Page:A history of the Inquisition of the Middle Ages, volume 2.djvu/138

 222 FRANCE. right of asylum was no longer to be permitted ; that in such cases the inquisitors were to have full opportunity to vindicate the faith, and that so far from being impeded in the performance of their duty, they were to be aided in every way. The special mention in this bull of apostate Jews along with other heretics indicates that this unfortunate class formed a notable portion of the objects of inquisitorial zeal. Several of them, in fact, were burned or other- wise penanced in Paris between 1307 and 1310. * There was one class of offenders who would liave afforded the Inquisition an ample field for its activity, had it been disposed to take cognizance of them. By the canons, any one who had en- dured excommunication for a year without submission and seeking absolution was pronounced suspect of heresy, and Ave have seen Boniface YIIL, in 129T, directing the inquisitors of Carcassonne to prosecute the authorities of Beziers for this cause. The land was full of such excomnmnicates, for the shocking abuse of the anath- ema by priest and prelate for personal interests had indurated the people, and in a countless number of cases absolution was only to be procured by the sacrifice of rights which even faithful sons of the Church were not prepared to make. This growing disregard of the censure was aggravating to the last degree, but the inquisi- tors do not seem to have been disposed to come forward in aid of the secular clergy, nor did the latter call upon them for assistance. In 1301 the Council of Reims directed that proceedings should be commenced, when it next should meet, against all who had been under excommunication for two years, as being suspect of heresy ; and in 1303 it called upon all such to come forward and purge themselves of the suspicion, but the court in which this was to be done was that of the bishops and not of the Inquisition. Mutual jealousy was seemingly too strong to admit of such co-operation.f In 1308 we hear of a certain Etienne de Yerberie of Soissons, accused before the inquisitor of blasphemous expressions concern- ino- the body of Christ. He alleged drunkenness in excuse, and " was mercifully treated. Shortly afterwards occurred the first t Martt^ne Ampl. Collect. VII. 1325-7. Ci Concil. Trident, Sess. xxv. De- cret. Reform, c. 3.
 * Ripoll 11. 1.— Giiill. Nangiac. Contin. ann. 1307, 1310.