THE MENDICANTS VINDICATED.
The commotion caused by William of St. Amour's book extended to the
Court, and the pious King Louis, desirous of removing the scandal,
formally referred the matter to the Holy See. Two doctors of the Paris
University were appointed to take the book to the Papal Court and
present it for examination to the Pope. This project having become
public, William and his chief adherents determined to defend their
views and set out for Anagni. The Pope received the King's envoys and
regarded the matter as of very grave importance. He appointed a
Commission of Cardinals carefully to examine the {24} book and to
judge between the Mendicants and their opponents.
A public discussion was instituted at which were present
representatives of both parties. On the side of the Mendicants were
the Ministers General of the Dominican and Franciscan Orders--Humbert
of Rome and John of Parma--Albert the Great, St. Thomas of Aquin,
O.P., Bertrand of Bajona, O.F.M., and, according to some authors, St.
Bonaventure. We cannot say with certainty who the defenders of St.
Amour's book were. It is doubtful if he himself had arrived at Anagni
before the work was condemned. Albert the Great and St. Thomas
powerfully vindicated the cause of the Mendicants. The treatise
composed by the latter, "_Contra impugnantes Dei cultum_," is a
masterly defence of the principles attacked by St. Amour. St.
Bonaventure's work on "Evangelical Perfection" is no less solid and
convincing. It was written in connection with this dispute and was
very probably submitted to the Commission. This may account for the
assertion put forward by some writers that Bonaventure was present at
Anagni and took part in the discussion--an assertion which more
accurate investigation has almost entirely discredited. On the arrival
of William and his followers a strenuous effort was made to avert the
impending condemnation, and even to effect its revocation, but to no
purpose.
After an examination extending over several {25} weeks the Cardinals
gave their decision. It was an unconditional condemnation of Amour's
book, which was ordered to be publicly burned both at the Papal Court
and at the University of Paris. The sentence was proclaimed by the
Pope in the Bull _Romanus Pontifex_ issued on 5 October, 1256.
Referring to William and his supporters the Pontiff says:--[Footnote 10]
[Footnote 10: Cf. Wadding, Tom. IV, Anno 1256. No. 31.]
"They heaped calumny on the Brethren and placed a stumbling-block in
the way of the chosen children of the Church. Nay, more, in the excess
of their bitterness they burst forth into malicious invectives, and
composed a certain book which is most pernicious and detestable--a
book not only not according to reason but utterly opposed to it; not
true but false; not edifying but scandalous; not enlightening but
misleading. This book having been brought to Our knowledge, We
entrusted it for examination to certain Cardinals that they might
discover and diligently consider all that it contained. Which having
carefully and with due deliberation performed, they report to Us that
the said book contains many things false and pernicious concerning the
Pope and the bishops, also concerning those who, overcoming the world
and its works, live by alms in strict poverty. It also assails those
who, burning with zeal for souls and devoted to sacred science,
greatly further the spiritual welfare of God's Church. It condemns the
state of life of {26} poor Religious, such as the Friars Preachers and
Friars Minor, who by the power of the Spirit, having abandoned earthly
things, aspire with all their force to the heavenly reward. The book
is a veritable hot-bed of scandal and disorder, and greatly injures
souls by withdrawing them from devotion, the giving of alms, and
entrance into holy Religion. This same book which bears the title
'Perils of the Last Times,' with the advice of Our Brethren and by Our
Apostolic authority We reject and condemn for ever as wicked,
iniquitous and execrable, and containing bad, false and nefarious
sentiments. We strictly command all its possessors to burn it and
procure its destruction within eight days from the issue of this Our
condemnation. Against those who despise Our command We pronounce
sentence of excommunication."
This condemnation does not appear to have produced the desired effect.
The agitation against the Friars still continued. It was found
necessary to counteract the pernicious influence of Amour's teaching
by some more direct and forcible method, and to this end the Pope
addressed [Footnote 11] the following letter 19 October, 1256, to King
Louis and the French bishops:--
[Footnote 11: Ibid. No. 33.]
"Not without much bitterness of heart and trouble of mind, We have
learnt that certain Masters and Doctors and others, 'sharpening their
tongues like swords,' and 'bearing the poison of {27} asps in their
lips,' for the defamation, vexation and destruction of the innocent,
have wickedly poured it out in slander and injuries on our beloved
sons, the Brothers of the Order of Preachers and Friars Minor. By
lecturing and preaching and otherwise, they have dared to say that
they were not in the way of salvation; that their Mendicancy was
neither salutary or meritorious, since health permitting, and other
reasonable hindrances ceasing, they should work with their hands and
not depend for necessary help upon others. Furthermore, they have
asserted that they may not preach nor hear confessions, even when
authorized by the Pope or the bishop, lest they encroach upon the
rights of the parish priests, and many other things false and
reprehensible have they uttered against them. Now these same Orders
for some time back have been approved by the Holy See as holy,
renowned and illustrious. And some of the Brothers thereof, having
reached their heavenly country, are inscribed in the catalogue of the
Saints and shine like suns in the Church of God, whilst by their
Brethren the light of holy doctrine is shed over the whole world, the
Gospel of Christ is earnestly and efficaciously preached, and right
and sound counsel and salutary example prevail. Furthermore, as the
aforesaid Brothers are assiduously and continually engaged in the
study of the Holy Scriptures and the Word of God, in saying the Divine
Office and in prayer, they are by no means indulging in idleness, but
exercising {28} themselves in the best and highest pursuit, for wisdom
is the noblest attainment; nor do they do more who devote themselves
to external labours, than those who are engaged in the study of divine
things. Hence, the Lord, whilst Martha was busy working and
ministering, commended principally the docility and devout attention
of Mary to His word. From this it appears clearly that the Brothers
are not bound to work with their hands. Nay more, were they to neglect
spiritual things for manual labour they would be abandoning, not
without detriment to their souls, the greater for the lesser, the
necessary for the unnecessary. Moreover, these Brothers, having left
all things for God, when they beg the bare necessaries of life,
imitate the poor Christ and practise Evangelical Perfection. Hence, it
clearly follows that they are in the way of salvation, and by the
observance of their Rule merit eternal life. Furthermore, by
commission or command of the Roman Pontiff or the Bishop of the
Dioceses they may lawfully preach and hear confessions. Therefore, We
strictly command all the Doctors or Masters who have dared to deny
these things, publicly to retract and renounce the same and hold and
proclaim the contrary. Should they refuse to do this they must be
proceeded against by suspension, excommunication, and the perpetual
deprivation of their benefices. Lay people transgressing in this
matter are to be seriously reprimanded."
{29}
Some of the prominent adherents of William of St. Amour accepted the
Papal condemnation in a submissive spirit and publicly retracted their
false opinions, and promised on oath never more to maintain them.
Amongst these were Christian of Beauvais and Odo of Douay. William
himself was not so tractable. He had recourse to evasions and
explanations, and endeavoured to show that his views were not really
condemned. He continued to foster a spirit of hostility to the
Mendicants amongst his partisans at Paris, and eventually he drew upon
himself the sentence of perpetual banishment from France. Under pain
of excommunication and forfeiture of all his benefices he was
forbidden ever to return, and under like penalties he was prohibited
to preach or teach. His friends at Paris did all in their power to
procure his recall, but they were strenuously opposed by the
Mendicants. Thus, the ill-feeling between the two parties was
maintained, and it was only by the renewed intervention of the Pope
and the employment by him of stringent measures against the secular
professors that order was established and the Mendicants treated with
justice and tolerance.
After ten years' exile Pope Clement permitted William to return to
Paris. He had not abandoned his old opinions, and it needed a severe
reprimand on the part of the Pope accompanied by a threat of further
banishment to restrain him from again assailing the Mendicants. After
his death, some {30} years later, the agitation against the Friars
gradually died out, and they regained the esteem and confidence in
which they had formerly been held.