Wood — The Templars in Ireland. 



349 



furniture and goods appear to have been of the most humble descrip- 

 tion. "We find some mention of the current coin — e.g., the preceptory 

 of Kilclogan possessed 36s. 6d. ; that of Clonau], £7 10s. ''argenti"; 

 while Clontarf only had 3s. **inpecunia numerata." The Templars' 

 greatest wealth was in corn, oats, and cattle. Altogether these 

 inventories throw considerable light on the prices of goods at that 

 time. I have given a copy of the inventory of the manor of Clonaul 

 in Appendix B ; but the fullest list will be found in the inventory 

 of Kilclogan, a translation of which has been printed in Hore's 

 History of the County of Wexford, under that head. 



1^0 mention is made in these inventories of deeds and manu- 

 scripts which were ordered to be taken. We may feel quite sure that 

 the Treasury were sufficiently awake to their own interests to secure 

 any title-deeds which the Templars possessed. That they did so we 

 have proof in the case when John de Haddesore and others, who had 

 been under agreement with the Knights to farm the tithes of some 

 churches in the manor of Kilsaran, were attached to answer the King 

 (1312) for the rent due to the Knights at the time of their sup- 

 pression.^ The deed or contract made between them was produced in 

 court to prove the right of the Crown as heirs of the Templars, 



According to the ordinance, returns should have been immediately 

 made to the English Exchequer certifying the number and names of 

 the brethren, where they were imprisoned, and the lands seized, with 

 all the proceedings in the matter. This apparently was not done, 

 probably owing to the fact that Alexander de Bickenor, the Treasurer 

 in Ireland, was appropriating to himself some of the Templars' goods. 

 The certificate mentioned above was that returned to the English 

 Exchequer by the Barons in Dublin, to enable the former to discover 

 the amount of defalcations of the late Treasurer. 



Guardians of the lands of the Templars were now appointed to 

 manage the estates and exact the usual rents and services from the 

 tenants. At the time of the suppression there were rents due from 

 these tenants, and collectors were appointed, with the injunction that 

 they be paid in haste. Evidently the King was in want of money. 

 At this time he was conducting his Scotch expedition, and had 

 frequent occasion to order the authorities in Ireland to forward 

 provisions to Scotland for his troops. He was not likely to neglect 

 such a windfall as the goods of the Templars. Accordingly we find 

 that, on the 19th June, 1308, the Justiciar and Treasurer were 



^ Memoranda Roll, Excheq., 5-6 Ed. II, m. 50. 



