On Monday, the 20th of October, after the Templars had been languishing in the English prisons for more than a year and eight months, the tribunal constituted by the pope to take the inquisition in the province of Canterbury assembled in the episcopal hall of London. It was composed of the bishop of London Dieudonné, abbot of the monastery of Lagny, in the diocese of Paris, and Sicard de Vaur, canon of Narbonne, the pope’s chaplain, and hearer of causes in the pontifical palace. They were assisted by several foreign notaries. After the reading of the papal bulls, and some preliminary proceedings, the articles of accusation, a monument of human folly, superstition, and credulity, were solemnly exhibited. It was urged against the Templars: “1. That at their first reception into the order, or at some time afterwards, or as soon as an opportunity occurred, they were induced or admonished by those who had received them within the bosom of the fraternity, to deny Christ or Jesus, or the crucifixion, or at one time God, and at another time the blessed Virgin, and sometimes all the saints.--5. That the receivers told and instructed those that were received, that Christ was not the true God, or sometimes Jesus, or sometimes the person crucified.--7. That they said he had not suffered for the redemption of mankind, nor been crucified but for his own sins.--9. That they made those they received into the order spit upon the cross, or upon the sign or figure of the cross, or the image of Christ.--10. That they caused the cross itself to be trampled under foot.--11. That the brethren themselves did sometimes trample on the same cross.--12. Item quod mingebant interdum, et alios mingere faciebant, super ipsam crucem.--14. That they worshipped a cat, which was placed in the midst of the congregation.--16. That they did not believe the sacrament of the altar nor the other sacraments of the church.--24. That they believed, and so it was told them, that the Grand Master of the order could absolve them from their sins.--25. That the visitor could do so.--26. That the preceptors, of whom many were laymen, could do it.--36. That the receptions of the brethren were made clandestinely.--37. That none were present but the brothers of the said order.--38. That for this reason there has for a long time been a vehement suspicion against them.” The succeeding articles charge the Templars with crimes and abominations too horrible and disgusting to be named.