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The history of the popes, from the close of the middle ages : drawn ...

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312<br />

HISTORY OF THE POPES.<br />

mentioned autodafe <strong>of</strong> May 22nd, 1569, <strong>the</strong> Cardinals and<br />

prelates did not assemble again in any numbers at <strong>the</strong> Minerva<br />

until February 3rd, 1572, in order to assist at <strong>the</strong> abjuration<br />

<strong>of</strong> thirteen heretics, one <strong>of</strong> whom was handed over to <strong>the</strong><br />

secular arm and was burned on February 9th, toge<strong>the</strong>r with<br />

four women ; all five were reconciled before <strong>the</strong>y died.^<br />

During 1571 it is true that <strong>the</strong> abjuration <strong>of</strong> five <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> common<br />

people took place on February i8th, but this occasion was not<br />

published in advance, and took place without any solemnity<br />

in <strong>the</strong> Sistine Chapel, it being feared that <strong>the</strong> fact that even<br />

members <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> lower classes had been condemned on so grave<br />

a charge might give scandal. ^ It would seem that heresy<br />

among <strong>the</strong> true Romans was looked upon as something<br />

extraordinary ; <strong>the</strong> records <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Confraternity <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

S. Giovanni Decollato do not number a single person <strong>of</strong> Roman<br />

birth among <strong>the</strong> heretics who were put to death up to <strong>the</strong> time<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> death <strong>of</strong> Pius V. and even later. ^<br />

Among <strong>the</strong> cities <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Papal States none was called upon<br />

to send more <strong>of</strong> its inhabitants for judgment before <strong>the</strong> Roman<br />

Inquisition than Faenza.^ It is reported in April, 1567, that<br />

many persons had been arrested <strong>the</strong>re and taken to Rome<br />

on <strong>the</strong> suspicion <strong>of</strong> heresy toge<strong>the</strong>r with a Servite preacher,<br />

and that at <strong>the</strong> same time <strong>the</strong> bishop was called upon to give<br />

1 *Avviso di Roma <strong>of</strong> February gth, 1572 (Urb. 1053, p. 31,<br />

ibid.). *Arco, Februar}^ 9, 1572, State Archives, Vienna. Ber-<br />

TOLOTTi, Martiri, 61 seq. Orano, 40-44. See also Amabile, L,<br />

315 seq. <strong>The</strong> four women, according to <strong>the</strong> *Avviso already<br />

quoted, were " streghe." Orano (p. 45-52) mentions four o<strong>the</strong>r<br />

executions in 1572, on February 22, Maixh 15, and July 19, but<br />

in all four cases <strong>the</strong> reason for <strong>the</strong> capital punishment is not<br />

sufficiently clear.<br />

2 Bertolotti, Martiri, 58.<br />

2 Cf. <strong>the</strong> lists <strong>of</strong> those who abjured in Arch. d. Soc. Rom.. XII.<br />

(1889), 342 ; Bertolotti, Martiri, 45, 55. That <strong>the</strong> " Porroni<br />

romano " <strong>of</strong> Orano (p. 36) is wrongly included among <strong>the</strong> heretics,<br />

see supra 311, n. i.<br />

* Cf. Orano, 25-27, 30, 32 ; Bertolotti, Martiri, 41, 55.

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