704 THE MIDDLE AGES. A.D. 1294-1517.
J^rough epistolary communications and legates, the signory continued its attem[)ts to remove Alexander's objections and protect Savonarola. But, while all the members continued to express confidence in the friar's purity of motive, the majority came to take the position that it w^as more expedient to silence the preacher than to incur the pope's ban. At the public meeting, called by the signory March 9, 1498, to decide the course of action to be taken, the considerations pressed were those of expediency. The pope, as th^ vicar of Christ, has his authority directly from God and ought to be obeyed. A second consideration was the financial straits of the municipality. A tenth was needed and this could only be ordered through the pope. Some proposed to leave the decision of the matter to Savonarola himself. He was the best man the world had seen for 200 years. Others boldly announced that Alexander's letters were issued through the machinations of enemies of Florence and the censures they contained, being unjust, were not to be heeded.^ On March 17, 1498, the signory's decision was communicated to Savonarola that he should thenceforth refrain from preaching and the next day he preached his last sermon.
In his last sermon, Savonarola acknowledged it as his duty to obey the mandate. A measure had been worked out in his mind which was the last open to a churchman. Already had he hinted f rom^e pulpit at the convention of a general coijjicil as a last resort. The letters are still extant which he intended to send to the kings of Spain, England, France, Gexmanj^ and Hungary, calling upon them to summon a council. Tn them, he solemnly declared that Alexander was no pope. For, aside from purchasing his office and from his daily sale of benefices, his manifest vices proved him to be no Christian. The letters seem never to have been received. Individuals, however, despatched preliminary communications to friends at the different courts to prepare the way for their appeal. ^ One, addressed to Charles VIII., was intercepted at Milan
1 See Sclinitzer : Feuerprobe, p. 38 sqq.
2 For the originals, see Perrens, I. 487-492. Excerpts are given by Villari, II. 292 sq. See also Ilase, p. 59, Creij^liton, III. 237. Of the genuineness of the letters, Villari says there can bo no doubt.
§ 76. GIROLAMO SAVONAROLA. 705
and sent to the pope. Alexander now had documentary proof of the Florentine's rebellion against papal authority. But suddenly a wholly unexpected turn was given to the course of events.
Florence was startled by the rumor that resort^ was to be had to ordeal by fire to decide the genuineness of Savonarola's claims.^ The challenge came from a Franciscan, Francesco da Puglia, in a sermon at S. Croce in which he arraigned the Dominican friar as a heretic and false prophet. In case Savonarola was not burnt, it would be a clear sign that Florence was to follow him. The challenge was accepted by Fra Domenico da Pescia, a monk of St. Mark's and close friend of Savonarola's, a man of acknowledged purity of life. He took his friend's place, holding that Savonarola should be reserved for higher things. Francesco da Puglia then withdrew and a Franciscan monk, Julian Rondinelli, reluctantly took liis place. Savonarola himself, disapproved the ordeaj. It was an appeal to the miraculous. He had never performed a miracle nor felt the importance of one. His cause, he asserted, approved itself by the fruits of righteousness. But to the people, as the author of Romola has said, " the fiery trial seemed a short and easy argument " and Savonarola could not resist the popular feeling without forfeiting his popularity. The history of Florence could show more than one case of saintly men whose profession had been tested by fire. So it was, during the investiture controversy, with St. John Gualberti, in Settimo close by, and with the monk Peter in 1068, and so it was, a half century later, with another Peter who cleared himself of the charge of contemning the cross by walking unhurt over nine glowing ploughshares. ^
The ordeal was authorized by the signory and set for ApriiJ. It"^as decided that, in case Fra Domenico perished, Savonarola should go into exile within three hours. The two parties, Domenico and Rondinelli, filed their statements with the signory. The Dominican's included the following points.
1 Landucci's account of the fuoco, p. 165 sqq., is most vivid. For Cerretani's account, Schuitzer's ed., 59-71.
2 See Schnitzer : Feuerprobe, p. 49 sq.
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