Pope Joan_ A Novel - Donna Woolfolk Cross [204]
In the front of the hall, Joan and Lothar were ensconced upon two great, jewel-encrusted thrones. They appeared sedentes pariter, meaning that they were seated with equal ceremony; the two thrones were carefully placed side by side, level with each other so as not to give an appearance of greater importance to either one. The archbishops, cardinal priests, and abbots of Rome were seated facing them on high-backed chairs of Byzantine design, softly cushioned in green velvet. The other sacerdotes, the optimates, and the rest of the leading men of the Franks and Romans stood behind, filling the great hall to capacity.
When everyone was in place, Gerold was led in by Lothar’s men, hands still bound before him. Joan’s lips tightened as she saw dark bruises on his face and neck; obviously he had been beaten.
Lothar addressed Daniel. “Come forward, Magister Militum, and speak your accusation so all may hear.”
Daniel said, “I overheard the superista tell Pope John that Rome should form an alliance with the Greeks in order to rid the city of Frankish domination.”
“Liar!” Gerold growled, and was immediately rewarded with a hard cuff from one of his guards.
“Stand off!” Joan spoke sharply to the guard. To Gerold she said, “You deny these charges, Superista?”
“I do. They are false and wicked lies.”
Joan took a deep breath. She must take the plunge now, or not at all. Speaking loudly so all could hear, she said, “I confirm the superista’s testimony.”
There was a shocked murmur from the assembled prelates. By responding in this way, Pope John had turned himself from judge to accused, in effect putting himself on trial along with Gerold.
Paschal, the primicerius, interjected soberly, “Holiness, the accusation is not for you to support or deny. Remember the words of the great Karolus: Judicare non audemos. You are not on trial here, nor can you be judged by any earthly court.”
“I know that, Paschal. But I am prepared to answer these charges of my own free will, in order to free men’s minds from any unjust suspicion.” She nodded to Florentinus, the vestiarius. Following their prearranged signal, he immediately came forward bearing a large volume, magnificently bound—the gospel-book, containing the holy word of the apostles John, Luke, Mark, and Matthew. Joan clasped the book reverently. In a ringing voice she declared, “Upon these sacred gospels, wherein the Word of God is revealed, I swear before God and St. Peter that such a conversation never took place. If I am not speaking truth, may God strike me where I stand.”
The dramatic gesture appeared to have worked. During the awed silence that followed, no one moved or spoke.
Then Anastasius stepped forward, taking up a position beside Daniel. “I offer myself as sacraméntale for this man,” he declared boldly.
Joan’s heart sank. Anastasius had responded with a perfect counterthrust. He had invoked the law of conjuratio, according to which guilt or innocence was proved by whichever side in a dispute was able to amass the greatest number of sacramentales, or oath helpers, to support his sworn word.
Quick to take measure of the situation, Arsenius rose from his seat and joined his son. One by one, others slowly came forward to stand with them. Jordanes, the secundicerius, who had opposed Joan in the matter of the school for women, was among them. So was Victor, the sacellarius.
Ruefully Joan recalled Gerold’s repeated words of caution to her to take things slowly and be more politic with her opponents. In her eagerness to get things done, she had not paid sufficient heed to his advice.
Now the reckoning was come.
“I will serve as sacramentale for the superista.” A voice sounded clearly from the rear of the assembly.
Joan and the others turned to see Radoin, second in command of the papal guard, shouldering his way through the crowd. Staunchly he stood beside Gerold. His action emboldened others; in short order Juvianus, the head steward, came forward, followed by the cardinal priests Joseph and Theodore and six of the suburbican