Page:A history of the Inquisition of the Middle Ages, volume 2.djvu/97

 INEFFECTIVE REFORMS. 81 death of our subjects shall be abandoned to the discretion of a single individual, who, even if not actuated by cupidity, may be insufficiently informed." Inadequate as these reforms eventually proved, they had an excellent temporary effect. For a time the Inquisition Avas paralyzed, and arrests which had been taking place every week were suddenly brought to an end, for during 1302 these provisions were embodied in a general Ordonnance, and the legislation of 1293 protecting the Jews was repeated. At the same time Philippe was careful to manifest due soHcitude for the suppression of heresy, for he published anew the severe edict of St. Louis ; and on the appointment of Guillaume de Morieres to the Inquisition of Toulouse he wrote to the seneschal instruct- ing him to place the royal prisons at the inquisitor's disposal, to pay him the customary stipend, and to aid him in every way un- til further orders.* While the new regulations may have promised relief elsewhere, they gave little comfort at Albi, the inquisitorial proceedings of whose bishop had given rise to the whole disturbance. Its citi- zens were still languishing in the prison of the Inquisition of Car- cassonne, and a numerous deputation of both sexes was sent to the king, accompanied by two Franciscans, Jean Hector and Ber- trand de Yilledelle. Again Bernard Dehcieux was present, hav- ing this time been opportunely chosen to represent the Order on a summons from Philippe for consultation on the subject of his quarrel with Pope Boniface. They all followed the king to Pierre- fonds and then to Compiegne. He gave them fair words, prom- ised a speedy visit to Languedoc, when he would settle matters, and consoled them with a donation of one thousand livres, which he could well afford to do, for the confiscated estates of the pris- oners were in his hands, and were never released. f AH this, of course, gave little satisfaction ; nor were the peo- ple placated by the removal of I^icholas d' Abbeville, for he was succeeded in the Inquisition of Carcassonne by Geoffroi d'Ablis, Isambert, Anc. Loix Fran9. II. 747, 789. t Arch, de I'hotel-de-ville d'Albi (Doat, XXXIV. 169).— MSS. Bib. Nat., fonds latin, No. 4270, fol. 16, 70, 134, 151. — Coll. Doat, XXXIII. 207-72- XXXIV. 189. II.— 6
 * Vaissette, IV. Pr. 118-21.— MSS. Bib. Nat., fonds latin, No. 4370, fol. 69.—