Page:A History of the Inquisition of the Middle Ages-Volume I .pdf/206

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186
THE ALBIGENSIAN CRUSADES.

work. Sick at heart, and praying for death as a welcome release, on the morrow of St. John's day, 1218, he was superintending the reconstruction of his machines, after repelling a sally, when a stone from a mangonel, worked, as Toulousain tradition says, by women, went straight to the right spot — "E venc tot dret la peira lai on era mestiers" — it crushed in his helmet, and he never more spoke word. Great was the sorrow of the faithful through all the lands of Europe when the tidings spread that the glorious champion of Clirist, the new Maccabee, the bulwark of the faith, had fallen as a martyr in the cause of religion. He was buried at Haute-Bruyère, a cell of the Monastery of Dol, and the miracles worked at his tomb showed how acceptable to God had been his life and death, though there were not wanting those who drew the moral that his sudden downfall, just as his success seemed to be firmly established, was the punishment of neglecting the persecution of heresy in his eagerness to gratify his ambition.[1]

If proof were lacking of de Montfort's pre-eminent capacity it would be furnished by the rapid undoing of all that he had accomplished, in the hands of his son and successor Amauri. Even during the siege his prestige was yet such that, December 18, 1217, the powerful Jourdain de I'Isle-Jourdain made submission to him as Duke of Narbonne and Count of Toulouse and furnished as securities Geraud, Count of Armagnac and Fezenzac, Roger, Viscount of Fezenzaquet, and other nobles; and in February, 1218, the citizens of Narbonne abandoned their rebellious attitude. His death was regarded as the signal of liberation, and wherever the French garrisons were not too strong, the people arose, massacred the invaders, and gave themselves back to their ancient lords. Vainly did Honorius recognize Amauri as the successor to his father's lordships, put the two Raymonds to the ban, and grant Phihp Augustus a twentieth of ecclesiastical revenues as an incentive to another cru-


  1. Pet. Sarnens. c. 83-6.~Guill. de Pod. Laurent, c. 28-30.— Vaissette, III. 271-2; Pr. 66-93.— Guillem de Tudela, clviii.-ccv.— Raynald. Airnal. ann. 1217 No. 52, 55-62; ann. 1218 No. 55.— Martene Ampliss. Collect. I. 1129.— Annal. Waverliens. ann. 1218. — Bernard! Iterii Chron. ann. 1218. — Chron. Lemovicens. ann. 1218. — Guillel. Nangiac. ann. 1218. — Chron. Turonens. ann. 1218. — Roberti Autissiodor. Chron. ann. 1218. — Chron. S. Taurin. Ebroicens. ann. 1218. — Chron. Joan Iper!i ann. 1218. — Chron. Laudunens. ann. 1218. — Chron. S. Petr! Vivi Senonens. Append, ann. 1218. — Alberici Triura Font. Chron. ann. 1218.