THE INQUISITION. 



169 



to riot in the lap ofluxury and debauchery, seem- 

 ea to be the great objects of their ambition. In 

 stead of acting as the heralds of mercy, and the 

 ministers of peace, they thundered anathemas 

 against all who called in question their authority, 

 kindled the flames of discord and of civil wars, 

 armed subjects against their sovereigns, led forth 

 hostile armies to the battle, and filled Europe 

 with confusion, devastation, and carnage. In 

 stead of applying the mild precepts of Christi 

 anity, and interposing the authority they had ac 

 quired for reconciling enemies, and subduing the 

 jealousies of rival monarchs, they delighted to 

 widen the breach of friendship, and to fan the 

 flame of animosity and discord. Dr. Robertson, 

 when adverting to the personal jealousies of 

 Francis I. and Charles V. remarks, &quot; If it had 

 been in the power of the Pope to engage them in 

 hostilities, without rendering Lombardy the the 

 atre of war, nothing would have been more agree 

 able to him than to see them waste each other s 

 strength in endless quarrels.&quot;* The Son of man 

 came into the world, not to destroy men s lives, 

 but to save them ; but, in such instances, we be 

 hold his pretended vicars, preparing and arrang 

 ing the elements of discord, laying a train for the 

 destruction of thousands and tens of thousands, 

 and takino a diabolical delight in contemplating 

 the feuds, the massacres, and the miseries which 

 their infernal policy had created. The decrees 

 of the papal throne, instead of breathing the mild 

 ness and benevolence of Jesus, became thunder 

 ing curses, and sanguinary laws, and a set of 

 frantic enthusiasts, or a lawless banditti, were 

 frequently appointed to carry them into effect. 



Not contented with the insurrections and the de- 

 solations they had produced among the European 

 nations, they planned an expedition for the pur 

 pose of massacring the inhabitants of Asia, and 

 ravaging their country. Urban II. about A. D. 

 1095, travelled from province to province, levying 

 troops, even without the consent of their princes ; 

 preaching up the doctrine of&quot; destruction to the 

 infidels ;&quot; and commanding the people, in the 

 name of God, to join in the holy war. St. Ber 

 nard ran from town to town haranguing the mul 

 titude, performing pretended miracles, and induc 

 ing all ranks, from the emperor to the peasant, to 

 enrol themselves under the banners of the cross. 

 Peter the Hermit, a man of a hideous figure and 

 aspect, covered with rags, walking barefooted, 

 arid speaking as a prophet, inspired the people 

 every where with an enthusiasm similar to his 

 own. Thousands of wicked and abandoned de 

 bauchees were thus collected ; bishops, priests, 

 monks, women and children, were all enrolled in 

 the holy army. A plenary absolution of all their 

 sins was promised : and if they died in the con 

 test, they were assured of a crown of martyrdom 

 in the world to come. With hearts burning with 

 ury and revenge, this army of banditti, without 

 * Robertson s Charles V. vol. ii. 



22 



discipline or provisions, marched in wild confu 

 sion through the eastern parts of Europe, and, at 

 every step of their progress, committed the meat 

 dreadful outrages. So inveterate was their zeal 

 against the Jews, wherever they were found, that 

 many of those unfortunate beings, both men and 

 women, murdered their own children, in the 

 midst of the despair to which they were driven 

 by these infuriated madmen ; and when they ar 

 rived at Jerusalem, and had taken that city by as 

 sault, they suffered none of the infidels to escape 

 the slaughter. Such was the way in which the 

 successors of the Apostle Peter displayed their 

 general benevolence, and their love to the souls 

 and bodies of men. 



The establishment of the Inquisition, is ano 

 ther mode in which the tyranny and cruelty of 

 the Romish church has been displayed. This 

 court was founded in the 12th century, by Fa 

 ther Dominic, and his followers, who were sent 

 by Pope Innocent III. with orders to excite the 

 Catholic princes and people to extirpate heretics. 

 It is scarcely possible to conceive any institution 

 more directly opposed to the dictates of justice 

 and humanity, to the genius of Christianity, and 

 to the meekness and gentleness of Christ, than 

 this infernal tribunal. The proceedings against 

 the unhappy victims of this court, are conducted 

 with the greatest secrecy. The person granted 

 them as counsel is not permitted to converse 

 with them, except in the presence of the Inqui 

 sitors ; and, when they communicate the evi 

 dence to the accused persons, they carefully con 

 ceal from them the names of the authors. The 

 prisoners are kept for a long time, till they them 

 selves, through the application of the torture, 

 turn their own accusers; for they are neither 

 told their crime, nor confronted with witnesses. 

 When there is no shadow of proof against the 

 pretended criminal, he is discharged, after suf 

 fering the most cruel tortures, a tedious and 

 dreadful imprisonment, and the loss of the greatest 

 part of his effects. When he is convicted and 

 condemned, he is led in procession, with other 

 unfortunate beings, on the festival of the Auto da 

 fe, to the place of execution. He is clothed wivh 

 a garment, painted with flames, and with his 

 own figure, surrounded with dogs, serpents, and 

 devils, all open-mouthed, as if ready to devour 

 him. Such of the prisoners as declare that they 

 die in the communion of the church of Rome, 

 are first strangled, and then burned to ashes. 

 Those who die in any other faith, are burned 

 alive. The priests tell them, that they leave 

 them to the devil, who is standing at their elbow, 

 to receive their souls, and carry them with him 

 into the flames of hell. Flaming furzes, fasten 

 ed to long poles, are then thrust against their 

 faces, till their faces are burned to a coal, which 

 is accompanied with the loudest acclamations ol 

 joy, among the thousands of spectators. At 

 last fire is set to the furze at the bottom of the 



