BCCCAP00000000000000000000821
306 .l:GNATIUS BRADY Legerii, place sorne friars qui se fabulantur de Observantia in the same convent with the Conventuals already living there 81 • Whichever may be the true version (and Guy's seems more likely), after Pope Eugene IV bade Fr. Anthony de Rusconibus appoint St. John Capis– tran and J ohn de Maubert as his Vicars general, Cismontane and Ultramontane respectively, 13 July 1443 - an appointment recon– firmed by the Pope himself motu proprio 31 October 1445 with specific rules and concessions added in late 1445 or early 1446 82 - the Observants at Chateauroux placed themselves under Maubert. Their action led Leger to obtain a document from Nicholas V which practically abolished or could have abolished Maubert's authority in the Touraine province 83 • Because the Observants, despite a promise to the contrary, once more put themselves under the vicar of the Observance, Peter and the procurator general of the province 84 instituted a suit with the civil authorities at Paris over possession of the convent. The suit was still pending when William de Vaurouil– lon carne into office as minister provincial. When the decision was given that the provincial retained possession of the convent8 5 , William carne to Chateauroux with the lieutenant of the bailiff of Bourges, who by royal authority declared the provincial possessor and ruler of the friary. On his part, in deference to the Viscount, William allowed the Observants to remain in the convent, after obtaining a promise under oath that there would be no more trouble. Since the Observants failed in their promise, the provincial returned and rang the bell far a chapter. They refused to convene and, despite the further appearance of the lieutenant, appealed to Parliament. While this appeal was yet pending, Guy de Chauvigny was instrumental in obtaining from s1 Novit ille (7 Aug. 1461), in Bull.Franc. n.s. II, n.937, p.487a. This interesting docu– ment must be read with care for its detailed account of the affair! 82 Cf. WADDING, Annales, ad an. 1443, n.5 (XI, 176-178); N. GLASSBERGER, Chronica, in Anal.Franc. II, 308-309; Bull.Franc. n.s. I, n.705, p.332-334; III, Supplement, n.160, p.967. For further detai!s, cf. Arch.Franc.Hist. 38(1945) 3ss. 83 According to Pius II (7 Aug. 1461), « [fratres] de Observantia alios simplices fra– tres Conventuales ibídem degentes seduxerunt, et ita se et conventum vicario Observantiae submiserunt » (Bull.Franc. n.s. II, n.937, p.487a). - In favor of Leger, Nicholas V issued Licet ex de/Jito (12 Sept. 1447), in Bull.Franc. n.s. I, n.1107, p.560s. At the same time, Nich– olas mitigated the effect of this decree by another, Humili/Jus supplicum (25 Sept. 1447), sent to John de Maubert himself (Bull. n.s. I, n.1115, p.567s), which continues to recognize his authority. Sce Arch.Franc.Hist. 38(1945) 28-29. 84 Apparcntly John Britonclli, who appcars in papal documcnts as thc procurator. 8 5 Here we follow the account given in the letters of Pius II, both of 7 August 1461 and of 18 May 1462 (which repeats much of the text of the earlier document). This deci' sion of Parliament does not appear to be that handed down in 1454; at least, the papal bull of 1461 would seem to place it ahead of a further appeal made, this time, by the Obser– vants. Likely there are other documents in the National Archives of París which lack of time prevented me from investigating.
Made with FlippingBook
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDA3MTIz