On the Extinction of the Order of the Templars

...might be bound original: "vincirent," completed from the previous page's catchword "mine" which likely began a word like "vincimine", yet in the midst of this, very few remained steadfast in their confessions. For when they were brought before the public for the purpose of repeating openly what they had confessed in private, many indeed recanted their words original: "cecinere palinodiam," literally to sing a song of retraction, charging that force and fear had been used against them. Hence we read that on one and the same day—specifically the 12th of May, 1310 original: "4. nim. Idus Maji," the fourth day before the Ides of May—because of this revocation and their constant assertion of the Order’s purity, fifty-four Templars Members of the Catholic military order founded to protect pilgrims to the Holy Land. were handed over to the flames and burned in Paris. Raynaldus, Annals for the year 1310. Meanwhile, regarding the Germans and other nations, no writer whose works have come into my hands contends or affirms that these violent means were used to elicit confessions from the Templars. Concerning the tortures and various cruelties applied by Philip, King of France original: "Galliarum Rege", see Brouwer and Masenius, Annals of Trier, book 17, for the year 1313; Gottfried’s Chronicle for the year 1307; and Antoninus, part 3 of the Histories, folio 111.

Pope Clement V had proclaimed a certain council to be held at Vienne on the Rhone in France; but because so many and such great difficulties arose in the investigation already underway, he postponed it to the following year on the advice of the Cardinals. He issued encyclical letters Formal letters sent by the Pope to be circulated among all the bishops of the Church. to all Archbishops and Bishops, by which they were commanded to appear at this future Council. Letters were also sent to the Kings: Philip the Fair of France, Edward [II] of England, Robert of Sicily, James of Aragon, Ferdinand of Castile and León, James of the Balearic Islands, Louis of Navarre, Denis of Portugal, Charles of Hungary, Henry [VII] of the Romans, Haakon original: "Aqvinum" of Norway, Henry of Cyprus, Frederick of Sicily original: "Trinacriæ," an ancient Greek name for Sicily meaning "three-pointed", as well as the Kings of Denmark and Sweden. In these letters, the Roman Pontiff likewise requested that they should be willing to come at the proper time for the convening of the Council of Vienne. See Raynaldus, Annals for the year 1310. In the bo— original: "In li-", likely continuing as "In libris" (In the books) or a similar reference on the following page.