Wood — The Templars in Ireland, 



359 



Shortly after this, the King issued his Tvrit (18th March, 1314) to 

 Mcholas de Balscote to hand over the Templars' lands in "Wexford, 

 which he held, to Eoger Utlawe, Proctor of the brethren of the 

 Hospital, Brother Walter del Ewe, Prior of the Hospital, and 

 Brother William de Ross. In this writ it is interesting to note 

 that the ''ornaments of churches" are expressly mentioned to be 

 handed over to the Hospitallers.^ 



Although in England some of the Templars were sent to 

 monasteries to complete their penance, we have no record of their being 

 so treated here. Twopence a day was allowed them for their main- 

 tenance, but it would appear either that this was not sufficient, or 

 that the Hospitallers were relieved of this charge, and that it was 

 thrown on the clergy, for we read that, on 1st December, 1318, the 

 Pope ordered the Deans of York, London, Dublin, and Canterbury, the 

 Priors of the Friars Preachers, and the guardians of the Friars 

 Minors, to examine the taxation of stipends made by the archbishops 

 and prelates, and bring it to the amount necessary for the support 

 of the brethren of the late Order of the Templars, with this pro- 

 viso that the latter were not to be allowed to lay up money or 

 live delicately out of the sums provided by the said taxation. 

 Also sentences issued by the archbishops and prelates against the 

 Master and brethren were to be revoked.^ From this, I think, we 

 may gather that the Templars were still tenaciously clinging to 

 their ancient rights in some parts of the country. 



^Notwithstanding Papal bulls and Eoyal mandates, the Hospitallers 

 found great difficulty in entering into their heritage. Feudal lords 

 were unwilling to allow the lands granted by their ancestors to 

 escheat to any but themselves. Accordingly, a great conference 

 was held in 1324, at which the King, his prelates and nobles, and 

 other great men of the realm were present ; and the matter was laid 

 before them for decision. They agreed that the lords of the fee had 

 a perfect right to retain the Templars' lands as their escheats, but it 

 was decided by the King and his nobles, " for the health of their souls 

 and discharge of their consciences," that, as the Order of Templars 

 was instituted for the defence of Christians and subversion of the 

 enemies of Christ, their lands, &c., should be delivered to other men of 

 most holy religion. It was accordingly enacted that neither the King 

 nor any other lord of the fee had any right or title in such lands, and 



^Mem. Roll, Exch. 7-8 Ed. II, m. 41. 

 - Papal Registers, vol. ii. 



K.l.A. PKOC, VOL. XXVI., SEC. c] 



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