TEMPLAHS, or TEMPLERS, a religious order instituted at Jerusalem, about the year 1118. Some religious ,gentlemen put themselves under the government of the patriarch of JesaSalem, renounced property, made the vow of celibacy and obedience, and lived like canons regular. King Baldwin 'assigned theM ad., apart ment in his palace. They had likeWlse lands given them by -the king, 'the' Pa.:, triarch, and the nobility, for their tenance. At first there were but nine of this order, and the two principal persons were, Hugo de Paganis, and Geoffrey of St, Omers. About nine years after their institution, a rule was drawn up for them, and a white habit assigned them, by Pope Honorius II. About twenty years after this, in the popedom of Eugenius III. they had red crosses sewed upon their cloaks, as a mark of distinction r and in a short time they were increased to about three hundred, in their convent at Jeru salem. They took the names of Knights Templars, because their first house stood near the temple dedicated to our Saviour, at Jerusalem. This order, after having
performed many great exploits against the infidels, became rich and powerful all aver'Europe; ,but the knights, abus ing their wealth and credit, fell into great disorders and irregularities. Many crimes and enormities being alleged against them, they were proseduted in France, Italy, and Spain ; and 'at last, the pope, by his bull of the 22d of May, 1312; given in the council of Vienna, pronounted the extinction of the order of .and united their estates to the 'order of St. John of /erusalem. zTENACITY, a term applied to metals, by-which' is meant the power 'that a me tallic wire; of a given diameter, has of resisting, without breaking, the action' of a weight suspended its extremity: The tenacity of .different metals-is vert various: an iron wire, of one-tenth of an inch in diameter, will support, without breaking, about 5 cwt. ; whereas lead will not support 301b.