Ivanhoe, Walter Scott [the lemonade war series txt] 📗
- Author: Walter Scott
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sad livery, glided to and fro upon the walls with a funereal
pace, resembling spectres more than soldiers. The inferior
officers of the Order were thus dressed, ever since their use of
white garments, similar to those of the knights and esquires, had
given rise to a combination of certain false brethren in the
mountains of Palestine, terming themselves Templars, and bringing
great dishonour on the Order. A knight was now and then seen to
cross the court in his long white cloak, his head depressed on
his breast, and his arms folded. They passed each other, if they
chanced to meet, with a slow, solemn, and mute greeting; for such
was the rule of their Order, quoting thereupon the holy texts,
“In many words thou shalt not avoid sin,” and “Life and death are
in the power of the tongue.” In a word, the stern ascetic rigour
of the Temple discipline, which had been so long exchanged for
prodigal and licentious indulgence, seemed at once to have
revived at Templestowe under the severe eye of Lucas Beaumanoir.
Isaac paused at the gate, to consider how he might seek entrance
in the manner most likely to bespeak favour; for he was well
aware, that to his unhappy race the reviving fanaticism of the
Order was not less dangerous than their unprincipled
licentiousness; and that his religion would be the object of hate
and persecution in the one case, as his wealth would have exposed
him in the other to the extortions of unrelenting oppression.
Meantime Lucas Beaumanoir walked in a small garden belonging to
the Preceptory, included within the precincts of its exterior
fortification, and held sad and confidential communication with a
brother of his Order, who had come in his company from Palestine.
The Grand Master was a man advanced in age, as was testified by
his long grey beard, and the shaggy grey eyebrows overhanging
eyes, of which, however, years had been unable to quench the
fire. A formidable warrior, his thin and severe features
retained the soldier’s fierceness of expression; an ascetic
bigot, they were no less marked by the emaciation of abstinence,
and the spiritual pride of the self-satisfied devotee. Yet with
these severer traits of physiognomy, there was mixed somewhat
striking and noble, arising, doubtless, from the great part which
his high office called upon him to act among monarchs and
princes, and from the habitual exercise of supreme authority over
the valiant and high-born knights, who were united by the rules
of the Order. His stature was tall, and his gait, undepressed by
age and toil, was erect and stately. His white mantle was shaped
with severe regularity, according to the rule of Saint Bernard
himself, being composed of what was then called Burrel cloth,
exactly fitted to the size of the wearer, and bearing on the left
shoulder the octangular cross peculiar to the Order, formed of
red cloth. No vair or ermine decked this garment; but in respect
of his age, the Grand Master, as permitted by the rules, wore his
doublet lined and trimmed with the softest lambskin, dressed with
the wool outwards, which was the nearest approach he could
regularly make to the use of fur, then the greatest luxury of
dress. In his hand he bore that singular “abacus”, or staff of
office, with which Templars are usually represented, having at
the upper end a round plate, on which was engraved the cross of
the Order, inscribed within a circle or orle, as heralds term it.
His companion, who attended on this great personage, had nearly
the same dress in all respects, but his extreme deference towards
his Superior showed that no other equality subsisted between
them. The Preceptor, for such he was in rank, walked not in a
line with the Grand Master, but just so far behind that
Beaumanoir could speak to him without turning round his head.
“Conrade,” said the Grand Master, “dear companion of my battles
and my toils, to thy faithful bosom alone I can confide my
sorrows. To thee alone can I tell how oft, since I came to this
kingdom, I have desired to be dissolved and to be with the just.
Not one object in England hath met mine eye which it could rest
upon with pleasure, save the tombs of our brethren, beneath the
massive roof of our Temple Church in yonder proud capital. O,
valiant Robert de Ros! did I exclaim internally, as I gazed upon
these good soldiers of the cross, where they lie sculptured on
their sepulchres,---O, worthy William de Mareschal! open your
marble cells, and take to your repose a weary brother, who would
rather strive with a hundred thousand pagans than witness the
decay of our Holy Order!”
“It is but true,” answered Conrade Mont-Fitchet; “it is but too
true; and the irregularities of our brethren in England are even
more gross than those in France.”
“Because they are more wealthy,” answered the Grand Master.
“Bear with me, brother, although I should something vaunt myself.
Thou knowest the life I have led, keeping each point of my Order,
striving with devils embodied and disembodied, striking down the
roaring lion, who goeth about seeking whom he may devour, like a
good knight and devout priest, wheresoever I met with him---even
as blessed Saint Bernard hath prescribed to us in the forty-fifth
capital of our rule, ‘Ut Leo semper feriatur’.*
In the ordinances of the Knights of the Temple, this phrase is repeated in a variety of forms, and occurs in almost every chapter, as if it were the signal-word of the Order; which may account for its being so frequently put in the Grand Master’s mouth.But by the Holy Temple! the zeal which hath devoured my substance
and my life, yea, the very nerves and marrow of my bones; by that
very Holy Temple I swear to thee, that save thyself and some few
that still retain the ancient severity of our Order, I look upon
no brethren whom I can bring my soul to embrace under that holy
name. What say our statutes, and how do our brethren observe
them? They should wear no vain or worldly ornament, no crest
upon their helmet, no gold upon stirrup or bridle-bit; yet who
now go pranked out so proudly and so gaily as the poor soldiers
of the Temple? They are forbidden by our statutes to take one
bird by means of another, to shoot beasts with bow or arblast, to
halloo to a hunting-horn, or to spur the horse after game. But
now, at hunting and hawking, and each idle sport of wood and
river, who so prompt as the Templars in all these fond vanities?
They are forbidden to read, save what their Superior permitted,
or listen to what is read, save such holy things as may be
recited aloud during the hours of refaction; but lo! their ears
are at the command of idle minstrels, and their eyes study empty
romaunts. They were commanded to extirpate magic and heresy.
Lo! they are charged with studying the accursed cabalistical
secrets of the Jews, and the magic of the Paynim Saracens.
Simpleness of diet was prescribed to them, roots, pottage,
gruels, eating flesh but thrice a-week, because the accustomed
feeding on flesh is a dishonourable corruption of the body; and
behold, their tables groan under delicate fare! Their drink was
to be water, and now, to drink like a Templar, is the boast of
each jolly boon companion! This very garden, filled as it is
with curious herbs and trees sent from the Eastern climes, better
becomes the harem of an unbelieving Emir, than the plot which
Christian Monks should devote to raise their homely pot-herbs.
---And O, Conrade! well it were that the relaxation of discipline
stopped even here!---Well thou knowest that we were forbidden to
receive those devout women, who at the beginning were associated
as sisters of our Order, because, saith the forty-sixth chapter,
the Ancient Enemy hath, by female society, withdrawn many from
the right path to paradise. Nay, in the last capital, being, as
it were, the cope-stone which our blessed founder placed on the
pure and undefiled doctrine which he had enjoined, we are
prohibited from offering, even to our sisters and our mothers,
the kiss of affection---‘ut omnium mulierum fugiantur oscula’.
—I shame to speak---I shame to think---of the corruptions which
have rushed in upon us even like a flood. The souls of our pure
founders, the spirits of Hugh de Payen and Godfrey de Saint Omer,
and of the blessed Seven who first joined in dedicating their
lives to the service of the Temple, are disturbed even in the
enjoyment of paradise itself. I have seen them, Conrade, in the
visions of the night---their sainted eyes shed tears for the sins
and follies of their brethren, and for the foul and shameful
luxury in which they wallow. Beaumanoir, they say, thou
slumberest---awake! There is a stain in the fabric of the
Temple, deep and foul as that left by the streaks of leprosy on
the walls of the infected houses of old.*
See the 13th chapter of Leviticus.The soldiers of the Cross, who should shun the glance of a woman
as the eye of a basilisk, live in open sin, not with the females
of their own race only, but with the daughters of the accursed
heathen, and more accursed Jew. Beaumanoir, thou sleepest; up,
and avenge our cause!---Slay the sinners, male and female!---Take
to thee the brand of Phineas!---The vision fled, Conrade, but as
I awaked I could still hear the clank of their mail, and see the
waving of their white mantles.---And I will do according to their
word, I WILL purify the fabric of the Temple! and the unclean
stones in which the plague is, I will remove and cast out of the
building.”
“Yet bethink thee, reverend father,” said Mont-Fitchet, “the
stain hath become engrained by time and consuetude; let thy
reformation be cautious, as it is just and wise.”
“No, Mont-Fitchet,” answered the stern old man---“it must be
sharp and sudden---the Order is on the crisis of its fate. The
sobriety, self-devotion, and piety of our predecessors, made us
powerful friends---our presumption, our wealth, our luxury, have
raised up against us mighty enemies.---We must cast away these
riches, which are a temptation to princes---we must lay down that
presumption, which is an offence to them---we must reform that
license of manners, which is a scandal to the whole Christian
world! Or---mark my words---the Order of the Temple will be
utterly demolished---and the Place thereof shall no more be known
among the nations.”
“Now may God avert such a calamity!” said the Preceptor.
“Amen,” said the Grand Master, with solemnity, “but we must
deserve his aid. I tell thee, Conrade, that neither the powers
in Heaven, nor the powers on earth, will longer endure the
wickedness of this generation---My intelligence is sure---the
ground on which our fabric is reared is already undermined, and
each addition we make to the structure of our greatness will only
sink it the sooner in the abyss. We must retrace our steps, and
show ourselves the faithful Champions of the Cross, sacrificing
to our calling, not alone our blood and our lives---not alone our
lusts and our vices---but our ease, our comforts, and our natural
affections, and act as men convinced that many a pleasure which
may be lawful to others, is forbidden to the vowed soldier of the
Temple.”
At this moment a squire, clothed in a threadbare vestment, (for
the aspirants after this holy Order wore during their noviciate
the cast-off garments of the knights,) entered the garden, and,
bowing profoundly before the Grand Master, stood silent, awaiting
his permission ere he presumed to tell his errand.
“Is it not more seemly,” said
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