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

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