4ii THE SPIRITUAL FRANCISCANS. orthodox, and dismissed them, saying publicly, " Fra Liberato, I swear by Him who created me that never the flesh of a poor man could be sold for such a price as I could get for yours. Your brethren would drink your blood if they could." He even con- ducted them in safety back to their hermitages, and when the rage of the Conventuals was found to be unappeasable he gave them the advice that they should leave the kingdom of Xaples that night and travel by hidden ways to the pope ; if they could bring letters from the latter, or from a cardinal, he would defend them as long as he held the office. The advice was taken ; Liberato left Xaples that night, but fell sick on the road and died after a lingering ill- ness of two years. Meanwhile, as we shall see hereafter, the ex- ploits of Dolcino in Lombardy were exciting general terror, which rendered all irregular fraternities the object of suspicion and dread. The Conventuals took advantage of this and incited Fra Tommaso to summon before him all who wore unauthorized religious habits. The Spirituals were cited again, to the number of forty-two. and this time they did not escape so easily. They were condemned as heretics, and when Andrea da Segna. under whose protection they had lived, interposed in their favor, Tommaso carried them to Tri- vento. where they were tortured for five days. This excited the compassion of the bishop and nobles of the town, so they were transferred to Castro Mainardo, a solitary spot, where for five months they were afflicted with the sharpest torments. Two of the vouno-er brethren yielded and accused themselves and their comrades, but revoked when released. Some of them died, and finall v the survivors were ordered to be scourged naked through the streets of Naples and were banished the kingdom, although no specific heresy was alleged against them in the sentence. Through all this the resolution of the little band never faltered. Convinced that they alone were on the path of salvation, they would not be forced back into the Order. On the death of Liber- ato. Angelo was chosen as their leader, and amid persecution and obloquy they formed a congregation in the Mark of Ancona, known as the Clareni. from the surname of their chief, and under the protection of the cardinal, Xapoleone OrsinL*
- Angel. Clarin. Epist. (op. cit. 1885, 529-31).— Hist. Tribulat. (lb. 1886, 320-
6).— Wadding, ann. 1302, No. 8; 1307, No. 2-±.
