The History of the Holy War, Book 5 · Chapter 3 – Chapter 4
Chap. 3. A moderate way what is to be conceived of the suppression of the Templars.
BEtwixt the two extremities of those that count these Templars either Malefactours or Martyrs, some find a middle way; whose verdict we will parcel into these severall particulars.
1. No doubt there were many novices and punies amongst them, newly admitted into their Order; which if at all, were little guiltie; for none can be fledge in wickednesse at their first hatching: To these much merciemercy belonged: The punishing of others might have been an admonition to them; and crueltie it was, where there were degrees of offenses, to inflict the same punishment, and to put all of them to death.
2. Surely many of them were most hainous offenders. Not to speak what they deserved from God (who needeth not pick a quarrel with man, but alwayes hath a just controversie with him) they are accounted notorious transgressours of humane laws: yet perchance if the same candle had been lighted to search, as much dust and dirt might have been found in other Orders.
3. They are *Urspergens. Paralip. fol. 368.conceived in generall to be guiltlesse and innocent from those damnable sinnes wherewith they were charged:Antoninus, tit. 21. cap. 1. §. 3. Which hainous offenses were laid against them, either because men out of modestie and holy horrour should be ashamed and afraid to dive deep in searching the ground-work and bottome of these accusations, but rather take them to be true on the credit of the accusers; or that the world might the more easily be induced to beleeve the crimes objected to be true, as conceiving otherwise none would be so devilish as to lay such devilish offenses to their charge; or lastly, if the crimes were not beleeved in the totall summe, yet if credited in some competent portion, the least particular should be enough to do the deed, and to make them odious in the world.
4. The chief cause of their ruine was their extraordinary wealth: They were feared of many, envied of more, loved of none. As Naboths vineyard was the chiefest ground for his blasphemie; and as in England, *Cambdens Brit. in Bedfordshire.Cornwall Lord Fanhop said merrily, That not he, but his stately house at Ampthill in Bedfordshire, was guiltie of high treason: so certainly their wealth was the principall evidence against them, and cause of their overthrow. It is quarrel and cause enough, to bring a sheep that is fat to the shambles. We may beleeve King Philip would never have took away their lives if he might have took their lands without putting them to death: but the mischief was, he could not get the hony unlesse he burnt the bees.
Some will say, The Hospitallers had great, yea, greater revenues, nineteen thousand Mannors to the Templars nine thousand; yet none envied their wealth. It is true: but then they busied themselves in defending of Christendome, maintaining the Island of Rhodes against the Turks, as the Teutonick order defended Spruce-land against the Tartarian; the world therefore never grudged them great wages who did good work. These were accounted necessarie members of Christendome, the Templars esteemed but a superfluous wenne; they lay at rack and manger and did nothing: who had they betook themselves to any honourable employment, to take the Turks to task either in Europe or Asia, their happinesse had been lesse repined at, and their overthrow more lamented. And certain it is, that this their idlenesse disposed them for other vices; as standing waters are most subject to putrifie.
I heare one *Ioach. Stephanus, De jurisdictione, lib. …. cap. 10 §. 18.bird sing a different note from all the rest in the wood; namely, that what specious shews soever were pretended, the true cause of their ruine was, that they began to desert the Pope and adhere to the Emperour. If this was true, no doubt they were deeply guiltie, and deserved the hard measure they suffered. Sure I am, how-ever at this time they might turn edge, they had formerly been true blades for his Holinesse.
All Europe followed the copie that France had set them. Here in England King Edward the second of that name, suppressed the Order, and put them to death; So by vertue of a writ sent from him to Sir John Wogan, Lord chief Justice in Ireland, were they served there; and such was the secrecie of the contrivance of the businesse, that the storm fell upon them before they saw it, and all crannies were so closely stopped that none could steal a glimpse of the mischief intended against them.
In Germanie they found some merciemercy and milder dealing:1311 for *Hospin. De orig. Mon. cap. 18. fol. 193.Hugh Wildgrave coming with twenty of his Order all in armour into a Councel of Dutch Bishops, who intended to execute the sentence of the Pope upon them, there protested his innocencie, and appealed to the next Pope who should succeed Clement, as to his competent judge. Hereupon their lives were spared; onelyonly they were forced to renounce the name of Templars, and to enter themselves into other Orders; chiefly of Hospitallers and Teutonicks, on whom their lands were bestowed. We will conclude all with that resolution of a *Hieronimo Romano, De la republica Christ. lib. 7. cap. 6. Et Pero Mexya, De la silva de varia lici…n. lib. 2. cap. 5.brace of Spanish writers, who make this epilogue to this wofull tragedie; Concerning these Templars, whether they were guiltie or not, let us suspend our censure till the day of judgement; and then and no sooner shall we certainly be informed therein.
Chap. 4. Of the Teutonick Order; When they left Palestine, and on what conditions they were entertained in Prussia; Their Order at last dissolved.
FRequent mention hath been formerly made of the Teutonick Order, or that of Dutch Knights, who behaved themselves right valiantly clean through the Holy warre: And, which foundeth much to their honour, they cannot be touched either for treason or faction, but were both loyall and peaceable in the whole service.
But at last they perceived, that by the course of the cards they must needs rise losers if they continued the warre in the Holy land, and even resolved to abandon it. It happened at the same time, that Conrade Duke of Mazovia offered them most honourable conditions; namely, the enjoying of Prussia, on condition they would defend it against the Infidels which annoyed it. Indeed the fratres gladiferi, or sword-bearing brothers, brave slashing lads, undertook that task: but finding either their arms too weak, or swords too blunt to strike through their enemies, they imployed the aid of, and conjoyned themselves to this Teutonick Order. Hereupon, in the yeare of our Lord 1239, Hermannus de Saltza, fourth Master of these Dutch Knights, came with most of his Order into Prussia; yet so that he left a competent number of them still in Palestine, which continued and did good service there even to the taking of Ptolemais.
But the greater number of these Dutch Knights, in Prussia did knight-service against the Tartarians, and were Christendomes best bank against the inundations of those barbarous people. By their endeavours the Prussians, which before were but heathen-Christians, were wholly converted; many a brave citie builded, specially Marienburg, where formerly a great oak stood; (who would think so many beautifull buildings would spring out of the root of one tree?) and those countreys of Prussia and Livonia, which formerly were the course list, are now become the rich fringe of Europe.
At last the Prussians grew weary of the tyrannous oppression of those Dutch Knigh… (as appeareth by the grievances they presented) and applied themselves to Casimire King of Poland. He took to task Lewis Erlinsufe the Master of their Order; and so ordered him, that whereas before he pleaded himself to be a free Prince of the Empire, hereafter he should acknowledge the King of Poland for his Lord and Master. The successours to this Lewis fretted against this agreement, as prejudiciall to them: They could do no lesse then complain, and could do little more; for the King of Poland in spite of their resistance held them to their agreements.
Albert of the house of Brandenburg was the last grand Master of this Order, and first Duke of Prussia. He brake the vow of their Order, losing his virginitie to keep his chastitie, and married Dorothie daughter to the King of Denmark. The other Teutonicks protested against him, and chose Gualther Croneberg in his room: Yea, Albert was proscribed in a Diet in Germanie, and his goods confiscated, but the proscription never executed, the Emperour of Germanie being the same time employed in matters of greater moment which more nearly concerned himself. And thus in this Albert, for ought we can find to the contrarie, the Teutonick Order had its end, and was quite dissolved.