Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. II.djvu/436

410 410 XIMENES. PART II. His violent measures. No sooner had the sovereigns left, the citj, than Ximenes invited some of the leading alfaquies, or Mussulman doctors, to a conference, in which he expounded, with all the eloquence at his command, the true foundations of the Christian faith, and the errors of their own ; and, that his teaching might be the more palatable, enforced it bj liberal pres- ents, consisting mostly of rich and costly articles of dress, of which the Moors were at all times exceedingly fond. This policy he pursued for some time, till the effect became visible. Whether the preaching or presents of the archbishop had most weight, does not appear.'^ It is probable, how- ever, that the Moorish doctors foun^ conversion a much more pleasant and profitable business than they had anticipated ; for they one after another declared their conviction of their errors, and their willingness to receive baptism. The example of these learned persons was soon followed by great numbers of their illiterate disciples, insomuch that no less than four thousand are said to have pre- sented themselves in one day for baptism ; and Ximenes, unable to administer the rite to each in- dividually, was obliged to adopt the expedient fa- miliar to the Christian missionaries, of christening them en masse by aspersion ; scattering the con- conversion des Mahometans de la Ville et du Royaume de Grenade, en ordonnant a ceux qui ne vou- droient pas embrasser la relij^ion Chretienne, de vendre leurs biens et de sorlir du royaume." (Hist. d'Espagne, torn. viii. p. 194.) Such was the idea of solicitation entertained by these reverend casu- ists ! The story, however, wants a better voucher than Ferreras. !■* The honest Robles appears to be of the latter opinion. " Alfin," says he, with ndivcti, "con hala- gos, dadivas, y caricias, los truxo a conocimiento del verdadero Dios " Yida de Ximenez, p. 100.