something to do with all. A multitude of important State papers are dated from the Temple, and the Knights often acted as mediators in the misunderstandings between the Pope and the European sovereigns.

CHAPTER III.

Jealousy and charges against the Templars-Operations in the East-Saladin captures the Grand Master-Battle of Tiberias— Apostasy or death-Jerusalem taken-The Templars retire to Antioch-Letter of Brother Thierri-The Third Crusade-Battle of Ramleh-Account by an eye-witness-Castles of the Templars --Expedition against Egypt-Letter of the Grand MasterMisfortunes in Egypt-Jerusalem retaken.

"And Vivien frowning in true anger said,

They ride abroad, redressing human wrongs!
They sit with knife in meat, and wine in horn.
They bound to holy vows of chastity!

Were I not woman, I could tell a tale.

But you are man, you well can understand

The shame that cannot be explained for shame.'

Then answered Merlin, careless of her words,
'You breathe but accusation vast and vague,
Spleen-born, I think, and proofless. If you know,
Set up the charge you know, to stand or fall.””

TENNYSON.

THE wealth and power of the Order while they commanded influence throughout Europe, nevertheless aroused jealousies and difficulties, but too sadly

foreshadowing the terrible end that was to come byand-by.

Complaints were made by the bishops of the injuries which were inflicted upon their rights and authority by the withdrawal of the churches of the Order from their jurisdiction; and in some cases acts of violence were charged upon the knights. No doubt there were good grounds for many of these complaints, for the Templars were but men, and where so many were admitted, some must have been unworthy, or have fallen under temptation; and it was natural that the transgressor should look to his Order to defend and uphold him when the consequences of his fault overtook him; then their esprit de corps would lead them to favour him, and however they might punish him themselves, they would shield him from public disgrace and conviction.

The peculiar privileges and rights granted to the Order, also led to collisions with the civil power; and disputes arose as to the payment of taxes and other levies, many persons claiming exemption through some connection which they had with the Templars. But we must return to the operations of the Templars in the East.

While Odo de St. Armand was Grand Master, a new and formidable enemy appeared. Saladin was now supreme ruler of the Moslems. He collected an immense army and encountered the Christians at Ascalon, A.D. 1177, but he was defeated, and barely escaped with his life.

In the following year, however, he was again in

the field, and another tremendous battle was fought near the Jordan when the Grand Master and all the knights engaged were either killed or taken prisoners. Some of these Saladin ordered to be sawn in sunder! Saladin desired to exchange his nephew, who was a prisoner in the hands of the Templars, for the Grand Master; but the latter declared that a Templar could not submit to this, and he died in prison.

The Christians' position became so critical through the successes of Saladin that a deputation was sent to Europe to rouse the kings and nobles to their defence, but with small success.

A series of most bloody and terrible conflicts continued to be fought in Palestine, in all of which the Knights Templars and Hospitallers took prominent part, but sustained terrible losses, and if wounded, were subjected to most cruel indignities and tortures by their enemies.

At the great battle of Tiberias, Saladin commanded an army of 80,000 men, and the Christians sustained a crushing defeat. The Templars and Hospitallers performed prodigies of valour, but were overwhelmed by numbers; many of them were slain, but the Grand Master, together with the King of Jerusalem and others, were taken prisoners. The day after the battle, Saladin held a review of his victorious army, and then ordered his prisoners out into the midst, and offered them the alternative of apostasy to Mahometanism or death. To a man they chose the latter, and 230 were at once beheaded.

Jerusalem was then besieged, and on October 2, 1187, it was taken, and the Crescent was placed once more upon the Temple buildings, and the Templars made Antioch their central house.

The following letter, written by a Templar, at the time, will give a picture of the state of feeling caused by the defeat at Tiberias :—

"Brother Thierri, Grand Preceptor, the poor convent, and whole Order, but now almost reduced to nothing, to all the Preceptors, and all our brethren of the Temple, send greeting, in Him and to Whom we address our groans, and Whom the sun and the moon adore. We cannot, our dearest brethren, express to you by these letters, nor even by tears of blood, all the calamities that our sins have drawn upon our heads. The Turcomans, that barbarous nation, having covered the face of the land, we advanced to relieve the Castle of Tiberias, which those infidels were besieging; an engagement ensued, but the enemy having driven us to rocks and craggy mountains, our troops were cut in pieces; thirty thousand men falling in that fatal day. The king is taken, and what is still more deplorable, the precious wood of the True Cross is fallen into the hands of the enemy. Saladin, to crown his victory, has cut off the heads of two hundred and thirty of our brethren, who were taken in battle, without reckoning sixty others that were lost in the former engagement. The sovereign of the barbarians is already master of the principal towns of the kingdom. The Christians have nothing left but Jeru

Q

salem, Ascalon, Tyre, and Berytus, and the garrisons and chief inhabitants of these places perished in the battle of Tiberias, so that it is impossible, without the assistance of Heaven, and your succour, to preserve them."

The terrible tidings of the loss of Jerusalem filled Europe with consternation and sorrow, and a new enthusiasm was kindled for its recovery. Every country contributed its contingent of men and money. Every Templar was summoned, and in the spring of the year 1189, a large army marched from Tyre to lay siege to Acre. Again battle after battle was fought, and it was computed that 100,000 Christians fell in the year.

In 1191, the Third Crusade was preached, and Philip Augustus, King of France, and Richard Cœur de Lion, King of England, together with a multitude of nobles and their followers from every part of Europe, landed in Palestine, and shortly afterwards Acre was surrendered, and the Templars established their central house there.

Another great battle was fought at Ramleh. An eye-witness gives an interesting account of the Moslem army. He says that it was of enormous strength, and that, as far as eye could reach, on all sides there was nothing to be seen but a very forest of spears, above which floated banners and standards innumerable. The wild Bedouins rushed hither and thither in flying squadrons, shooting their arrows, and filling the air with their cries, accompanied by trumpets and kettledrums.