Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. II.djvu/66

42 I. 42 WAR OF GRANADA, PART be admitted to leave a stain on her memory, which no coloring of history can conceal. It may find some palliation, however, in the bigotry of the age, the more excusable in a woman, whom education, general example, and natural distrust of herself, accustomed to rely, in matters of conscience, on the spiritual guides, whose piety and professional learning seemed to qualify them for the trust. Even in this very transaction, she fell far short of the suggestions of some of her counsellors, who urged her to put every inhabitant without exception to the sword ; which, they affirmed, would be a just requital of their obstinate rebellion, and A^ould prove a wholesome warning to others ! We are not told who the advisers of this precious measure were ; but the whole experience of this reign shows, that we shall scarcely wrong the clergy much by imputing it to them. That their argu- ments could warp so enlightened a mind, as that of Isabella, from the natural principles of justice and humanity, furnishes a remarkable proof of the ascendency which the priesthood usurped over the most gifted intellects, and of their gross abuse of it, before the Reformation, by breaking the seals set on the sacred volume, opened to mankind the uncorrupted channel of divine truth. ^' The fate of Malaga may be said to have decided that of Granada. The latter was now shut out 31 Bernaldez, Reyes Catolicos, a wealtliy Israelite of Castile for MS., cap. 87. — Bleda, Cordnica, 27,000 doblas of gold. A proof lib. 5, cap. 15. that the Jewish stock was one About four hundred and fifty wl)icii tiirived amidst persecution. Moorish Jews were ransomed by It is scarcely possible that the