Barbarossa; An Historical Novel of the XII Century.
Page 48
_CHAPTER XLVI_.
_THE SERMON_.
Stephen, prior of Cluny, entered the Pope's chamber; the Abbot Hugo hadbeen deposed the same day by the Chapter, on account of hisschismatical tendencies, and the prior had just been informed that theCount of Champagne had placed guards at all the doors of the cloister.
"The Count is much interested in our affairs," said Alexander. "Youperceive how faithful he is to his master; why then should we be lessso to ours? Is every thing ready for the council?"
"Your orders have been executed, Holy Father."
"I will administer the holy sacrament, and then receive the Count ofChampagne. Is there anything else, my son?" asked the Pope, seeing thatStephen still waited with a restless and uneasy expression on hisfeatures.
"Holy Father, are you then decided to allow yourself to be madeprisoner by these impious men?" asked the good prior, with an emotionwhich touched his hearer. "All the doors are guarded, but you can getout in the disguise of a monk and escape! I have prepared everything."
"Stephen," answered the Pope, in a tone of reproach, "you have beenbusy about many things, when there was but one important;" then, with amilder voice, he continued: "The hour is at hand, my son; take carethat everything be ready."
"The hour is at hand!" repeated the prior as he withdrew; "our blessedRedeemer said those words when they came to lay hands on him. Woe isme! Cluny has become a Mount of Olives, and the Holy Father will leaveit to go to prison, and perhaps to death."
As has already been observed, the church of Cluny was the largest inthe world. The roof was supported by gigantic columns, measuring eightfeet each in circumference; the whole building was ornamented withpictures and sculpture; a magnificent mosaic pavement covered the floorof the choir, and the walls were hung with invaluable works of art,representing the life of Jesus Christ and the Saints, and scenes fromthe Old Testament. Gold and silver candlesticks stood upon the altar,and in front hung a chandelier of four branches, wrought in solidsilver, with lanterns studded with precious stones.
As soon as Stephen had ascertained that Alexander's orders had beencarried out, he proceeded to the cloister, where the Count of Champagneand thirty men-at-arms had just entered.
Without vouchsafing a glance at the works of art around them, theseadvanced boldly into the very house of God, and drew up in line beforethe pulpit at the entrance to the chancel. With helmets on, clothed incomplete mail, and their swords drawn, they resembled the horde ofbarbarians who had come to pursue Christ in the holy temple of God.
The moment fixed upon by Alexander was approaching. The door of thesacristy opened, and the procession entered the chancel. At the headwalked the monks and lay brothers, robed in white; then came theabbots, bishops, and cardinals, in rich costumes, wearing the mitre,and with cross in hand; last of all, the Pope, in red vestments, andall the pomp of solemn ceremony.
"Red! the color of the holy martyrs," thought Stephen, as he remarkedthe color which had been selected by the Pontiff; "and there are theexecutioners!" he added, looking at the soldiers. The holy sacrificebegan. The Pope, entirely absorbed in his devotions, thought of nothingwhich was going on around him. The prelates were kneeling upon scarletcushions; the monks and lay brothers upon the pavement.
As soon as the office was terminated, and without laying aside hispontifical robes, the Pope entered the chancel and ascended his throne,around which were seated the cardinals, bishops, and abbots. The monksstood in line waiting, with anxious faces, for the end. About threepaces in front stood a table, covered with parchments, at which twoclerks were seated, in order to copy the proceedings. The men-at-arms,led by Henry of Champagne and the fierce Count of Nevers, advancedboldly towards the Pontiff.
"Sir Pope," said Henry, "we have been sent to invite you, in the nameof our sovereign lord and king, to appear before an ecclesiasticalcouncil, which is to meet at an early day in Besancon. We can take noexcuse, as your refusal might plunge France and Germany into a bloodywar. Our king has pledged himself by oath that you will be present atthe assembly, and he means to keep his word. You must, then, accept theinvitation graciously, if you do not wish to compel us to resort toviolence."
This harangue, so devoid of all courtesy, excited the openly expresseddisapproval of the audience.
"Count of Champagne!" exclaimed the pious but impetuous Maurice,Archbishop of Paris; "you not only act contrary to all custom, but youare also wanting in the respect which you owe to the Head of theChurch. How can you dare to address such words to the Vicar of Christin the very temple of God? Would you have us to suppose that the greatvassals of the French crown surpass in irreligion the slaves of theschismatic Barbarossa?"
Maurice would have continued, but Alexander III. interfered.
"My lord Count," he said, "it is not obstinacy, but duty, whichdictates our refusal to this invitation. We will certainly repair toBesancon, but not as a culprit. Who convoked the assembly? Men who areforgetful of their duties, and almost without exception under the banof ecclesiastical censure. We cannot submit our cause to any earthlytribunal, least of all to one acting only under the orders of theEmperor. Frederic has violated all laws, human and divine, in placingthe Council above the Pope, and the Emperor above the Council. Werebuke this injustice, and we are ready, in the discharge of our duty,to suffer every torture, and even death itself."
Alexander paused, and then rose from his seat with an expression ofsuch majesty upon his features that even Count William himself wasimpressed.
The Vicar of Jesus Christ resumed, with a calm, dignified energy whichcarried conviction to the minds of all.
"My dear brethren," he said, turning towards the prelates, "it is mostprobable that we are about to be again called to tread the road onwhich our Lord and Saviour has preceded us, and in which many of ourpredecessors have followed Him to martyrdom! Yes, the way of the Crossalone leads to victory, and to a better world! You have long known thedrift of the Emperor's designs. Misled by the false glitter of PaganImperialism, Frederic aims at ruling over both Church and State. TheHead of Christendom is for him a mere instrument of his own will, andour holy religion only a means of attaining his ends. We are amazedthat such ideas should have taken possession of a prince whom God hasgifted with so many noble qualities. You are aware, my brethren, thatthe Emperor has nominated to all the vacant Sees of his Empire, men whoare unworthy of such positions, without either the learning which isindispensable, or the spirit of piety which should animate theshepherds of God's flock. And yet the Apostle has said, 'For a bishopmust be without crime, not proud, not subject to anger, not given towine, no striker, nor greedy of filthy lucre; but given to hospitality,gentle, sober, just, holy, continent.' And yet, he would make thebishops nothing but the Emperor's slaves! We feel grievously afflictedat the sight of such grave misconduct. What misfortunes are they notpreparing for the Church! The ecclesiastical spirit is less and lessvalued every day; the liberty of the Church no longer exists except inname, and her property is at the mercy of impious hands. But in themidst of this deluge of injustice, the Holy See has been established,by divine Providence, like the rock of order, against which storms andtempests will spend their fury in vain. So, we solemnly announce toyou, in the name of God, that the Cardinal Octavian, falsely styledPope Victor, is excommunicated and put under the ban of ecclesiasticalcensure. We declare, in advance, all the proceedings and resolutions ofthe Council of Besancon to be null and void. If, until to-day, we haverefrained from launching the thunders of the Church against the scourgeof Christendom, it is because our Lord Jesus Christ has taught us topardon. And, although the time for speaking has come at last, we stillpardon the Emperor for all the misery and pain which he has caused us.You will repeat this discourse, my brethren, in the pulpits of all yourparishes, and you will circulate it, by every possible means, in orderthat the Christian world may not be misled into error. As regardsourselves, we pray God ceaselessly, that he may prevent the success ofthe enemie
s of the Holy Church; may He protect her with His mighty arm!May he lead to repentance and contrition the souls which have strayedfrom her fold!"
"_Amen_, _amen_!" repeated the prelates.
"_Amen_, _amen_!" said the witnesses.
And the crowd throughout the Church exclaimed, "_Amen_!"
The Count of Champagne stood amazed. Thoroughly convinced of thejustice of Alexander's claims, ambition alone had united him to theImperial faction, and he had been impressed by the discourse of theHoly Father; for it seemed to him as though God himself had spoken.
"Holy Father," he said, "I appreciate your reasoning and the resolutionwith which you wish to discharge the sacred duties of your ministry.But my personal opinions have naught to do with the execution of theorder which is intrusted to me. I await then, Holy Father, until it mayplease you to notify me of the hour which you have fixed for yourdeparture for Laon."