Page:Vol 3 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/721

Rh Under the ban, and in the list of forbidden publications. The labors of the inquisitors rapidly increased, and we are told that at one time they had upward of a thousand cases pending. Many edicts were issued, threatening with excommunication those who dared to ignore this prohibition and to read such works.

The progress of science, the enlightenment of the people, and the defence of popular rights against kingcraft were thus hindered by that tool of bigotry, ignorance, and refined despotism. It was even worse; for by recognizing the existence of sorcerers, witches, and others supposed to be possessed with the evil spirit the venerables inquisidores del santo tribunal, as the king called them, stupidly propagated pernicious errors. The extinction of this tribunal was first decreed by the archbishop of Mexico, on September 27, 1813, by order of the Spanish córtes of February 22d of the same year, but this became a dead letter the next year. On the 16th of June, 1820, the king ordered the enforcement of this decree, and soon afterward it was carried into execution.