SEVERE INQUISITION OF BELIEVERS IN THE COUNTRY AROUND TOULOUSE, A. D. 1251.

At this time there was as yet no abatement of the constraint of conscience exercised over the faith of the orthodox Christians, who had fled from Babylon, and, for the sake of the welfare of their souls, could no longer trust themselves in Romish Egypt. This appeared from the new inquisition, which, by order of the Pope, through appointed inquisitors, suffered the minds of the true believers to have no rest, until they left the Roman territories, or made an oral disavowal, or, remaining steadfast, exchanged their life for a violent death.

Regarding this most wicked and unjust inquisition, I have found the following account:

“In the year 1251, the Pope appointed, or sent, inquisitors to Toulouse, from the orders of the Dominicans and Franciscans, who exercised an inhuman tyranny over the Christians there. The same thing was done at Worms, by Conrad Dorfo and his disciple John, also Dominicans and inquisitors; who, condemning there many innocent men to the fire, were therefore themselves, ultimately, as by the hand of God brought to a very lamentable, though just death.” Bal. Cent. 4, in Append., ad Richard. Wich., p. 301, compared with A. Mell., fol. 470, col. 1.