28O THE KNIGHTS TEMPLARS
from their prisons and transported towards Poitiers.
Whether Clement did not wish to meet men with whom
he had been on terms of close friendship but whom he had so
treacherously sacrificed, or whether Philip was determined
that de Molay and the other dignitaries should have no
chance of moving the Pope by their appeals is uncertain.
Whatever the reason, the Grand Master and his companions
were not brought before the Pope. They were stopped at
Chinon, only a short journey from Poitiers, on the ground
that their health was too feeble to permit them to continue
the journey and submit to a papal examination. The
cardinals, Berenger de Fredol and Stephen de Suizi, who had
been Clement's legates to Paris, were sent to take the deposi-
tions of the dignitaries. All of them acknowledged before
the cardinals that on their entry into the Order they had
denied Jesus Christ. Hugh de Payraud, who had confessed
to all the crimes before William of Paris but had later
retracted his avowals before Berenger and Stephen in Paris,
now reverted to his original testimony. He admitted all
the charges, including the adoration of an idol in chapter.
The legates reported the result of their examination to the
Pope, and added that, as they had seemed sincerely repentant
and as they had confessed their crimes, the great officers had
been given absolution and admitted to communion. In a
letter to Philip the cardinals begged that the king would
extend leniency to men who were so contrite and humble.
Heresy belonged absolutely to the Church, and it is strange
that two cardinals should appeal to a secular prince regarding
the treatment of heretics.
The confessions of de Molay and the other leaders at
Chinon and the avowals of most of the seventy-two Templars
at Poitiers had been made before representatives of the
Church, but royal officers had also been present and the
prisoners knew that they were still under the control of
Philip. Clement did not wish to investigate the circum-