To quote our rituals is also incorrect, we understand that the degrees are symbolic and not fact, especially the 3rd degree and the hiramic legend, so why would we count the KT's degrees as anything different.

That's right, he said something along the lines of "Descended from a line of Chilvery" Although I haven't seen his oration for a long while.

And whilst there have been some good arguments, there is no proof of a direct link (outside your work) between Freemasonry and the Knights Templar.

Most early high degrees created in France are a reaction by the Jacobites to the creation of the Hanovian backed English Grand Lodge.

As I said I can't really comment on other Templar degrees such as ROS, or I could but not with and first hand evidence!

As far as I am aware the most removed and traceable Templarish degree is CBCS which was an attempt to preserve Martinism and had nothing to do with KT perse...

I could say today that Freemasonry is descended from marshmallows that doesn't mean in 300 years someone could quote my statement as the first cited evidence...

...and I'm EXTREMELY impatient to see you "tangible proof", brother.:P

Quite a lot of people, especially in the Continent, claim to have "proof" of that, they always refers to documents like lists of members of operative lodges in the XIIIth century, a pity that they never gave me access to these papers...:angry::P

SW, Kensington Lodge 1767

Mmm, I'll make an example.

I know some italian freemasons who claim to have found a old list of members of an operative lodge in Bologna from 1248. In this list it seems that there are the names of two templar knights.

This document is supposed to be in custody of the University of Bologna, Faculty of Architecture, and the masonic researcher who supposely found it in the late 80s is a 33rd degree AASR and (in)famous professor of the University.

The story therefore sounds verosimile, the problem is that they always denied access to this document.

SW, Kensington Lodge 1767