Girolamo 1452-1498 Savonarola

The government hoped that Alexander would be appeased and Florence allowed to breathe freely. But although silenced, the prophet was doomed. A creature of the Arrabbiati, a Franciscan friar named Francesco di Puglia, challenged Savonarola to prove the truth of his doctrines by the ordeal of fire. At first the prior treated the provocation with merited contempt, but his too zeal ous disciple Fra Domenico accepted the challenge and, when the Franciscan declared that he would enter the fire with Savonarola alone, Fra Domenico protested his willingness to enter it with any one in defence of his master's cause. As Savonarola resolutely declined the trial, the Franciscan deputed a convert, one Giuliano dei Rondinelli, to go through the ordeal with Fra Domenico. Savonarola, perceiving that a trap was being laid for him, discoun tenanced the "experiment" until his calmer judgment was at last overborne by the fanaticism of his followers. On April 7, 1498, an immense throng gathered in the Piazza della Signoria to enjoy the barbarous sight. The Dominicans, led by Savonarola, and the Franciscans came forward, but neither Rondinelli nor Fra Fran cesco appeared and there were angry disputes between the two groups of friars. It was now late in the day, and a storm shower gave the authorities a pretext for declaring that heaven was against the ordeal. The Franciscans slipped away unobserved, but Savon arola raising the host attempted to lead his monks across the piazza in solemn order as before. On this the popular fury burst forth. Defrauded of their cruel diversion, the people were wild with rage. Fra Girolamo's power was suddenly at an end. Against the real culprits, the Franciscans, no anger was felt ; the zealous prior, the prophet and lawgiver of Florence, was made the popular scapegoat. Notwithstanding the anguish that must have filled his heart, the fallen man preserved his dignity and calm. Mounting his own pulpit in St. Mark's he quietly related the events of the day to the faithful assembled in the church, and then withdrew to his cell, while the mob outside clamoured for his blood.

Arrest and Trial.

The next morning the government decided on his arrest, and no sooner was this made public than the popu lace rushed to the attack of the convent. The monks and their few remaining friends made a most desperate defence. In vain Savonarola besought them to lay down their arms. When the church was finally stormed Savonarola was seen praying at the altar, with Fra Domenico, armed with an enormous candlestick, guarding him from the blows of the mob. A few disciples dragged their beloved master to the inner library and urged him to escape, when a cowardly monk, one Malatesta Sacramoro, cried out that the shepherd should lay down his life for his flock. Thereupon Savonarola turned, bade farewell to the brethren, and, accom panied by the faithful Domenico, quietly surrendered to his enemies. The prisoners were conveyed to the Palazzo Vecchio.

Now came an exultant brief from the pope. His well-beloved Florentines were true sons of the church, but must crown their good deeds by despatching the criminals to Rome. The signory refused to send their prisoners to Rome but they did Rome's be hests. Day after day Savonarola was tortured, and in his agony, with a frame weakened by constant austerity and the mental strain of the past months, he made every admission demanded by his tormentors. But directly he was released from the rack he always withdrew the confessions uttered in the delirium of pain. These being too incoherent to serve for a legal report, a false account of the friar's avowals was drawn up and published. Alex

ander was frantically eager to see his enemy die in Rome. But the signory insisted that the false prophet should suffer death before the Florentines whom he had so long led astray. The matter was finally compromised. A second mock trial was held by two apostolic commissioners specially appointed by the pope. Meanwhile the trial of Brothers Domenico and Silvestro was still in progress. The former remained faithful to his master and him self. No extremity of torture could make him recant or extract a syllable to Savonarola's hurt ; he steadfastly repeated his belief in the divinity of the prior's mission. Fra Silvestro on the contrary gave way at mere sight of the rack, and owned himself and his master guilty of every crime laid to their charge.

The two commissioners soon ended their task. They had the pope's orders that Savonarola was to die "even were he a second John the Baptist." On three successive days they "examined" the prior with worse tortures than before. On May 22 sentence of death was pronounced on him and his two disciples. Savo narola listened unmoved to the awful words and then quietly re sumed his interrupted devotions. Fra Domenico exulted in the thought of dying by his master's side ; Fra Silvestro, on the con trary, raved with despair. The only favour Savonarola craved before death was a short interview with his fellow victims. This the signory unwillingly granted. The memorable meeting took place in the hall of the Cinquecento. During their 4o days of con finement and torture each one had been told that the other had recanted, and the false report of Savonarola's confession had been shown to the two monks. The three were now face to face for the first time. Fra Domenico's loyalty had never wavered, and the weak Silvestro's enthusiasm rekindled at sight of his chief. Savo narola prayed with the two men, gave them his blessing, and exhorted them by the memory of their Saviour's crucifixion to sub mit meekly to their fate. The following morning he prophesied that dire calamities would befall Florence during the reign of a pope named Clement. The carefully recorded prediction was veri fied by the siege of 1529.

The execution took place the same morning. First came the ceremonial of degradation. Sacerdotal robes were thrown over the victims, and then roughly stripped off by two Dominicans, the bishop of Vasona and the prior of Sta. Maria Novella. To the bishop's formula, "I separate thee from the church militant and from the church triumphant," Savonarola replied : "That is beyond thy powers." His disciples' bodies already dangled from the arms of the cross before he was hung on the centre beam. Then the pile was fired. At dusk the martyrs' remains were thrown into the Arno.

Every year on the anniversary of Savonarola's martyrdom flowers are strewn on the spot where it took place.

Savonarola's writings may be classed in three categories :—(1) numerous sermons, collected mainly by Lorenzo Violi, one of his most enthusiastic hearers; (2) an immense number of devotional and moral essays and some theological works, of which 11 Trionfo della Croce is the chief ; (3) a few short poems and a political treatise on the government of Florence. Although his faith in the dogmas of the Roman Catholic Church never swerved, his stren uous protests against papal corruptions, his reliance on the Bible as his surest guide, and his intense moral earnestness undoubtedly connect Savonarola with the movement that heralded the Ref or mation.