“Does the Friar [Savonarola] think that he alone was excepted when our Lord conferred the power of binding and loosing on our predecessor S. Peter ? . . . Our duty as Pastor of the flock forbids us to tolerate such conduct any longer. We there fore once more command you either to send Savonarola to Rome, or to shut him up in some convent where he can neither preach nor speak to any one until he comes to himself and renders himself worthy to be absolved. If this is not done we shall lay Florence under Interdict; all that we require is that Savonarola shall acknowledge our supreme authority.”  Pope Alexander VI, Papal Brief dated March 9th, 1498