Chapter 31 Chapter Twenty Six

Sixth Prayer While Adso was looking for truffles, he saw the Menorite Sangha arriving.Later they talked to William and Ubertino and learned about John XXII After discussing it for a while, my advisor decided to take a break.I have said that at times he would come to a complete stillness, as if the endless planets stopped, and he would stop with them.That was the case that morning.He lay on his straw, staring into the air, his hands folded on his chest, his lips barely moving, as if in silent prayer, but intermittently and not devoutly. I thought he was meditating and decided to respect his meditation.I went back to the courtyard and saw that the sunlight had dimmed.The morning had been so clear and beautiful, but now (almost noon) it was wet and foggy.Thick clouds appeared in the northern sky, accumulated on the top of the mountain, and cast a layer of mist on the mountain.It seemed to be foggy, but at this altitude it was difficult to tell whether the fog was rising from the ground or falling from above.Buildings farther away are already blurred.

I saw Severinus merrily gathering together several pigmen and their pigs.He told me that he was going to go down the hillside, all the way down to the bottom of the valley, looking for truffles.Truffles, also called wood mushrooms, grow in clumps and are native to the Italian peninsula, especially in the territory of St. Benedict.The ones in Norcia are mostly black, while those around here are whiter and more fragrant.Severinus explained to me the shape and taste of the truffle, and he said that it is very difficult to find because it hides underground and is more secretive than champignons.The only animal that can dig them up is the pig, which can smell truffles.But these pigs will eat truffles as soon as they find them, so you have to chase them away and go dig them up as soon as they find them.I have since heard that many lords even joined in the search themselves, following the pigs as if they were the noblest hounds, followed by servants with hoes or picks.In fact, some years ago a lord of my country, knowing that I knew Italy well, asked me why, when he went there, he saw many Italian lords taking their pigs out to graze.I laughed out loud because I knew they were actually out looking for truffles.But when I told him that these lords went out to find truffles to eat, he thought I said they went to the "der Teufel" devil, stared at me in surprise, and murmured a few prayers.After I explained it to him, we all laughed.Human language is so interesting, the same sound often has different meanings.

My curiosity was aroused by Severinus' preparations, and I resolved to go with him, partly because I knew that by this search he was trying to forget the sad events that oppressed everyone.I thought, by helping him forget about his worries, maybe I could suppress my thoughts too.Since I am determined to write all the facts, I don't deny that I secretly thought that after I got to the valley, maybe I would meet the person who lingers in my heart.But I told myself aloud that since two delegations would be arriving that day, I might see one of them. As we walked slowly down the mountain road, the air became clearer and clearer. It was not that the sun appeared again, because the sky was still covered with thick clouds, but although the fog had not dispersed, the scenery was quite clear.But when we had gone some distance, I turned my head and looked back at the top of the mountain, and I could see nothing, the top, the plateau, the towering cathedral—everything had disappeared into the clouds.

The morning we arrived, we could see the sea ten miles away in some bends when we were in the mountains.Our journey was full of surprises, for we would come suddenly to mountain mesas overlooking the beautiful bay; The sun hardly shines into the deep valley.Before I arrived in this part of Italy, I had never seen such a narrow and abrupt gap between mountain and sea. The smell, and the piercing coldness of the mountains. Yet everything was gray that morning, and there was no horizon to be seen even in the valleys that opened out to the distant shore.But I should recall something connected with our story, my patient reader, so I will not dwell on the search for truffles up and down the mountain pass, but only the arrival of the Manorite delegation.I was the first to see them, and immediately ran back to the Abbey to inform William.

My mentor waited until the delegation entered the monastery and accepted the reception of the abbot according to the etiquette, and then went to meet them. It was inevitable to have another friendly hug and greeting. It was past dinner time, but the Abbot prepared a special feast for his guests, and thoughtfully asked us to dine with them.With William at the same table, they were exempted from the obligations of the canon and talked freely while eating.After all—God forgive my unpleasant metaphor—it was like a council of war, held as soon as possible before the arrival of the enemy, and our "enemy" was the Avignon delegation.

Needless to say, the new guests also met Ubertino very quickly, and they were amazed, delighted, and respectful not only because of his long absence and the background of his disappearance, but also because he was a brave fighter, and dozens of fought tirelessly in this same battle. As for the members of the delegation, I will elaborate on it later when I talk about the meeting the next day.Speaking of which, I barely spoke to them at first, just listening to the three-person meeting that William, Ubertino, and Michael from Cesena quickly set up. ※Bandhammer Academy's E-Book※ Michael must have been a strange man, unmatched in his enthusiasm for the Franciscans (occasionally, in his more agitated moments, his tone and gesture somewhat resembled Ubertino's), very human, And he is happy by nature, and he feels happy when he is with his friends.He is also careful and sensitive, and suddenly can be as cunning and clever as a fox and as unpredictable as a mole.His laugh was hearty, energetic, and persuasive even when he was silent, and when asked a question he didn't want to answer, he seemed to avert his eyes absently and refused to answer.

I have mentioned him briefly in the previous chapters, and those are things I have heard others say.His ambivalence and sudden change in political strategy in recent years amazed his friends and disciples alike.Now I understand something.He is the chief priest of the Menorite Order and the main successor of the Franciscan Order; he must compete with the wisdom and holiness of his predecessor, Bonaventure, and he must protect the property of the order and ensure that the disciples abide by the canon; He had to keep watch over the Curia and the prefects, which were the source of prosperity and wealth, and often sent gifts to the Order in the name of alms; To be the chief of the heathen; he must please the pope, the emperor, the simple-living friar, St. Francis who watched him in heaven, and the Christians who watched him on earth.When John denounces all bishops as heretics, Michael doesn't hesitate to hand him five of the most unruly brothers in Provence for the Pope to burn at the stake.But Michael knew that many people in the order sympathized with believers who advocated a simple life (and Ubertino probably felt the same), so after four years, he asked the Perugian order to protect people who were accused of heresy. It is a compromise, and on the one hand, it is an attempt to mediate the needs of the Order and the Pope.However, since Michael could not proceed without the pope's consent, he tried to persuade the pope aside, while accepting the assistance of the emperor and imperial theologians.Two years before the day I met him, he had ordered the monks in the Grand Order of Lyon to speak with humility and respect when speaking of the Pope (that was after the Pope, referring to the Order of Menoret, complained that "their clamor, their error, their madness" within a few months).But now he was all smiles, sitting at a table with someone who didn't respect the Pope very much.

I have already mentioned the details.John wanted him to go to Avignon, he wanted to go, but couldn't.The next day's meeting was to decide on the form of the trip, to keep him in a position neither humble nor overbearing, and to ensure his safety.I don't think Michael had ever met John in person before, at least not after John became Pope.They hadn't seen each other for a long time anyway, and Michael's friend was anxious to paint the portrait of the clergyman in the darkest shades. "There is one thing you must know," William told him, "and that is never to believe his promises. He has always said nothing."

"Everyone knows," Ubertino said, "what happened when he was elected..." "That can't be called an election at all, it's a fraud!" Someone at the same table shouted.I later heard this man referred to as Huff of Newcastle, with an accent similar to William's, "Speaking of which Clement V's death was a mystery. He only agreed to try Boniface after his death , and then did all he could to put him out of touch with Boniface, for which the King never forgave him. In Carpentrys no one knew how Clement died. In fact, When the cardinals called the Papal Conclave in Carpentras, there was no new pope because they had a choice between Avignon and Rome. I don't really know what happened at that time - I only heard that , it was a massacre - the nephews of the late pope threatened the cardinals, their servants massacred, the palace was set on fire. The cardinal appealed to the king, and the king said he never wanted the pope to abandon Rome, we should be patient and do A right choice...then Philip died inexplicably, God only knows how..."

"Maybe the devil knows," said Ubertino, praying in a low voice, and the others followed suit. "Maybe the devil knows." Huff sneered, and agreed, "In short, another king came to the throne, reigned for eighteen months, and then died. Unfortunately, the new king died within a few days of his succession. The regent, that is, his elder brother, is logically on the throne..." "This is Philip V," Michael continued. "When he was Count of Poitiers, he was the one who prevented the Cardinal from escaping from Carpentras." "Yes." Huff continued, "he asked them to hold an election meeting in the Monastery of Santo Domingo in Lyon, and swore that he would guarantee their safety and would never arrest them. But when they When within his sphere of power, he not only imprisoned them (after all, this was the custom), but reduced their food day by day until they had decided. Everyone promised to support the one he proposed for the throne The cardinals had been prisoners for two years by then, weak and weary, and all terrified of being held there for life without food, so they promised everything and put the little man on Peter's throne. Think I want to see that he is already in his seventies..." ※Bangchui Academyの重学习E书※

"He's short, yes." Ubertino laughed, "and he looks like a tuberculosis man, but he's more powerful and shrewd than anyone imagined." "Son of a cobbler," muttered one of the delegates. "Jesus Christ was also the son of a carpenter," Ubertino scolded him. "That doesn't matter. He has a decent education. He studied law at Montpellier and medicine in Paris; he worked in the Thoughtful and well-connected, he seized the opportune moment to ascend to the position of cardinal. In Naples, as advisor to Robert the Wise, his acuity surprised many. When in Avignon, he was bishop. Dedicated to Philip, taught him how to destroy the templar. After he was elected, he plotted against the cardinal who tried to kill him... But this is not what I want to talk about, I want to say that he betrayed his oath, but had the ability not to be charged with false oaths. In order to be elected, he promised Bishop Orsini that he would return the papacy to Rome. When he was elected, he swore to Orsini that if he did not keep his promise, he would no more horses or donkeys. Well, you know what about that old fox? After he had himself crowned at Lyon (against the king's wishes, who wanted it to be in Avignon), he rode The ship is sailing from Lyon to Avignon!" All the monks laughed.The pope is a perjurer, but no one can deny that he has not broken his word. "He has no shame," said William. "Didn't Huff say that John had no intention of concealing his faith? Did you tell me, Ubertino, what he said to Orsini the day he arrived in Avignon? where are they?" Ubertino said: "He told Orsini that the sky in France is very beautiful, and he saw no reason for the Holy See to be located in a city full of ruins like Rome. Since the Pope also has the power to bind and loosen, just like Peter. , he wields that power now, and he decides to stay there, where he likes to be. When Orsini tries to remind him that he is obliged to live on the Vatican Hill, he snaps at him not to forget the obedience. Canon, interrupting the discussion. But I have not finished the story of the oath. When John disembarked, according to legend, he was supposed to mount a white horse, and the cardinals followed on black horses. Instead he abandoned the horse, Walked to the temple. I haven't heard of him riding a horse since. Do you expect a man like him, Michael, to keep the word he gave you?" Michael was silent for a long while, then he said: "I can understand the Pope's desire to stay in Avignon, and I don't want to argue with it. But he cannot refute our desire to be poor, and what our example to Christ sets. explanation." "Don't be so naive, Michael," William began. "How evil his hopes look compared to your hopes—ours. You know, he's the greediest pope in centuries. Babylon Whores against whom our Ubertino has so sharply denounced, the depraved, corrupt popes your poets once described, are mere cowardly lambs compared to John, a thieves And singing magpie, a usurer Jew, Avignon's business is twice as much as Florence! I've heard about Clement's nephew--Bertrand of Gauze--the despicable Bargain, he was Carpentras' massacre (in which all the jewels of the cardinals were robbed). He stole his uncle's treasure, which was no small amount. John didn't leave out Bertrand Anything that was stolen, he made a detailed list of how many gold coins, gold and silver utensils, books, carpets, gems, decorations... However, John told Baitren about the Carpentras Rebellion. He pretended not to know the one or two million Florentine gold coins he had plundered, and he only questioned the other three thousand gold coins, which Bertrand admitted was given to him by his uncle for "pious reasons", that is, a reform movement.Later they agreed that Bertrand kept half of the gold coins for the reform and donated the other half to the pope.However, Baitlun has not carried out any reforms, at least so far, the Pope has never seen a gold coin..." "He's not very smart, then," said Michael. "That was the only time he miscalculated money," said Ubertino. "You have to understand what kind of businessman you're dealing with. In all other cases, he scoured the money with diabolical techniques. He was a Midas, and everything he touched turned to gold and flowed into the silver cabinets in Avignon. Every time I went to his office, I met bankers, money changers, and desks full of Gold, the missionary is busy counting gold coins and stacking them in several piles... You will see the palace he built for himself, a magnificent scene, which can only be compared with the palace of the Byzantine emperor or the great khan of the shoe. Now you It's time to understand why he issued those edicts against the ideal of poverty. But you know he made the order of Santo Domingo, who hated our order, carve Christ, put a crown on Christ, a robe of purple and gold and Luxurious sandals? In Avignon, the crucifixion of Christ with only one hand pinned to it while the other touches the purse on its belt, signifies that he justifies the use of money for religious purposes… " "Oh, shameless!" exclaimed Michael, "but isn't that blatant blasphemy?" William added: "He added a third tiara to the Pope. Right? Ubertino?" "Yes, at the ecstasy of the Millennium Pope Hildebrand first wore one; the notorious Boniface later added a second; John made the symbol more complete; the triple crown, the spirit , temporal and ecclesiastical power. It is nothing less than the symbol of the king of Persia, the symbol of the heathen..." A monk has not expressed any opinions until now, but is devoutly and relishing the good food brought to the table by the abbot.He watched the conversation with inattentive eyes, and occasionally sneered a few times when he heard the pope's extravagance, or hummed in agreement with other monks' disrespectful remarks, other times he was just busy wiping the juice off his collar, And the crumbs of meat falling out of his toothless but gluttonous mouth, only once he whispered a few times to his neighbor, but it was to praise the deliciousness of the food.I later learned that he was Jerome, bishop of Kaffa, whom Ubertino thought a few days ago to be dead (I must say his death two years ago continued to be rumored in Christendom for a long time, because I later Heard people say it. In fact, he died a few months after that meeting, I still think he died from the rage of the next day's meeting, I think he died immediately seizures, although his body was weak, his temper was terribly violent). At this point he joined the discussion, mouth full of food and said before swallowing: "Then, you know, this villain promulgated the constitution again, using the sins of religion to extract more money. If a priest commits the sin of carnality , with a nun, a relation, or even with an ordinary woman (for there are such cases too), he can be pardoned for sixty-seven ducats and twelvepence, or two hundred ducats if he commits bestiality But if he whipped a young man or an animal instead of a woman, the fine was reduced to a hundred. A nun who has given herself to many men, whether at one time or many times in succession, inside or outside the convent, Then if she wants to become the dean, she has to pay one hundred and thirty-one gold coins and fifteen pence..." "Come on, come on, Jerome," protested Ubertino, "you know I don't like the Pope, but I'm going to defend him on that! That's a slander in Avignon. Never seen this Constitution!" "It exists," said Jerome firmly. "I haven't seen it either, but it exists." Ubertino shook his head, and the others fell silent.I realized that they were used to not paying attention to what Jerome said. Hadn't William said that day that he was a fool? William tried to resume the conversation: "In any case, true or false, this rumor tells us about the moral atmosphere of Avignon, those who use people and those who are used know that they do not live in Christianity. Instead of living in a district court, John lived in a market place. When John first came to the throne, it was said that he had seventy thousand gold coins in his silver cabinet, and now his wealth is said to have increased to more than ten million." E-book※ "That's true," said Ubertino. "Oh, Michael, Michael, you don't know a thing about all the shameful things I saw in Avignon!" "Let's be honest," Michael said. "We all know that even our people can run amok. I've heard that some Franciscans attacked the monastery of Santo Domingo and robbed the monks and forced them into poverty." life...that's why I didn't dare to oppose John during the events in Provence...I'm going to make a deal with him, I won't humiliate his pride, just ask him not to humiliate our humility. I don't want to talk to him about money , just ask him to agree to a particular interpretation of the Bible. That's what we're going to do with his envoy tomorrow. After all, they're all theological men, and not everyone is as greedy as John. When some wise When someone is determined to interpret the Bible, he can't-" "Him?" interrupted Ubertino, "what, you don't even know about his theological folly? He just wants to control everything, earthly or celestial. We've seen him on earth As for the heavens...well, he hasn't said anything hard to hear in public, but I know he has privately said it to his henchmen. He's planning some crazy proposition that will change the very nature of the teachings, Deprive us of the right to preach!" "What claim?" Many people asked. "Ask Berenga. He knows, he told me." Ubertino turned to Berenga Talloni.Although he is a member of the Holy See, he has been the Pope's most powerful opponent for the past few years.He was from Avignon and had joined the St. Franciscan delegation two days before arriving at the abbey with them. "It was a dark and almost unbelievable thing," said Berenga. "John's will, which seemed to intend to pronounce justice, enjoyed a cheerful spectacle only after it had been judged." Nine verses have been around for a while, and that verse talks about the fifth seal being broken, and under the altar, there are the souls of those who were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony. Each of them was given a white robe, and told them to wait patiently for a while... John said that this meant that they would not see God in person until after the final judgment." Michael said in horror: “Who did he say these words to?” "Only to a few of his cronies so far, but word has spread. They say he's preparing to make a public announcement, not immediately, maybe in two years. He's conferring with his theologians..." "Haha!" Jerome couldn't help sneering while eating. "Also, he seems to want to go a step further, arguing that not even hell will open until that day... not even for the devil!" "Jesus Christ, help us!" cried Jerome. "If we can't threaten the prisoners with the idea that they will be sent to hell immediately after death, how can we tell them?" "We're all at the mercy of a lunatic," said Ubertino, "but I don't understand why he would claim that..." "The whole doctrine of tolerance is going to be gone in smoke," Jerome complained. "Even he won't be able to do business in the future. Why would a monk who committed the crime of animal lust pay so much gold to escape such a crime?" What about distant punishment?" "It's not that far away," said Ubertino firmly, "that moment is almost here!" "You know, dear brother, but the common people don't. That's the way it is!" cried Jerome, who seemed to have stopped enjoying his food, "what a wicked idea, those brothers who preach must keep in mind... oh !” He shook his head. "But why?" Michael asked again. "I can't think of any reason," said William. "It was an experiment on himself, an act of arrogance. He just wanted to be the one who decides things in heaven and on earth. I know the arguments—Occam's power Leigh wrote me that. We'll just have to wait and see if the Pope gets his way or the theologians disprove him, after all that's what the whole church says, it's what God's people want, bishops... ..." "Oh, he can even get theologians to go along with him in matters of doctrine," said Michael mournfully. ※Bandhammer Academy's E-Book※ "Not really," William replied. "In our day, scholars of sacred things are not afraid to accuse the pope of being a heretic. Those holy scholars are the representatives of Christianity. Even the pope dares not confront them now." "That's even worse." Michael murmured in horror. "On one side is the crazy Pope, and on the other side are the people of God. Even through the words of theologians, they may soon interpret the Bible arbitrarily. ..." William asked: "Why? Did your people in Perugia argue differently?" Michael jumped up as if he had been stabbed: "That's why I have to meet with the Pope. If he doesn't compromise, there is nothing we can do." "Let's wait and see." William's tone was puzzling. My mentor did have extraordinary insight.How could he have foreseen that Michael would later decide to support the theologians of the Empire, and those who denounced the Pope?How could William have foreseen, four years later, a riot in all of Christendom when John first proclaimed his absurd doctrines?How can the dead speak for the living if the cheerful image is thus delayed?And what becomes of the praise of the saints?Will publicly denounce the Pope as a Menorite order, and Willie of Occam was one of the most vocal in his opposition, with a strong sense of justice.The conflict lasted for three years until John made partial amends before his death. When he attended the Council of Cardinals in December 1334, he was eighty-five years old and looked even thinner, smaller and paler than ever.He says (this old verbal fox, not only breaking his own oath, but denying his obstinacy): "We recognize and believe that the soul is separate from the body" and has been completely purified, and is in heaven with Angels, Jesus Christ, who clearly, face to face, saw God and His divine essence..." He paused - no one knew whether it was because he was out of breath, or if he was expressing it. Desire against the last sentence—and then: "To bring these isolated souls to a state of contentment. " The next morning, Sunday, he was lying on a bench before the cardinals, who had kissed his hand, and he died. But again I digressed and said things I shouldn't have said.But then again, the conversation at the dinner table does not give the reader a better understanding of the events I am describing.The Brothers Menorit agreed on where they would stand for the next day, and one by one they assessed their opponents.They were all concerned to hear William's announcement that Bernard Gouy would also be arriving.They commented even more on the news that Bishop Bertrand of Pogito would lead the delegation from Avignon.Two Inquisitors was too many, and it showed that they planned to confront the Menorites with heretical arguments. "That's not good," William said. "We'll just have to treat them like heretics." "No, it can't," Michael said. "We still have to proceed carefully. We must not jeopardize any possible agreement." "As far as I can see," said William, "although I hope that this meeting will have a successful outcome, you know, Michael, I don't believe that those Avignons have come all the way here to achieve any certainty." Conclusion. John wants you to go to Avignon alone, without any guarantees. But the conference has at least one function of making you understand it. It would be even worse if you went before you had this experience." Michael said bitterly, "So you've worked so hard for months to bring about something you thought was futile." "I am at the request of the emperor and you," William said. "Besides, it is not in vain to make you understand the enemy a little bit." At this moment they came to tell us that a second delegation had also arrived at the monastery. The Menorite brothers all got up and walked out of the dining room to meet the Pope's people.