Page:A history of the Inquisition of the Middle Ages, volume 3.djvu/157

WILLIAM OF OCKHAM. 141 More vehement and more fluent as a controversialist was the great schoolman, William of Ockham. When the final breach came between the papacy and the rigid Franciscans he was al- ready under inquisitorial trial for his utterances. Escaping from Avignon with his general, Michele, he found refuge, like the rest, with Louis, whose cause he strengthened by skilfully linking the question of Christ's poverty with that of German independence. Those who refused to accept a papal definition on a point of faith could only justify themselves by proving that popes were fallible and their power not unlimited. Thus the strife over the narrow Franciscan dogmatism on poverty broadened until it embraced the great questions which had disturbed the peace of Europe since the time of Hildebrand, nearly three centuries before. In 1324 Ockham boasted that he had set his face like flint against the errors of the pseudo-pope, and that so long as he possessed hand, paper, pens, and ink, no abuse or lies or persecution or persuasion would induce him to desist from attacking them. He kept his promise literally, and for twenty years he poured forth a series of controversial works in defence of the cause to which he had de- voted his life. Without embracing the radical doctrines of Mar- siglio on the popular foundation of political institutions, he practi- cally reached the same outcome. While admitting the primacy of the pope, he argued that a pope can fall into heresy, and so, in- deed, can a general council, and even all Christendom. The influ- ence of the Holy Ghost did not deprive man of free-will and prevent him from succumbing to error, no matter what might be his station. There was nothing sure but Scripture; the poorest and meanest peasant might adhere to Catholic truth revealed to him by God, while popes and councils erred. Above the pope is the general council representing the whole Church. A pope re- fusing to entertain an appeal to a general council, declining to as- semble it, or arrogating its authority to himself is a manifest heretic, whom it is the duty of the bishops to depose, or, if the bishops refuse, then that of the emperor, who is supreme over the earth. But it was not only by the enunciation of general princi- a portion of the clergy was uot averse to its conclusions. — Closeners Chronik (Chroniken der deutschen Stadte VIII. 70.— Cf. Chron. des Jacob von Konigs- bofen, lb. p. 473).