THE ARREST OF THE TEMPLARS IN FRANCE 247
abolished. Philip could not afford to fail. The Templars
were as yet unaware of the exact charges brought before the
Pope, but it was common knowledge that the king had been
launching terrible accusations. If therefore the Templars
were pronounced to be guiltless and the Order survived,
Philip would be an object of bitter enmity to the brethren.
His kingdom might be the price of an unsuccessful attack on
the Temple.
The king therefore was determined that the Order should
be condemned beyond any possibility of doubt. Although
Clement had authorised an investigation, Philip claimed that
it was impossible to wait until an ecclesiastical tribunal had
been summoned. The Templars, said Philip, knowing of
the enquiry that was about to be made, had secretly planned
to take to arms and defy the Pope and the princes of Christen-
dom. There is not the slightest evidence that the Templars
ever considered such a step 5 they had agreed to an enquiry by
the Church and everything shows that they would have
welcomed the chance to defend themselves before the Pope
and put an end to the rumours of their misconduct. Philip,
however, wanted an investigation controlled by himself and in
which the Templars were helpless to make any effective
defence, and he had already determined to seize and imprison
every Templar in the land and possess himself of all their
goods.
Philip was well served throughout his reign, and never
better than in the affair of the Temple. The charge of the
proceedings was given to de Nogaret, and on September I4th
sealed instructions were despatched from the monastery of
Maubuisson, where Philip was in residence, to the royal
seneschals and other trusted officers throughout the kingdom.
The seneschals were ordered to provide themselves with a
strong force of men four weeks later to carry out a task which
might be dangerous. The purpose of this armed force was
explained in a sealed enclosure which the seneschals were