THE KNIGHTS AT THE TEMPLE

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 569, 23 January 1929, Page 7

THE KNIGHTS AT THE TEMPLE

Between Fleet Street and the Thames stretches the Temple, like a walled village adjoining the City of London. There stands the historic Temple Church with its monuments of the Crusaders, for it is eight hundred years old. All these centuries ago the Temple was the headquarters in England of the Knights Templars. This romantic Order commenced as nine knights, who vowed themselves to personal poverty and devoted their lives to protecting the pilgrims journeying to Jerusalem. But soon the company became the most powerful body in Europe, for though the members might forgo their private fortunes, the wealth of the Order was immense. In this country alone they had dozens of “preeeptories,” and owned an amazing number of villages, hamlets, manors and farms. All these brought riches, and the Templars were exempted from many of the taxes that other people had to pay. Kings have sojourned in the home of the brave knights at the Temple: John was resident there when the barons extorted Magna Charta from him. In those troublous times, too. it was sanctuary, and many entrusted their riches to its safe-keeping. Richard I. adopted the disguise of a Knight Templar when, seeking a quick way across Europe from the scene of , the Crusades, he. was treacherously captured by the Duke of Austria. But early in the fourteenth century this order of military monks came to grief, a.nd not long afterwards the Temple became the abode of the lawyers, who have stayed there ever since. SCHOOLBOY HOWLERS The Crusaders were a wild and savage race until Peter the Hermit preached to them. The modern name for Gaul is vinegar. “The Complete Angler” is another name for Euclid, because he wrote all about angles. The two races living in the north of Europe are the Esquimaux and the Archangels. The king carried his sepulchre in his hand. The battle of Trafalgar was fought on the seas: therefore, it is sometimes called the battle of Waterloo.