Unity, Heresy, and Reform, 1378-1460: The Conciliar Response to the Great Schism (Documents of Medieval History, 3)

Scarce cloth hardcover, x + 212 pages. No dust jacket. Ex-university library, marked 'withdrawn'; a small external stamp on upper and lower page edges & non-sticky residue of a removed label on lower spine; internal markings on endpapers and prelims. Interior is untanned, book is free of foxing and age-spotting, in clean condition, with some minor sparse pencil marks in text, secure binding. Black boards show faint storage and handling marks. -- Period 1378-1449 saw the consolidation of the Renaissance in Italy and its impact north of the Alps; it also promoted the technical organization and the directing purpose which marked the political states as the leading institutions of modern Europe. For much of that time the leading figures of the Church and representatives of all important principalities were brought together for a series of meetings that is known as the Conciliar movement. For months and years at a time they were busy in pursuit of great public issues; and they were just as active in gratifying more selfish aims and pleasures. C.M.D. Crowder presents an account of the genesis and course of the Conciliar movement from its origins in the disquiet and indignation felt in consequence of the Great Schism of 1378. He shows how the councils took upon themselves not only the ending of the schism but also the defense of orthodoxy, the general reform of the Church and the ancient question of reunion with the Greek church. Finally, Professor Crowder analyzes the causes of the failure of the Conciliar movement, torn by internal dissension and unable to match the determined revival of centralism by a series of able and energetic popes. This introduction is followed by a collection of documents, each prefaced by a commentary, that includes official acta, sermons, papal letters and diplomatic despatches. It constitutes an anthology of all the documents central to the Conciliar movement plus a number of less well known items. The documents and introduction together form a unique source book and an informative overview of this significant chapter in the history of western Europe. - Contents: 1 Council of Pisa 1409 [Pierre d'Ailly's Epistola Diaboli Leviathan; Nicolas de Clémanges criticizes the cardinals; Cardinals' case for summoning a council; Propositiones utiles of Pierre d'Ailly; Doubts about a council's authority; Acta of the council of Pisa]; 2 Council of Constance 1414-18 [Henry V appoints his representatives to the council of Constance; Two memoranda presented early in the council of Constance; Cardinal Fillastre discusses the way to reunion; Right to vote in the council; Gerson's sermon (Ambulate) on the authority of the council; Claim that councils are superior in authority to popes (Haec sancta); Condemnation of 45 articles from Wycliffe's writings; Council's examination of Jan Hus; Execution of Hus; Letters written from Constance by Hus in the last month of his life; Matthew Grabon's views on Holy Poverty; Dispatch to Henry V of England from Constance; Dispute between the French and English over the right to representation as a nation; Sentence on Benedict XIII; Decree (Frequens) appointing regular intervals for the assembly of further general councils; Letters from Peter de Pulka]; 3 Council of Pavia-Siena 1423-24 [Sermons]; 4 Councils of Basle 1431-49 & Ferrara-Florence 1438 (-47) [Martin V notifies the city of Basle that it has been chosen to be the site for the next general council; Council of Basle rejects papal efforts to dissolve it; Deputations at Basle; Proposals for reform; Negotiations with the Hussites; Eugenius IV's bull dissolving the council of Basle; Council of Basle trespasses on curial administration; Eugenius IV urges the Greeks to unite with the Latin church; Act of union with the Greek church; Eugenius IV's bull against the council of Basle; Basle's appeal against King Frederick III's order for the council to disperse; Bull Execrabilis]; Chronological table; Bibliography; Index.…