The Knights TemplarsAddison, C. G. (Charles Greenstreet)
History
The Knights Templars
Addison, C. G. (Charles Greenstreet)
Templars
The above declaration was presented by Brother William de la More, the
Master of the Temple; the Knights Templars Philip de Mewes, Preceptor
of Garwy; William de Burton, Preceptor of Cumbe; Radulph de Maison,
Preceptor of Ewell; Michael de Baskevile, Preceptor of London; Thomas
de Wothrope, Preceptor of Bistelesham; William de Warwick, Priest; and
Thomas de Burton, Chaplain of the Order; together with twenty serving
brothers. The same day the inquisitors and the two bishops proceeded to
the different prisons of the city to demand if the prisoners confined
therein wished to bring forward anything in defence of the order, who
severally answered that they would adopt and abide by the declaration
made by their brethren in the Tower. In the prison of Aldgate there
were confined Brother William de Sautre, Knight, Preceptor of Samford;
Brother William de la Ford, Preceptor of Daney; Brother John de
Coningeston, Preceptor of Getinges; Roger de Norreis, Preceptor of
Cressing; Radolph de Barton, priest, Prior of the New Temple; and
several serving brethren of the order. In the prison of Crepelgate were
detained William de Egendon, Knight, Preceptor of Schepeley; John de
Moun, Knight, Preceptor of Dokesworth; and four serving brethren. In
the prison of Ludgate were five serving brethren; and in Newgate was
confined Brother Himbert Blanke, Knight, Grand Preceptor of Auvergne.
The above declaration of faith and innocence was far from agreeable
to the papal inquisitors, who required a confession of _guilt_, and
the torture was once more directed to be applied. The king sent fresh
orders to the mayor and the sheriffs of the city of London, commanding
them to place the Templars in separate dungeons; to load them with
chains and fetters; to permit the myrmidons of the inquisitors to
pay periodical visits to see that the wishes and intentions of the
inquisitors, with regard to the severity of the confinement, were
properly carried into effect; and lastly, to inflict TORTURE upon the
bodies of the Templars, and generally to do whatever should be thought
fitting and expedient in the premises, according to the ecclesiastical
law. In conformity with these orders, we learn from the record of the
proceedings, that the Templars were placed in solitary confinement in
loathsome dungeons; that they were put on a short allowance of bread
and water, and periodically visited by the agents of the inquisition;
that they were moved from prison to prison, and from dungeon to
dungeon; were now treated with rigour, and anon with indulgence; and
were then visited by learned prelates, and acute doctors in theology,
who, by exhortation, persuasion, and by menace, attempted in every
possible mode to wring from them the required avowals! We learn that
all the engines of terror wielded by the church were put in force, and
that torture was unsparingly applied “_usque ad judicium sanguinis!_”
The places in which these atrocious scenes were enacted were the Tower,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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