Page:A history of the Inquisition of the Middle Ages, volume 2.djvu/202

 l^Q THE SPANISH PENINSULA. This, perhaps, technically justifies Alonso Tostado, Bishop of Avila, who soon afterwards alludes to inquisitors in Spain inves- tigating those defamed for heresy, and it explains the remarks of Sixtus lY. when, in January, 1482, he confirmed the two inquis- itors appointed at Se^lle by Ferdinand and Isabella at the com- mencement of their reforms, and forbade their naming more, for the reason that the appointees of the Dominican provincial were sufiicient. In spite of all this, the Spanish Inquisition was sim- ply potential, not existent. When, in 1453, Alonso de Almarzo, Abbot of the great Benedictine foundation of Antealtares of Com- postella, with his accomplices, was tried for selling throughout Spain and Portugal indulgences warranted to release the souls of the damned from hell, for counterfeiting the papal Agnus Dei, for forging and altering papal letters, and for persuading Jewish converts to apostatize, had there been an Inquisition it would promptly have taken cognizance of the culprits; but in place of this the case was referred to Nicolas Y., who instructed the Bishop of Tarazona to proceed against them. A few years later Alonso de Espina, about 1460, sorrowfully admits the absence of all per- secution of heresy. Bishops and inquisitors and preachers ought all to resist the heretics, but there is no one to do it. " No one investigates the errors of heretics. The ravening wolves, O Lord, have gained admittance to thy flock, for the shepherds are few. There are many hirelings, and because they are hirelings they care only for shearing, not for feeding the sheep !" and he draws a deplorable picture of the Spanish Church, distracted with here- tics, Jews, and Saracens. Soon after this, in 1464, the Cortes assembled at Medina turned its attention to the subject and com- plained of the great number of "7nalos cristidnos e sospechosos en la fer but the national aversion to the papal Inquisition still manifested itself, and its introduction was not suggested. The archbishops and bishops were requested to set on foot a rigid investigation after heretics, and King Henry lY. was asked to lend them aid, so that every suspected place might be thoroughly searched, and offenders brought to light, imprisoned, and punished. It was represented to the king that this would be to his advan- tage, as the confiscations would inure to the royal treasury, and he graciously expressed his assent ; but the effo rt was resultless.^
 * Monteiro, P. i. Li^^ii77. 30.-Rodrigo, H. 11, 14-15.-Paramo, p. 136.-