Table of Contents
Chapter I 1
Origin of the Templars
The piligrimages to Jerusalem
The dangers to which pilgrims were exposed
The formation of the brotherhood of the poor fellow-soliders of Jesus Christ to protect them
Their location in the Temple
A descriptions of the Temple
Origin of the name Templars
Hugh de Payens chosen Master of the Temple
Is sent to Europe by King Baldwin
Is introduced to the Pope
The assembling of the Council of Troyes
The formation of a rule for the government of the Templars
Chapter II Regula Pauperum Commilitonum Christi et Cempli Salomonis 10
The most curious parts of the rule displayed
The confirmation of the rule by the Pope
The visit of Hugh de Payens, the Master of the Temple to England
His cordial reception
The foundation of the Order in this country
Lands and money granted to the Templars
Their popularity in Europe
The rapid increase of their fraternity
St. Bernard takes up the pen in their behalf
He displays their valour and piety
Chapter III 25
Hugh de Payens returns to Palestine
His death
Robert de Craon made Master
Success of the Infidels
The second Crusade
The Templars assume the Red Cross
Their gallant actions and high discipline
Lands, manors, and churches granted them in England
Bernard de Tremelay made Master
He is slain by the Infidels
Bertrand de Blanquefort made Master
He is taken prisoner, and sent in chains to Aleppo
The Pope writes letters in praise of the Templars
Their religious and military enthusiasm
Their war banner called Beauseant
The rise of the rival religio-military order of the Hospital of St. John
Chapter IV 41
The contests between Saladin and the Templars
The vast privileges of the Templars
The publication of the bull, omme datum optimum
The Pope declares himself the immediate Bishop of the entire Order
The different classes of Templars
The knights
Priests
Serving brethren
The hired soldiers
The great officers of the Temple
Punishment of cowardice
The Master of the Temple is taken prisoner, and dies in a dungeon
Saladin's great successes
The Christians purchase a truce
The Master of the Temple and the Patriarch Heraclius proceed to England for succour
The consecration of the Temple Church at London
Chapter V 55
The Temple at London
The vast possessions of the Templars in England
The territorial divisions of the Order
The different preceptories in this country
The privileges conferred on the Templars by the kings of England
The Masters of the Temple at London
Their power and importance
Chapter VI 79
The Patriarch Heraclius quarrels with the king of England
He returns to Palestine without succour
The disappointments and gloomy forebodings of the Templars
They prepare to resist Saladin
Their defeat and slaughter
The valiant deeds of the Marshal of the Temple
The fatal battle of Tiberias
The captivity of the Grand Master and the true Cross
The captive Templars are offered the Koran or death
They choose the latter, and are beheaded
The fall of Jerusalem
The Moslems take possession of the Temple
They purify it with rose-water, say prayers, and hear a sermon
The Templars retire to Antioch
Their letters to the king of England and the Master of the Temple at London
Their exploits at the siege of Acre
Chapter VII 97
Richard Cœur de Lion joins the Templars before Acre
The city surrenders, and the Templars establish the chief house of their order within it
Cœur de lion takes up his abode with them
He sells to them the island of Cyprus
The Templars form the van of his army
Their foraging expeditions and great exploits
Cœur de Lion quits the Holy Land in the disguise of a Knight Templar
The Templars build the Pilgrim's Castle in Palestine
The state of the Order in England
King John resides in the Temple at London
The barons come to him at that place, and demand Magna Chart a
The exploits of the Templars in Egypt
The letters of the Grand Master to the Master of the Temple at London
The Templars reconquer Jerusalem
Chapter VIII 113
The conquest of Jerusalem by the Carizmians
The slaughter of the Templars, and the death of the Grand Master
The exploits of the Templars in Egypt
King Louis of France visits the Templars in Palestine
He assists them in putting the country into a defensible state-*Henry II., king of England, visits the Temple at Paris
The magnificent hospitality of the Templars in England and France
Benocdar, sultan of Egypt, invades Palestine
He defeats the Templars, takes their strong fortresses, and decapitates six hundred of their brethren
The Grand Master comes to England for succour
The renewal of the war
The fall of Acre, and the final extinction of the Templars in Palestine
Chapter IX 132
The downfall of the Templars
The cause thereof
The Grand Master comes to Europe at the request of the Pope
He is imprisoned, with all the Templars in France, by command of king Phillip
They are put to the torture, and confessions of the guilt of heresy and idolatry are extracted from them
Edward II. king of England stands up in defence of the Templars, but afterwards persecutes them at the instance of the Pope
The imprisonment of the Master of the Temple and all his brethren in England
Their examination upon eighty-seven horrible and ridiculous articles of accusation before foreign inquistors appointed by the Pope
A council of the church assembles at London to pass sentence upon them
The curious evidence adduced as to the model of admission into the Order, and of the customs and observances of the fraternity
Chapter X 162
The Templars in France revoke their rack-extorted confessions
They are tried as relapsed heretics, and burnt at the stake
The progress of the inquiry in England
The curious evidence adduced as to the mode of holding the chapters of the Order
As to the penance enjoined therein, and the absolution pronounced by the Master
The Templars draw up a written defence, which they present to the ecclesiastical council
They are placed in separate dungeons, and put to the torture
Two serving brethren and a chaplain of the Order then make confessions
Many other Templars acknowledge themselves guilty of heresy in respect of their belief in the religious authority of their Master
They make their recantations, and are reconciled to the church before the south door of Saint Paul's cathedral
The order of the Temple is abolished by the Pope
The last of the Masters of the Temple in England dies in the Tower
The disposal of the property of the Order
Observations on the downfall of the Templars
Chapter XI The Temple Church 195
The restoration of the Temple Church
The beauty and magnificence of the venerable building
The various styles of architecture displayed in it
The discoveries made during the recent restoration
The sacrarium
The marble piscina
The sacramental niches
The penitential cell
The ancient Chapel of St. Anne
Historical matters connected with the Temple Church
The holy relics anciently preserved therein
The interesting monumental remains
Chapter XII The Temple Church 208
The Monuments Op the Crusaders
The tomb and effigy of Sir Geoffrey de Magnaville, earl of Essex, and constable of the Tower
His life and death, and famous exploits
Of William Marshall, earl of Pembroke, Protector of England
Of the Lord de Ross
Of William and Gilbert Marshall, earls of Pembroke
Of William Plantagenet, fifth son of Henry the Third
The anxious desire manifested by king Henry the Third, queen Eleanor, and various persons of rank, to be buried in the Temple Church
Chapter XIII The Temple 231
Antiquities in the Temple
The history of the place subsequent to the dissolution of the Order of the Knights Templars
The establishment of a society of lawyers in the Temple
The antiquity of this society
Its connexion with the ancient society of the Knights Templars
An order of knights and serving brethren established in the law
The degree of free serjen, or frater serviens, borrowed from the ancient Templars
The modern Templars divide themselves into the two societies of the Inner and Middle Temple
Chapter XIV The Temple 252
The Temple Garden
The erection of new buildings in the Temple
The dissolution of the Order of the Hospital of Saint John
The law societies become lesses of the crown
The erection of the magnificent Middle Temple Hall
The conversion of the old hall into chambers
The grant of the inheritance of the Temple to the two law societies
Their magnificent present to his Majesty
Their ancient orders and customs, and ancient hospitality
Their grand entertainments
Reader's feasts-Grand Christmasses and Revels
The fox-hunt in the hall
The dispute with the Lord Mayor
The quarrel with the custos of the Temple Church
Errata
for infinitus read infinits 6
for carrissime, read carissime 29
for Angli, read Anglia 42
for promptia, read promptior 79
for principos, read principes 79
for Patriarcha, read patriarcham 80