210 ITALY. At Yiterbo dwelt Giovanni da Benevento, who was called the pope of the heretics, but it was not until Gregory went thither in 1237 and undertook the task of purifying the place himself that any efficient action was taken ; he condemned Giovanni and many other heretics, and ordered the palaces of some of the noblest fam- ilies of the city to be torn down, as having afforded refuge to here- tics. At the same time the Bishop of Padua was urged to perse- vere in the good work, and at Parma the Knights of Jesus Christ were instituted with the same object by Jordan, the Dominican general. AU this indicates the commencement of systematic operations, and the pressure grew stronger year by year. Un- der the energetic management of Euggieri Calcagm the Floren- tine Inquisition rapidly took shape and executions became fr^ quent, while in the confessions of the accused allusions are made to heretics burned elsewhere, showing that persecution was be- coming active wherever political conditions rendered it possible. Thus in a confession of 1244 there is a reference to two, Matfeo and Martello, burned not long before at Pisa.* In Florence Fra Ruggieri^s vigor was reducing the heretics to desperation. Each trial revealed fresh names, and as the circle spread the prosecutions became more numerous and terrible. The Sio-noria was coerced by papal letters to enforce the citations of the inquisitor, and as the prisoners multiphed and their depositions were taken, fully a third of the citizens, including many nobles, were found to be involved. Excited by the magnitude of the de- velopments, Euggieri determined to strike at the chiefs, and, invok- ing the aid of the Priors of the Arts, he seized a number of them and condemned to the stake those who proved contumacious. The time had evidently come when they must choose between open resistance and destruction. The Baroni assembled their followers, broke open the jails, and carried off the prisoners, who were dis- tributed through various strongholds iii the Florentine territory, where they continued to preach and spread their doctrines. Matters were rapidlv approaching a crisis. On the one hand it was impossible for so large a body as the heretics to permit themselves to be slaughtered in detail with impunity, to say noth-
- Ripoll I. 79-80.-Raynald. aim. 1235, No. 15.-Vit. Gregor. PP. IX. (Mu-
ratori, S. R, I. HI. 581).-T^anu op. cit. pp. 554, 557.
