THE TRIAL OF THE TEMPLARS IN ENGLAND    289
protected and respected the teachings of the Church and of
our religion, a religion which is true, good and right. . . .
We invite all Christians (except our enemies and traducers)
to come forward and speak of our conduct. We are
unlettered men, and if, because of our ignorance, we have said
or done anything culpable, we are ready to submit ourselves
to the Holy Church and suffer for our deficiencies like Him
who suffered on the Cross. We beseech you, for the love
of God and as you hope for salvation, to judge us as you
will be judged before God."
This declaration was highly disagreeable to the tribunal.
Instructions were issued that the Templars should again be
subjected to torture and kept in stricter confinement to remove
their obstinacy. Only two brothers and one priest were
induced, by torture or bribes, to give the guilty testimony
which the tribunal was so anxious to receive. Stephen de
Stapelbrugge deposed on June 23rd that on his entry into the
Temple he had been told to deny Jesus Christ and spit on the
cross. Stephen denied Christ—with his mouth, not in his
heart—and spat beside a crucifix. He declared that he had
renounced his errors and he begged the mercy of the Church.
Two days later Thomas Tocci de Thoroldsby deposed that
Templars were forbidden to confess to priests outside the
Order. He denied all the other charges 5 but four days later,
after torture had been applied, he made a new confession,
He admitted that he had renounced Christ and spat beside
the cross. He had been told to spit on the figure of the
Virgin Mary, but, while appearing to do so, he had actually
kissed her foot! The Master of the Temple had often said
in his presence that Jesus Christ was not divine and that
Moslems were better than Christians. Thomas further
stated that in Palestine the Templars favoured the Moslems
and opposed the Christians and that priestly functions were
exercised by laymen in the Order. On July ist John de
Stoke, a chaplain, deposed that some time after his reception
s