Page:A history of the Inquisition of the Middle Ages, volume 3.djvu/272

 256 POLITICAL HERESY.— THE STATE. cially subject ; as recently as 1292 a horrible scandal of this kind had led to the banishment of many professors and theologians of the University of Paris. Darker rumors were not lacking of un- christian practices introduced in the Order by a Grand Master taken prisoner by the Soldan of Babylon, and procuring his release under promise of rendering them obligatory on the members. There was also a legend that in the early davs of the Order two Templars were riding on one horse in a battle beyond seas. The one in front recommended himself to Christ and was sorely wounded ; the one behind recommended himself to him who best could help, and he escaped. The latter was said to be the demon in human shape who told his wounded comrade that if he would believe him the Order would grow in wealth and power. The Templar was seduced, and thence came error and unbelief into the organization. "We have seen how readily such stories obtained credence throughout the Middle Ages, how they grew and became embroidered with the most fantastic details. The public mind was ripe to believe anything of the Templars ; a spark only was needed to produce a conflagration.* 338.— Proces des Templiers, I. 186-7, 454 ; II. 139, 153, 195-6, 223, 440, 445, 471. — S. Damiani Lib. Gomorrhian. — Guillel. Nangiac. aim. 1120. — Alani de Insulis Lib. de Planctu Naturae. — Gualt. Mapes de Nugis Curialium i. xxiv. — Prediche del B. Fra Giordano da Rivalto, Firenze, 1831, L 230.— Regest. Clement. PP. V. T. V. p. 259 (Ed. Benedictin. Romae, 1887).— Alvar. Pelag. de Planet. Eccles. Lib. u. Art. ii. fol. lxxxiii. — Menioires de Jacques Du Clercq, Liv. in. ch. 42; Liv. iv. ch. 3. — Rogeri Bacon Compend. Studii Philosophise cap. ii. (M. R. Series I. 412). Unnatural crime was subject to ecclesiastical jurisdiction and the punishment was burning alive (Tres Ancien Cout. de Bretagne, Art. 112, 142 ap. Bourdot de Richebourg, IV. 227, 232. — Statuta Criminalia Mediolani e tenebris in lucem edita, cap. 51, Bergomi, 1594). An instance of the infliction of the penalty by secular justice is recorded at Bourges in 1445 (Jean Chartier. Hist, de Charles VII. Ed. Godefroy, p. 72), and another at Zurich in 1482 (V. Anaheim, Die Berner Chronik, Bern. 1884, 1. 221), though in 1451 Nicholas V. had subjected the crime to the Inquisition (Ripoll III. 301). D'Argentre" says " Haec poena toto regno et vulgo statutis Italiae indicitur per civitates, sed pene irritis legibus" (Comment. Consuetud. Due. Britann. p. 1810). In England it was a secular crime, punish- able by burning alive (Home, Myrroi of Justice, cap. iv. § 14) and in Spain by castration and lapidation (El Fuero real de Espana. Lib. rv. Tit. ix. I. 2). The gossiping experiences in Syria and Italy of Antonio Sicci da Vercelli, as
 * Regie et Statuts secrets, §81, p. 314; §124. p. 448— Wilkins Concilia II.