Untitled - Shattering Denial

54
THE INQUISITION
punishment of heresy. Of course it had in view chiefly
the Cathari of Toulouse and Gascony:
are captured,"
"
If these wretches
it says, "the Catholic princes are to im
prison them and confiscate their 1
property."
This canon was applied probably for the first time at
Toulouse in 1 178. The Bishop began proceedings against
several heretics, among them a rich noble named Pierre
Mauran, who was summoned before his tribunal, and
condemned to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. His
property was confiscated, although
later on when he
professed repentance it was restored to him, on condition
that he dismantle the towers of his castles, and pay the
Count of Toulouse a fine of five hundred pounds of silver. 2
In the meantime the Cathari increased with alarming
rapidity throughout this region. Count Raymond V
(1148-1194), wishing to strike terror into them, enacted
a law which decreed the confiscation of their property
and death. The people of Toulouse quoted this law later
on in a letter to King Pedro of Aragon to justify their
sending heretics to the stake, 3 and when the followers of
1 "Illi vero, si deprehensi fuerint, per catholicos principes
custodies manci-
pati, omnium bonorum amissione mulctentur." Can. 4, Labbe, Concilia,
vol. x, col. 1419; Hist, des Gaules, vol. xiv, p. 431.
2 For the details of this case, cf . A letter of Henry, Abbot of Clairvaux,
Migne, P. L., vol. cciv, p. 235 and seq.
3
"Scientes preterito processu longi temporis dominum comitem patrem
moderni temporis comitis ab universe Tolose populo accepisse in mandatis
hereticus inventus esset in Tolosana
instrument inde composite, quod si quis
urbe vel suburbio, cum receptatore suo pariter ad supplicium traderetur,
publicatis possessionibus utriusque; unde multos combussimus, et adhuc cum