Those who are in authority, I say, do evil when holy justice dies in them because of their selfish self-centeredness and their fearof incurring the displeasure of others. They see those underthem sinning but it seems they pretend not to see and do notcorrect them . . .A shepherd such as this is really a hireling! Not only does hefail to rescue his little sheep from the clutches of the wolf; hedevours them himself! . . .And don’t be afraid, father, no matter what may happen, ofthese blustery winds that have descended upon you--I meanthose rotten members who have rebelled against you. Don’t beafraid, for divine help is near . . . Do something about it . . .Delay no longer, for your delaying has already been the causeof a lot of trouble . . . Up, father! No more irresponsibility! . . .

Primary Source #1

SOURCE: Catherine of Siena, To Pope Gregory XI (January 1376) [S, 203]

After the apostolic seat was made vacant by the death of our lord, pope Gregory XI, who died in March, we assembled inconclave for the election of a pope, as is the law and custom, inthe papal palace, in which Gregory had died . . . Officials of thecity with a great multitude of the people, for the most part armedand called together for this purpose by the ringing of the bells,surrounded the palace in a threatening manner and evenentered it and almost filled it . . . They gave us no time todeliberate but compelled us unwillingly, through violence andfear, to elect an Italian without delay. In order to escape thedanger which threatened us from such a mob, we electedBartholomew, archbishop of Bari, thinking that he would have enough conscience not to accept the election . . . But he wasunmindful of his own salvation and burning with ambition . . .

Primary Source #2

SOURCE: French cardinals, The Great Schism (1378) [475]

Primary Source #3

SOURCE: John Wycliffe (ca. 1330-1384), Concerning the Pope (1379) [477]

Note how God shows love for His Church through the schism that has recently befallen the papacy . . . it seems to them [God’s children] that the pope is Antichrist on earth, because he is the opposite of Christ in life and lore.Christ was a very poor man from His birth to His death and forswore worldly riches and begging . . . but Antichrist, in contrast to this, from the time that he is made pope . . . covets worldly wealth and tries in many shrewd ways to gain riches. Christ was a most meek man . . . but people say that the pope is the proudest man on earth, and makes lords kiss his feet whereas Christ washed His apostles’ feet . . . If these and similar accusations are true of the pope of Rome, he is the very Antichrist and not Christ’s vicar . . .

In regard to these follies of the Unlearned . . . I find these points:

(1) The pope is the head of the holy Roman church. (2) Thecollege of cardinals is the body of the holy Roman church. (3)The pope is manifestly and truly the successor of the prince ofapostles, Peter. (4) Cardinals are manifest and true successorsof the college of Christ’s other apostles . . .

None of these six points is truth known by the bodily senses ordiscovered by an infallible intelligence or known throughrevelation, or laid down in divine Scripture. Therefore, no oneof these six points is truth in the religion of Jesus Christ which isto be followed . . .

Primary Source #4

SOURCE: Jan Hus (ca. 1373-1415), The Church [479]

This holy and general council, representing the universal church, decrees and declares that the united college of cardinals wasempowered to call the council, and that the power to call such acouncil belongs of right to the aforesaid holy college of cardinals, especially now when there is a detestable schism. The councilfurther declared that this holy council, representing the universalchurch, caused both claimants of the papal throne to be cited inthe gates and doors of the churches of Pisa to come and hearthe final decision [in the matter of the schism] pronounced, or togive a good and sufficient reason why such a sentence shouldnot be rendered.

Primary Source #5

SOURCE: Council of Pisa (1409) [S, 205]

A good way to till the field of the Lord is to hold general councilsfrequently, because by them the briers, thorns, and thistles of heresies, errors, and schisms are rooted out, abuses reformed,and the way of the Lord made more fruitful. But if generalcouncils are not held, all these evils spread and flourish. Wetherefore decree by this perpetual edict that general councilsshall be held as follows: The first one shall be held five yearsafter the close of this council, the second one seven years afterthe close of the first, and forever thereafter one shall be heldevery ten years. One month before the close of each councilthe pope, with the approval and consent of the council, shall fixthe place for holding the next council. If the pope fails to namethe place the council must do so.

Primary Source #6

SOURCE: Council of Constance (1417) [S, 205]

Primary Source #7

SOURCE: Agnolo di Tura, plague in Siena, Italian chronicle (1351)

And I, Agnolo di Tura, called the Fat, buried my five children with my own hands. And there were also those who were so sparsely covered with earth that the dogs dragged them forth and devoured many bodies throughout the city. There was no one who wept for any death, for all awaited death. And so many died that all believed that it was the end of the world . . . And it was all so horrible that I, the writer, cannot think of it and so will not continue . . . The city of Siena seemed almost uninhabited for almost no one was found in the city. And then, when the pestilence abated, all who survived gave themselves over to pleasures: monks, priests, nuns, and lay men and women all enjoyed themselves, and none worried about spending and gambling . . .

In that land . . . no one can see the Transmontane Star, knownas the Star of the Sea, which is immovable and stands in thenorth and is called the Lode Star. They see, rather, anotherstar, its opposite, which stands in the south and is called theAntarctic Star. Just as sailors get their bearings and steer bythe Lode Star, so sailors beyond those parts steer by thesouthern star, which we cannot see. So our northern star,which we call the Lode Star, cannot be seen there. This isproof that the earth and sea are round in shape and form . . .I say with certainty that people can encircle the entire world,below the equator as well as above, and return to theirhomelands, provided they have good company, a ship, andhealth . . . So people who travel to India and the foreign islesgirdle the roundness of the earth and the seas . . .

Primary Source #8

SOURCE: John Mandeville, Travels (1356-66)