CHAPTER XIX
THE TRIAL OF THE TEMPLARS (continued}
THE archbishopric of Sens had become vacant shortly before,
and been reserved by the Pope for his own nominee, Philip,
however, had other views. One of his most trusted ministers,
Enquerrand de Marigny, was the brother of Philip, Bishop
of Cambrai, and the king pressed the claims of this candidate.
The Pope protested that Philip de Marigny was too young
for the honour and lacked the experience, if not the ability, to
succeed to so great an archbishopric j but the papacy had to give
way in this, as in so many other matters, and in April, 1310,
Philip de Marigny was installed in Sens. The importance
of the appointment was that Sens had the Bishop of Paris as
one of his suffragans, and consequently exercised ecclesiastical
jurisdiction over the capital1 The Templars of Paris were
therefore now in the hands of a man entirely in the king's
power. By papal decree, judgment on individual Templars
was left absolutely to local ecclesiastical tribunals. The
implication was that the tribunals of the Church would not
take action until the papal commission had reported, but this
had never been definitely laid down. The best way to stop
the Templars from defending the Order was to terrorise
themj and what could be simpler than to make the Archbishop
of Sens summon a provincial council to condemn the brethren
before they gave evidence to the commission?
Philip de Marigny lost no time in obeying his master's
command. Within a month of his installation as Archbishop
of Sens he summoned his council to meet him at Paris to
decide the guilt of Templars in his province, especially those
1 Sens also embraced Chartres, Orleans and Meaux.
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