of Priscillian's condemnation was the accusation of
heresy made by a Catholic bishop. Technically, he was tried in the
secular courts for the crime of magic, but the State could not
condemn him to death on any other charge, once Ithacius had ceased to
appear against him.

It is right, therefore, to attribute Priscillian's death to the
action of an individual bishop, but it is altogether unjust to hold
the Church responsible.[1]

[1] Bernays, _Ueber die Chronik des Sulp. Sev_., Berlin, 1861, p. 13,
was the first to point out that Priscillian was condemned not for
heresy, but for the crime of magic. This is the commonly received
view to-day.

In this way contemporary writers viewed the matter. The Christians of
the fourth century were all but unanimous, says an historian,[1] in
denouncing the penalty inflicted in this famous trial. Sulpicius
Severus, despite his horror of the Priscillianists, repeats over and
over again that their condemnation was a deplorable example; he even
stigmatizes it as a crime. St. Ambrose speaks just as strongly.[2] We
know how vehemently St. Martin disapproved of the attitude of
Ithacius and the Emperor Maximus; he refused for a long time to hold
communion with the bishops who had in any way taken part in the
condemnation of Priscillian.[3] Even in Spain, where public opinion
was so divided, Ithacius was everywhere denounced. At first some
defended him on the plea of the public good, and on account of the
high authority of those who judged the case. But after a time he
became so generally hated that, despite his excuse that he merely
followed the advice of others, he was driven from his bishopric.[4]
This outburst of popular indignation proves conclusively that, if the
Church did call upon the aid of the secular arm in religious
questions, she did not authorize it to use the sword against
heretics.

[1] Puech, _Journal des Savants_, May 1891, p. 250.

[2] Cf. Gams, _Kirchengeschichte von Spanien_, vol. ii. p. 382.

[3] Sulpicius Severus, _Dialogi_ iii, 11-13.

[4] Sulp. Sev., _Chronicon_, loc. cit.

The blood of Priscillian was the seed of Priscillianism. But his
disciples certainly went further than their master; they became
thoroughgoing Manicheans. This explains St. Jerome's[1] and St.
Augustine's[2] strong denunciations of the Spanish heresy. The gross
errors of the Priscillianists in the fifth century attracted in 447
the attention of Pope St. Leo. He reproaches them for breakin