Religion, Reformation, and Repression in the Reign of Francis I. Documents from the Parlement of Paris, 1515–1547: Vol. I: Documents 1515–1543; Vol. II: Documents 1544–1547 ed. by James K. Farge

Abstract

Listen

Translate article

Religion, Reformation, and Repression in Reign of Francis I. Documents from Parlement of Paris, 1515-1547: Vol. I: Documents 1515-1543; Vol. II: Documents 1544-1547. Edited, annotated, and introduced by James K. Farge. [Studies and Texts 196.] (Toronto: Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies. 2015. Pp. xlvi, 710; x, 711-1463. C$200.00. ISBN 978-0-88844-196-6.)This carefully selected and edited collection of documents concerning Parlement of Paris's treatment of of (p. xiii) during reign of Francis I is a great gift to scholars of Reformation and of sixteenth-century France. It clarifies not just what magistrates of Parlement did during their workdays but also how they conceived of their duty-their religious duty', might say-as judges of Most Christian King of France. James Farge's introduction is limpid, building on decades of research by himself and others. Documents are presented chronologically, with exception of those consigned to appendices for reasons explained in introduction. Each document is numbered and described with a heading. Textual variants and explanations are given in footnotes. The bibiliography and index are detailed and helpful. Farge's immense labors have created a resource that is well put together.But it must be used with an awareness of editorial choices, principally how Farge delimits of religion. He observes that the Parlement of Paris was always ready to move matters of religion to top of its agenda (p. xiii). The footnote shows this to be a paraphrase of how Pierre Lizet, king's avocat, claimed in 1525 that la Court s'est tousjours monstree . . . prompte a . . . donner les premieres audiences aux choses concernans observantiam cultus divini et religionist Farge elsewhere notes that in this period often referred to particular religious orders (p. xxvii, n53), but here Lizef s equation of cultus divinus and religio approaches modern usage. However, Lizet, who later headed court, and other magistrates understood matters of religion broadly: prior to appearance of Protestantism, they sought to suppress heretical ecclesiology they believed to be manifested by Concordat of Bologna. Farge consigns court's resistance to Concordat to an appendix, Concordat was more a political matter than a doctrinal or religious one (p. xviii), and explains that disputes over benefices between those appointed by king in virtue of Concordat and those elected in virtue of Pragmatic Sanction of Bourges are not... included ... in this col- lection because they are concerned with status and income, not with (p. …