Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. I.djvu/404

260 260 THE INQUISITION. I. PART within its precincts. The last, and not the least odious feature of the whole, was the connexion established between the condemnation of the ac- cused and the interests of his judges ; since the confiscations, which were the uniform penalties of heresy, ^^ were not permitted to flow into the royal exchequer, until they had first discharged the ex- penses, whether in the shape of salaries or other- wise, incident to the Holy Office. ^^ The last scene in this dismal tragedy was the act of faith, (auto da fe,) the most imposing spec- tacle probably, which has been witnessed since the ancient Roman triumph, and which, as intimated by a Spanish writer, was intended, somewhat pro- fanely, to represent the terrors of the Day of Judg- ment. ^^ The proudest grandees of the land, on 45 Confiscation had long been to the tyranny of the confessional, decreed as the punishntient of con- aimed at establishing the same ju- victed heretics by the statutes of risdiction over thoughts, which Castile. (Ordenangas Reales, lib. secular tribunals have wisely con- 8, tit. 4.) The avarice of the fined to actions. Time, instead of present system, however, is exem- softening, gave increased harsh- plified by the fact, that those, who ness to the features of the new confessed and sought absolution system. The most humane pro- within the brief term of grace al- visions were constantly evaded in lowed by the inquisitors from the practice ; and the toils for ensnar- publication of their edict, were ing the victim were so ingeniously liable to arbitrary fines ; and those multiplied, that few, very few, who confessed after that period, were permitted to escape without escaped with nothing short of con- some censure. Not more than one fiscaiion. Llorente, Hist, de ITn- person, says Llorente, in one or quisition, torn. i. pp. 176, 177. perhaps two thousand processes, 46 Ibid., torn. i. p. 216. — Zu- previous to the time of Philip III., rita, Anales, tom. iv. fol. 324. received entire absolution. So — Salazar de Mcndoza, Monar- that it came to be proverbial that quia, tom. i. fol. 337. — It is easy all who were not roasted, were at to discern in every part of the least singed. odious scheme of the Inquisition, ..p^^^„, rinquisition, quand on vient i the contrivance of the monks, a jiib6, class of men, cut off by their pro- Si Ton ne sort roti, I'on sort au moin» fession from the usual sympathies amb^." of social life, and who, accustomed ''^ Montanus, Inquisition of