was all a forgery, and that the citizen was no other than a tool of Philip, who, to ensure his own pardon, was prevailed on to make oath of such a confession having been made to him by the templar.

The historian proceeds to say, that in conse quence of this accusation, the knights templars in France, and other parts of the pope's dominions, were imprisoned by his order, and put to the most exquisite tortures, to make them confess themselves guilty. They, however, bore these tortures with the most heroic fortitude, persisting to the last in asserting their own innocence and that of their order.

In addition to these proceedings, pope Clement, in the year 1312, issued his bull for the annihilalation of the order of knights templars, which he caused to be published throughout every country in christendom. He at the same time gave their possessions to the knights of Malta, which appropriation of the templars estates was assented to by most of the sovereigns in Europe; and there is now extant, amongst the English statutes, an act of parliament, whereby, after setting forth that the order of templars has been suppressed, their possessions in England are confirmed to the knights of St. John.

Vertot, however, further says, that in Germany, the historians of that nation relate, that pope Clement, having sent his bull for abolishing the order, to the archbishop of Metey, for him to enforce, that prelate summoned all his clergy together, that the publication might be made with greater solemnity: and that they were suddenly surprised by the entry of Wallgruffor Count Sauvage, one of the principals of the order, attended by twenty other templars, armed, and in their regular habits.

The count declared he was not come to do violence to any body, but having heard of the bull against his order, came to insist that the appeal which they made from that decree to the next council and the successor of Clement, should be received, read, and published. This he pressed so warmly, that the archbishop, not thinking it proper to refuse men whom he saw armed, complied. He sent the appeal afterwards to the pope, who ordered him to have it examined in a council of his province. Accordingly a synod was called, and after a lengthy trial, and various formalities, which were then observed, the templars of that province were declared innocent of the crimes charged upon them.

Although the templars were thus declared innocent, it does not appear that either their posses

sions or their government, as a distinet order, were restored; but that their estates in the German empire were divided between the knights of Malta and the Teutonic knights; to the first of which orders, many knights templars afterwards joined themselves. This appears altogether pro

bable from the following circumstance, viz. It is unquestionable, that the habit of the knights templars was originally white; but we now observe they distinguish themselves by the same colour as the knights of Malta, viz. black; which change cannot be accounted for in any other way than by an union with the knights of that order.

The assemblies of knights templars and knights of Malta, are called Encampments. Their uniform is black, excepting the stock, which is white; to denote that it is not a mourning garb, but the habit of the order. The apron and sash are also black; the former is decorated with the cross swords, skull and cross bones; the latter with a large star, which falls upon the left breast, in the centre of which is a cross and serpent, upon a red field; the whole of these emblems are in silver or pearl, except the cross and serpent, which are in gold.

The following passages of scripture are occasionally rehearsed in encampments of knights templars.

James i. 1-10, 26, 27. "James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering; for he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea, driven with the wind, and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted. If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, that man's religion is vain. Pure

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religion, and undefiled, before God and the Father, is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world."

Matt. xxvi. 14-25, and 36-49. << Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, and said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of sil

ver. And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him. Now, the first day of the feast of unleavened bread, the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover? And he said, Go into the city to such a man, and say unto him, The master saith, My time is at hand; I will keep the passover at thy house with my disciples. And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready the passover. Now, when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve. And as they did eat he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began

them to say unto him, Lord, is it I?

every one of

And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me. The son of man goeth, as it is written of him: but wo unto that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It had been good for that man if he had not been börn. Then Judas, which betrayed him, answersed and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said. Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yon-der. And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. Then saith he unto them, My soul.