Order of the Knights of the Black Eagle

We are delighted, my dear brother, by your attachment. Before explaining the subject of our assembly and the honor you see bestowed upon us, approach, my brothers, as you have promised to perform without hesitation what will be asked of you. To be discreet, even to the point of avenging, seeing, hearing, and doing; this is what the recipient promises under the same penalties as the initial obligations. Stand up, my dear brother, and listen to a narrative that will undoubtedly move you as deeply as it did the king?.

For a long time, our order has suffered from troubles that have, several times, almost destroyed it. False brothers, unworthy of our state, half-suspect it, though one has not been able for a long time to identify these monsters so that they might be sacrificed to our vengeance. Finally, my dear brother, the great zeal of some of our brothers has just burst forth. They have surprised the spirits of two of these barbarians and, speaking to others, they have brought them to us. We have interrogated them, making them see the truth of their crimes. They confessed their guilt before you entered. We have just punished one; this is why, not yet being sure of you, we have confined you to know your opinion, if we could admit you to punish the other. Several of the brothers have vouched for you, assuring that you were filled with zeal, and that, far from disapproving of the punishment of this traitor, you would be the first to carry it out. Each brother has given proof of his zeal in delivering us from our persecutors; we expect as much from you for the one who remains, and I hope you will not refuse to strike the first blows.

Respond: Are we sure of you? He must answer yes.

The Grand Master says: May my brothers, with sword in hand, conduct the full force of vengeance, and let him see the horror of the state of this wretch.

The four knights depart with the brother. When they are at the door of the vault, the armed brothers who guard the entrance stop them and ask what they want. They answer: it is on behalf of the Grand Master, to show a zealous brother the punishment of the traitor. The guards open the heavy entrances. It is at this moment that the brother who is chained moves his chains, hiding his face for fear of being recognized, and asks for mercy. They show the brother the Black Eagle around the traitor and the corpse. The brothers make the tour of the vault, have the brother examine what it contains, namely the corpse, the traitor. Finally, they are often seen in the Black Lodge, where they see the brothers in this sadness. At the entrance of the recipient, the Grand Master says: Alas, my brothers, the lures of the fatal likely referring to a previous unfortunate event or trap have not diminished the courage that you promised us in such a pressing moment. But no, I believe I see shining in your eyes this new ardor to punish the traitor who remains. You will be accompanied by eight brothers who will assist you for this purpose. A dagger, which is in the center of the lodge, is placed in his hand, saying to him: Take, my brother, this dagger, it will serve you, and follow the orders of the brothers who accompany you.

During this time, the sheep must have been prepared, muzzled so that it does not cry out. They return to the vault to position themselves around the table. The recipient brother finds himself on the opposite side. At the aspect of what is to be done, they untie the brother who has been blindfolded so that the recipient brother does not recognize him. He pretends to be weak, barely able to say anything other than "mercy, my brothers," almost in a stifled voice. They lay him on the table; then they blindfold the recipient brother. When he can no longer see, in place of the traitor brother, they place the sheep, presenting its shaved side to the candidate. They guide his hand with the dagger and tell him to strike nine blows. As soon as he strikes, the servant beside the sheep lets out a cry as if dying and expiring; he withdraws and carries away the corpse in its place, and into the open side, they pour the blood of the sheep, which the candidate alone thinks comes from the one just opened. The moment they remove the knife from the corpse, they restore light to the brother who sees the heart being torn out—he must see neither the servant nor the sheep. They place the steaming heart on the tip of the dagger and lead him in this fashion to the Red Lodge, where the assembly has retired during the execution of the vengeance.

Note that in the absence of a corpse, one uses the body of a sheep. And instead of blindfolding the recipient only when he is in the vault to enter the Red Lodge, the instructing brother enters there first, holding the recipient brother by the hand and holding the dagger with the point upward, the heart on the tip. When he enters, the assembly says: The vengeance is accomplished, thanks to the brother who has just delivered us from the traitor. They deposit the dagger and the heart in a large basin of yellow copper at the bottom of the painting; then the Grand Master has him approach to give him the signs, words, and touches.

The first sign is to place the two index fingers on the throat.
One answers by drawing the sword, of which one rests the point on the chest of the examiner.
The first touch is that of the apprentices, by giving a sign; one says: "Our strength is perverted."
The second is that of the companions, saying: "An eagle guards it."
The third is that of the masters, by embracing.
The fourth is to take each other's hands in good faith, shaking them one after the other, saying: "Kyrie" Greek term for "Lord".
The word is Zabamiack; the password is Eliack.

Then the Grand Master decorates him with a double-headed eagle in gold, holding a dagger crosswise in its talons, the head crowned with an imperial crown, worn on a black hood trimmed with red and attached with a gold cord. The Grand Master embraces him and tells him to go...