Do not those in God’s service go armed with inimitable authority? Hugh d’Arcis brought soldiers to encamp beneath Montségur but on account of the terrain he could not surround it. During the winter Bishop Durand arrived with soldiers from his diocese and erected a powerful trebuchet that severely damaged the east tower. Commandant Pierre-Roger thought the escarpment would protect them on that side, so he withdrew his men from the outworks. But there were some Basques who knew the slope. They climbed it, knifed the sentinels, and got control of the barbican. These Basques could not penetrate the central keep, nevertheless Montségur would fall. Those inside, like trapped garrisons everywhere, took to reading the breeze for news, telling one another fabulous tales of armies hastening to their aid. The count of Toulouse is en route, they said. The emperor of Germany marches to save us.
After nine months of resistance Montségur capitulated. All were permitted to leave, accepting light penance for their sin, generous terms indeed. All were allowed to depart excepting those who would not abjure perfidious belief. Some openly received the consolamentum, thus defiantly condemning themselves to the stake. These were led from the castle in chains. Beneath Montségur on a pyre of blazing wood these obdurate sectarians gave up the ghost, more than two hundred, including the daughter of Ramón de Perella, Escalaramonde, together with Bertrand de Marty, the last heretic bishop.
Catharism thenceforth ceased to be a church. Congregations declined because they had no cleric to lead the wicked service. Some few persisted yet when hailed before Inquisitors did not know what they believed. Some had not heard the faith preached for years before they were arrested.
While this happened in the south there occurred in the north an event that caused men to bite their lips and wag their heads. Children resolved to do what kings and princes could not. They would march oversea to liberate the Holy Sepulcher. In the province of Orléannais a shepherd boy named Stephen from the village of Cloyes began to preach a doctrine never before heard. He declared that while tending his flock near Cloyes he was approached by a stranger, a pilgrim returning from the Holy Land, who asked for something to eat. And when Stephen shared his food the pilgrim revealed himself to be Jesus Christ, saying that the innocents of France would succeed where kings had failed. He appointed this boy Stephen to lead the march and gave him a letter addressed to King Philip Augustus who was spending that summer at Saint Denys, burial place of Frankish kings since the time of Dagobert. Here, too, was the Oriflamme kept, holy standard of the realm. Concerning the identity of this stranger who claimed to be our Lord, chronicles report little. Mayhap some heretic thinking to reach the king. By himself he could not gain audience, but it is known how children work marvels and by means of an artless shepherd boy he thought to reach court with his diabolic argument.
Some think the boy’s wits addled by Saint Mark’s Day when church altars are draped in black, when citizens parade through the streets chanting and waving crosses swathed in black to commemorate those who died for the Holy Land, to implore mercy on those enslaved. Groans, shrieks, laments, dolorous chants, seizures, black crosses nodding in the street, all this might afflict the orderly process of thought, arouse a feverish desire to expel Saracens from Christ’s kingdom oversea. Without question those who are inexperienced may be seduced by charming the senses.
Might it be Satan’s work? We are told that Stephen witnessed the Feast of Asses, which insults Blessed Mary as well as God since the choir follows the Introit, or Kyrie, or whatever part is chanted, by imitating the dreadful song of the ass. And a sermon devoted to praise of the ass is preached with Latin and French intermingled, hence many in the congregation feel bewildered. And this farce being ended, the priest brays three times, whereupon the congregate responds not with Deo Gratias but with abominable noise. Hin-hawm! Hin-hawm! Hin-hawm!
Further, at the time of Epiphany certain Christians having lost all sense of duty celebrate the Feast of Fools. Eudes de Sully when he was minister tried to suppress the vile charade, in vain. Clerics select an archbishop and a bishop who are escorted to the cathedral by mock prelates gowned with utmost pomp. Masked, disguised as buffoons, sporting animal hides or garments meant for women they leap and gesticulate, dance through the holy edifice, bawl monstrous songs. They gamble at dice on the altar, burn leather sandals for incense, perform and strut with hideous vulgarity to defile the church as though to express what most weighs upon their souls, that Christianity is a fable, their obligations but deceitful acts from a counterfeit drama. Could such pageantry rattle the wit of a witless boy?
However it was, the young shepherd set out for Saint Denys and preached while he walked, exhorting other children. He likened himself to Moses, subserving a new crusade, pausing at castles and villages. Thus he gathered children out of their homes and led them off and it is said no lock or bolt could prevent them. Neither pleas nor threats
