Page:A history of the Inquisition of the Middle Ages, volume 2.djvu/146

 130 FRANCE. nuisition in France of the importance which it had once enjoyed. It no longer as of old poured into the royal fisc a stream of con- fiscations and co-operated efficiently in consohdating the monarchy. It had done its work too well, and not only had it become super- fluous as an instrument for the throne, but the throne which it had aided to estabhsh had become supreme and had reduced it to sub- iection Even in the plenitude of inquisitorial power the tendency to re-ard the royal court as possessing a jurisdiction higher than that of tlie Holy Office is shown in the case of Amiel de Lautrec, Abbot of S. Sernin. In 1322 the Yiguier of Toulouse accused hnn to the Inquisition for having preached the doctrine that the soul is mortal in essence and only immortal through grace. The in- quisition examined the matter and decided that tins was not her- esv The royal vromrmr-ginirol. dissatisfied with this, appealed from the decision, not to the pope but to the Parlement or royal court No question more purely spiritual can weU be conceived and vet the Parlement gravely entertained the appeal and asserted its jurisdiction by confirming the decree of the M'^'^'^'^; .^, , This was ominous of the future, although the indefatigable Henri de C'hamay, apparently alarmed at the efforts successfully made by Philippe de Valois to control and limit spiritual jurisdic "ons. piocured from that monarch, in November, 1329, a M- ment confirming the privileges of the Inquisition, p acmg all tem- poral nobles and officials afresh at its disposal, and annulling all ietters emanating from the royal court, whether past or future, wWch should in fny way impede inquisitors from Performing tte functions in accordance with their commissions from the Ho v See The evolution of the monarchy was proceeding too mpid y to be checked. Henri de Chamay himself, in 1328, had officiaUy nuahfied himself as inquisitor, deputed, not by the pope, as had al- lays been the formula proudly employed but by the king, and a judicial decision to this effect followed soon after. It ua Philippe's settled policy to enforce and extend the Prisdict^n o the crown and in pursuance of this he sent GuiUaume de . liars ■ o T uru'se to reLm the encroachments of the ecc esiast^al tribunals over the royal courts. In 13 ^e ViUars m th^^^^^^^^ fonnance of his duty, caused the registers of the ecclesiastical « Chron. Bardin, aim. 1323 (Vaissette, IV. Pr. 21-22).