Mackey A G - Encylopedia of Freemasonry - The Grand Masonic ...

406, KNIGHTS
KNIGHTS
men, not of noble birth, but of wealth and
high position were found among the serving
brethren. They fought in the field under the
knights, and performed at home the menial
offices of the household . At first there was
but one class of them, but afterward they
were divided into two-the Brethren-at-Arms
and the Handicraft Brethren . The former were
the soldiers of the Order . The latter, who were
the most esteemed, remained in the Preceptories,
and exercised their various trades, such
as those of farriers, armorers, etc. The reception
of the serving brethren did not differ,
except in some necessary particulars, from
that of the knights . They were, however, by
the accident of their birth, precluded from promotion
out of their class .
Besides these three classes there was a
fourth-not, however, living in the bosom of
the Order-who were called Afliati or the
Affiliated . These were persons of various
ranks and of both sexes, who were recognized
by the Order, though not openly connected
with it, as entitled to its protection and admitted
to a participation in some of its privileges,
sueh as protection from the interdicts
of the Church, which did not apply to the
members of the Order.
There was also a class called Donates or
Donats. These were either youths whom
their parents destined for the service of the
Order when they had attained the proper age
or adults who had bound themselves to aid
and assist the Order so long as they lived,
solely from their admiration of it, and a desire
to share its honors .
Over these presided the Grand Master, more
usually styled, in the early days of the Order,
simply the Master of the Temple. In the
treaty of peace executed in 1178, between the
Templars and the Hospitalers, Odo de St .
Armand calls himself "Humble Master of the
Order of the Temple ." But in after times this
spirit of humility was lost sight of, and the
title of Grand Master was generally accorded
to him . His allowances were suitable to the
distinguished rank he held, for in the best days
of the Order the Grand Master was considered
as the equal of a sovereign .
The Grand Master resided originally at
Jerusalem ; afterward, when that city was
lost, at Acre, and finally at Cyprus. His duty
always required him to be in the Holy Land ;
he consequently never resided in Europe . He
was elected for life from among the knights in
the following manner : On the death of the
Grand Master, a Grand Prior was chosen to
administer the affairs of the Order until a successor
could be elected . When the day which
had been appointed for the election arrived
the Chapter usually assembled at the chief
seat of the Order ; three or more of the most
esteemed knights were then proposed ; the
Grand Prior collected the votes, and he who
had received the greatest number was nominated
to be the electing Prior . An Assistant
was then associated with him, in the person
of another knight . These two remained all
night in the chapel, engaged in prayer . In the
morning, they chose two others, and these
four, two more, and so on until the number of
twelve (that of the apostles) had been selected
. The twelve then selected a Chaplain .
The thirteen then proceeded to vote for a
Grand Master, who was elected by a majority
of the votes. When the election was completed,
it was announced to the assembled brethren ;
and when all had promised obedience, the
Prior, if the person was present, said to him
" In the name of God the Father, the Son, and
the Holy Ghost, we have chosen, and do
choose thee, Brother N ., to be our Master."
Then, turning to the brethren, he said, " Beloved
Sirs and Brethren, give thanks unto
God ; behold here our Master." The Chaplains
then chanted the Te Deum ; and the
brethren, taking their new Master in their
arms, carried him into the chapel and placed
him before the altar, where he continued
kneeling, while the brethren prayed, and the
Chaplains repeated the Kyrie Eleison, the
Paten Noster, and other devotional exercises .
Next in rank to the Grand Master was the
Seneschal, who was his representative and
lieutenant. Then came the Marshal, who was
the General of the Order . Next was the
Treasurer, an office that was always united
with that of Grand Preceptor of Jerusalem.
He was the Admiral of the Order. The Draper,
the next officer in rank, had charge of the
clothing of the Order. He was a kind of Commissary
General. The Turcopolier was the
Commander of the light-horse. There was also
a class of officers called Visitors, whose duties,
as their name imports, was to visit the different
Provinces, and correct abuses. There were
also some subordinate offices appropriated to
the Serving Brethren, such as Sub marshal,
Standard Bearer, Farrier, etc.
These officers, with the Grand Preceptors of
the Provinces and the most distinguished
knights who could attend constituted the
General Chapter or great legislative assembly
of the Order, where all laws and regulations
were made and great officers elected .
This assembly was not often convened, and
in the intervals its powers were exercised by
the Chapter of Jerusalem .
The Order thus organized, as it increased
in prosperity and augmented its possessions
in the East and in Europe, was divided into
Provinces, each of which was governed by a
Grand Preceptor or Grand Prior ; for the titles
were indiscriminately used . That, however,
of Preceptor was peculiar to the Templars,
while that of Prior was common both to them
and to the Knights Hospitalers of St . John .
These Provinces were fifteen in number, and
were as follows : Jerusalem, Tripolis, Antioch,
Cyprus, Portugal, Castile and Leon, Aragon,
France and Auvergne, Normandy, Aquitaine,
Provence, England, including Scotland and
Ireland ; Germany, Upper and Central Italy,
and Ap ulia and Sicily . Hence it will be seen
that there was no part of Europe, except the
impoverished kingdoms of Denmark, Sweden,
and Norway, where the Templars had not extended
their possessions and their influence .