_Formation of the public Processions of Flagellants. Different
success they meet with, in different Countries._
The example which so many illustrious personages had given of
voluntarily submitting to flagellation, and the pains which Monks had
been at, to promote that method of mortification by their example
likewise, as well as by the stories they related on that subject,
had, as we have seen, induced the generality of people to adopt
the fondest notions of its efficacy. But about the year 1260, the
intoxication became as it were complete. People, no longer satisfied
to practise mortifications of this kind in private, began to perform
them in sight of the Public, under pretence of greater humiliation:
regular associations and fraternities were formed for that purpose;
and numerous bodies of half-naked Men began to make their appearance
in the public streets, who after performing a few religious
ceremonies contrived for the occasion, flagellated themselves with
astonishing fanaticism and cruelty.
The first institution of public Associations and Solemnities of this
kind, must needs have filled with surprise all moderate persons
in those days, and in fact we see that Historians of different
Countries, who lived in the times when their ceremonies were first
introduced, have taken much notice of them, and recorded them at
length in their Histories or Chronicles. I will lay extracts from a
few of these different Books, before the Reader; it being the best
manner, I think, of acquainting him with the origin of these singular
flagellating solemnities and processions, which continue in use in
several Countries.
The first Author from whom we have a circumstantial account on that
subject, is that Monk of St. Justina, in Padua, whose Chronicle
Wechelius printed afterwards at Basil. He relates how the public
superstitious ceremonies we mention, made their first appearance
in the Country in the neighbourhood of Bologna, which is the spot
where, it seems, they took their first origin, and whence they were
afterwards communicated to other Countries. The following is the
above Author’s own account.
“When all Italy was sullied with crimes of every kind, a certain
sudden superstition, hitherto unknown to the world, first seized the
inhabitants of Perusa, afterwards the Romans, and then almost all
the Nations of Italy. To such a degree were they affected with the
fear of God, that noble as well as ignoble persons, young and old,
even children five years of age, would go naked about the streets,
with only their private parts covered, and, without any sense of
shame, thus walked in public, two and two, in the manner of a solemn
procession. Every one of them held in his hand a scourge made of
leather-thongs, and with tears and groans they lashed themselves on
their backs, till the blood ran; all the while weeping and giving
tokens of the same bitter affliction as if they had really been
spectators of the passion of our Saviour, imploring the forgiveness
of God and his Mother, and praying that He who had been appeased by
the repentance of so many Sinners, would not disdain theirs.
“And not only in the day time, but likewise during the nights,
hundreds, thousands, and ten thousands of these Penitents, ran,
notwithstanding the rigour of winter, about the streets, and in
churches, with lighted wax-candles in their hands, and preceded by
Priests who carried crosses and banners along with them, and with
humility prostrated themselves before the altars: the same scenes
were to be seen in small Towns and Villages; so that the mountains
and the fields seemed to resound alike the voice of Men who were
crying to God.
“All musical instruments and love songs then ceased to be heard. The
only Music that prevailed, both in Town and Country, was that of the
lugubrious voice of the Penitent, whose mournful accents might have
moved hearts of flint; and even the eyes of the obdurate Sinner could
not refrain from tears[114].
“Nor were Women exempt from the general spirit of devotion we
mention: for not only those among the common people, but also
Matrons and young Maidens of noble families, would perform the same
mortifications with modesty, in their own rooms. Then those who were
at enmity with one another, became again friends. Usurers and Robbers
hastened to restore their ill-gotten riches to their right owners.
Others, who were contaminated with different crimes, confessed them
with humility, and renounced their vanities. Gaols were opened;
prisoners were delivered; and banished persons permitted to return
to their native habitations. So many and so great works of sanctity
and christian charity, in short, were then performed by both Men and
Women, that it seemed as if an universal apprehension had seized
Mankind, that the divine Power was preparing either to consume them
by fire, or destroy them by shaking the earth, or some other of those
means which divine Justice knows how to employ for avenging crimes.
“Such a sudden repentance, which had thus diffused itself all over
Italy, and had even reached other Countries, not only the unlearned,
but wise persons also admired. They wondered whence such a vehement
fervour of piety could have proceeded; especially since such public
penances and ceremonies had been unheard of in former times, had
not been approved by the sovereign Pontiff, who was then residing
at Anagni, nor recommended by any Preacher or person of eminence,
but had taken their origin among simple persons, whose example both
learned and unlearned had alike followed.”
The Ceremonies we mention were soon imitated, as the same Author
remarks, by the other Nations of Italy: though they, at first,
met with opposition in several places, from divers Princes, or
Governments, in that Country. Pope Alexander the Fourth, for
instance, who had fixed his See at Anagni, refused at first, as
hath been above said, to give his sanction to them; and Clement VI.
who had been Archbishop of Sens, in France, in subsequent times
condemned those public flagellations by a Bull for that purpose (A.
1349). Manfredus, likewise, who was Master of Sicily and Apulia,
and Palavicinus, Marquis of Cremona, Brescia, and Milan, prohibited
the same processions in the Countries under their dominion; though,
on the other hand, many Princes as well as Popes countenanced them,
either in the same times, or afterwards.
This spirit of public penance and devotion was in time communicated
to other Countries; it even reached so far as Greece, as we are
informed by Nicephorus Gregoras, who wrote in the year 1361.
Attempts were likewise made to introduce ceremonies of the same
kind into Poland, as Baronius says in his Annals; but they were at
first prohibited: nor did they meet, at the same period, with more
encouragement in Bohemia, as Dubravius relates in his History of that
Country.
In Germany, however, the Sect, or Fraternity, of the Flagellants
proved more successful. We find a very full account of the first
flagellating processions that were made in that Country, in the
year 1349 (a time during which the plague was raging there) in the
Chronicle of Albert of Strasbourg, who lived during that period.
“As the plague (says the above Author) was beginning to make its
appearance, People then began in Germany to flagellate themselves
in public processions. Two hundred came, at one time, from the
Country of Schwaben to Spira, having a principal Leader at their
head, besides two subordinate ones, to whose commands they paid
implicit obedience. When they had passed the Rhine, at one o’clock
in the afternoon, crouds of people ran to see them. They then drew
a circular line on the ground, within which they placed themselves.
There they stripped off their clothes, and only kept upon themselves
a kind of short shirt, which served them instead of breeches, and
reached from the waist down to their heels: this done, they placed
themselves on the above circular line, and began to walk one after
another around it, with their arms stretched in the shape of a Cross,
thus forming among themselves a kind of procession. Having continued
this procession a little while, they prostrated themselves on the
ground, and afterwards rose one after another, in a regular manner,
every one of them, as he got up, giving a stroke with his scourge to
the next, who in his turn likewise rose, and served the following
one in the same manner. They then began disciplining themselves with
their scourges, which were armed with knots and four iron points, all
the while singing the usual Psalm of the invocation of our Lord, and
other Psalms: three of them were placed in the middle of the ring,
who, with a sonorous voice, regulated the chaunt of the others, and
disciplined themselves in the same manner. This having continued
for some time, they ceased their discipline; and then, at a certain
signal that was given them, prostrated themselves on their knees,
with their arms stretched, and threw themselves flat on the ground,
groaning and sobbing. They then rose, and heard an admonition from
their Leader, who exhorted them to implore the mercy of God on the
people, on both their benefactors and enemies, and on the souls in
Purgatory: then they placed themselves again upon their knees, with
their hands lifted towards heaven, performed the same ceremonies
as before, and disciplined themselves anew, as they walked round.
This done, they, put on their clothes again; and those who had been
left to take care of the clothes and the luggage, came forwards, and
went through the same ceremonies as the former had done. They had
among them Priests, and noble as well as ignoble persons, and men
conversant with letters.
“When the disciplines were concluded, one of the brotherhood rose,
and with a loud voice, read a letter, which he pretended had been
brought by an Angel to St. Peter’s Church, in Jerusalem: the Angel
declared in it, that Jesus Christ was offended at the wickedness
of the age, several instances of which were mentioned, such as the
violation of the Lord’s day, blasphemy, usury, adultery, and neglect
with respect to fasting on Fridays. To this the Man who read the
letter added, that Jesus Christ’s forgiveness having been implored
by the Holy Virgin and the Angels, he had made answer, that in order
to obtain mercy, sinners ought to live exiled from their Country for
thirty-four days, disciplining themselves during that time.
“The inhabitants of the Town of Spira were moved with so much
compassion for these Penitents, that they invited every one of them
to their houses: they however refused to receive alms severally, and
only accepted what was given to their Society in general, in order
to buy twisted wax-candles, and banners. These banners were of silk,
painted of a purple colour: they carried them in their processions,
which they performed twice every day. They never spoke to Women, and
refused to sleep upon feather-beds. They wore crosses upon their
coats and hats, behind and before, and had their scourges hanging at
their waist.
“About an hundred Men, in the Town of Spira, inlisted in their
Society, and about a thousand at Strasburgh, who promised obedience
to the Superiors, for the time abovementioned. They admitted nobody
but who engaged to observe all the above rules during that time, who
could spend at least four-pence a day, lest he should be obliged
to beg, and who declared that he had confessed his sins, forgiven
his enemies, and obtained the consent of his Wife. They divided at
Strasburgh: one part went up, and another part down, the Country;
their Superiors having likewise divided. The latter directed the new
brothers from Strasburgh, not to discipline themselves too harshly in
the beginning; and multitudes of people flocked from the Country up
and down the Rhine, as well as the inland Country, in order to see
them. After they had left Spira, about two hundred Boys twelve years
old, entered into an Association together, and disciplined themselves
in public.”
Flagellating processions and Solemnities of the same kind, were
likewise introduced into France, where they met, at first, with but
indifferent success; and even several Divines opposed them. The most
remarkable among them was John Gerson, a celebrated Theologian,
and Chancellor of the University of Paris, who purposely wrote a
Treatise against the ceremonies in question, in which he particularly
condemned the cruelty and great effusion of blood with which these
disciplines were performed. ‘It is equally unlawful (Gerson asserted)
for a Man to draw so much blood from his own body, unless it be for
medical reasons, as it would be for him to castrate or otherwise
mutilate himself. Else it might upon the same principle be advanced,
that a Man may brand himself with red-hot irons; a thing which nobody
hath, as yet, either pretended to say, or granted, unless it be false
Christians and Idolaters, such as are to be found in India, who
think it a matter of duty for one to be baptized through fire.’
Under King Henry the Third, however, the processions of Disciplinants
found much favour in France; and the King we mention, a weak and
bigoted Prince, not only encouraged these ceremonies by his words,
but even went so far as to inlist himself in a Fraternity of
Flagellants. The example thus given by the King, procured a great
number of Associates to the Brotherhood, and several Fraternities
were formed at Court, which were distinguished by different colours,
and composed of a number of Men of the first families in the Kingdom.
These processions, thus formed of the King and his noble train of
Disciplinants, all equipped like Flagellants, frequently made their
appearance in the public Streets of Paris, going from one Church
to another; and in one of those naked processions, the Cardinal of
Lorrain, who had joined in it, caught such a cold, it being about
Christmas time, that he died a few days afterwards. The following is
the account to be found on that subject, in the _President J. A. de
Thou’s_ History of his own times.
“While the civil war was thus carrying on, on both sides, scenes of
quite a different kind were to be seen at Court; where the King, who
was naturally of a religious temper, and fond of ceremonies unknown
to Antiquity, and who had formerly had an opportunity to indulge this
fancy in a Country subjected to the Pope’s dominion, would frequently
join in the processions which masked Men used to perform, on the days
before Christmas.
“For more than an hundred years past, a fondness for introducing new
modes of worship into the established Religion, had prevailed; and a
sect of Men had risen, who, thinking it meritorious to manifest the
compunction they felt for their offences, by outward signs, would put
on a sack-cloth, in the same manner it was ordered by the antient
Law; and from a strained interpretation they gave of the passage in
the Psalmist, _ad flagella paratus sum_, flagellated themselves in
public; whence they were called by the name of _Flagellants_. John
Gerson, the Chancellor of the University of Paris, and the purest
Theologian of that age, wrote a Book against them. Yet the holy
Pontiffs, considering then that Sect with more indulgence than former
ones had done, shewed much countenance to it; so that multitudes of
Men, all over Italy, in these days inlist in it, as in a kind of a
religious militia, thinking to obtain by that means forgiveness of
their sins. Distinguished by different colours, blue, white, and
black, in the same manner as the Green and Blue factions, though
proposing to themselves different objects, were formerly in Rome,
they likewise engrossed the attention of the public, and in several
places gave rise to the warmest contentions.
“The introduction which was made of these ceremonies into France,
where they had till then been almost unknown, forwarded the designs
of certain ambitious persons, the contempt they brought on the
person of the King, having weakened much the regal authority. While
the King mixed thus with processions of Flagellants, and the most
distinguished among his Courtiers followed his example, Charles,
Cardinal of Lorrain, who was one of the party, was, by the coldness
of the evening, thrown into a violent fever, attended with a most
intense pain in his head; and a delirium as well as continual
watchfulness having followed, he expired two days before Christmas.”
The Historian we have just quoted says, in another place, that the
King was principally induced to perform the above superstitious
processions, by the solicitations of his Confessor, Father Edmund
Auger, who wrote a Book on that subject, and of John Castelli, the
Apostolic Nuntio in France; and that the weak complaisance shewn to
him on that occasion, by the Chancellor Birague, and the Keeper of
the Seals, Chiverny, encouraged him much to pursue his plan in that
respect, notwithstanding the strong advices to the contrary, that
were given him by Christopher de Thou, President of the Parliament,
and Pierre Brulart, President of the _Chambre des Enquêtes_.
As there was, in those times, a powerful party in France, that
opposed the Court, and even was frequently at open war with it, there
was no want of Men, in Paris, who found fault with the disciplining
processions of the King. When they first made their appearance,
some, as the above Historian relates, laughed at them, while others
exclaimed that they were an insult both to God and Man. Even
Preachers joined in the party, and pointed their sarcasms from the
pulpit against those ceremonies.
The most petulant among these popular Preachers, was one Maurice
Poncet, of the Abbey of Melun, who, using expressions borrowed from
a Psalm, compared the King and his brother Disciplinants, to Men
who would cover themselves with a wet sack-cloth, to keep off the
rain: he was at last banished to his Monastery. The example which
the Court, and the Metropolis, had set, was followed in a number of
Country Towns, where fraternities of Flagellants were instituted;
and among them particular mention is made of the Brotherhood of the
_Blue Penitents_, in the City of Bourges, on account of the Sentence
passed in the year 1601, by the Parliament of Paris, in consequence
of a motion of Nicolas Servin, the King’s Advocate General, which
expressly abolished it[115].
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