Chapter VII

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 Philip--They are put to
the torture, and confessions of the guilt of heresy
and idolatry are extracted from them--Edward III.,
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 inquisitors appointed
by the Pope--A council of the church assembles at
London to pass sentence upon them--The curious
evidence adduced as to the mode of admission into
the order, and of the customs and observances of the
fraternity--The Templars in France having revoked
their rack-extorted confessions, are treated as
relapsed heretics, and burnt at the stake--Solitary
confinement of the Templars in England in separate
dungeons--Torture--Confessions and recantations--The
Master of the Temple at London dies in the Tower--The
Grand Master is burnt at the stake--The abolition of
the order and disposal of its property. Grant of the
Temple at London to a body of lawyers--Introduction
into the profession of the law of an order of knights
and serving-brethren 236