Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. I.djvu/332

188 188 ADMINISTRATION OF CASTILE. PART were referred to her adjudication, saving the par- ^' ties the usual expense and procrastination of justice, ^^'.ereexe- gy thc cxtraordiuarj despatch of the queen and justice. ^^^ ministers, during the two months that she re- sided in the city, a vast number of civil and criminal causes were disposed of, a large amount of plunder- ed property was restored to its lawful owners, and so many offenders were brought to condign punish- ment, that no less than four thousand suspected persons, it is computed, terrified by the prospect of speedy retribution for their crimes, escaped into the neighbouring kingdoms of Portugal and Granada. The worthy burghers of Seville, alarmed at this rapid depopulation of the city, sent a deputation to the queen, to deprecate her anger, and to represent that faction had been so busy of late years in their unhappy town, that there was scarcely a family to be found in it, some of whose members were not more or less involved in the guilt. Isabella, who was naturally of a benign disposition, considering that enough had probably been done to strike a salutary terror into the remaining delinquents, was willing to temper justice with mercy, and ac- cordingly granted an amnesty for all past offences, save heresy, on the condition, however, of a gene- ral restitution of such property as had been un- lawfully seized and retained during the period of anarchy. ^ 6 Zuilipa, Annales de Sevilla,p. 77. ~L. Marineo, Cosas Memora- 381. — Pulgar, Reyes Catolicos, bles, fol. 1G2.; who says, no less part. 2, cap. 65, 70, 71. — Bernal- than 8,000 guilty fled from Seville dez, Reyes Catolicos, MS., cap 29. — Carbaiil, Anales, MS., am and Cordova.