ere thrown through the
windows when he preached. The pulpit where he was to speak had been
filled with filth, and the skin of an ass tacked over the sacred desk.
Must he go back?

To the offer of the cardinal's hat he sent this message: "No hat will I
have but that of a martyr, reddened with my own blood."

The tactics of the Pope now changed; he sent an imperative order that
Savonarola should present himself at Rome, and give answer to the
charges there made against him.

Savonarola silently scorned the message.

The Pope was still patient. He would waive the insult to himself, if
Florence would only manage to take care of her own troubles. But
importunities kept coming that Savonarola should be silenced--the power
of the man had grown until Florence was absolutely under his subjection.
Bonfires of pictures, books and statuary condemned by him had been made
in the streets; and the idea was carried to Rome that there was danger
of the palaces being pillaged. Florence could deal with the man, but
would not so long as he was legally a part of the Church.

Then it was that the Pope issued his Bull of Excommunication, and the
order removing Savonarola from his office as Prior of Saint Mark's.

The answer of Savonarola was a sermon in the form of a defiance. He
claimed, and rightly, that he was no heretic--no obligations that the
Church asked had he ever disregarded, and therefore the Pope had no
right to silence him.

He made his appeal to the rulers of the world, and declared that
Alexander was no Pope, because he had deliberately bought his way to the
Vatican.

There was now a brief struggle between the authorities of the Pope and
those of Florence as to who should have the man. The Pope wanted him to
be secretly captured and taken to Rome for trial. Alexander feared the
publicity that Florence would give to the matter--he knew a shorter way.

But Florence stood firm. Savonarola had now retired to Saint Mark's and
his followers barricaded the position. The man might have escaped, and
the authorities hoped he would, but there he remained, holding the
place, and daily preaching to the faithful few who stood by him.

Finally the walls were stormed, and police, soldiers and populace
overran the monastery. Savonarola remained passive, and he even reproved
several of the monks who, armed with clubs, made stout resistance.

The warrants for arrest called only for Fra Girolamo, Fra Domenico and
Fra Silvestro--these l