A History of the Inquisition of the Middle Ages; volume III

[23] Protocol. Commiss. Anaguiæ (H. Denifle Archiv für Litt.-etc., 1885, pp. 99-102, 109, 126, 135-6).

It appears to me that Father Denifle’s laborious research has sufficiently proved that the errors commonly ascribed to the Everlasting Gospel (D’Argentré I. i. 162-5; Eymeric. Direct. Inq. P. II. Q. 9; Hermann. Korneri Chron. ap. Eccard. Corp. Hist. Med. Ævi. II. 849-51) are the strongly partisan accusations sent to Rome by William of St. Amour (ubi sup. pp. 76-86) which have led to exaggerated misconceptions of its rebellious tendencies. Father Denifle, however, proceeds to state that the result of the commission of Anagni (July, 1255) was merely the condemnation of the views of Gherardo, and that the works of Joachim (except his tract against Peter Lombard) have never been condemned by the Church. Yet when the exaggerations of William of St. Amour are thrown aside, there is in reality little in principle to distinguish Joachim from Gherardo; and if the former was not condemned it was not the fault of the Commission of Anagni, which classed both together and energetically endeavored to prove Joachim a heretic, even to showing that he never abandoned his heresy on the Trinity (ubi sup. pp. 137-41).

Yet if there was little difference in the letter, there was a marked divergence in spirit between Joachim and his commentator—the former being constructive and the latter destructive as regards the existing Church. See Tocco, Archivio Storico Italiano, 1886.

[24] Matt. Paris ann. 1256 (Ed. 1644, p. 632).—Salimbene, p. 102.—Bern. Guidon. Vit. Alex. PP. IV. (Muratori S.R. I. III. i. 593). Cf. Amalr. Auger. Vit. Alex. PP. IV. (Ib. III. ii. 404).

For the authorship of the Everlasting Gospel, see Tocco, L’Heresia nel Medio Evo, pp. 473-4, and his review of Denifle and Haupt, Archivio Storico Italiano, 1886; Renan, pp. 248, 277; and Denifle, ubi sup. pp. 57-8.

One of the accusations brought against William of Saint Amour was that he complained of the delay in condemning the Everlasting Gospel, to which he replied with an allusion to the influence of those who defended the errors of Joachim.—Dupin. Bib. des Auteurs Éccles. T.X. ch. vii.

Thomas of Cantimpré assures us that Saint Amour would have won the day against the Mendicant Orders but for the learning and eloquence of Albertus Magnus.—Bonum Universale, Lib. II. c. ix.

[25] Wadding. ann. 1256, No. 2.—Affò (Lib. 11. c. iv.) argues that John of Parma’s resignation was wholly spontaneous, that there were no accusations against him, and that both the pope and the Franciscans were with difficulty persuaded to let him retire. He quotes Salimbene (Chronica p. 137) as to the reluctance of the chapter to accept his resignation, but does not allude to the assertion of the same authority that John was obnoxious to Alexander and to many of the ministers of the Order by reason of his too zealous belief in Joachim (Ib. p. 131).

[26] Wadding. ann. 1256, No. 3-5.—Salimbene, pp. 102, 233-6.—Hist. Tribulat. (Archiv für L. u. K. 1886, p. 285).—Although Salimbene prudently abandoned Joachitism, he never outgrew his belief in Joachim’s prophetic powers. Many years later he gives as a reason for suspecting the Segarellists, that if they were of God, Joachim would have predicted them as he did the Mendicants (Ib. 123-4).

The silence of the Historia Tribulationum with respect to the Everlasting Gospel is noteworthy. By common consent that dangerous work seems to be ignored by all parties.

[27] Wadding, ann. 1256, No. 6; ann. 1289, No. 26.—Hist. Tribulat. (loc. cit. p. 285).—Salimbene Chron. pp. 131-33, 317.—Tocco, pp. 476-77.—P. Rodulphii Hist. Seraph. Relig. Lib. I. fol. 117.—Affò, Lib. III. c. x.

[28] Lib. de Antichristo P. I. c. x., xiii., xiv. (Martene Ampl. Coll. IX. 1273, 1313, 1325-35).—Thomæ Aquinat. Opusc. contra Impugn. Relig. c. xxiv. 5, 6.—Concil. Arelatens. ann. 1260 (1265) c. 1 (Harduin. VII. 509-12).—Fisquet, La France Pontificale, Métropole d’Aix, p. 577.—Renan, p. 254.

[29] S. Bonavent. de Paup. Christi Art. I. No. i., ii.—Ejusd. Mystic. Theol. cap. I. Partic. 2; cap. II. Partic. 1, 2; Cap. III. Partic. 1.

[30] Wadding. Regest. Alex. PP. IV. No. 39-41; Annal. ann. 1262, No. 36.—Salimbene, p. 122.

[31] Wadding. ann. 1256, No. 4; Regest. Alex. PP. IV. No. 66.—Bertholdi a Ratispona Sermones, Monachii, 1882, p. 68.—H. Denifle, Archiv für Litt.-u. Kirchengeschichte, 1886, p. 649.

To the true Franciscan the Rule and the gospel were one and the same. According to Thomas of Celano, “Il perfetto amatore dell’ osservanza del santo vangelio e della professione della nostra regola, che non è altro che perfetta osservanza del vangelio, questo [Francesco] ardentissimamente amava, e quelli che sono e saranno veri amatori, donò a essi singular benedizione. Veramente, dicea, questa nostra professione a quelli che la seguitano, esser libro di vita, speranza di salute, arra di gloria, melodia del vangelio, via di croce, stato di perfezione, chiave di paradiso, e patto di eterna pace.”—Amoni, Legenda S. Francisci, App. c. xxix.

[32] S. Bonavent. Opp. I. 485-6 (Ed. 1584).—Wadding. ann. 1257, No. 9; Regest. Clem. PP. IV. No. I.

Pierre Jean Olivi states that he himself heard Bonaventura declare in a chapter held in Paris that he would, at any moment, submit to be ground to powder if it would bring the Order back to the condition designed by St. Francis.—Franz Ehrle, Archiv für L. u. K. 1887, p. 517.

[33] Lib. v. Sexto xii. 3.—Wadding. ann. 1279, No. 11.

[34] Concil. Lugdunens. II c. 23 (Harduin. VII. 715).—Salimbene, pp. 110-11.

[35] Angel. Clarinens. Epist. Excusat. (Archiv für Litt.-u. Kirchengeschichte, 1885, pp. 523-4).—Histor. Tribulation. (Ibid. 1886, pp. 302-4).—Ubertini Responsio (Ibid. 1887, p. 68).—Cf. Rodulphii Hist. Seraph. Relig. Lib. II. fol. 180.

For the first time the development and history of the Spiritual Franciscans can now be traced with some accuracy, thanks to Franz Ehrle, S.J., who has printed the most important documents relating to this schism in the Order, elucidated with all the resources of exact research. My numerous references to his papers show the extent of my indebtedness to his labors.

[36] Histor. Tribulat. (loc. cit. 1886, p. 305).—Ubertim Responsio (Ibid. 1887, pp. 69, 77).—Articuli Transgressionum (Ibid. 1887, pp. 105-7).—Wadding, ann. 1289, No. 22-3.—Ubertini Declaratio (Archiv, 1887, pp. 168-9).—Dante contrasts Acquasparta with Ubertino da Casale, of whom we shall see more presently—

“Ma non sia da Casal ne d’Acquasparta La onde vegnon tali alla Scrittura Ch’ uno la fugge e l’altro la coarta.”—(Paradise xii.).

[37] Hist. Tribulat. (loc. cit. 1886, pp. 306-8).—Angel. Clarineus. Epist. (Ibid. 1885, pp. 524-5).—Wadding. ann. 1292, No. 14.

[38] Angel. Clarin. Epist. (op. cit. 1885, p. 526); Hist. Tribulationum (Ib. 1885. pp. 308-9).

[39] Hist. Tribulat. (loc. cit. 1886, pp. 309-10).—Faucon et Thomas, Registres de Boniface VIII. No. 37, 1232, 1233, 1292, 1825.—Wadding. ann. 1295, No. 14.

[40] Franz Ehrle, Archiv für L. u. K. 1886, pp. 157-8.

[41] Raynald. ann. 1297, No. 55.—Jordani Chron. cap. 236, Partic. 3 (Muratori, Antiq XI. 766).

So far was Pierre Jean Olivi from participating in these rebellious movements that he wrote a tract to prove the legality of Celestin’s abdication and Boniface’s succession (Franz Ehrle, Archiv f. L. u. K. 1887, p. 525).

[42] Angel. Clarin. Epist. (Archiv für Litt.-u. Kirchengeschichte, 1885, pp. 522-3, 527-9).—Hist. Tribulat. (Ibid. 1886, pp. 314-18).—Franz Ehrle (Ibid. 1886, p. 335.)

Franz Ehrle identifies the refuge of the Spirituals with the island of Trixonia in the Gulf of Corinth (Ibid. 1886, pp. 313-14).

[43] Angel. Clarin. Epist. (op. cit. 1885, 529-31).—Hist. Tribulat. (Ib. 1886, 320-6).—Wadding. ann. 1302, No. 8; 1307, No. 2-4.

[44] Cantù, Eretici d’Italia, I. 129.—Comba, La Riforma in Italia, I. 314.

A specimen of Jacopone’s attacks on Boniface will show the temper of the times—

“Ponesti la tua lingua Contra religione A dir blasfemia Senza niun cagione.

O pessima avarizia Sete induplicata, Bever tanta pecunia E non esser saziata!” (Comba, op. cit. 312.)

There is doubtless foundation for the story related by Savonarola in a sermon, that Jacopone was once brought into the consistory of cardinals and requested to preach, when he solemnly repeated thrice, “I wonder that in consequence of your sins the earth does not open and swallow you.”—Villari, Frà Savonarola, II. Ed. T. II. p. 3.

[45] Hist. Tribulat. (loc. cit. pp. 311-13).

[46] Wadding. ann. 1302, No. 1-3, 7; ann. 1310, No. 9.—Franz Ehrle (Archiv für Litt-u. K. 1886, p. 385).