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

328
HISTORY OF THE POPES.
themselves in the case of undue interference. Ercole, Lord
of Sassuolo, in the Duchy of Modena, who had allowed two
heretics into his territory, was placed in the Castle of St.
Angelo, until he had caused both of them to be delivered to
the Roman Inquisition.^ When he had on his own authority
mitigated the punishment of a relapsed but repentant heretic,
Pius V. threatened the Duke of Savoy with excommunication,
September 15, and December 8, 1571, concerning a heretic who
lodged at Monferrato and Leghorn, and who was finally captured
by brigands, who sought to obtain their pardon on the score of
this capture {ibid. 58 seq.). Cardinal Bonelli wrote by the Pope's
command on April 26, 1566, to the Duke of Savoy, concerning a
school master who had already been condemned, but who was
continuing to spread his doctrines, and whom the civic officials
would not hand over to the Inquisitor {ibid. 34). On January 30,
1570, on February 13 and April 24, 1571, Cardinal Bobba had
recourse to the Duke for the handing over of a Franciscan heretic,
who had spontaneously surrendered to the Inquisition at Turin
{ibid. 56 ; cf. 57). For the vigilance of the Roman Inquisition cf.
also the information in Battistella, II S. Officio e la riforma
religiosa in Bologna, Bologna 1905, 65, seq. ; ibid. 97 seq., 100
seq., 105, for the execution of heretics at Bologna in 1567, 1568,
1570-
^ " *La cosa, ch'io scrissi a V. S. 111"^^, che Nostro Signore
haveva intentione di mandar un commissario a Modena per le
cose della inquisitione, non essendo quella citta la piii netta del
mundo pare che si vada credendo et crescendo perche a questi
giorni N^^^ Sig^'*^ fece mettere qui in castello il sig^ Hercole de li
signori di Sassuolo per havere, come dicono, toUerato dui heretic!
Modenesi, un Rangone et uno Castelvetro, in detta terra sua. Ma
perche scrisse subito questo signore a'suoi agenti che prendessero
questi tali et li consegnassero a chi ordinava Sua Santita, e stato
rilassato con segurta di presentarsi et fare ogni sforza perche
questi tali effettualmente siano dati nelie forze di Sua Beat"®.
Tutta questa istoria dicono che da molto di pensare a Morone, et
pero il povero signore ha una chiera molto afflitta, o sia per il male
passato del corpo o per I'infirmita presente dell'animo." Caligari
to Commendone, June 29, 1566, Lett, di princ. XXIII. 270, Papal
Secret Archives. Cf. *Arco, June 22, 1566, State Archives,
Vienna.