Pour la Soc. de l'Orient Latin, par
Mme. B. de Khitrowo, Geneva, 1889, p. 13), "burning continually night and
day, are hung in the Sepulchre of Our Lord." - H. C.]
CHAPTER XI.
HOW THE TWO BROTHERS SET OUT FROM ACRE, AND MARK ALONG WITH THEM.
When the Two Brothers had received the Legate's letters, they set forth
from Acre to return to the Grand Kaan, and got as far as Layas. But
shortly after their arrival there they had news that the Legate aforesaid
was chosen Pope, taking the name of Pope Gregory of Piacenza; news which
the Two Brothers were very glad indeed to hear. And presently there
reached them at Layas a message from the Legate, now the Pope, desiring
them, on the part of the Apostolic See, not to proceed further on their
journey, but to return to him incontinently. And what shall I tell you?
The King of Hermenia caused a galley to be got ready for the Two
Ambassador Brothers, and despatched them to the Pope at Acre.[NOTE 1]
[Illustration: Portrait of Pope Gregory X.]
NOTE 1. - The death of Pope Clement IV. occurred on St Andrew's Day (29th
November), 1268; the election of Tedaldo or Tebaldo of Piacenza, a member
of the Visconti family, and Archdeacon of Liege, did not take place till
1st September, 1271, owing to the factions among the cardinals. And it is
said that some of them, anxious only to get away, voted for Theobald in
full belief that he was dead. The conclave, in its inability to agree, had
named a committee of six with full powers which the same day elected
Theobald, on the recommendation of the Cardinal Bishop of Portus (John de
Toleto, said, in spite of his name, to have been an Englishman). This
facetious dignitary had suggested that the roof should be taken off the
Palace at Viterbo where they sat, to allow the divine influences to
descend more freely on their counsels (quia nequeunt ad nos per tot tecta
ingredi). According to some, these doggerel verses, current on the
occasion, were extemporised by Cardinal John in the pious exuberance of
his glee: -
"Papatus munus tulit Archidiaconus unus
Quem Patrem Patrum fecit discordia Fratrum."
The Archdeacon, a man of great weight of character, in consequence of
differences with his Bishop (of Liege), who was a disorderly liver, had
gone to the Holy Land, and during his stay there he contracted great
intimacy with Prince Edward of England (Edward I.). Some authors, e.g.
John Villani (VIII. 39), say that he was Legate in Syria; others, as
Rainaldus, deny this; but Polo's statement, and the authority which the
Archdeacon took on himself in writing to the Kaan, seem to show that he
had some such position.
He took the name of Gregory X., and before his departure from Acre,
preached a moving sermon on the text, "If I forget thee, O Jerusalem,"
etc. Prince Edward fitted him out for his voyage.
Gregory reigned barely four years, dying at Arezzo 10th January, 1276. His
character stood high to the last, and some of the Northern Martyrologies
enrolled him among the saints, but there has never been canonisation by
Rome. The people of Arezzo used to celebrate his anniversary with
torch-light gatherings at his tomb, and plenty of miracles were alleged to
have occurred there. The tomb still stands in the Duomo at Arezzo, a
handsome work by Margaritone, an artist in all branches, who was the Pope's
contemporary. There is an engraving of it in Gonnelli, Mon. Sepolc. di
Toscana.
(Fra Pipino in Muratori, IX. 700; Rainaldi Annal. III. 252 seqq.;
Wadding, sub. an. 1217: Bollandists, 10th January; Palatii, Gesta
Pontif. Roman. vol. iii., and Fasti Cardinalium, I. 463, etc.)
CHAPTER XII.
HOW THE TWO BROTHERS PRESENTED THEMSELVES BEFORE THE NEW POPE.
And when they had been thus honourably conducted to Acre they proceeded to
the presence of the Pope, and paid their respects to him with humble
reverence. He received them with great honour and satisfaction, and gave
them his blessing. He then appointed two Friars of the Order of Preachers
to accompany them to the Great Kaan, and to do whatever might be required
of them. These were unquestionably as learned Churchmen as were to be
found in the Province at that day - one being called Friar Nicolas of
Vicenza, and the other Friar William of Tripoli.[NOTE 1] He delivered to
them also proper credentials, and letters in reply to the Great Kaan's
messages [and gave them authority to ordain priests and bishops, and to
bestow every kind of absolution, as if given by himself in proper person;
sending by them also many fine vessels of crystal as presents to the Great
Kaan].[NOTE 2] So when they had got all that was needful, they took leave
of the Pope, receiving his benediction; and the four set out together from
Acre, and went to Layas, accompanied always by Messer Nicolas's son Marco.
Now, about the time that they reached Layas, Bendocquedar, the Soldan of
Babylon, invaded Hermenia with a great host of Saracens, and ravaged the
country, so that our Envoys ran a great peril of being taken or slain.
[NOTE 3] And when the Preaching Friars saw this they were greatly
frightened, and said that go they never would. So they made over to Messer
Nicolas and Messer Maffeo all their credentials and documents, and took
their leave, departing in company with the Master of the Temple.[NOTE 4]
NOTE 1. - Friar William, of Tripoli, of the Dominican convent at Acre,
appears to have served there as early as 1250. [He was born circa 1220, at
Tripoli, in Syria, whence his name. - H. C.] He is known as the author of a
book, De Statu Saracenorum post Ludovici Regis de Syria reditum,
dedicated to Theoldus, Archdeacon of Liege (i.e. Pope Gregory). Of this
some extracts are printed in Duchesne's Hist.
