Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. I.djvu/340

196 196 ADMINISTRATION OF CASTILE. PART Spanish writer, " caused a decree, signed by two __! or three judges, to be more respected since that time, than an army before." ^^ But perhaps the results of this improved administration cannot be better conveyed than in the words of an eyewit- ness. " Whereas," says Pulgar, " the kingdom was previously filled with banditti and malefactors of every description, who committed the most dia- bolical excesses, in open contempt of law, there was now such terror impressed on the hearts of all, that no one dared to lift his arm against another, or even to assail him with contumelious or discour- teous language. The knight and the squire, who had before oppressed the laborer, were intimidated by the fear of that justice, which was sure to be executed on them ; the roads were swept of the banditti ; the fortresses, the strong-holds of vio- lence, were thrown open, and the whole nation, restored to tranquillity and order, sought no other redress, than that afforded by the operation of the law."^^ twjur'is-'^ II. Codification of the laws. Whatever reforms '""'"'""• might have been introduced into the Castilian judi- catures, they would have been of little avail, with- out a corresponding improvement in the system of jurisprudence by which their decisions were to be regulated. This was made up of the Visigothic code, as the basis, the fueros of the Castilian prin 18 Sempere, Hist, des Cortes, p. temporary witness of the beneficial 263. chanijes in the governinent. Opus '7 Pulgar, Reyes Cat61icos, p. Epistolarum, (Amstelodami, IG70,) 167. — See the strong: lanpuagc, ep. 31. also, of Peter Martyr, another con-