Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. I.djvu/323

179 ADMINISTRATION OF CASTILE. 1 79 anarchy, which prevailed in Henry the Fourth's chapter reign, the authority of the monarch and of the royal judges had fallen into such contempt, that the law was entirely without force. The cities afforded no better protection than the open country. Every man's hand seemed to be lifted against his neigh- bour. Property was plundered ; persons were vio- lated ; the most holy sanctuaries profaned ; and the numerous fortresses scattered throughout the coun- try, instead of sheltering the weak, converted into dens of robbers. ^ Isabella saw no better way of checking this unbounded license, than to direct against it that popular engine, the Santa Herman- Estabiuh ° ^ ^ O 7 mentofthe dad^ or Holy Brotherhood, which had more than Hermandad. once shaken the Castilian monarchs on their throne. The project for the reorganization of this insti- tution was introduced into the cortes held, the year after Isabella's accession at Madrigal, in 1476. It was carried into effect by the junta of deputies from the different cities of the kingdom, convened at Duenas in the same year. The new institution differed essentially from the ancient hermandades, since, instead of being partial in its extent, it was designed to embrace the whole kingdom ; and, in- stead of being directed, as had often been the case, 1 Among other examples, Piil- tribute, (black mail,) to protect gar mentions that of the alcayde of their territories from his rapacity. Castro-Naiio, Pedro de Mendana, His successful example was imi- who from the strong-holds in his tated by many other knightly free- possession, committed such griev- hooters of the period. (Reyes ous devastations throughout the Catolicos, part. 2, cap. 66.) — See country, that the cities of Burgos, also extracts cited by Saez from Avila, Salamanca, Segovia, Valla- manuscript notices by contempora- dolid, Medina, and others in that ries of Henry IV. Moned£iS de quarter, were fain to pay him a Enrique IV., pp. 1, 2.