With the new constitution, a new spirit took pos- session of the people. Unrighteous gains were given up; deadly enemies emhraced each other in love; secu- lar sports came to an end; vows of continence were made by husbands and wives; profane love songs gave place to hymns of love for Christ; artists cast their nude paintings into the fire; fasting became a delight; tiie
communion was partaken of daih'; never -wear3-ing crowds thronged to the great cathedral, over whose pul- jiit were inscribed the words: "Jesus Christ, the King of Florence;" committees traversed the city gathering up and destroying bad books, cards, and instruments of music; the carnival gave place to a Palm-Sunday pro- cession in which thousands of children and of adults, dressed in white, indulged in sacred dances and sang verj' odd Christian songs, of which the following verse is a fair sample :
"Non fu raai piii bel solazzo,
Fill giocondo lie niaggioie,
Che per zelo e per aiiiore
Di Gesu divenir pazzo.
OL'iuin grida com' io grido.
Semper pazzo, pazzo, pazzo."
This popular excess Savonarola justified on the Monday after Holy Week, 149(5, by citing the example of David dancing before the ark, and by the phenomena of Pen- tecost after the ascension.
But all this was but a transient enthusiasm of an ex- citable populace. The general character of levitj' had been too deeply implanted bj' ages of prosperity and submission to demagogues to be able now to assume suddenly the self-control and steadfastness which are so essential to a religious and free government, and a re- action was inevitable. It came only too soon. The worldly spirit reasserted itself in the form of opposition to the monk's regime at home and of alliance with the po]ie from without. No more violent contrast could be imagined than the austere Savonarola and the profligate and infamous pope Alexander VI. It was impossible that these two could live in peace at the head of neigh- boring states. Savonarola hesitated not to attack the character of the papal court as it deserved ; and he openly proclaimed his hope that the reform begun in Florence would eventually embrace the whole of Italy. The papal court saw the necessity of putting down so bold a foe. Strategy was at first resorted to. Savona- rola was invited to come to Rome ; and a cardinal's hat and the archbishopric of Florence were offered to him. He answered the pope in strangely prophetic words : " I desire none of your gifts; I will have no other red hat than that which you have given to other servants of Christ — the red hat of martyrdom." Then Alexander commanded him to come to PJome. Savonarola excused himself on the ground of his feeble health; and he con- tinued to preach against Rome. Thereupon the pope (in the autumn of 149G) forbade him further preaching on pain of excommunication, until the termination of his trial for heresy, which was now to be commenced. At the same time, the jealousy of the Franciscan order, at the prominence of this Dominican, fell upon him. Sa- vonarola ceased preaching for a time; but then, unable to restrain the spirit within him, recommenced. "The pope/' said he, " is ill-informed and misguided. It is not the ideal pope who has forbidden me to preach ; the true pope is the incarnation of the spirit of Christ; and Christ cannot be against the spirit of love, otherwise he would be against himself. This wicked order is, there- fore, not from the pope. I must preach, because God has called me thereto." So reasoned Savonarola; so en- deavored he to reconcile disobedience to the visible pope with obedience to the Catholic Church. Meantime po- litical affairs took an unfavorable turn for Savonarola. Charles VIII was forced to retire from Itah' in inglori- ous failure. Combined Italy was hostile to Florence because of its alliance with the French. Also a pesti- lence and famine broke out in Florence (June, 1497), against which Savonarola could furnish no miraculous remedy. The party of the Medici made an attempt to seize the government; this failed, and ended with the execution (Aug. 21, 1497) of five prominent men. The avengers of their blood now watched for Savonarola's life. His followers now surrounded him with an-armed guard; it was only thus that he could reach his pulpit.
The pope, learning of the decline of Savonarola's popularity, excommunicated him, first in May, 1497, and
SAVONAROLA
387
SAVOY
then more emphatically in October, forbiddincj all Chris- tians to have any intercourse with him, and threatening the city with the interdict. Savonarola, encouraged by a favorable council which was elected Jan. 1, 1498, as- cended the cathedral pulpit, denied the charge of her- esy, declared null and void the excommunication, and appealed from the human pope to the heavenly head of the Church. He also boldly summoned the crowned heads of all Christendom to unite in calling a general council, to depose this pretended pope, and to heal the wounds of the Church. And j'et Savonarola plainlj' foresaw the fatal result to himself of the present con- test. " To the cmise there can be no other outcome than victory; but to me it will be death." An incau- tious step which Savonarola now took precipitated the end. From the balcony of San Marco he asked tJod to consume him with fire if he had acted from unchristian motives. A Franciscan monk offered to stand the or- deal of tire against him. Savonarola hesitated. An enthusiastic monk of San Marco offered to undergo the test in Savonarola's place; then the whole body of Dominicans declared themselves also ready. Savona- rola consented. The issue in controversy was the right- eousness of Savonarola and the invalidity of his excom- munication. A monk was selected from each order. Two great ranges of fire, close beside each other, were prepared on the great square. The two orders of monks marched in with song and banners through the innu- merable multitude; but, just as the moment arrived for the test, a violent disagreement arose as to whether tlie parties standing the ordeal should bear the crucifix and host. The contest lasted until evening, when a violent rain put out the remnant of the fire. The people dis- persed amid loud murmurs, and the whole weight of their displeasure fell upon Savonarola. The fickle peo- ple now charged him with being an impostor and a coward, and it was due to his armed guards that he left the spot alive. On the next day — Palm-Sunday, 1498 — his enemies besieged him in San Marco; he disdained earthly weapons, and fell upon his face in prayer. As he was taken and conducted to judgment he was greet- ed with all manner of abuse. His adherents were ex- pelled from the council, and a hasty trial was entered upon. On six successive days he was dragged forth and examined under the severest tortures. During the few daj'S of his imprisonment he wrote a beautifid exposi- tion of the 51st Psalm, which Luther afterwards pub- lished as a tract. He was then examined again, by tort- ure, before a clerical tribunal ; it was but a mere form. He was sentenced to be hanged and burned. He was thus executed with and between two of his friends, May 23, 1498. At the foot of the scaffold he had adminis- tered the eucharist to himself and his two friends. "My Lord was pleased to die for my sins; whj' should not I be glad to give up my poor life out of love to him?" With such words he closed his eyes upon the world and yielded to the gibbet and the flames.