Sede Vacante 1378

Sede Vacante 1378 Deposition of Fredus de Cavali Papal Doorkeeper Fredus de Cavali, doorkeeper of the Pope, an Italian, was sworn and deposed the following: • • • • • • • • • • that he was a domestic servant of Cardinal Tebaldeschi. After the death of Gregory XI, Cardinal Robert of Geneva came to Tebaldeschi's house. Fredus knows for certain that Robert said that Tebaldeschi should get the papacy, for Cardinal Pedro de Luna and Cardinal Hugo de Montelegum would vote for him. But if Tebaldeschi did not get a sufficient number [eleven out of sixteen], he should give his vote to Robert of Geneva. that, next day, Cardinal Robert and Cardinal De Luna called. Another day the two and Cardinal Hugo de Montelegum. that Tebaldeschi had a conversation with Cardinal Pietro Corsini, and it seemed to Fredus that there was an argument about having a Frenchman, and Tebaldeschi did not want to agree with them—indeed he said that he would never state his vote until he was inside conclave. that Tebaldeschi wanted Fredus to be a conclavist because he new the procedures for cardinals. But some of Tebaldeschi's friends said that it would be more advantageous for several reasons for Fredo to remain outside. that Fredo and Joannes de Baro were the last to leave the conclave area, at the hour when it was beginning to get dark. So Fredo went to his own home. that, next day, in the morning, he went to the Apostolic Palace and saw a number of men, and there was a great clamor. One of them called Angelus Saxus was shouting for a Roman pope, because he obviously desired that Cardinal Orsini be elected pope. Likewise one of Cardinal Tebaldeschi's brothers was shouting out for his brother. When Fredo arrived [at the Palace] they had already sent for several prelates who were Romans and Italians: the Abbot of Monte Cassino, the Archbishop of Bari, the Bishop of Todi, and Thomas of Perugia [the marginal note adds: Agapitus Colonna]. But when Bari arrived, he had already been made pope, so Fredo believes. that, later, because they were discontented, the Romans broke into the Conclave. that, next day, the Cardinals came, and they enthroned the Archbishop of Bari, and they did reverence to him as to a Pope, and there followed several solemnities around the coronation of the Pope. [in fact, it was Holy Week] that they sought benefices from him. that Fredo believes that he is the true pope. Louis Gayet, Le grand schisme d'Occident Les Origines volume 1 (Paris-FlorenceBerlin 1889), "Pièces justificatives", 37-38 : Fredus de Cavali, hostiarius pape, italicus natione, juratus deposuit quae secuntur: 1. Primo, dixit quod iste testis vivebat et erat domesticus D. cardinalis de S. Petro [Francesco Tebaldeschi], et post obitum D. Gregorii papae [March 27, 1378] veniebat D. Gebennensis cardinalis [Robert of Geneva]. Veniebat ad hospitium D. Cardinalis de S. Petro, et scivit a certo quod dicebat sibi quod acceptaret papatum, nam ipse et D. de Luna et D. de Britania [Hugo de Montelegum (Hugues de Montelais)] isti tres darent voces suas sibi. Tamen, si non haberet sufficientem numerum, quod placeret sibi dare vocem suam dicto Gebennensi. Et prima vice, venerunt ille Gebennensis et de Luna, et alia vice venerunt predicti duo, et cardinalis de Britania. Et Dominus de S. Petro habuit consilium cum Florentino [Pietro Corsini], et videbatur sibi quod esset cavillatio ad habendum ultramontanum, et noluit acquiescere eis, ymo dixit quod nunquam daret vocem nisi quum esset in conclavi. 2. Item, dixit quod D. cardinalis predictus de S. Petro, volebat quod iste testis intraret secum in conclavi, quia noverat modos quos debebant tenere cardinales, sed quia alii amici dicti cardinalis dixerunt quod magis expediebat quod iste Fredus remaneret extra propter plura, sic factum fuit. Et iste et D. Joaannes de Baro fuerunt ultimi in recessu conclavis, sic tamen quod hora qua incipiebant tenebre noctis, accessit ad domum suam iste testes, et alia die de mane ascendit ad palatium, et vidit plures gentes, et erat magnus clamor, inter quos quidam vocatur Angelus Saxus clamabat pro romano, quia iste desiderabat valde quod cardinalis de Ursinis esset papa. Similiter et alius frater cardinalis S. Petri volebat pro fratre suo. Et tunc, qquun iste testis venit, jam mittebatur pro aliquibus prelatis romanis italicis, scilicet pro abbate Montis Cassini [Pietro de Tartaris] , et pro Archiepiscopo de Baro [Bartolomeo Prignano] qui nunc est papa, et pro D. Tudertino [Stephanus Pelosii de Urbe], et pro D. Thomas de Perusio [Marginal note: et pro D. Agapito (Colonna)], sed quum iste accessit, jam erat factus papa, ut credit. 3. Postea, quia non contentabantur, romani fregerunt conclave, sed sequenti die venerunt cardinales, et intronizaverunt eum, et impenderunt sibi reverentiam ut pape, et subsecute fuerunt plures solemnitates circa coronationem pape, et petierunt ab eo beneficia, quare credit quod sit verus papa.