326 POLITICAL HERESY. — THE STATE. offers of pardon for retraction, and bearing their torment with a composure which won for them the reputation of martyrs among the people, who reverently collected their ashes as relics. It re- mained for a modern apologist of the Church to declare that their intrepid self-sacrifice proved them to be champions of the devil. In their death they triumphed over their persecutor and atoned for the pusillanimity with which they had abandoned those com- mitted to their guidance. Hugues de Peraud and the Master of Aquitaine lacked courage to imitate them, accepted their penance, and perished miserably in their dungeons. Eaimbaud de Caron, the Preceptor of Cyprus, had doubtless been already released by death.* The fact that in little more than a month Clement died in tor- ment of the loathsome disease known as lupus, and that in eight months Philippe, at the early age of forty-six, perished by an acci- dent while hunting, necessarily gave rise to the legend that de Mo- lay had cited them before the tribunal of God. Such stories were rife among the people, whose sense of justice had been scandalized by the whole affair. Even in distant Germany Philippe's death was spoken of as a retribution for his destruction of the Templars, and Clement was described as shedding tears of remorse on his death-bed for three great crimes, the poisoning of Henry YI. and the ruin of the Templars and Beguines. An Italian contemporary, papalist in his leanings, apologizes for introducing a story of a wandering outcast Templar carried from Xaples to the presence of Clement, bearding him to his face, condemned to the stake, and from the flames summoning him and Philippe to the judgment- seat of God within the year, which was marvellously fulfilled.
- Raynald. ami. 1313, No. 39.— Raynouard, pp. 205-10.— Contin. Guill. Nan-
giac. arm. 1313. — Joaun. de S.Victor. (Bouquet, XXI. 658). — Chron. Ad on. (Bou- quet, XXI. 143).— Godefroy de Paris v. 6033-6129.— Villain Chron. vm. 92.— Chron. Cornel. Zantfliet ann. 1310 (Martene Ampl. Coll. V. 160). — Trithem. Chron. Hirsaug. ann. 1307.— Pauli ^Euiylii de Reb. Gest, Franc. Ed. 1569, p. 421. — Van Os, p. 111. In his haste Philippe did not stop to inquire as to his rights over the Isle des Juifs. It happened that the monks of St. Germain des Pr&s claimed haute et basse justice there, and they promptly complained that they were wronged by the execution, whereupon Philippe issued letters declaring that it should work no prejudice to them (Olim, II. 599).
