Records are different from opinions. The primary source, the Bull itself,
speaks for itself. You must give contemporary records a different weight
that a précis based on those records deserves. A translation no matter the
skill of the translator, lets the thoughts of the translator creep in.
The Roman Government demanded Temple Tax not belief. Death was a radical way
to collect taxes. Inland Revenue thankfully has not yet learned this
technique.
Philippe IV, le Bel, King of France pushed the Pope to the Council at
Vienne. The King demanded judgement on the Knights Templars. The bishops
refused to judge them without hearing the accused. The French Pope Clement
V, pressured by his King decided "motu proprio"(by his own movement) the
suppression if the Order, by the bull Vox in excelso. We desperately need
the jury system to save us from the oppressions of a berserk executive.
Guy Stair Sainty states
"This rarely given distinction cannot strictly be characterized today as an
Order of Knighthood, but more as an award of honor of the highest possible
standing." This Order was last awarded in 1987. (Their) are no living
Knights of the Papal Supreme Order of Christ.....
The original foundation was actually a religious military Order under the
rule of Saint Benedict, constituted in Portugal by King Denis I on 14 August
1318, confirmed and granted statutory regulation by the Bull Ad ea ex
quibus ...The Order's endowment was established with the surviving estates
of the recently dissolved Order of the Temple, just as in Spain most of
these estates were used to establish the Order of Montesa." End Quote
Sainty goes on to show how the order has evolved. He points out that the
Pope and King can both awards the honour. It is arguable that this
metamorphous may be no more fundamental than the transformation of Templars
to Knights of Christ. Is transformation continuation?
Sinclair
----- Original Message -----
From: "John S. Quarterman" <jsq@quarterman.org>
To: <sinclair@quarterman.org>
Sent: Thursday, February 21, 2002 4:06 AM
Subject: Re: For Glen Cook, demise of the Templars???