[26] So dreadful and impressive an event could not fail to be the source of many strange stories with the vulgar. Among these, chroniclers report, that the venerable martyr, ere life was extinct, summoned Pope Clement to answer before the bar of the Almighty Judge, within forty days, and King Philip before the same tribunal, within the space of a year. Certain it is, that the Pope did suddenly die in the night between the 19th and 20th of the following month; and the church in which his body was placed taking fire, one-half of the corpse was consumed,--a circumstance which naturally confirmed the people in the belief that his death was a special judgment of Heaven for the burning of the knights, and which probably also suggested the prediction. In the month of July following, a tumult arose in the town where the half consumed corpse was kept, during which the populace tried to get forcible possession of the remains; but whether from some superstitious motive, or with a view of avenging on the Pope's body the murder of De Molay, is not known. Philip of France expired within the year, in consequence of a fall from his horse, and others of the persecutors of the Order met a violent death. [27] A copy of this remarkable Charter, the original of which I had an opportunity of examining through the kindness of the Grand Master and Sir Sidney Smith, at Paris, will be found in the Appendix. The Charter was submitted to the inspection of nearly 200 Knights of the Order, at the Convent-General held at Paris in 1810. [28] The following anecdote of Sir Sidney Smith may not be inappropriate here, as relating to a Soldier of the Cross:-- After the signal defeat of Buonaparte at Acre, the tyrant Djezzar, to avenge himself upon the Franks, inflicted severe punishment on the Jewish and Christian inhabitants of Saphet, and, it is said, had resolved to massacre all the believers in Moses and Jesus Christ, who might be found within his dominions. But Sir Sidney Smith, on being apprized of his intention, instantly caused the Turk to be informed, that if a single Christian head should fall, he would bombard Acre, and burn it about his ears. This decisive interposition of the gallant Admiral is still remembered in the hearts of the inhabitants. Such was the confidence placed by them in their deliverer, that Burckhardt, alluding to Sir Sidney, says,--"His word, I have often heard both Turks and Christians exclaim, was like God's word--it never failed;" and Professor Loěwe, recently returned from Palestine, affirmed, that the Firmaun of Sir Sidney at once procured for him, both from the Sultan and the Pacha of Egypt, every assistance and facility in pursuing his learned hieroglyphical and mythological researches.