THE TEMPLARS. 283 Although Clement declared in his bulls to Europe that Philippe had manifested his disinterestedness by surrendering all the Tem- plar property, the question was one which gave rise to a good deal of skilful fencing on both sides. It is not worth while to pursue the affair in its details, but we shall see how in the end Philippe successfully cheated his partner in the game and retained the con- trol which he apparently gave up.* The rival powers having thus come to an understanding about their victims, proceedings were resumed with fresh energy. Clem- ent made up for his previous hesitation with ample show of zeal. De Molay and the chief officials with him were detained at Chinon until the middle of August, when the Cardinals of SS. Nereo and Achille, of S. Ciriaco and of S. Angelo, were sent thither to ex- amine them. These reported, August 20, to Philippe, that on the 17th and following days they had interrogated the Grand Master, the Master of Cyprus, the Visitor of France, and the Preceptors of Normandy and Poitou, who had confirmed their previous confes- sions and had humbly asked for absolution and reconciliation, which had been duly given them, and the king is asked to pardon them. There are two things noteworthy in this which illustrate the duplicity pervading the whole affair. In the papal bulls of August 12, five davs before this examination was commenced, its results are fully set forth, with the assertion that the confessions were free and spontaneous. Moreover, when, in November, 1309, this bull was read over by the papal commission to de Molay, on hearing: its recital of Avhat he was said to have confessed he was stupefied, and, crossing himself twice, said he wished to God the
- Bull. Faciensmisericordiam.—RsLynaAd. aim. 1309, No. 3.— Du Puy, pp. 64-5,
86-88, 127, 207-9.— Proces des Templiers I. 50-2.— Raynouard, p. 47.— Regest. Clement. PP. V. T. IV. pp. 433-4. Clement appointed six curators in France to look after the property for the Holy See. By letters of January 5, 1309, he gave them an allowance from the Templai property of forty sous parisis of good money each for every night which they might have to spend away from home, at the same time cautioning them that they must not fraudulently leave their houses without necessity (Regest. T. IV. p. 439). A brief of January 28, 1310, transferring from the Bishop of Vaison to the canon, Gerard de Bussy, the custody of certain Templar houses, shows that Clement succeeded in obtaining possession of a portion (lb. T. V. p. 56).
