708 THE MIDDLE AGES. A.D. 1294-1517.
denly a storm came up and rain fell but it as suddenly stopped. The delay continued. The crowds were growing unruly and threatening. Nightfall was at hand. The signorycalled_the ordeal off.
"^ Savonarolajs power was gone. The spell of his name had vanished. The spectacle was felt to be a farce. The popular menace grew more and more threatening and a guard scarcely prevented violence to Savonarola's person, as the procession moved back to St. Mark's.
There is much in favor of the view that on that day Savonarola's political enemies, the Arrabbiati, were in collusion with the Franciscans and that the delay on the square, occasioned by interposing objections, was a trick to postpone the ordeal altogether.^ It was said daggers were ready to put Savonarola out of the way. The populace, however, did not stop J,oconsjder such questions. Savonarola had not stood the test. And, it reasoned, if he was sincere and confident of his cause, why did he not enter the flaming pathway himself and brave its fiery perils. If he had not gone through unharmed, he at any rate, in dying, would have shown his moral heroism. It was Lutlier's jreadiness to stand the test at Worms which brought him the confidence of the peopl^. Had he shrunk in 1521 in the presence of Charles V., he would have lost the popular regard as Savonarola did in 1498 on the piazza of Florence. The judgment of modern times agrees with the popular judgment of the Florentines. Savonarola showed himself wanting in the qualities of the hero. Better for him to have died, than to have exposed himself to the charge of cowardice.
Florence felt mad anger at having been imposed upon. The next day St. Mark's was stormed by the mob. The signory voted Savonarola's immediate banishment. Landucci, who wept and continued to pray for him, says " that hell seemed to have opened its doors." Savonarola made an address, bidding farewell to his friends. Resistance of the mob was in vain. The convent was broken into and pillaged. Fra Domenico and the prior were bound and taken before the galfonier amidst insults and confined
1 Schnitzer, p. 159 sq., who says the siguory and the Franciscans joined '• in packing the cards."
§ 76. GIROLAMO SAVONAROLA. 709
in separate apartments. A day or two later Fra Sil vestro, whose visions had favored the ordeal, was also seized. " As for saying a word in Savonarola's favor," wrote Landucci, "it was impossible. One would have been killed."
The pope, on receiving the official news of the occurrences in Florence, sent word congratulating the signory, gave the city plenary absolution and granted it the coveted tithes for three years. He also demanded that Savonarola be sent to Rome for trial, at the same time, however, authorizing the city to proceed to try the three friars, not neglecting, if necessary, the use of torture.^ A commission was appointed to examine the prisoners. Torture was resorted to. Savonarola wa.s bound to a rope drawn through a pulley a,nd, with^his^ hands behind his back, was lifted from the floor and then by a sudden jerk allowed to fall._ On a single day, he was subjected to 14 turnings of the rope. There were two separate trials conducted by the municipality, April 17 and April 21-23. In the delirious condition, to which his pains reduced him, the unfortunate man made confessions which, later in his sane moments, he recalled as untrue. ^ He even denied that he was a prophet. The impression which this denial made upon such ardent admirers as Landucci, the apothecary, was distressing. Writing April 19, 1198, he says : —
1 was present at the reading of the proceedings against Savonarola, whom we all held to be a prophet. But he said he is no prophet and that his prophecies were not from God. When I heard that, I was seized with wonder and amazement. A deep pain took hold of my soul, when I saw such a splendid edifice fall to the ground, because it was built upon the sorry foundation of a falsehood. I looked for Florence to become a new Jerusalem whose laws and example of a good life — buona vita — would go out for the renovation of the Church, the conversion of infidels and the comfort of the good and I felt the contrary and took for medicine the words, " In thy will, O Lord, are all things placed " — in voluntate tua, Domine, omnia sunt posita. Diary, p. 173.
^lexan^^T 4espat£lied a^ commission of his own to conduct thejtrial anew, Turriano, the Venetian general of the Domini-
^ Etiam per torturam. Alexander's letter in Lucas, p. 372.
2 The reports of Savonarola's trial and confessions are of uncertain value, as they were garbled by the reporter Ser Ceccone. See Pastor, III. 432 sq. Landucci says tliat from 9 a.m. till nightfall the cries of Domenico and Sylvestro under the strain of torture could be heard in the city prison.