THE SUPPRESSION OF THE TEMPLE       329
Mary was no more a virgin than his own mother. He was
also stated to have professed himself mightier than Christ
since he could make poor men rich and powerful and cast
down the greatest princes, whereas Christ had to remain lowly
and despised.
As this amazing process continued, Clement became vastly
alarmed. He had chosen the form of the tribunal and, if he
wished, he could probably, whatever the evidence, ensure that
Boniface was declared innocent. He would, however, then
have to settle with Philip the Fair, the weight of whose hand
he had so often felt. Yet if Boniface were condemned, it
would be a tremendous blow to the papacy. The belief in
the infallibility of the Pope was not directly affected since, if
Boniface were in fact condemned, the Church would claim
that he had been irregularly elected to the tiara and was not
a true pontiff j but should Philip succeed in his process against
a dead Pope, he might next proceed against a living one.
Clement foresaw that, if any further disagreement broke out
between him and the king, Philip would certainly threaten
to arraign him as he had done Boniface. Many people held
that Clement himself was illegally called to lead the Church,
and his bestowal of ecclesiastical appointments and other
things during his tenancy of the papal chair would not stand
examination.
Something had to be done to stop further evidence from
being tendered, but Clement had little hope of moving
Philip. To everyone's surprise, however, the king suddenly
agreed not to press for the condemnation of Boniface. The
reason for Philip's withdrawal is obscure. Pressure may have
been brought to bear by other princes, but Philip was not a
king who usually let himself be affected by the opinions of
his fellow-rulers. It is much more probable that he con-
sented to abandon the charges against Boniface in return for
Clement's undertaking to crush the Temple. That under-
taking had indeed already been given, but since Clement's