ea subsequently revoking a confession of guilt, wrung from him J^UH n» by this description of torment, says to the commissary of police, ^""jS*/ . before whom he was brought to be examined, " They held me so long before a fierce fire that the flesh was burnt off my heels, two pieces of bone came away, which 1 present to you."* Another Templar, ou publicly revoking his confession, declared that four of his teeth were drawn out, and that be confessed himself guilty to save the reniainder.f Others of the fraternity deposed to the infliction on them of the most revolting and indecent torments ;J and, in addition to all this, it appears that forged letters from the Grand Master were shown to the prisoners, exhorting them to confess themselves guilty. Many of the Templars were accordingly compelled to acknowledge whatever was required of them, and to plead guilty to the commission of crimes which in the previous interrogatories they had positively denied.§ These violent proceedings excited the astonishment and amazement of Europe. On the 20th of November, the king of England summoned the seneschal of Agen to his presence, and examined him concerning the truth of the horrible charges preferred against the Templars; and on the 4th of December the English monarch wrote letters to the kings of Portugal, Castile, Aragon, and Sicily, to the following effect : " To the magnificent prince the Lord Dionysius, by the grace of God the illustrious king of Portugal, his very dear friend Edward, by the same grace king of England, &c. Health and prosperity. * Ostendena duo oaaa quod dicebat ilia ease quae ceciderunt de tal» suis. Protetta* contra Temptarioe. Baynouard Monumens Historiques, p. 73, ed. 1813. τ In quibus tormentia diocbal se quatuor dentcs pcrdidiasc. lb. p. 35. ï Fuit quietjtiouibus ponderibus appcnsia in genitalibus, ct in atiis membris usque ad exanimationem. Ib. § Très dea Chart. TXMPLUERS, cart, 3, n. 20. ι