Louis Gayet, Le grand schisme d'Occident Les Origines volume 1 (Paris-Florence-Berlin 1889), "Pièces justificatives", pp. 1-8:

1. Primo dixit quod post mortem D. Gregorii statim romani tenuerunt multa consilia generalia et particularia in capitolio et in domibus aliquorum DD. prelatorum tam cardinalium quam aliorum, in quibus semper terminaverunt quod volebant romanum [2] papam vel ad minus italicum, et supplicarent cardinales, ut eligerent unum ad voluntatem romanorum sicut petebant et si non facerent quod cogerent eos per vim aliter omnis essent mortui, et hoc scivit ab aliquibus romanis sibi notis quod si DD. cardinales non eligerent unum romanum vel ad minus italicum ut omnis esset scisi pro frustra, et sic erat consilium inter romanos determinatum et bene apparent in sequentibus factis. Et dixit postquam talia audivit notificavit DD. cardinalibus ista que andierat et dixit eis: quod caverent quia erant in magno periculo et predicti DD. dixerunt ei: Quid videtur, Domine Castrensis? Et tunc ipse respondit eis: Certe quod mittatis pro gentibus armorum britonum et vasconum qui sunt in proximo, et veniant in burgo S. Petri et tunc eritis securi, vel faciatis fieri munitionem in castro S. Angeli: et ibi poteritis eligere ad voluntates vestras. Et ipsi responderunt: non, quia romani non permittebant eis, et jurabant custodire eos in libertate sua ut pacifice et libere stare et eligere possent ad voluntatem suam quemqumque vellent. Et dixit eis: Male facitis, quia confiditis de ipsis et nichil observabunt et ponitis vos in magno periculo, et vos videbitis si sic sint.

2. Item dixit quod post mortem D. Gregorii totus populus romanorum fuit commotus et publica vox et fama erat in Urbe per vias et plateas, quod volebant romanum papam vel ad minus italicum, et si hoc non faciebant DD. Cardinales quod nunquam aliquis remaneret ex ipsis nisi quod omnis essent interfecti, et hoc manifestum est apud omnis qui erant tempore illo in Urbe, si volunt dicere veritatem et ipsimet Domini multototiens audiebant transeundo per Urbem, et familiares sui quia unquam ambulabant nichil loquebatur et tractabant omnis nichil de isto secrete.

3. Et postquam corpus pape Gregorii fuerit in Sancta Maria Nova, ex parte consilii capitolii veniebant bandarenses et alii [3] ambaxiatores ad DD. Cardinales qui cotidie erant in mane ibi in missis usque ad novenam, sicut debent quando papa moritur et ita aliquando predicti romani erant importuni, quia vis permitebant predictos DD. perficere officium sicut debebant et ingrediebantur in claustro in una capella, et predicti ambaxiatores ex parte populi romani cum eis, et cotidie petebant romanum vel italicum, et fiebat per modum supplicationis et semper tamen concludebant, quod si hoc non fieret timebant ne oriretur magnum scandalum et immineret predictis cardinalibus periculum magnum, quia populus petebat et volebat quod eligerent ad voluntatem eorum sicut dictum est; et hoc dixit quia cotidie veviebat in predicto loco de S. Maria Nova ubi erat corpus, et aliquando celebrabat sicut perlati faciunt et cardinales pro papa mortuo, et videbat predictos DD. cum romanis intrare in conciliis et dixit quod petebat ab aliquibus de DD. cardinalibus de illis conciliis et quid romani petebant et predicti DD dixerunt ei sicut dictum est superius. Et predicti DD. dicebant eis et rogabant ut non impedirent electionem et quod starent in pace et permitterent eos facere, quia ipse intendebant eligere sicut Deus daret eis gratiam et de jure debebant; quod si aliter fieret posset oriri magnum scandalum et fieri scisma in ecclesia Dei.

4. Dixit quod post ista romani tenuerunt consilium et miserunt . . . . . . . . ad DD. Cardinales et juaverunt ad sancta Dei evangelia et promiserunt eis bonam custodiam in conclave et quod ingrederentur secure et non timerent de hospitiis suis nec de suis rebus.
Et fuerunt expulsi de Urbe comites, barones et nobiles ex parte populi, et fecerunt venire montanarios armatos de castris et comitatu Urbis. Romani dicebant quod . . . . . . . . dominorum et non erat verum quia non timebant nunc? de opoulo romano . . . . . . . . necessarium, quod montanarii venisent quia non est, nec credendum quod ipsi impedirent ne fierent contra romanos quia sunt subjecti [4] et vassalli populi romani, et sic venerunt ad petitionem et voluntatem romanorum ut major tumultus fieret in populo sicut apparet in illis que sequuntur. Quia DD. Cardinales petebant habere in sua custodia et volebant comitem Fundorum et Nolanum vel alios nobiles amicos suos de quibus confidebant, cognoscebant de electione quomodo debebat fieri, magis quam populares et rusticos montanarios, sed romani voluerunt sic quod nobiles expellerentur et rustici venirent et sic factum est.

Et illa die quando DD. cardinales tarda hora post vesperas intraverunt conclave erant romani et montanarii armati in burgo S. Petri, et tota platea erat plena hominum armatorum taliter quod predicti DD. non fuerunt bene contenti, et sic ingressi fuerunt et custodes qui erant deputati ad custodiam intraverunt palatium, tam prelati quam seculares, romani et ultramontani, ut moris est, et DD. fuerunt clausi, et illa nocte in platea S. Petri et in toto burgo et in magna parte Urbis erant homines armati et magnos ignes, et custodes ad portas Urbis et in viis, timendo ne predicti DD. fugerent, et omnis illi qui erant in platea S. Petri et in curiale palatii, tota nocte fuerunt clamando et vociferando fortiter et postea intraverunt in palatio et ruperunt cellarium ubi erat vinum et plures alias cameras. Acceperunt illa que sibi placebant et non tantum bibebant vinum, sed permittebant exire per terram et fecerunt ut pejus poterant in vono et in aliis rebus que ibi erant, non sicut amici et custodes, sed sicut inimici et destructores. Et sic per totam noctem non cessaverunt, et ante diem et in aurora diei et in mane semper magis fortiter clamabant et dicebant: Romanum volumus vel ad minus Italicum. Et si hoc non faciunt per clavatum Dei, scindamus eos pro frustra. Alii dicebant: Non, sed ponemus ignem ad palatium et comburantur intus omnes . Et sic erant in circuitu palatii.

Et hora prime vel ante fuit campana S. Petri pulsata ad martellum et semper voces magne tumultus augmentabantur in palatio et in circuitu palatii et in platea et per totum et sic continuando et comminando sicut [5] dictum est. Dicebant cardinalibus quod statum expedirent se et darent eis papam romanum, aliter nunquam inde exirent et sic in breve fuit eis responsum ut tacerent et starent pacifice, quia italicum papam habebant et tunc magis fortiter clamaverunt; Nolumus nisi romanim et si statim unum romanum non datis nobis, omnis eritis mortui. Et sic violentes ruperunt conclave et ingressi fuerunt intus, et DD. cardinales cum magno timore rogaverunt domino de Sancto Petro, ut sibi placeret liberare eos, et dixerunt romanis quod ille D. de Sancto Petro erat papa;. Et induerunt cum cappa et posuerunt ei mitram et ostenderunt eum romanis, et tamen in fractura conclavis, quando romani intraverunt, DD. cardinales depredati, percussi cum manibus, et aliqui cum baculis impellendo eos hinc inde et vituperati cum injuriis et verbis contumeliosis, depredando et accipiendo aurum, argentum, libros, indumenta; annullos extraxerunt de manibus, usque ad rochetos indutos, et aliqui exibant cum vestibus dilaniatis, et roquetis, et omnia alia supellectilia quidquid habebant intus omnia fuerunt sibi ablata et depradata et sic exiverunt de conclave, et erant adhuc cum magno timore quia non elegerunt aliquem romanum. Et D. Majoris monasterii [Cardinal Geraldus de Podio (Gérard du Puy), OSBClun., nephew of Gregory XI] venit ad domum suam et abscondit se in capella sua . . . . . . testis sub altari. Aliqui exierunt extra Urbem, aliqui intraverunt castrum S. Angeli, alii ad domos suas. Et D. de S. Petro remansit illa die et dixit romanis quomodo ipse non erat papa sed Barensis archiepiscopus; et sequenti die iste venit ad domum suam et predictus archiepiscopus remansit in palatio.

5. Postea isti DD. cardinales qui erant in castro exierunt et ipsi et alii miserunt pro aliis qui erant extra Urbem, et venerunt. Et iste Urbanus fuit intronizatus per cardinales in ecclesia S. Petri in sede papali, et in die resurrectionis fuit coronatus. Et fuerunt cum eo in missis et aliis officiis divinis, in consistoriis et in consiliis et multis aliis factis et negotiis, sicut moris est inter [6] eos, et petierunt ab eo beneficia pro se et pro suis familiaribus, et fecerunt fieri provisiones aliquorum prelatorum, et habuit D. meus cardinalis Glandatensis [Bertrandus Atgerius (Bertrand Lagier), OFM] episcopatum Ostiensem et multa alia sicut cardinales consueverunt facere cum aliis summis pontificibus.

6. Interrogatus predictus testis si cognoverat vel audierat aliquid de electione istius quod domini tractarent ante ingressum in conclave, vel post egressum; si elegerunt ipsum intus antequam exirent; vel si aliqui DD. cardinales per nuntios vel per cedulas ipse cognovit aliquid quod volebant istum eligere; specialiter de domino Glandatensi quia dicitur quod ipse dominus misit ei unam cedulam ut haberet ipsum recommendatum dicendo: Modo estis amicus meus, cito eritis magister meus et dominus meus. Et ipse testis respondid et dixit in sua conscientia quod numquam senserat nec cognoverat aliquid de electione istius nec quod domini tractarent ipsum eligere in papatum. Bene scit quomodo tractabant de D. Vivariensi [Cardinal Pierre de Sortenac] et de D. Pictaviensi [Cardinal Guido de Malosicco (Guy de Malsec)], quia dixit ut ipse habebat plures dominos cardinales, et multa notificabant ei de secretis et de factis eorum, sed dixit quod nunquam de isto facto scivit aliquid nisi quod erat notum omnibus et fama per Urbem quod domini cardinales elegerant eum.

7.Item dixit de facto D. Glandatensis [Bertrandus Atgerius], si misit illam cedulam, dixit quod non credit aliquo modo, quia ille dominus tractabat cum eo de multis aliis secretis suis, et numquam aliquid dixit ei de electione istius, et non est credendum quia fecit protestationes duas ante ingressum, unam in conclave, et postea aliam in ingressu, dicendo: quod quidquid dixerat et fecerat ante ingressum et omnia que diceret et faceret intus, quod nichil valerent et quod non habebat intentionem aliquam eligendi, quia ipse nec alii non erant in libertate neque in potestate sua ad faciendam electionem, et de istis recepit instrumenta publica per notarium et dixit: quod si aliquis prelatus erat in Urbe tunc cui [7] predicti domini notificarent et de quo multum confidebant erat ipse, non tantum in isto facto sed in omnibus, et nunquam aliquid scivit ab eis.

8. Item, dixit predictus testis quod in vigilia coronationis istius Urbani, venerunt ad dormiendum in domo sua D. Glandatensis [Cardinal Bertrandus Atgerius] et D. de Vernhio [Cardinal Petrus de Vernhio (Pierre de Vergne)] et tota nocte deridebant de isto negotio, et cum ibi starent, venit D. Florentinus [Cardinal Pietro Corsini] ut ibi dormiret et scivit quomodo isti alii duo erant intus et noluit intrare, et ivit ad domum D. Johannis de Baro. Et iste ivit ad predictum Florentinum ut veniret ad domum suam quod habebat bonam cameram pro eo. Et ipse dixit: quod non, quia bene stabat pro illa nocte, et cras faciemus istas fatuitates quas debemus facere. Et ipse respondit: Quomodo, Domine? —certe quia nichil est totum quod facimus.

9. Item,. dixit quod D. Ostiensis, scilicet dominus Glandatensis [Bertrand Algerius], debebat celebrare sacros ordines et absentavit se ab Urbe, it ivit Ostiam, et clebravit ordines quidam frater minor qui erat episcopus Viterensis {?]. Et iste testis fuit cum predicto D. cardinali in Ostia, et dixit quod in via petivit ab eo quis erat papa et pise respondit: Domine, si Barensis fuerit prudens et sciverit facere, poterit esse papa, et tunc non dixit ei plus. Et postea venerunt Romam, et post aliquos dies preteritos oportuit quod predictus cardinalis sacram daret prelatis in Urbe et libenter voluerat excusare et non potuit et fecit. Et postea dicit quo iverunt Velit(ris) que est civitas cum Ostia, et predictus testis quesivit diligenter affectuose a predicto D. Cardinali: si iste Urbanus erat papa vel non, et ipse dolendo satis et excusando se, quod non faciebat in mala intentione, nisi in veritate respondit ei: quod non erat papa. Verum est quod dixit ei predictus dominus cardinalis: quod DD. cardinales intendebant ad evitandum scandalum, si fuisset aptus quum fuissent in Anagnia ipsum eligere, sed habebant ipsum tanquam fatuum quem jam cognoscebant eum qualis erat, et nullo modo [8] erat aptus ad gubernandam ecclesiam, et sic dixerunt quod non erat papa.

10. Postea dixit iste testis quod ipse ivit Anagniam et petivit a D. Vivariensi [Pierre de Sortenac] et Pictaviensi [Guido de Malosicco (Guy de Malsec)] et Gebennensi [Robert of Geneva], Ambianensi [Jean Roland, Bishop of Amiens], et ab aliquibus aliis, et omnis dixerunt ei: quod non erat papa. Specialiter D. Vivariensis dixit ei: quod non est magis papa quam cauda vestre mule, et quod ipsi intendebant quum tempus habuissent eligere papam sicut de jure debebant; quia omnia que fecerant fuerant facta per impressionem et semper durante metu et contra voluntatem suam, sed ut liberarent personas suas et familias suas et bona sua fecerant omnia, et non in libertate neque potestate sua.

Et sic ocncludit predictus testis, quod de electione nullus scit veritatem, nisi cardinales. Satis ipse credit et dicit in sua conscientia et sub juramento quia agitur de fide et de veritate, non affectione nec odio nec respiciendo damnum neque utilitatem, quia si ad honorem et utilitatem respiceret magis credit habere ab isto quam ab alio; sed secundum Deum et respiciendo mortem et aliam vitam quam speramus ista esse vera quantum ipse scit et cognovit, visu et auditu in isto negotio et facto ecclesie.

11. Et ego frater Johannis, episcopus Castrensis suprascriptus ita dico in vera conscientia, sicut scriptum est in istis duabus foliis mea manu propria.

 

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The Bishop alleges in his deposition:

that, after the death of Pope Gregory XI (March 27, 1378), there were many meetings, both general assemblies and particular meetings, both on the Capitol and in the houses of several prelates (cardinals' houses ans well as others' ).

that the conclusion of these meetings was always that they wanted a Roman pope, or at least an Italian one, and they begged the Cardinals to elect a pope according to their will, and if they did not, that they would compel the Cardinals by violence and the result would be death. Bishop Giovanni knew from several Roman acquaintances that the cardinals would all be slaughtered.

that he told the cardinals what he had heard and told them to beware becasue they were in great peril. The Cardinals replied to him, "What do you suggest, Lord of Castro?" The Bishop replied that they should send for armed men, Bretons and Gascons who were nearby, who should come into the Borgo San Pietro. Thus the Cardinals would be secure. Alternatively, they could fortify the Castel S. Angelo and hold the election there. The Cardinals replied that they were not permitted by the Romans to do that, and that the Romans were promising to preserve the Cardinals' liberty to choose whomever they wished. The Bishop replied that they were making a mistake in placing trust in them and were putting themselves in great peril.

that, after the corpse of the deceased Gregory XI was removed to Santa Maria Nova (where he was to be buried), the Bandarenses and other ambassadors from the People came from the Capitol to the Cardinals who met daily in the morning at Sta. Maria Nova for the novendial masses; they went into a chapel in the cloister of the church and the ambassadors repeated the refrain: the Cardinals must elect a Roman or at least an Italian, otherwise there would be serious trouble. The Cardinals begged them not to impede a free election (This was repeated on a daily basis).

that, the Romans held a meeting and sent ambassadors to promise the Cardinals on the Holy Gospels that there would be good security at the Conclave, and they should not be afraid as to their personal security or that of their property.

that the Counts, Barons and nobles were expelled from the city by order of the People, and they called in armed men from the mountains (montanarios)—vassals of the Roman People—from the strongholds and the territory of the City. The Cardinals were advised not to think that these men had come at the request of the Romans to make a major uproar among the people. The Cardinals, however, asked to have the Count of Fundi and the Count of Nola in charge, and other nobles who were their friends and in whom they placed confidence, who knew how the election ought to be conducted, rather than the populace and people from the mountains. But the Romans replied that the nobles were out and the people from the countryside were in.

that, on the evening when the cardinals entered Conclave, after Vespers, there were Romans and armed montanarii in the Borgo, and the whole piazza was filled with armed men, at which the Cardinals were not pleased, and that the guards who were assigned as security entered the Apostolic Palace, prelates and secular persons, Romans and Ultramontani. The Conclave was sealed.

that, during the night there were campfires and armed men in the Piazza S. Pietro, in the Burgo, and elsewhere in the City. There were guards at the gates, watching to see that the Cardinals did not try to flee.

that, all night, there was shouting and commotion in the Apostolic Palace; the cellars and other storage areas were broken into and considerable damage was done. During all this time, the looters were shouting, "We want a Roman or at least an Italian. And if they don't do it, we will burn the Palace and cremate everybody inside."

that, at the hour of Prime, or before, the bell of St. Peter's was rung and the voices of the great tumult increased in the Apostolic Palace and the neighborhood and in the Piazza, threatening that the Cardinals should get on with it and elect a Roman pope, otherwise they would never leave.

that the crowd violently broke into the Conclave, and the Cardinals with great fear called for the Cardinal of St. Peter's [Francesco Tebaldeschi] in order to free themselves, and told the crowds that the Cardinal of St. Peter's was Pope. They put the papal mantle on him, and a mitre, and presented him to the Romans.

that, when the Romans entered the room in which the election was being held, the struck the Cardinals with their hands, and some with clubs, while stripping them of all their valuables.

that Cardinal Geraldus de Podio (Gérard du Puy), OSBClun., returned to his own house and hid himself in his chapel underneath the altar. Other Cardinals left the City, others took refuge in the Castel S. Angelo, others returned to their homes. The Cardinal of St. Peter's remained in the Apostolic Palace that day, and kept telling the mob that he was not the pope, but that the Archbishop of Bari was. Next day he returned to his own home, leaving the Archbishop of Bari in the Apostolic Palace.

that, later, the Cardinals who were in the Castel S. Angelo came out, and they and the others sent for those who were outside the City.

that Urban VI was enthroned in St. Peter's in the Papal Chair.

that Urban VI was crowned on Easter Sunday.

that the Cardinals were present at masses and other divine offices, at Consistories and in meetings and many other sorts of business, as was customary. And they asked for benefices for themselves and their friends, and they arranged appointments for other prelates.

Cardinal Bertrandus Atgerius (Bertrand Lagier), OFM, was appointed Bishop of Ostia e Velletri.

Asked by the Ambassadors of the King of Castile whether he knew anything about what had happened behind closed doors when the Cardinals were conducting the election, in particular whether they had elected the Archbishop of Bari before they exited, and especially whether Cardinal Bertrandus Algerius that he had sent the Bari a note that he had recommended him, saying "Now you are my friend, soon you will be my master and lord."; the Bishop of Castro replied that he knew nothing about the election itself; he had information about what they did from several Cardinals, in particular Pierre de Sortenac and Guy de Malsec, but not about the election. He only knew what was going around the city in rumors.

Asked by the Ambassadors whether he knew anything from a letter from Cardinal Bertrandus Algerius, he replied that he knew many things about the Cardinal's private affairs, but that he never said anything about the election. The Cardinal did make two protestations, one before the Conclave began and another inside the Conclave, to the effect that what he said and did inside was without effect since he had no intention of participating in an election because he was not at liberty.

The Bishop also said that on the night before the coronation (Holy Saturday), Cardinal Algerius and Cardinal Petrus de Vernhio (Pierre de Vergne) came to his house to sleep, and all night they were laughing about the business, and while he was standing there, Cardinal Pietro Corsini came to sleep there as well, but when he saw the other two cardinals there, he did not want to go in, and instead went to the house of Msgr. Joannes de Baro. The Bishop went to the Cardinal of Florence and asked him to come to his house because he had a room for him. The Cardinal replied that he would not, because he was ok for that night and tomorrow they would carry out those fatuities which they had to do. The BIshop replied, "What do you mean, Lord?" The Cardinal said, "Indeed, because what we are doing means absolutely nothing."

Likewise, he said that, though Cardinal Algerius was supposed to celebrate the sacred rites, and he absented himself from the city and went to Ostia, and instead some Franciscan who was the Bishop of { ? ] celebrated the rites. The BIshop of Castro was with Cardinal Algerius in Ostia and said that he asked him who was pope. And the Cardinal replied, "Sir, if Bari were prudent and knew what to do, he would be able to be Pope," and from that point he said nothing more to him. Some time later, they came to Rome, and after a few days the Cardinal was supposed to carry out some sacred function for the prelates in the City, and he wanted to excuse himself and was not able to do it.

Later, when they were on a trip to Velletri, the Bishop of Castro asked the Cardinal, "Is this Urban pope or not?" The Cardinal replied that he was not pope.

Cardinal Algerius said to him that the Cardinals intended, when they were in Anagni, to avoid the scandal (schism), to elect him [Bari] if he had been fit, but they considered him to be a fool since they now recognized what sort of a person he was, and in no way was he suited to govern the Church, and so they said that he was not the Pope.

Afterwards the BIshop of Cstro said that he had gone to Anagni and inquired of Cardinal Pierre de Sortenac, Cardinal Guy de Malsec, Cardinal Robert of Geneva, of Bishop Jean Roland of Amiens, and several others, and they all said to him, "He is not the Pope." In particular, Cardinal de Sortenac said, "He's no more than pope than the tail of your mule."

© 2010 John Paul Adams