Page:A history of the Inquisition of the Middle Ages, volume 3.djvu/210

 194 POLITICAL HERESY. — THE CHURCH. This was the virtual destruction of the imperial power in Italy. With the Angevines on the throne of Naples and the empire nul- lified by the Great Interregnum and its consequences, the popes had ample opportunity to employ the penalties for heresy to grat- ify hatred or to extend their power. How they used the weapon for the one purpose is seen when Boniface Till, quarrelled with the Colonnas and condemned them as heretics, driving the whole family out of Italy, tearing down their houses and destroying their property ; though after Sciarra Colonna vindicated his ortho- doxy by capturing and causing the death of Boniface at Anagni, Benedict XI. made haste to reverse the sentence, except as to con- fiscation.* How the principle worked when applied to temporal aggrandizement may be estimated from the attempt of Clement V. to gain possession of Ferrara. When the Marchese Azzo d' Este died, in 1308, he left no legitimate heirs, and the Bishop of Ferrara was Fra Guido Maltraverso, the former inquisitor who had suc- ceeded in burning the bones of Armanno Pongilupo. He forth- with commenced intriguing to secure the city for the Holy See, which had some shadowy claims arising under the donations of Charlemagne. Clement V. eagerly grasped at the opportunity. He pronounced the rights of the Church unquestionable, and con- doled with the Ferrarese on their having been so long deprived of the sweetness of clerical rule and subjected to those who devoured them. There were two pretenders, Azzo's brother Francesco and his natural son Frisco. The Ferrarese desired neither ; they even (p. 614).— Ripoll I. 326.— Raynald. ann. 1264, No. 14.— Arch, de lTnq. de Car- cassonne (Doat, XXXII. 27). Clement IV. (Gui Foucoix) was regarded as one of the best lawyers of his day, but in the severity of his application of the law against Manfred he was not unanimously supported by the cardinals. On February 20 he writes to the Cardinal of S. Martino, his legate in the Mark of Ancona, for his opinion on the question. Manfred and Uberto Pallavicino had both been cited to appear on trial for heresy. Manfred had sent procurators to offer purgation, but Uberto had disregarded the summons and was a contumacious heretic. To the con- demnation of the latter there was therefore no opposition, but some cardinals thought that Manfred's excuse was reasonable in view of the enemy at his gates, even though he could easily avert attack by surrender.— Clement PP. IV. Epist. 232 (Martene Thesaur. H. 279).
 * C. 1, Sexto v. 3.— C. 1, Extrav. Commun. v. 4.