Four Persons, Called Brethren Of The Poor Life, Or Waldenses, Burnt For The Faith, At Marseilles, In France, A. D. 1317.

Now when the light of the Gospel began to break forth greatly from the doctrine of the Waldenses, which militated against the papal inventions, this also manifested itself in a monastery, among the Franciscan monks; so that particularly four of the order of the Minorites, their eyes being opened, separated from monachism, and at the same time from the superstitions of popery, desiring thenceforth to follow and serve Jesus Christ, their Savior, not in a simulated, but in true poverty, with, in, or among the cross-bearing church of God, called the Poor Men of Lyons, Brethren of the Poor Life, or Waldenses; who also opposed infant baptism, the swearing of oaths, revenge against enemies, and other articles of the Roman church.

Against this, Pope John XXII. issued a papal decree, directed against the Fratricelli (Little Brethren) or the Brethren of the Poor Life, prohibiting them from holding secret or public assemblies, from electing pastors or teachers over them, and from practicing their worship; because they despised the sacraments of the (Roman) church, and had departed from the Roman Catholic faith; hence they were excommunicated by him, together with all those who in any measure defended or followed them, and therefore delivered to the inquisitors, to be examined concerning their faith. See Bzov., A. D. 1317, art. 18.

In the meantime, it appears, the above four persons, refusing to depart from the truth which they had confessed and accepted, were condemned to death as heretics, and, having commended their souls to God, were burnt alive.

In regard to this, the papistic writer Vignier says: “In the same year (A. D. 1317) four Minorite friars were burnt alive on St. Michael’s eve, at Marseilles, in France, because they maintained against the Pope the heresy of poverty.” Also, A. Mell., 2d book, fol. 480.

Note.—As regards their faith, said Pope John XXII., who had first excommunicated them, made, the following year, A. D. 1318, in a certain decree, among other things, this statement: “Their third error coincides with the error of the Waldenses; because they maintained that men ought not to swear on any account, teaching that it is a sin unto 319 death.” Bzov. Annal., Tom. 14, A. D. 1318, art. 1.

At the close of the fourth article are these words: “So that it appears from this, that these Franciscan monks had apostatized from popery to the doctrine of the Waldenses.” A. Mell., 2d book, fol. 480.