148 THE MIDDLE AGES. A.D. 1294-1617.
council sent to Gregory XIL, who recogiiized Sigismund as king of the Romans. ^ Gregory complained to Archbishop Andrew of Spalato, bearer of the notice, of the lateness of the invitation, and that he had not been consulted in regard to the council. Sigismund promised that, if Gregory should be deposed, he would see to it that he received a good life position.2
The council, which was appointed for Nov. 1, 1414, lasted nearly four yeajg, and proved to be one of the most impoging gatherings which has ever convened in Western Europe. It was a veritable parliament of nations, a convention of the leading intellects of the age, who pressed together to give vent to the spirit of free discussion which the Avignon scandals and the schism had developed, and to debate the most urgent of questions, the reunion of Christendom under one undisputed head." ^
Following the advice of his cardinals, Jolin, who set his face reluctantly towards the North, reached Constance Oct. 28^ 1414. The city then contained 5500 people, and the beauty of its location, its fields, and its vineyards, were praised by Nieheim and other contemporaries. They also spoke of the salubriousness of the air and the justice of the municipal laws for strangers. It seemed to be as a field which the Lord had blessed.'* As John approached Constance, coming by way of the Tirol, he is said to have exclaimed, " Ha, this is the place where foxes are trapped." He entered the town in great style, accompanied by nine cardinals and sixteen hundred mounted horsemen. He rode a white horse, its back covered with a red rug. Its bridles were held by the count of Montferrat and an Orsini of Rome. The city council sent to the
1 There is some evidence that a report was abroad in Italy that Sigismund intended to have all three popes put on trial at Constance, but that a gift of 50,000 gulden from John at Lodi induced him to support that pontiff. Finite: Ada, p. 177 sq.
2 Sigismund's letters are given by Hardt, VI. 5, 6 ; Mansi, XXVIII. 2-4. See Finke, Forsdiungen, p. 2.3.
8 Funk, Kirchengesch., p. 470, calls it eine der grossartigslen Kirchenversatiimlungen Vielche die Geschichte kennt, geioissermassfu cin Kongress des ganzcn Abendlandes. * Hardt, II. 308.
§ 16. THE COUNCIL OF CONSTANCE. 1414-1418. 149
pope's lodgings four large barrels of Elsass wine, eight of native wine, and other wines. ^
The first day of November, John attended a solemn mass at the cathedral. The council met on the 5tli, with fifteen cardinals ^re^ent. The first public session was held N^^v. 16. In all, forty-five public sessions were held, the usual hour of assembling being 7 in the morning. Gregory XII. was represented by two delegates, the titular patriarch of Constantinople and Cardinal John Dominici of Ragusa, a man of great sagacity and excellent spirit.
The convention did not get into full swing until the arrival of Sigismund on Christmas Eve, fresh from his coronation, which occurred at Aachen, Nov. 8, and accompanied by his queen, Barbara, and a brilliant suite. After warming themselves, the imperial party proceeded to the cathedral and, at cock-crowing Christmas morning, were received by the pope. Services were held lasting eight, or, according to another authority, eleven hours without interruption. Sigismund, wearing his crown and a dalmatic, exercised the functions of deacon and read the Gospel, and the pope conferred upon him a sword, bidding him use it to protect the Church.
Constance had become the most conspicuous locality in Europe. It attracted people of every rank, from the king to the beggar. A scene of the kind on so great a scale had never been witnessed in the West before. The reports of the number of strangers in the city vary from 50,000 to 100,000. Richental, the indefatigable Boswell of the council, himself a resident of Constance, gives an account of the arrival of every important personage, together with the number of his retainers. One-half of his Chronicle is a directory of names. He went from house to house, taking a census, and to the thousands he mentions by name, he adds 5000 who
1 Eichental, Chronik, pp. 25-28, gives a graphic description of Johin's entry into the city. This writer, who was a citizen of Constance, the office he filled being unknown, had unusual opportunities for observing what was going on and getting the official documents. He gives copies of several of John's bulls, and the most detailed accounts of some of the proceedings at which he was present. See p. 129.