Resumen de Godefridus cognomento alemannus: Die Kollegiatkirche Saint-Quiriace und der Grafenhof zu Provins im Spiegel fingierter Privilegien eines katharischen Kanzleinotars und Juristen
At the end of the 12th century a Catharist lawyer and scholasticus, named "Godefridus, de Esternay,cognomento alemannus2 (Ms.Troyes,Bibl. Municipale 2755, fol.40r), faked or manipulated a series of documents concerning Saint-Quiriace, the "eddlesia collegiata" of Provins. These forgeries contain a strong criticism of laws and practices of feudalistic rule, especially the transformation of the " collégiale provinoise" into a monastic institution of wealth and feudal arrogance. According to Gottfried, this development is accompanied by a merciless treatment of the serfs. In addition, he criticizes the secular authorities for pursuing a policy of physical persecution of Catharism. e.g. the fact that citizens of Provins are under compulsion to participate in military activities against heretics. As for his own person, the Catharist scholasticus implicity denies the papal accusation that - apart from building a chapel illegally - he has obtained his pastoral office by devious means. On behalf of the Church, gottfried's attempt to found contemplative "monastères doubles" in the "desert and wilderness" of the Foret de la Traconne (near Esternay and Sézanne, Champagne-Ardenne), similar to those of the Order of Fontevrault, with brethern and sisters living a contemplative life of asceticism, is condemned by Alain de Lille and chrétien, besides by the author of the anti-heretical,' Regula sanctimonialium' of Troyes and that of the 'guillaume d'Angleterre', a narrative apologia for the Church. We have good reason to assume that "godefridus cognomento alemannus" is none other than the author of the faked letters of Abelard and Heloise and the biographical, Reinhart fuchs, a cinical satire, that is to say gottfried of Strassburg ("Gunther of Pairis")
