Page:A history of the Inquisition of the Middle Ages, volume 3.djvu/86

 70 THE SPIRITUAL FRANCISCANS. of Beziers, ISarbonne, and Carcassonne. Bertrand at first tried persuasion. The outward sign of the Spirituals was the habit. They wore smaller hoods, and gowns shorter, narrower, and coarser than the Conventuals ; and, holding this to be in accordance with the precedent set by Francis, it was as much an article of faith with them as the absence of granaries and wine-cellars and the refusal to handle money. When he urged them to abandon these vestments they therefore replied that this was one of the matters in which they could not render obedience. Then he assumed a tone of authority under the papal rescript, and they rejoined by an appeal to the pope better informed, signed by forty-five friars of Narbonne, and fifteen of Beziers. On receipt of the appeal, John peremptorily ordered, April 27, 1317, all the appellants to present themselves before him within ten days, under pain of ex- communication. They set forth, seventy -four in number, with Bernard Delicieux at their head, and on reaching Avignon did not venture to lodge in the Franciscan convent, but bivouacked for the night on the public place in front of the papal doors.* They were regarded as much more dangerous rebels than the Italian Spirituals. The latter had already had a hearing in which Ubertino da Casale confuted the charges brought against them, and he, Goffrido da Cornone, and Philippe de Caux, while express- ing sympathy and readiness to defend Olivi and his disciples, had plainly let it be seen that they regarded themselves as not per- sonally concerned with them. John drew the same distinction; and though Angelo da Clarino was for a while imprisoned on the strength of an old condemnation by Boniface VIII., he was soon released and permitted to adopt the Celestin habit and Rule. Ubertino was told that if he would return for a few days to the Franciscan convent proper provision would be made for his fut- ure. To this he significantly replied, "After staying with the friars for a single day I will not require any provision in this world from you or any one else," and he was permitted to trans- fer himself to the Benedictine Order, as were likewise several others of his comrades. He had but a temporary respite, how- No. 9-14. — Hist. Tribulation. (Archiv far L. u. K. ictor. Chron. ann. 1311, 1316 (Muratori S. R. I. III. n.