The Method of
passing Sentence upon one who hath Confessed to Heresy
but is Impenitent, although not Relapsed
THE
tenth method of completing a process on behalf of the
Faith by a final sentence is used when the person
accused of heresy, after a careful examination of the
circumstances of the process in consultation with
skilled lawyers, is found to have confessed his heresy
and to be impenitent, though he has not relapsed into
the heresy. Such a case is very rarely found, but yet it
has come within the experience of us Inquisitors. In
such a case, therefore, the Bishop and Judge must not be
in haste to sentence the prisoner, but must keep him
well guarded and fettered, and induce him to be
converted, even to the extent of several months, showing
him that, by remaining impenitent, he will be damned in
body and soul.
But if
neither by comforts nor hardships, nor by threatening
nor persuasion, can he be brought to renounce his
errors, and the appointed period of grace has expired,
let the Bishop and Judges prepare to deliver or abandon
him to the secular Court; and they shall give notice to
the herald or bailiff or secular authorities that on
such a day, not a Feast, and at such an hour they should
be in such a place with their attendants outside a
church, and that they will deliver to them a certain
impenitent heretic. None the less they shall themselves
make public proclamation in the customary places that on
such a day at such a time in the aforesaid place a
sermon will be preached in defence of the faith, and
that they will hand over a certain heretic to secular
justice; and that all should come and be present, being
granted the customary Indulgences.
After this,
the prisoner shall be delivered to the secular Court in
the following manner. But let him first be often
admonished to renounce his heresy and repent; but if he
altogether refuses, let the sentence be pronounced.
We, N., by
the mercy of God Bishop of such a city, or Judge in the
territories of such Prince, seeing that you, N., of such
a place in such a Diocese, have been accused before us
by public report and the information of credible persons
(naming them) of heresy, and that you have for many
years persisted in those heresies to the great hurt of
your immortal soul; and since we, whose duty it is to
exterminate the plague of heresy, wishing to be more
certainly informed of this matter and to see whether you
walked in darkness or the light, have diligently
inquired into the said accusation, summoning and duly
examining you, we find that you are indeed infected with
the said heresy.
But since it
is the chief desire of our hearts to plant the Holy
Catholic Faith in the hearts of our people, and to
eradicate the pest of heresy, we have used diverse and
various suitable methods, both by ourselves and by
others, to persuade you to renounce your said errors and
heresies in which you had stood, were standing, and even
now defiantly and obstinately stand with stubborn heart.
But since the Enemy of the human race is present in your
heart, wrapping you up and entangling you in the said
errors, and you have refused and yet refuse to abjure
the said heresies, choosing rather the death of your
soul in hell and of your body in this world than to
renounce the said heresies and return to the bosom of
the Church and cleanse your soul, and since you are
determined to remain in your sin:
Therefore
inasmuch as you are bound by the chain of
excommunication from the Holy Church, and are justly cut
off from the number of the Lord's flock, and are
deprived of the benefits of the Church, the Church can
do no more for you, having done all that was possible.
We the said Bishop and Judges on behalf of the Faith,
sitting in tribunal as Judges judging, and having before
us the Holy Gospels that our judgement may proceed as
from the countenance of god and our eyes see with
equity, and having before our eyes only God and the
truth of the Holy Faith and the extirpation of the
plague of heresy, on this day and at this hour and place
assigned to you for the hearing of your final sentence,
we give it as our judgement and sentence that you are
indeed an impenitent heretic, and as truly such to be
delivered and abandoned to the secular Court: wherefore
by this sentence we cast you away as an impenitent
heretic from our ecclesiastical Court, and deliver or
abandon you to the power of the secular Court: praying
the said Court to moderate or temper its sentence of
death against you. This sentence was given, etc.
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