Indecision

Today's excerpt comes from the visitations register of Eudes Rigaud written by himself and his aides between 1248 and 1269 during his travels through Normandy. 

Originally of the Franciscan order, Eudes rose to become archbishop of Rouen in 1248 and his register provides valuable anecdotal evidence for the misdemeanours in ecclesiastical life and its problems. He was a spirited reformer was rigorous in enforcing the decisions of the third Lateran council in 1179 which, amongst other items, concerned the lifestyles of clerics. Although incredibly useful in providing an account of these institutions, and his experiences, it is important to remember that when he created the register is was probably intended more as an aide-de-memoir for Eudes. Today's snippet underlines how seriously a lack of religious conviction was taken:

18th April, 1266

"With God's grace we preached near the Mare-du-Parc, where the clergy and people of Rouen had collected after marching thither in a procession. Here we adjudged and condemned as an apostate and a heretic one who had converted from Judaism to the catholic faith. He had again reverted from the Catholic faith to Judaic depravity, and, once again baptised, had once more reverted to Judaism, being unwilling afterwards to be restored to the Catholic faith, although several times admonished to do so. He was burned by the bailiff."

Notes

Davies, A., 'The Holy Bureaucrat: Eudes Rigaud and Religious Reform in Thirteenth-century Normandy', (London: Cornell University Press ) p. 1; O'Sullivan, J., The Register of Eudes of Rouen,  (London: Columbia University Press, 1964) pp. XVIII, 618