As the hearings of the commission opened any fears that King Philip may have had that the Templars were about to embark upon any kind of defence must have been quickly dispelled. It was soon revealed that the bishop of Paris had been somewhat disingenuous, for the Templars did not seem to be aware of the reasons for their appearance. The proceedings began when

a certain person in secular habit came into their presence, who was said to have come on behalf of the matter of the said Templars. Asked by them his name, status and the reason for his arrival, he replied that he was called John of Melot, and that he was from the diocese of Besançon, and he showed a certain seal on which the aforesaid name seemed to be engraved, which seal he asserted to be his. He said also that he was from the Order of the Temple and that he had worn the habit of the Order for ten years, and that he had left that Order, and that never, swearing on his soul and faith, had he seen or heard or known anything bad about the above-mentioned Order.

He added that he had come to the commissioners ‘prepared to do and seal whatever they wished’. However, further inquiry elicited that he had not come with the intention of defending the Order, but only because he wanted to see what was to be done about the Templars, and in particular to ask the commission to make provision for him personally ‘since he was a pauper’. John of Melot must have been a depressing sight as the first witness.

And since he was seen by the lords commissioners, from looking at and considering his person, gestures, actions and speech, to be very simple, or stupid, or not fully in control of his mind, they did not proceed further with him, but persuaded him to go to the bishop of Paris to whom it appertained to receive such fugitive brothers in the diocese of Paris.