Page:A history of the Inquisition of the Middle Ages, volume 2.djvu/34

 -^g LANGUEDOC. he ordered the Prior of Saint-fitienne and the parish priests to re- peat the citations to the parties already summoned. This order was bravely obeyed in spite of threats, when the consuls sent for the prior and priests, and after keeping them in the to^vn-haU part of a night, expelled them from the town, and pubhcly proclaimed that any one daring to repeat the citations should be put to death, and that any one obeying the summons of an inquisitor should an- swer for it in body and goods. Another proclamation followed, in which the name of Count Eaymond was used, prohibiting that any one should give or sell anything to the bishop, the Dominicans, or the canons of Saint-fitienne. This forced the bishop to leave the city, as we are told that no one dared even to bake a loaf of bread for him, and the populace, moreover, invaded his house, beat his clerks, and stole his horses. The Dominicans fared better, for they had friends hardy enough to supply them with necessanes, ami when the consuls posted guards around their house, still bread and cheese and other food was thrown over their waUs in spite of the arrest of some of those engaged in it. Their principal suffer- ing was from lack of water, which had to be brought from the Garonne, and as this source of supply was cut off, they were unable to boil their vegetables. For three weeks they thus exultingly endured their martyrdom in a holy cause. Matters became more serious when the indomitable GuiUem Arnaud sent from Carcas- sonne a letter to the prior saying, that as no one dared to cite the contumacious citizens, he was forced to order two of the friars to summon them to appear before him personally in Carcassonne to answer for their faith, and that two others must accompany them as witnesses. Tolhng the convent bell, the prior assembled the brethren, and said to them with a joyful countenance : " Brethren, reioice, for I must send four of you through martyrdom to the throne of the Most High. Such are the commands of our brother, GuiUem the inquisitor, and whoever obeys them will be slain on the spot, as threatened by the consuls. Let those who are ready to die for Christ ask pardon." With a common impulse the whole body cast themselves on the ground, which was the Dominica,n form of asking pardon, and the prior selected four, Raymond de Foix Jean de Saint-Michel, Gui de Navarre, and GuiUem PeUsson. These intrepidly performed their duty, even penetrating when necessary into the bed-chambers of the accused. Only in one