Page:A history of the Inquisition of the Middle Ages, volume 3.djvu/317

 THE TEMPLARS. 301 Thus for once the papal Inquisition founjd a foothold in Eng- land, but apparently its methods were too repugnant to the spirit of the nation to be rewarded with complete success. In spite of ex- aminations prolonged for more than eighteen months, the Tem- plars could not be convicted. The most that could be accomplished was, that in provincial councils held in London and York in the spring and summer of 1311, they were brought to admit that they were so defamed for heresy that they could not furnish the purga- tion required by law ; they therefore asked for mercy and prom- ised to perform what penance might be enjoined on them. Some of them, moreover, submitted to a form of abjuration. The coun- cils ordered them scattered among different monasteries to perform certain penance until the Holy See should decide as to the future of the Order. This was the final disposition of the Templars in England. A liberal provision of fourpence a day was made for their support, while two shillings was assigned to William de la More, the Master of England, and on his death it was continued to Humbert Blanc, the Preceptor of Auvergne, who, fortunately for himself, was in England at the time of arrest, and was caught there. This shows that they were not regarded as criminals, and the testimony of Walsingham is that in the monasteries to which they were assigned they comported themselves piously and right- eously in every respect. In Ireland and Scotland their examina- tions failed to procure any proof against the Order, save the vague conjectures and stories of outside witnesses industriously gathered together.* In Lorraine, as soon as news came of the seizure in Erance, the Preceptor of Yillencourt ordered the brethren under him to shave and abandon their mantles, which was virtually releasing them from the Order. Duke Thiebault followed the exterminating pol- Proces des Templiers, II. 130.— D'Argentre" I. I. 280. That the allowance for the Templars was liberal is shown by that made for the Bishop of Glasgow when confined, in 1312, in the Castle of Porchester. His per diem was 6d., that for his valet 3d., for his chaplain five farthings, and the same for his servant (Rymer, III. 363). The wages of the janitor of the Temple in Lon- don was 2d., by a charter of Edward II. in 1314 (Wilcke, II. 498).
 * Wilkins, II. 314, 373-83, 394-400.— Rymer, III. 295, 327, 334, 349, 472-3.—