Sketch of the History of the Knights Templars: Second EditionBurnes, James
History
Sketch of the History of the Knights Templars: Second Edition
Burnes, James
Templars -- History
It was Raymond who organized the order of the Hospitallers, and
established the discipline of the order. His regulations afford a
specimen of the manners and modes of thinking of his time; and some
of them require to be noticed here, on account of their similarity
with those of the Templars, shortly to be mentioned. The usual monkish
duties of chastity and obedience were strictly enjoined; the brethren,
both lay and spiritual, were directed to wear at least a linen or
woollen shirt, but no expensive dress of any kind; above all, no furs;
when they went to collect alms, they were, for fear of temptation,
never to go alone, but always in parties of two or three; they were
not, however, to select their companions, but to take such as the
director should appoint them; wherever there was a house belonging to
their order, they were to turn in thither, and nowhere else, and to
take whatever was given them, and ask for nothing more; they were also
to carry their lights with them, and wherever they passed the night,
to set these burning before them, lest the enemy should bring on them
some deadly danger. When the brethren were in the church, or in a
private house, in the company of women, they were to take good heed to
themselves and avoid temptation; for the same reason, they were never
to suffer women to wash their head or feet, or to make their bed. If
a brother had fallen into carnal sin, and his offence was secret, a
silent penance was deemed sufficient; but if it had been public, and
he was fully convicted of it, he was on Sunday, after mass, when the
people were gone out of church, to be stript of his clothes, and there,
by the director himself, or such of the brethren as he appointed,
severely beaten with thongs or rods, and then expelled the order. Any
brother possessed of money or valuables, who concealed them from the
master, was severely punished, the money which he had secreted was hung
about the offender's neck, and he was scourged by one of the brethren,
in the presence of all those belonging to the house; he had then to do
penance for forty days, during which time, on Wednesdays and Fridays,
he had nothing but bread and water to support him. These regulations
were made by Raymond, in the year 1118; a circumstance to be attended
to, as some similar rules have been since made a ground of accusation
against the Templars.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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