332 THE KNIGHTS TEMPLARS
supported Clement's proposal that the Temple should be
condemned without being called to defend itself. The
remainder of the Italian and French ecclesiastics and the
bishops of Spain, Germany, England, Scotland and Ireland,
while not affirming the innocence of the Order, claimed that
the Templars ought to be heard before judgment was passed.
Several bishops pointed out that the charges had not been
proved except in France, and that it was unfair to abolish an
organisation so renowned, so long-established, and so useful
to Christianity on the report of an examination in a single
country* Clement replied that the Order had been cited, and
that no defenders had come forward at Paris. This piece of
special pleading was too obviously absurd to be taken
seriously for the council was aware that the seven hundred
defenders in Paris had been compelled to withdraw their
retractions and that their representatives, de Boulogne and
de Pruino, had been victimised. The council insisted there-
fore that the Templars should again be cited to appear in
defence of the Order.
Seven Knights Templars, later joined bv two others,
answered the summons in November, Between 1,500 and
a,ooo Templars had, they said, found refuge in the hills
near Lyons and were willing to defend the Temple against
its accusers. This unexpected complication aroused Clement's
indignation. He could not have been ignorant that some of
the brethren were still at liberty, but had probably thought
that the number was much smaller and that the refugees
would not dare to put in a defence. He pretended to be
alarmed for his own safety and increased his guard lest an
attempt should be made to assassinate him. As for the
Templars who had been rash enough to offer themselves as
defenders, the Pope ordered them to be arrested and kept in
close custody. The council was highly dissatisfied at this
treatment and begged that the Templars should be released
and allowed to give their testimony. Clement could not