Page:A history of the Inquisition of the Middle Ages, volume 2.djvu/268

 252 ITALY. the inevitable, but in a manner to preserve its own autonomy and independence. It absolutely refused to incorporate in its own statutes the papal and imperial laws, but, August 4, 1289, it em- powered the doge, Giovanni Dandolo, to give assistance to the inquisitor, when called upon, without referring each case to the Senate. A further wise provision decreed that all fines and con- fiscations should inure to the State, which in turn undertook to defray the expenses of the Holy Office. These were not light, as, in addition to the cost of making arrests and maintaining prisoners, the inquisitor received the hberal salary of tAvelve ducats a month. For this purpose the proceeds of the corn-tax were set aside, and the money was deposited with the Provveditore delle Yiare, who disbursed it on the requisition of the inquisitor. This compromise was accepted by Mcholas lY., August 28, 1288, and was duly em- bodied in the official oath of the next doge, Piero Gradenigo. Thus, while the inquisitor had full opportunity of suppressing heresy, the temptation to abuse his office for purposes of extor- tion was reduced to a minimum, and the State, by retaining in its hands all the financial portion of the business, was able at any time to exercise control.* The Inquisition was unaccustomed to submit to control, and soon chafed under these limitations. Already, in 1292, Nicholas lY. complained to Piero Gradenigo that the terms of the agree- ment were not carried out. The inquisitors, Bonagiunta of Man- tua and GiuHano of Padua, reported that the papal and imperial laws against heresy were not enforced, and that under the ar- rangement for expenditures they were unable to employ a force of familiars sufficient to detect and seize the heretics. Heresy consequently, they said, continued to flourish in Yenetian territory, for all of which Nicholas bitterly scolded the doge, and demanded such changes as should remove these scandals, but without effect. The Signoria, apparently, had not seen fit to abohsh the office of secular inquisitors provided by the legislation of 1249. These were three in number, and were known as the " tre Savi delV eresia,^^ or " assistentV It was hardly possible that a duplicate organiza- 21.— Arch, di Venez. Codice ex Brera, No. 277, Carte 41 ; Maggior Consiglio, Carte 67.
 * Albizio, op. cit. pp. 24-7.-Wadding. ann. 1289, No. 15.— Sarpi, op. cit. p.