290 POLITICAL HERESY,— TIIE STATE. At length the commission succeeded in securing the presence of de Molay, of Hngues de Peraud, and of some of the brethren confined in Paris. De Molay said he was not wise and learned enough to defend the Order, but he would hold himself vile and miserable if he did not attempt it. Yet he was a prisoner and penniless ; he had not four deniers to spend, and only a poor serv- ing brother with whom to advise ; he prayed to have aid and coun- sel, and he would do his best. The commissioners reminded him that trials for heresy were not conducted according to legal forms, that advocates were not admitted, and they cautioned him as to the risk he incurred in defending the Order after the confession which he had made. Kindly they read over to him the report of the cardinals as to his confession at Chinon ; and on his manifest- ing indignation and astonishment, Guillaume de Plaisian, who seems to have been watching the proceedings on the part of the king, gave him, as we have already seen, another friendly caution which closed his lips. He asked for delay, and when he reap- peared Guillaume de Xogaret was there to take advantage of any imprudence. From the papal letters which had been read to him he learned that the pope had reserved him and the other chiefs of the Order for special judgment, and he therefore asked to have the opportunity of appearing before the papal tribunal without delay. The shrewdness of this device thus made itself apparent. It separated the leaders from the rest ; de Molay, Hugues de Pe- raud, and Geoffroi de Gonneville were led to hope for special con- sideration, and selfishly abandoned their followers. As for the brethren, their answers to the commission were substantiallv that of Geraud de Caux — he was a simple knight, without horse, arms, or land ; he knew not how, and could not defend the Order.* By this time Philippe seems to have been satisfied that no harm could come from the operations of the commission. His op- position disappeared, and he graciously lent them his assistance. November 28, a second summons was sent to the bishops threaten- ing them with papal indignation for a continuance of their neglect, and, what was far more efficacious, it was accompanied with orders from Philippe directing his jailers to afford to the episcopal offi- cials access to the imprisoned Templars, while the baillis were
- Procfcs, I. 28, 29, 41-5, 88.
