64 THE KNIGHTS TEMPLARS
whom he may devour, and his hands are against everyone
and everyone's hands are against him ", Apparently fearful
that the members of the Order would have their faith
weakened by arguments on religion, the brethren are enjoined
to report to ** faithful judges and such as love the truth >*
and seek advice from them if questions are put regarding
religious matters.
The Temple, with its double function, says the Ruie,** that
is, the union of war and religion—was begun under divine
providence, so that religion might be defended by war and
the enemy be struck down without sin w, and the Rule decrees
that the Order may have lands and men and demand the
usual services due to a seigneur.
Sick brethren are to receive special care, ** as though the
sick man were Christ himself, remembering the words of the
Gospel, * I was sick, and ye visited me *w. Those who attend
the sick are to give them a whatever is needful for their
particular ailments, according to the resources of the house,
for example, flesh and fowls and such like>?. Old men are
also to receive special treatment, and <c are not to be kept
short of such things as may be necessary for the comfort of
their bodies". (Templars who were incapacitated per-
manently by wounds or disease or had grown too feeble for
war were sometimes accommodated in special preceptories in
Europe, and the serving brethren were taught to treat them
with great respect.)
Women are not allowed to live in the houses of the
Temple " because the ancient enemy has drawn many from
the path to Paradise through the company of women *\ But
if a married brother wishes to join the Order, he and his wife
may be received in one of the preceptories. The husband
and wife are to grant to the Temple their respective portions
of property and whatever they may afterwards acquire. They
must seek to live worthily, as though they were members of
the fraternity, but they may not wear the white mantle of