CHAPTER XVII

Of the Appeal to God. Argument.
[- is dangerous for men not of proved righteousness to provoke such an appeal. Indeed they commit mortal sin who knowingly and un- justly call others to judgement, for so they cause grievous harm and injustice and the Judges are brought into dis- repute as the oppressors of the inno- cent. But if such action is taken with- out hatred, desire for vengeance, im- patience, anger, despair, vanity or any other vicious motive; or if anyone op- pressed by injustice acts in good faith to make his innocence appear, so that his family should not become infam- ous, or that the world should be rid of such a tyrant, or that he should be turned and through fear become peni- tent and cease from his oppression and down-treading of the unfortunate; then such a citation is lawful, neither
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did Francois Feuardent * dare to con- demn it, since when the end is good I suppose the means if indifferent are to be commended. There are many ex- amples in Holy Writ. Sarah said: “The Lord judge between me and thee.” (Genesis xvi, 5). David said to Saul: “ The Lord judge between me and thee, and the Lord avenge me of thee.”’ (I. Samuel xxiv, 12). So said Zechariah the son of Jehoiada: “ The Lord look upon it and require it.” (II. Chronicles xxiv, 22).
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Examples.
Thomas of Brabant in his De Apibus, VII, records a most memorable event in the following words: The Monas- tery of S. James at Liége is well known to all, as is the truth of the following story. A young man who was cousin to the Bishop entered that monastery for the sake of devotion and religion. But when the Bishop heard this he was en- raged and collected a strong band of his servants and, forcing his way into the monastery, seized the young man and stripped him of his religious habit and clothed him in secular clothing. The Abbot of the monastery therefore collected the chief men of the city and complained to the Bishop, and ap- pealed to all the clergy concerning this outrage. But the Bishop in his rage
* ““Frangois Feuardent,” 1539-1610. A fa- mous Franciscan theologian who took a pro- minent part in the religious and political troubles which so disturbed France during his day. He was one of the most zealous preachers in the cause of the Catholic League, and a- chieved no mean reputation as an eloquent and ardent defender of the Faith. In his old age he retired to the convent of Bayeux which he re- stored and furnished with a large library. For his own works, both theological and contro- verstal, one may conveniently consult Wadding- Sbaralea, “‘Scriptores Ordinis Minorum,” ed. Nardecchia, I, 80, sqq.; Rome, 1906. The present reference is to his ‘‘Entremangeries et Suerres mimstrales” (Caen, 1601).
COMPENDIUM
BK. II. CH. XVII.
would scarcely listen to him, but rather spoke harshly to the Abbot; where- upon the Abbot knelt down and said with great moderation: “‘ O Bishop, I can have no Judge against you upon earth; and therefore I appeal to God the Supreme Judge against you, that within forty days both of us may ap- pear before him to receive judgement according to our deserts.”’ The Bishop laughed at this, and with his followers mocked at the good man and despised him and drove him away in disgrace. What happened? On the fortieth day about Nones that Abbot died; and as they were solemnly tolling for him the Bishop, sitting in his bath, asked the bystanders what it was. Soon one came in and said that the Abbot of S. James had just died, and that the solemn tol- ling was for him. The Bishop then re- membered that it was the fortieth day since the time he had been summoned by the Abbot, and in terror of soul said to his followers: “Quick! See what I must do. I am dead, and to-day I must appear in the sight of the Supreme Judge.” Shortly after these words, as he was hastening out of the bath, he died with a terrible groan in the arms of his attendants, without doubt being compelled to answer for himself there where no causes are cried and the pleadings of advocates are silent, where freedom cannot be won by prayers or by bribery.
Fregoso, I, 6, writes that Francois I,
} “‘Frangois I.” Born at Vannes, 11 May,” 1414; the eldest son of John VI of Brittany. When Sir Francis Surienne invaded Brittany on the pretext of redressing the wrongs done by the Duke to his younger brother, Gilles, Fran- gois appealed for protection to Charles VII of France. The king after remonstrating in vain with the Duke of Somerset on the conduct of Surtenne instituted against the English a cam- paign which led to their expulsion from Lower Normandy. The cruel treatment of his brother by Frangois has left an ineffaceable blot on his memory. But it had terrible results. A month after the death of Gilles in 1450, Frangois, con- Sronted in his sleep by his brother’s confessor, was solemnly cited to appear in forty days be-
BK. II. CH. XVIII.
Duke of Brittany, with infamous and cruel treachery put to death his brother who was returning from Eng- land. But within a year the Duke in his turn perished miserably, for his brother had cited him to the tribunal of God, and thus he most wretchedly lost both his Dukedom and his life.
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