confessions and avowals of the Templars to be read over before the assembled nobles'and prelates, and then moved the supprcs-Λ, „. i3is. sion of an order wherein had been discovered such crying iniquities and sinful abominations ; but the entire council, with the exception of an Italian prelate, nephew of the pope, and the three French bishops of Hheims, Sens, and Rouen, all creatures of Philip, who had severally condemned large bodies of Templars to be burnt at the stake in their respective dioceses, were unanimously of opinion, that before the suppression of so celebrated and illustrious an order, which had rendered such great and signal services to the christian faith, the members belonging to it ought to be heard in their own defence.* Such a proceeding, however, did not suit the views of the pope and king Philip, and the assembly was abruptly dismissed by the holy pontiff, who declared that since they were unwilling to adopt the necessary measures, he himself, ont of the plenitude of the papal authority, would supply every defect. Accordingly, at the commencement of the following year, the pope summoned a private consistory ; and several cardinals and French bishops having been gained over, the holy pontiff abolished the order by an apostolical ordinance, perpetually prohibiting every one from thenceforth entering into it, or accepting or wearing the habit thereof, or representing themselves to be Templars, on pain of excomniunication.t On the 3rd of April, the second session of the council was opened by the pope at Vienne. King Philip and his three sons * Ut det Tempïariie audientiarn siYe defenafoncm. In hac aentenii concordant omncsprrclati Italia; pnctcr unum, Hispanla?, Thcutonise, Dania?, Anglian, Scotûn, Ilibenda!, etc, etc, ex aecund. vit. Clem. V. p. 43.—Uamald ad ann. 1311, n. in. Waiwingham\ p. 99. Antiq, BrUann^ p. *210. t ΜιιταίοτΆ collect, toni. ili. p. 448 ; tore. x. col. 377. Λ/βτίβιι». torn. iii. p. 137-Raynouari, p. 191,192. τ 2