| Hugh de Paynes founded the Order of the Knights Templers about A.D. 1117. vide Mardment's Templaria. They agreed in profession with the Hospitallers in vowing poverty, chastitie, and obedience, and to defend Pilgrims to the Holy Sepulchre. These soldiers wore a white mantle over their armour, as their peculiar habit, to which was afterwards added a red cross, emblazoned on the left breast, identical with the white cross of the Hospitallers. Thier helmet had no crest, their great banner was oblong in form and per-fesse sable and argent, ornamented wiih the Cross of the Order, and the old French word "Beau-Seant", by which name it was commonly known, was also their War-Cry. The Badge was the Agnus Dei. |