“The garrison here might be composed, as indeed it is now, principally of young knights, of those who have not cared to marry, and of the officers of the Order whose wives and families might dwell here with them.  This would have many advantages.  Among others, the presence of so many ladies of rank would have the excellent effect of discountenancing and repressing extravagances and dissolute habits, which are but too common, and are a shame to the Order.  Knights possessing commanderies throughout Europe would be no worse stewards for being married men, and scandals, such as contributed largely to the downfall of the Templars, would be avoided.

“The sole vow necessary, so far as I can see, would be that knights should remain unmarried and disposable at all times for service until ten years after making their profession, and that afterwards they should ever be ready to obey the summons to arms, on occasions when the safety of Rhodes, or the invasion of any Christian country by the Moslems, rendered their services needful, when they would come out just as the knights of Richard the Lion Heart went out as crusaders.  I have spent half my life since I joined the Order in commanderies at home, and a dull life it was, and I was glad enough to resign my last command and come out here.  Had I been able to marry, I might now have had a son of your age, whose career I could watch and feel a pride in.  My life would have been far happier in England, and in all respects I should be a better man than I am now.  Methinks it would strengthen rather than weaken the Order.  As a fighting body we should be in no way inferior to what we are now, and we should be more liked and more respected throughout Europe, for naturally the sight of so many men leading a luxurious life in commanderies causes a feeling against them.”

“But I suppose, Sir John, that there is no great difficulty in obtaining a dispensation from our vows?”

“In this, as in all other matters, everything depends upon interest or money.  Of course, dispensations are not common; but doubtless any knight when he had served his term of active service could, especially if his request were backed by the grand master, obtain from the Pope a dispensation of his vows.  If he had a commandery it would make a vacancy, and give the grand prior, or the grand master, or the council, in whosoever’s gift it might be, an opportunity of rewarding services or of gratifying some powerful family.”

“I agree with you that it would have been much better, Sir John.  I can understand that monks, ever living a quiet life apart from the world, should be content so to continue; but among a body of warlike knights there must be many who, in time, must come to regret the vows they took when boys.  The cadet of a noble family might, by the death of elder brothers, come to be the head of a great family, the ruler over wide domains.  Surely it would be desirable that such a man should be able to marry and have heirs.”