Precautions were one thing. This was borderline paranoia. But he needed Amanda’s help. “Whatever help you can give us, I’d appreciate.”
Clearing her throat, she began. “I am going to begin in the year 1118, when Christian forces had recently retaken Jerusalem. I know for some Americans that seems prehistoric—you picture folks living in caves and just learning about fire.”
“Assume I know nothing. I only took one semester of European history. I took a lot of American history but that only takes me back to 1492.”
Peter lifted his chin. “Well, I know a bit about European history.”
“Good,” she smiled. “Well, during the Crusades all families of noble birth were expected to do their part in the war against the Muslims. So a Frenchman named Hughes de Payen and eight other French noblemen founded an order of warrior monks dedicated to protecting Christian pilgrims journeying to Jerusalem. They were given quarters above the ruins of the old Temple of Solomon and thus took the name, the Knights Templar. You’ve surely heard of them.”
“There was a special on TV about them last week.”
“One of the noblemen who financed de Payen’s mission to Jerusalem was his Scottish father-in-law, St. Clair, the Baron of Roslyn. Over the generations, the St. Clair clan continued to be closely affiliated with the Templars in France and they continued to govern Roslyn, in Scotland. By way of example, the grave of Sir William St. Clair, who died in 1330, is marked with a tombstone inscribed with ‘Knight Templar’ in letters as large as his name.” She pulled a loose-leaf notebook out of her briefcase and opened to a photo of the tombstone. “The family name was later Anglicized to Sinclair.” She waited until Cam looked up from the photo. “Our explorer, Prince Henry, was Sir William’s grandson.”
[Photo courtesy of Scott Wolter.]
THE TOMBSTONE OF SIR WILLIAM ST. CLAIR, ROSLYN CHAPEL
“So Prince Henry was a Templar knight?” Cam asked.
“Impossible,” Peter interjected. “The Templars were long disbanded by then.”
Amanda nodded. “Most historians concur with you, Peter. And I’ll revisit your point. But first let’s go back to the early 1100s. Once in Jerusalem, the Templars didn’t patrol the highways or protect pilgrims as was their mission. Instead they spent nine years excavating a series of tunnels under their quarters, near the old stables of the Temple.”
“I’ve heard this hogwash before. There’s no evidence supporting it.” In the best of times, Peter possessed the social skills of a snapping turtle.
Amanda remained impassive. “But there is. In the 1860s, a British archeological team led by Sir Charles Warren excavated under the old Temple. They failed to uncover any treasures or artifacts from Biblical times. But they did find Templar relics.”
“Well, I’ve never heard of it.”
“I can give you a reference if you’d like to have a go with the research yourself,” Amanda said as she turned back to Cam. “In any event, after nine years the Templar knights returned straight away to Europe, where they were received by royalty all over the continent. Now, nobody is certain what they found in the Temple ruins. But whatever it was, it was the springboard for this small order of monks to become the most powerful and wealthy force in Europe, even more so than the Church. At one point, they owned a third of the land in Europe.”
“Isn’t there some record of what they found?” Cam asked.
Amanda shook her head. “No, the Templars were a secret society.”
Peter raised a finger. “I’ve found that usually when there’s no evidence for something, it’s because the something didn’t exist.”
“That is one possibility. But the facts here are indisputable: The Templars were the most powerful force in Europe for almost two centuries. There must be some explanation. It did not occur by accident.”
“So there’s no direct evidence,” Cam interjected. “But we build cases on circumstantial evidence all the time. Can we figure out what they found based on their actions?”
Amanda leaned forward. “Indeed, many have tried. Here’s what we know. First, soon after returning to Europe, the Templars oversaw the building of a vast number of stone cathedrals and abbeys across Europe, soaring structures supported by flying buttresses.” This design freed the internal walls from weight-bearing responsibility and allowed for large, ornate, stained-glass windows. Before that, churches were simple and plain and dark. “From this, we can deduce that the Templars somehow acquired secrets of geometry and architecture that had been lost after Roman times. Perhaps in the Temple ruins, perhaps from some other source in the area around Jerusalem.”
She paused, looked to Cam and Peter for argument or rebuttal before continuing. “Second, and related to this, is the fact that the Templars built a large fleet of ships and became experts in navigating them far beyond normal travel routes. It is possible they rediscovered ancient navigational and astronomical secrets of the Phoenicians, perhaps even ancient maps.”
“You’re not one of those people who believe the Phoenicians sailed to America, are you?” Peter rolled his eyes.
“Indeed, I am. But that is a discussion for another day. You will not dispute, I trust, that the Phoenicians were master sailors.”
Peter grunted his assent as Cam spoke. “So what you’re saying is that the Templars acquired knowledge.”
“Yes, either buried in the ruins of the Temple or through interaction and trading with others in the Levant, the Middle East. This was knowledge that had been lost to Europe, secrets that gave the Templars the means to accumulate tremendous wealth. Eventually they used that wealth to build a large, fierce army of warrior monks. And they possessed enough land and livestock to support the whole operation.”
“Guns and butter, a tough combination to beat. So what happened to them?”
“First I want to continue to talk about what they found buried in the ruins of King Solomon’s Temple. I trust you have heard of the Ark of the Covenant?”
Cam nodded as Peter guffawed. Most Americans were familiar with it because of the movie, Raiders of the Lost Ark. The ark was the sacred container that housed the Ten Commandments. In the movie, the Nazis craved it because they believed it possessed supernatural powers.
“Well,” Amanda continued, “many believe the Templars found the ark and carried it with them to Europe. Others think they found or traded for other artifacts in Jerusalem, like the Holy Grail or fragments from the cross Jesus was crucified on or even the head of John the Baptist. All of these, obviously, would have been extraordinarily important discoveries.”
“All right, this is getting ridiculous now. There’s no evidence for any of this.” Peter folded his arms across his chest and stared down at Amanda.
Amanda held his eyes. “Perhaps you are correct. But often myth is more powerful than reality. Over the centuries, thousands have suffered and even died because of religious artifacts that may or may not have been found by the Templars in Jerusalem. I do not wish to be crass but your son Brandon is a perfect example of my point. Whether something of value is buried beneath the Gendrons’ backyard is really not relevant. What is relevant is that someone believes something is buried there. It is that belief, not the reality, that put Brandon in the hospital.” She turned to Cam. “There is an expression on Wall Street: ‘Buy on the rumor, sell on the news.’ In the case of the Temple of Jerusalem artifacts, people have been buying on the rumor for centuries.”
This was not the version of European history Cam had learned at Boston College. “I could see how finding these artifacts, or even people thinking they found stuff, would make the Templars pretty important in Europe. Especially during the Crusades.”
“Precisely. Again, the Muslims controlled the lands surrounding Jerusalem and the Christian world was intent on ensuring that religious artifacts not be lost.”
“Okay, so that answers my question about what the Templars found in Jerusalem.” Either ancient knowledge or some important religious artifacts. Maybe both.
Amanda shifted on the bench so her face remained shaded as she waited for a loud truck to pass. “There is, of course, one other possibility, which I am sure you can guess.”
Cam thought about McLovick. “There’s always a treasure, right?”
Peter groaned audibly. “You’re kidding, right?” He typically used sarcasm when trying to turn a witness. It was usually a sign he was losing the case.
Amanda remained steadfast. “Recall that the Templars accumulated a tremendous amount of wealth and power in a remarkably short period of time. It is entirely possible they bankrolled themselves using the lost treasures of the Jewish people. You’ve heard of the Dead Sea scrolls?” Cam and Peter nodded. “Well, according to the Copper Scroll over a hundred tons of silver and gold were hidden just before the Temple of Solomon was destroyed by Roman forces in 70 A.D. Some scholars believe it was secreted in the tunnels beneath the Temple.”
“Did you say one hundred tons?”
She nodded. “And nobody has ever found an ounce of it.”
“Except maybe the Templars.”
“Correct. The 1860s British excavation confirms the Templars were digging. Why dig for nine years unless you’ve found something?” She took a deep breath. “As I said, for 200 years during the 12th and 13th centuries the Templars were the most powerful military force in Europe. In fact, in the eyes of the Pope, too powerful. And too rich. The Church itself was heavily indebted to the Templars, largely due to the cost of the Crusades. As was the French royal family. Finally, on Friday, the thirteenth of October, 1307, the French king, Philip, arrested 15,000 French Templars and charged them with heresy and sodomy and a whole list of crimes against the Church. Similar arrests occurred all over Europe.”
“That’s one way to deal with debt collectors,” Peter said.
Amanda smiled politely but her hands were clenched tightly in her lap. “King Philip tortured and murdered thousands of Templar leaders and the Church officially disbanded the Order. The Church and Philip divided the Templar lands and other assets.”
“You said the arrest occurred on Friday, October 13th. Is that the origin of unlucky Friday-the-thirteenth?” Cam asked.
“Precisely,” she said, her hands unclenching. “But the Templars had advance notice of Philip’s plan. A group of them boarded the Templar fleet, loaded the boats with their treasures and sailed to Scotland, which was at that time outside the control of the Pope. Most people believe they ended up in Roslyn. With the Sinclairs.”
“Most people?” Peter challenged.
“Allow me to reword that. Most people who believe the fleet escaped believe it went to Scotland.”
“Put me down as a non-believer.”
“That’s fine, Peter, but then you must answer one question: What happened to the Templar wealth? All historians agree it existed and all agree that neither Philip nor the Pope recovered more than a few morsels. It must have gone somewhere, don’t you agree?”
“Well, I suppose so.”
“What treasures were supposedly on the ships?” Cam asked.
Amanda shrugged. “Again, this is the mystery. Perhaps it was the secrets of ancient knowledge, perhaps religious artifacts, perhaps gold and jewels, perhaps all three.”
Cam pictured the ships sailing under the cloak of darkness, the French authorities raiding empty piers at daybreak. “And the Pope just left them alone after that?”
“Well, the Pope had ordered the arrests of the Templars all across Europe. Some monarchs complied with the demand, some did not, but the torture and killings were essentially limited to France. For example, in Portugal the Templars merely changed their names to the Knights of Christ and continued on merrily as before. And the Pope knew not to push his advantage too far. He had succeeded in erasing an enormous amount of Church debt, he had appropriated valuable lands and buildings and he had eliminated a powerful check on his power. But many in Europe had strong ties to the Templars so the Church, wisely, did not pursue the Templars to Scotland. At least not right away.”
“What about later?”
Amanda focused on a large oak tree across the common, as if looking for guidance in its gnarled roots and branches. “This circles back to your question about the Templars being disbanded. Nothing was heard from the Templars for the next couple of generations. Around Europe, many of the Templars joined sister orders like the Teutonic Knights and the Knights of Christ. But in Scotland the Order moved underground and reconstituted itself as the Freemasons, purportedly a stoneworkers guild.”
“You’re dead wrong,” Peter said. “I happen to be a Freemason myself.” Cam had no idea his uncle was a Mason. It made sense—he was always joining one group or another as a way to network and mine for clients. Still, he had trouble picturing him wearing one of those funny hats. “Any connection between the Templars and the Masons is a myth.”
“With all due respect, sir, it is you that is wrong. I can show you.”
He rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet. “Go ahead. Let’s just say I’m skeptical.”
She dug through her bag, pulled out a book and turned to the index. “Ah, here it is.” She opened to a page with a photo of an image carved in stone. The carving displayed a blindfolded man with a noose around his neck being led forward by a bearded companion. “What does this look like to you?”
[Photo Courtesy Scott Wolter]
ROSLYN CHAPEL “INITIATION” CARVING
Peter studied the image. “A candidate being prepared for initiation into Freemasonry.”
“Any doubt in your mind?”
“No. It’s not like a cross or a rose or something—a blindfolded man being led by a noose is a pretty specific image. We still use the ritual today.”
“And how old is Freemasonry?”
“It was founded around the year 1600, give or take.”
“Well, this carving is from Roslyn Chapel, built in the mid-1400s. How could it depict a Masonic ritual if Masonry did not yet exist?”
Peter gazed back at her, blinking. He stopped rocking.
“In fact, Roslyn Chapel, built by Prince Henry Sinclair’s grandson, is full of Masonic symbolism and imagery. Any Mason who has visited will tell you it is a veritable shrine to Freemasonry. Again, how could a shrine exist to something that had not yet been established? The answer, of course, is that the Masonic order was active in the 1400s, and probably even earlier, as a secret successor group to the Knights Templar. Documents as old as 1390 exist establishing this fact.”
She waited a second to see if Peter would respond before turning back to Cam and continuing matter-of-factly. “After being outlawed, the next time the Templar order appeared publicly was during the Peasants Revolt in England in 1391. Peasants rioted and looted churches and manors, beheading noblemen and church leaders. The peasants seemed to especially target members and property of the Knights Hospitallers. Many believe the Hospitallers—you may know them as the Knights of Malta—were complicit in the Friday-the-thirteenth arrests. The Templars may have organized the revolt as revenge against the Hospitallers. Or as a preemptive strike before the Church came after them, aided by the Hospitallers.”
Cam watched the cars go by, many of them SUVs loaded with kids on the way to soccer games or church or the shopping mall. It was hard to believe that the tale that began in Jerusalem almost 900 years ago would end here, today, in suburban Westford. Yet apparently the dots somehow connected. He took a deep breath. “So you think the Templar treasures made it up to Scotland—to Roslyn—to the Sinclair family. And from there, Prince Henry sailed with them to America?” From Jerusalem to France to Roslyn to Westford, the Sinclair family seemed to be tethered to the treasure, whatever it was, like the man guiding the blindfolded apprentice in the Roslyn Chapel carving.
“Prince Henry’s mother was a Norsewoman so he was half-Viking as well as half-Scottish. He was both the jarl, or earl, of Roslyn and the prince of the Orkney and other islands, which were then Norwegian holdings. From his mother’s side of the fa
mily he knew stories of Vikings sailing to lands west of Greenland. He probably had some old Viking maps. And he also had Templar maps and navigation charts through his father’s side of the family.”
Assuming all this was true, one way or another it seemed like Prince Henry was destined to find his way to North America. “So these Templar treasures are what people like McLovick are searching for here in Westford?”
“There’s more to the story than that but, essentially, yes. He believes the stone foundation in the Gendrons’ yard served as an encampment site for Prince Henry’s expedition. It may very well contain clues to help find the treasure, perhaps even the treasure itself.”
“Now hold on a second,” Peter said. “If this is all true, why doesn’t anyone know about it?”
She shrugged. “Not the treasure, perhaps, but many people know about Prince Henry. Tourists from all around the world come to Westford almost every day to visit the Knight.”
“Getting back to this foundation,” Cam said. “Has anyone tried to dig it up?”
“No. In the 1960s an archeologist conducted a preliminary survey—he concluded the stone enclosure was at least a few hundred years old, probably older. But nobody’s done a full dig.”
Cam asked the obvious. “Why not?”
“Fair question. I honestly don’t know.”
“Okay, well here’s another question: Why did Sinclair come to America in the first place? And why would he bring the treasure if he did come?”
“I believe that’s two questions,” she smiled.
“I’m feeling lucky.”
“Odd comment from a bloke almost killed twice in two days.” She arched her eyebrow. “I’ll answer your second question first. Prince Henry brought the treasure here to keep it away from the Pope. Since few people in medieval Europe knew how to get to North America, it was an ideal hiding spot.”
Cabal of The Westford Knight: Templars at the Newport Tower (Book #1 in the Templars in America Series) Page 6