guarded and preserved for so long a time the Temple of the Lord

and who have been of so great service to the state aud to the Christian reli gion . It is , on receivingthese tidings , that we have come here , in the name of our oppressed brethren , to appeal against those proceedings . You do so by order of Pope Clement

, who is a barbarous aud unjust tyrant ; we impeach the legality of his election , and appeal from him to the Sovereign Pontiff , who , after him , shall be legitimately elected . In his presence , and in the sight of heaven and earth , we shall manifest ouv

innocence , and that of the whole Order thus so falsely and viley accused ; and that in spite of the depositions of those Kni ghts who have been brutally tortured to make them confess to lies . "

These bold words , the warlike and determined character of the Count , and the si ght of the arms worn by the Knights , terrified the Council , and silenced the Papal Legate . Fearing the perpetration of some desperate act , the President

hastened to reply , that he would , intimate thenanswer to the Pope , and intercede with him for them . It was neither the wish nor the intention of the Council to do them any wrong , nor to pronounce sentence against them . The Waldgrave answered , that he only desired the Council to do