the memory of that cultured gentleman and earnest scholar, the late Hon. George P. Marsh, who for so many years worthily represented the United States at the Italian court. I never had the fortune to look upon his face, but the courteous readiness with which he aided my researches in Italy merit my warmest acknowledgments. To Professor Charles Molinier, of the University of Toulouse, moreover, my special thanks are due as to one who has always been ready to share with a fellow-student his own unrivalled knowledge of the Inquisition of Languedoc. In the Florentine archives I owe much to Francis Philip Nast, Esq., to Professor Felice Tocco, and to Doctor Giuseppe Papaleoni; in those of Naples, to the Superintendent Cav. Minieri Riccio and to the Cav. Leopoldo Ovary; in those of Venice to the Cav. Teodoro Toderini and Sig. Bartolomeo Cecchetti: in those of Brussels to M. Charles Rahlenbeck. In Paris I have to congratulate myself on the careful assiduity with which M.L. Sandret has exhausted for my benefit the rich collections of MSS., especially those of the Bibliothèque Nationale. To a student, separated by a thousand leagues of ocean from the repositories of the Old World, assistance of this nature is a necessity, and I esteem myself fortunate in having enlisted the co-operation of those who have removed for me some of the disabilities of time and space. Should the remaining portion of my task be hereafter accomplished, I hope to have the opportunity of acknowledging my obligations to many other gentlemen of both hemispheres who have furnished me with unpublished material illustrating the later development of the Holy Office. PHILADELPHIA, _August_, 1887. CONTENTS. BOOK I.--ORIGIN AND ORGANIZATION OF THE INQUISITION. CHAPTER I.--THE CHURCH. Page Domination of the Church in the Twelfth Century 1 Causes of Antagonism with the Laity 5 Election of Bishops 6 Simony and Favoritism 7 Martial Character of Prelates 10 Difficulty of Punishing Offenders 13 Prostitution of the Episcopal Office 16 Abuse of Papal Jurisdiction 17 Abuse of Episcopal Jurisdiction 20 Oppression from the Building of Cathedrals 23 Neglect of Preaching 23 Abuses of Patronage 24 Pluralities 25 Tithes 26 Sale of the Sacraments 27 Extortion of Pious Legacies 28 Quarrels over Burials 30 Sexual Disorders 31 Clerical Immunity 32 The Monastic Orders 34 The Religion of the Middle Ages 39 Tendency to Fetishism 40 Indulgences 41 Magic Power of Formulas and Relics 47 Contemporary Opinion 51 CHAPTER II.--HERESY. Awakening of the Human Intellect in the Twelfth Century 57 Popular Characteristics 59 Nature of Heresies 60 Antisacerdotal Heresies 62 Nullity of Sacraments in Polluted Hands 62 Tanchelm 64 Éon de l'Étoile 66 Peculiar Civilization of Southern France 66 Pierre de Bruys 68 Henry of Lausanne 69 Arnaldo of Brescia 72 Peter Waldo and the Waldenses 76 Passagii, Joseppini, Siscidentes, Runcarii 88 CHAPTER III.--THE CATHARI. Attractions of the Dualistic Theory 89 Derivation of Catharism from Manichæism 89 Belief and Organization of the Catharan Church 93 Missionary Zeal and Thirst for Martyrdom 102 Not Devil-worshippers 105 Spread of Catharism from Slavonia 107 Diffusion throughout Europe in the Eleventh Century 108 Increase in Twelfth Century 110 Comparative Exemption of Germany and England 112 Growth in Italy. Efforts of Innocent III. 114 Its Stronghold in Southern France 117 Its Expected Triumph 121 Failure of Crusade of 1181 124 Period of Toleration and Growth 125 CHAPTER IV.--THE ALBIGENSIAN CRUSADES. Policy of the Church towards Heresy 129 Suppression of Heresy in the Nivernais 130 Translations of Scripture forbidden at Metz 131 Power of Raymond VI. of Toulouse 132 Condition of the Church in his Dominions 134 Innocent III. Undertakes the...