CH. XIII.

PAPAL SATISFACTION.

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cloister. The Signory, on the other hand, to show themselves good sons of the Church, had ordered Savonarola out of their territory under punishment of contumacy, and as he had disobeyed, they had caused him to be taken prisoner, with two of his most zealous brothers.'

The ambassador at Rome, at the same time, had direction to beseech most pressingly his holiness for permission to make inquisition of the brothers. The Pope was greatly rejoiced at this news, and acted in such a manner as to leave no doubt that the whole infamous contrivance had proceeded from himself. Thus it was that the papal answer to a former writing of the Signory, concerning the fiery ordeal, was purposely delayed, while, yet, the ordeal was appointed. The decision of his holiness, which was to the purpose that the experiment itself, by the general decision of the whole college, should be prohibited as inadmissible, and contrary to the canonical law, came to Florence two days after the appointed time. But scarcely was the result of the affair known in Rome, before, on the 11th of April, two writings of approbation to Francesco and his order were prepared. Besides the general recognition of their zeal for the truth, and the honour of the holy chair, wherein all were exhorted to remain and proceed, in order to extinguish even the last traces of the destructive doctrine of the godless son, Hieronymus Savonarola,' those were, in particular, praised who had been ready themselves to go into the fire: so pious, religious, and memorable a work will remain unforgettable, and give to his holiness, as well as to the apostolical chair, especial and great satisfaction. Meanwhile, a writing was sent to the Signory, which reached Florence on the 13th of April, as is proved by a letter of the Ten to the ambassador at Milan, with the above date, wherein the

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ABSOLUTION TO TRANSGRESSORS.

B. III.

Pope expressed the liveliest thanks and the greatest pleasure at the course of the matter; and, at the same time, made many offers, if they would, after prosecuting the necessary inquiries, give Savonarola alive into the hands of his holiness. A second brief was addressed to the archbishop and the chapter of the Duomo, with the authority to absolve every one who had transgressed in this affair, even though by murder; whereupon all hastened to penance and absolution, even many by whom formerly the validity of Savonarola's excommunication was not recognized.

CHAPTER XIV.

INQUISITION AND MARTYRDOM.

Meditations on the fifty-first Psalm-Inquisition appointedSavonarola questioned and tortured-Francesco CecconeFalsification of evidence and process-CondemnationThirty-first Psalm-Execution of Savonarola, Domenico da Pescia, and Silvestro Maruffi.

VERILY, superstition is a sword that hath a double edge, wounding him who wields it; yea, corrupt religion is a foul barrel, that explodes in the gunner's hand. Small was the taint of old impurity left in Savonarola's soul; and yet it sufficed, not only to emperil him, but also his most sacred cause, investing with suspicion motives and acts which lie near the very heart of truth, and if touched, involve its life in their mortality. But its effects upon the crowd are no less remarkable. Both worshipped alike that consecrated host as a god: Savonarola and his friends trusted in it to take them safely through the flames --as their guardian angel-the visible presence of Deity. Not less thoroughly trusted the crowd, but, unreasoning, yet feared this divinity might suffer from fire; at any rate, it was too sacred for experiment, which might undeceive the worshipper, to whom illusion was the soul of piety. Not the first time this,

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FIFTY-FIRST PSALM.

B. III.

There

that the same feeling had been manifested. was once an ordeal in which a cross was enveloped in one of two bundles of wool, and he who took the bundle in which the cross was hidden, was acquitted. But a certain monarch thought that the cross was too holy a thing for such a test, and forbad its being any more subjected to the peril of irreverence by the chance of error. Proofs these, that the ordeal was never thoroughly believed in as an infallible trial, and that the adoration of symbols is implicated with opposite errors, as by a bipolar law.

Savonarola suspected no error here, and could not therefore be prepared for its antagonist reaction. He had, however, to suffer the results. For consolation in his imprisonment, he reverted again to his favorite book, the Bible, and in particular to the words of the sweet Psalmist of Israel. On one of these psalms he had hitherto purposely omitted to make any comment -it was the fifty-first-on the express plea that he reserved it for the day of adversity. This now he began to study afresh, and commenced writing meditations on, which are still extant,- -a fact wherein his friends recognized a prophecy of his future sufferings, which we have other and better proof that he had always foreseen. Known to him was his work from the beginning, and from the first had he counted the cost of its performance. These are some of the words of his meditations:

66

Against Thee only.'-Truly I have sinned against Thee only, Lord! For Thou didst command that I should love Thee for Thyself, and all creatures for Thy sake; but I have loved the creatures more than Thee, loving them for themselves. And what is sin but attachment to the creatures for their own sake? and it is no less than opposing Thee. I have, then, sinned before Thee only, because I made creatures my God, and left Thee. Thee only have I

CH. XIV

6

wronged; I have done evil before Thee, because I was not ashamed to sin before Thee. O God! how many sins have I committed before Thee, which I should not have committed in the presence of men! even such as I would not on any account that men should know. I have feared men more than Thee, because I was blind, and loved the creature. Thou hast loved the truth.' (Here are enumerated the promises fulfilled to Abraham, David, and others.) Surely Thou wilt not reckon iniquities, because Thou lovest truth, and hast loved it with immense love! What is that truth which thou hast loved? Is it not thy Son, who said, I am the Truth and the Life? He is, then, the truth from which all truth in heaven and earth is named. Thou hast loved Him, and in Him alone wert well pleased; for that Thou didst find Him without spot, and wouldest that He should die for sinners. Maintain, then, this truth; here am I a great sinner, in whom Thou mayest maintain it, to whom Thou hast pardoned many sins, washing them out by the blood of Thy Christ, and covering them by his passion. Why, Lord, didst Thou give me this knowledge of Thy Son? didst Thou give me this faith in Him? Didst Thou give it me that I should have the more sorrow, seeing my redemption, and not being able to attain it? No, certainly; Thou didst give it me that I, seeing pardon prepared for me, should take it by the grace of Christ. Receive me, then, Lord! since Thou hast manifested to me the unknown and hidden things of Thy wisdom, that this knowledge may profit me and conduct me to salvation.'

Why

On the last verse, 'Then do they offer bullocks upon Thine altar,'—' When they offer in Thy name their bodies to the cross, that is to torments and death. I pray Thee receive me as a sacrifice to justice, an offering in holiness, a holocaust of religious