Arnold of Villeneuve, who lived about the same time, was a man of
eminent attainments. He made a great proficiency in Greek, Hebrew, and
Arabic. He devoted himself in a high degree to astrology, and was so
confident in his art, as to venture to predict that the end of the
world would occur in a few years; but he lived to witness the
fallaciousness of his prophecy. He had much reputation as a physician.
He appears to have been a bold thinker. He maintained that deeds of
charity were of more avail than the sacrifice of the mass, and that no
one would be damned hereafter, but such as were proved to afford an
example of immoral conduct. Like all the men of these times who were
distinguished by the profoundness of their studies, he was accused of
magic. For this, or upon a charge of heresy, he was brought under the
prosecution of the inquisition. But he was alarmed by the fate of
Peter of Apono, and by recantation or some other mode of prudent
contrivance was fortunate enough to escape. He is one of the persons
to whom the writing of the book, _De Tribus Impostoribus_, Of the
Three Impostors (Moses, Jesus Christ and Mahomet) was imputed! [184]