346 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, 



at the King's precipitate action in arresting the Templars, he 

 issued, on the 22nd Novemher, his bull to Edward to imprison the 

 Knights.^ In this bull he set forth that at the beginning of his 

 pontificate rumours of the heretical depravity of the Templars had 

 reached his ears, but that he had been unwilling to listen to such 

 suggestions on account of their noble behaviour in the past. Since 

 then, however, stories of their heresy and immorality had been told to 

 the King of France, who, at the request of the Inquisitor of heretical 

 depravity in his kingdom, had caused the chief persons of the Order 

 to be imprisoned, and their goods conveyed to safe custody, in order 

 that an inquiry might be made. He also set forth that the Grand 

 Master had confessed to the heretical practices ; and that he had 

 personally examined one Knight, who acknowledged having denied 

 Christ on entering the Order. Accordingly, he exhorted the King to 

 imprison the Templars, and keep their goods safely till he heard 

 further from him. 



Eut Edward still remained obdurate. Ey letters to the Kings 

 of Portugal, Castile, Sicily, and Aragon, on the 4th December, he 

 urged them not to believe the accusations against the Templars, in 

 view of their good deeds; and on the 10th he wrote to the Pope- 

 that he was unable to credit the terrible charges brought against 

 the Order, and desired to take no steps till their guilt had been more- 

 clearly manifested. After such efforts on behalf of the Knights, we 

 are more than surprised to find him, ten days later — viz., on the 

 20th December — issuing his writ to various officials to arrest the 

 Templars in his dominions, and on the 26th of the same month 

 informing the Pope that he would carry out his orders. The argu- 

 ments of Philip were evidently of sufficient force to override the 

 scruples of his future son-in-law. The writ for Ireland was directed 

 to John Wogan, Justiciar, and the Treasurer; and a copy of the 

 ordinance sent to English officials was enclosed for their guidance. 

 By this writ they were instructed to cause a day to be appointed for 

 the execution of the ordinance without delay, so that it might be 

 executed before the news of the like event in England could reach 

 these shores. The English ordinance ran as follows : — 



*'Eor certain sure reasons it is ordained by the lord the King and 

 his Council, that, on Wednesday next after the feast of the Epiphany 

 next coming, all the brethren of the Knighthood of the Temple in 

 every county of England be attached by their bodies by the sheriffs 



1 Eymer's Federa," vol. ii., p. 18. 



