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Article NOTITIÆ TEMPLARIÆ, No. 4. ← Page 2 of 6 →
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Notitiæ Templariæ, No. 4.
three chargers and one body squire . The Brotherhood of the Templar Convents are forbidden at any time to receive and open letters from their friends , without having first submitted to their priors or superiors . They are prohibited the pastime of hawking , as unsuitable to their profession ; but they are permitted the more serious sport of hunting down the lion , who goeth about continually roaring , seeking whom he may devour .
Article 55 relates to the reception of married members , who are desired to bequeath the greater part of their property to the house of the soldiery of the temple . They are also prohibited to wear the white mantle and vest of the knights . The 58 th head contains regulations concerning the mode of reception of aspirants—secular persons as they are called ; ordaining , that if any knig ht or soldier from amongst the worldlmass of perditionor any secular individual whatsoevershall
y , , appear desirous to renounce the world , and assume the habit of the Order , he shall not at once and immediately be received into their Society , but shall be tried first and examined as to Ms sincerity and fitness , even according to the recommendation of the Apostle , " Try ye the spirits whether they be of God . " The rule of the Brotherhood shall therefore be read over to him
distinctly ; and after having heard and reflected on the same , he shall unequivocally consent to all its provisions , and pledge himself to obey its precepts . The Grand Master and Brethren shall then , if they please , receive him into their body , after having duly gone through the ceremony of his profession before the assembly . The T 2 d and last article of this religious and military rule is a curious contrast to the precepts and principles enjoined on the " preux
chevaliers , " the gay gallants of the orders of romantic chivalry : — " We deem it dangerous to all religion , " quoth the code , " to look too stedfastly on the face of womankind . Wherefore let no Brother presume to kiss a woman , whether she be widow or maid , mother or sister , or any other female . Let the soldiery of the Cross shun all ladies' lips , through which things mankind are wont to be endangered . " Shades of Ariosto and Tasso!—chivalrous spirit of the gentle Spenser!—never in this
world could ye have swallowed such a pill , even had ye got down all the rest with a wry face . Of the working of these regulations , a better idea cannot be presented than in the following portraiture of the interior of the Temple , by the
holy abbot of Clairvaux himself , the framer of the rule , as has been said . " They live together in an agreeable but frugal manner , without wives or children , or having any thing in property to themselves , even so much as their own will . They are never rambling abroad , nor idle ; and when they are not in the field marching against the infidels , they are either fitting up their arms and the harness of their horses ., or else employing themselves in pious exercises by order of their superiors . An
insolent expression , an immoderate laughter , the least murmur , does not pass without a severe correction . They detest cards and dice ; they are never allowed thc diversion of hunting , or useless visits ; they abominate all shows , drolleries , discourses , or songs of a loose nature ; they bathe but seldom ; are generally in an undress ; their face burnt with the sun , and their look grave and solemn . When they are entering into an engagement they arm themselves with faith within and steel without , having no ornaments either upon their dress or upon the accoutrements of their horses : their arms are their only finery , and they make use of
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Notitiæ Templariæ, No. 4.
three chargers and one body squire . The Brotherhood of the Templar Convents are forbidden at any time to receive and open letters from their friends , without having first submitted to their priors or superiors . They are prohibited the pastime of hawking , as unsuitable to their profession ; but they are permitted the more serious sport of hunting down the lion , who goeth about continually roaring , seeking whom he may devour .
Article 55 relates to the reception of married members , who are desired to bequeath the greater part of their property to the house of the soldiery of the temple . They are also prohibited to wear the white mantle and vest of the knights . The 58 th head contains regulations concerning the mode of reception of aspirants—secular persons as they are called ; ordaining , that if any knig ht or soldier from amongst the worldlmass of perditionor any secular individual whatsoevershall
y , , appear desirous to renounce the world , and assume the habit of the Order , he shall not at once and immediately be received into their Society , but shall be tried first and examined as to Ms sincerity and fitness , even according to the recommendation of the Apostle , " Try ye the spirits whether they be of God . " The rule of the Brotherhood shall therefore be read over to him
distinctly ; and after having heard and reflected on the same , he shall unequivocally consent to all its provisions , and pledge himself to obey its precepts . The Grand Master and Brethren shall then , if they please , receive him into their body , after having duly gone through the ceremony of his profession before the assembly . The T 2 d and last article of this religious and military rule is a curious contrast to the precepts and principles enjoined on the " preux
chevaliers , " the gay gallants of the orders of romantic chivalry : — " We deem it dangerous to all religion , " quoth the code , " to look too stedfastly on the face of womankind . Wherefore let no Brother presume to kiss a woman , whether she be widow or maid , mother or sister , or any other female . Let the soldiery of the Cross shun all ladies' lips , through which things mankind are wont to be endangered . " Shades of Ariosto and Tasso!—chivalrous spirit of the gentle Spenser!—never in this
world could ye have swallowed such a pill , even had ye got down all the rest with a wry face . Of the working of these regulations , a better idea cannot be presented than in the following portraiture of the interior of the Temple , by the
holy abbot of Clairvaux himself , the framer of the rule , as has been said . " They live together in an agreeable but frugal manner , without wives or children , or having any thing in property to themselves , even so much as their own will . They are never rambling abroad , nor idle ; and when they are not in the field marching against the infidels , they are either fitting up their arms and the harness of their horses ., or else employing themselves in pious exercises by order of their superiors . An
insolent expression , an immoderate laughter , the least murmur , does not pass without a severe correction . They detest cards and dice ; they are never allowed thc diversion of hunting , or useless visits ; they abominate all shows , drolleries , discourses , or songs of a loose nature ; they bathe but seldom ; are generally in an undress ; their face burnt with the sun , and their look grave and solemn . When they are entering into an engagement they arm themselves with faith within and steel without , having no ornaments either upon their dress or upon the accoutrements of their horses : their arms are their only finery , and they make use of