ancestors were Arians, and that Arianism was the prevailing council they agreed to consult Anastasius and Venerius, who and established creed of the country, for nearly two centuries. at that time filled the same sees, on the controversy respectNor did Spain long preserve her faith uncontaminated, after ing the validity of the baptism of heretics. With this the she had adopted the common doctrine under Reccared, who practice of the Spanish church agreed. Indeed, the bishops reigned in the close of the sixth century. To pass by the of Rome, in those days, disclaimed the pretensions which spread of Nestorianism and some tenets of less note, she they afterwards put forth with such arrogance. Gregory the gave birth, in the eighth century, to the heresy called the Great himself, when in danger of being eclipsed by his Eastadoptionarian, because its disciples held that Christ is the ern rival, acknowledged this in the memorable words which adopted Son of God. This opinion was broached by Elli- have so much annoyed his successors and their apologists. pand, archbishop of Toledo, who was at the head of the Speaking of the title of universal patriarch, which the bishop Spanish church; it was vigorously defended by Felix, bishop of Constantinople had assumed, he says:-"Far from the of Urgel, a prelate of great ability; and maintained itself for hearts of Christians be this name of blasphemy, which takes a considerable time, in spite of the decisions of several coun-away the honours of the whole priesthood, while it is madly cils, supported by the learning of Alcuin and the authority of arrogated by one! None of my predecessors would ever conCharlemagne. sent to use this profane word, because if one patriarch is Nor were there wanting in the early ages Spaniards who called universal, the rest are deprived of the name of paheld some of the leading opinions afterwards avowed by the triarchs." protestant reformers: Claude, bishop of Turin, who flour- But there is positive evidence that the ancient church of ished in the ninth century, and distinguished himself by his Spain maintained its independence, and guarded against the valuable labours in the illustration of the scriptures, was a interference of the Roman see, or any other foreign authority. native of Spain. His decided condemnation of the worship Whatever judgment we form concerning the disputed canon of images, and of the veneration paid to the relics and sepul- of the council of Sardis, as to references to the bishop of chres of the saints, together with his resistance to the eccle- Rome, it is certain that an African council, which met at siastical authority which imposed these practices, has exposed Mela in the year 416, decreed that if any of the clergy had the memory of this pious and learned divine to the deadly a dispute with his bishop, he might bring it before the neighhatred of all the devotees of superstition and spiritual des-bouring bishops; but if he thought proper not to rest in their potism. In support of his principle tenet, Claude could plead decision, it should be unlawful for him to make any appeal the authority of one of the most venerable councils of his except to an African council, or to the primates of the African native church, which ordained that there should be no pic-churches. In accordance with the spirit of this canon, with tures in churches, and that nothing should be painted on the some variation in particulars, the ninth council of Toledo, in walls which might be worshipped or adored. the year 655, determined that appeals should lie from a

Galindo Prudentio, bishop of Troyes, was a countryman bishop to a metropolitan, and from a metropolitan to the royal and contemporary of Claude. His learning was superior to audience; a regulation which was confirmed by a subsequent that of the age in which he lived; and the comparative purity council held in the same city. In the fifth and sixth centuries of his style bears witness to his familiarity with the writings Arianism was predominant in Spain. During that period of the ancient classics. Having fixed his residence in France, the bishops who adhered to the orthodox faith being few in he enjoyed the confidence of Charlemagne, who employed him number, discountenanced by the royal authority, and rarely in visiting and reforming the monasteries. In the predesti- allowed to assemble in provincial councils, were naturally narian controversy which divided the French clergy of that induced to turn their eyes to Rome for counsel and support; time, he took part with Goteschalcus against Hincmar, arch- while the popes laid hold of the opportunity which the cirbishop of Rheims, and the noted schoolinan, Joannes Scotus, cumstances afforded them to extend their influence over that surnamed Erigena. The sentiments which Prudentio held on country, by holding correspondence with the dissenting clergy, that subject, bear a striking resemblance to those which the and conferring on some of them the title of apostolical vicars.. church of Rome has since anathematized in the writings of But, strange as the assertion may appear to some, this interLuther and Calvin. course ceased as soon as Spain embraced the catholic faith. II. The Spanish church, at the beginning of the fourth Spain is always spoken of as a catholic country from the century, acknowledged no other officers than bishops, pres- time that she renounced Arianism under Reccared; and if we byters, and deacons. She was equally a stranger to the su- are to believe some of her writers, her monarchs obtained, at perior orders of metropolitans and archbishops, and to the in- that early period, the title of Catholic kings, which they referior orders of sub-deacons and lectors. Her discipline was tain to this day, as expressive of their devotion to the faith at that time characterised by great strictness and even rigour, and authority of the Roman see. But this is a glaring misof which there was a palpable relaxation when the govern- take, originating in, or concealed by the equivocal use of a ment of the church came to be formed upon the model of the word which was anciently understood in a sense very differempire, after Constantine had embraced christianity. This ent from its modern acceptation. It was by adopting the change was, however, introduced more slowly into Spain than common doctrine received by the church at large, in opposiinto some other countries. The church of Africa was careful tion to the Arian and other errors condemned by the first to guard the parity of episcopal power against the encroach- ecumenical or universal councils, that Spain became catholic, ments of the metropolitans; and the Spanish bishops, who and that her kings, bishops and people, obtained this desigappear from an early period to have paid great deference to nation, and not by conforming to the rites of the church of her maxims and practices, continued for a considerable time Rome, or owning the supremacy of its pontiffs. Ecclesiastito evince the same jealousy. To the supremacy of the bishops cal affairs were managed in Spain without any interference of Rome the ancient church of Spain was a stranger, and on the part of the See of Rome, or sny reference to it, during there is no good evidence that she acknowledged, during the eight first centuries, their right to interfere authoritively in her internal affairs.

the whole of the century which elapsed after the suppression of Arianism. This is so undeniable, that those advocates of the pontifical authority who have examined the documents of The titles of pope or father, apostolical bishop, and bishop that age, have been forced to admit the fact, and endeavour of the apostolic see, were at first given promiscuously to all to account for it by saying, that such interference and referwho were invested with the episcopal office. After they came ence was unnecessary during a peaceful state of the church; to be used in a more restricted sense, they were still applied a concession which goes far to invalidate the whole of their to a number in common. The bishops of Rome early acquired claims. The pall sent from Rome to Leander, bishop of high consideration among their brethren, founded on the dig-Seville, forms no exception to the remark now made; for, not nity of the city in which they had their residence, the number to mention that it was never received, it was not intended to of the clergy over whom they presided, and the superior confer any prerogative upon him, but merely as a testimony. sanctity of life by which some of their line had been distin- to his sanctity, and a mark of personal esteem from pope guished; to which must be added the opinion, which soon Gregory, who had contracted a friendship with him when became general, that they were the successors of St. Peter. they met at Constantinople. It was of the nature of a badge In matters which concerned religion in general, or in difficult of honour conferred by a prince on a deserving individual questions relating to internal managements, it was a common belonging to another kingdom. practice to ask the advice of foreign and even transmarine There is one piece of history which throws a great light churches. On these occasions the bishops of Rome were on the state of the Spanish church during the seventh cenconsulted, but not to the exclusion of others. The African tury, and which I shall relate at some length, as it has been bishops, in a council held at Carthage, agreed to take the either passed over or very partially brought forward by later advice of Siricius, bishop of Rome, and Simplician, bishop historians. The sixth ecumenical council, held at Constantiof Milan, on the affair of the Donatists; and in a subsequent nople in the year 680, condemned the heresy of the Monothe

lites, or those who, though they allowed that Christ had two will commend itself to the approbation of all lovers of truth natures, ascribed to him but one will and one operation. In who are capable of forming a divine judgment, though we 683, Leo II., bishop of Rome, sent the acts of that council, may be charged with obstinacy by the ignorant and enwhich he had received from Constantinople, to Spain, re-vious."*

questing the bishops to give them their sanction, and to take III. The independence of the ancient church of Spain will measures for having them circulated through their churches. appear more fully if we attend to its form of worship. All As a council had been held immediately before the arrival of the learned who have directed their attention to ecclesiastical the papal deputation, and a heavy fall of snow prevented the antiquities are now agreed that, although the mode of worre-assembling of the members at that season, it was thought ship was substantially the same throughout the Christian proper to circulate the acts among the bishops, who authorised church, during the fourth, fifth, and sixth centuries, yet difJulian, archbishop of Toledo, to transmit a rescript to Rome, ferent liturgies or forms of celebrating divine service were intimating in general their approbation of the late decision at practised in different nations, and sometimes in different parts Constantinople, and stating at considerable length the senti- of the same nation. The Ambrosian liturgy, used by the ments of the Spanish Church on the controverted point. A church of Milan, differed from the Roman. It was adopted council, convened at Toledo during the following year, en- in many parts of France, and continued in use there until the tered on the formal consideration of this affair, in which they time of Charlemagne, when it was supplanted by the Roman proceeded in such a manner as to evince their determination or Gregorian. So far was the church of Rome from having to preserve at once the purity of the faith and the independence at first regulated the religious service of other churches by of the Spanish church. They examined the acts of the council her laws or even by her example, that she did not even preof Constantinople, at which it does not appear that they had serve her own forms, which were superseded in their most any representative, and declared that they found them conso- important parts, by the sacramentary or missal which has nant with the decisions of the four preceding canonical coun- drawn up by pope Gelasius, corrected finally by Gregory at cils, particularly that of Chalcedon, of which they appeared the close of the sixth century, and imposed gradually, and to be nearly a transcript. "Wherefore (say they) we agree at distant periods, on the several divisions of the western that the acts of the said council be reverenced and received by church. Different offices, or forms of celebrating, divine serus, inasmuch as they do not differ from the foresaid councils, vice, were used in Spain down to the year 633, when the or rather as they appear to coincide with them. We allot to fourth council of Toledo passed a decree that one uniform them therefore that place in point of order to which their order should be observed in all the churches of the Peninsula. merit entitles them. Let them come after the council of This decree led to the adoption of that liturgy which has been Chalcedon, by whose light they shine." The council next called the Gothic, and sometimes the Isadorian, or the lldetook into consideration the rescript which archbishop Julian fonsian, from St. Isidore and Ildefonso, archbishops of Sehad sent to Rome, and pronounced it "a copious and lucid ville, by whom it was revised and corrected. That this ritual exposition of the truth concerning the double will and opera- was quite different from the Roman or Gregorian is put betion of Christ;" adding, "wherefore, for the sake of general yond all doubt, by the references made to both in the course instruction, and the benefit of ecclesiastical discipline, we of the adoptionarian controversy, which raged in the eighth confirm and sanction it as entitled to equal honour and rever-century. The patrons of the adoptionarian tenet in Spain ence, and to have the same permanent authority as the decretal appealed to their national ritual, " compiled by holy men who epistles. had gone before them," and quoted passages from it as fa

The council of Constantinople had condemned pope Ho-vourable to their views. To this argument the fathers of the norius I. as an abettor of the Monothelite heresy; a stigma council of Frankfort replied: "it is better to believe the testiwhich the advocates of papal infallibility have laboured for timony of God the Father concerning his own Son, than that ages to wipe off. But the Spanish council, on the present of your Ildefonso, who composed for you such prayers, in the occasion, proceeded farther, and advanced a proposition which solemn masses, as the universal and holy church of God strikes at the very foundation on which the bishops of Rome knows not, and in which we do not think you will be heard. rest their claims, by declaring, that the rock on which the And if your Ildefonso in his prayers called Christ the adopted church is built is the faith confessed by St. Peter, and not his Son of God, our Gregory, pontiff of the Roman see, and a person or office. doctor beloved by the whole world, does not hesitate in his

But this was not all that the Spanish clergy did. When prayers to call him always the only begotten." In like manthe rescript of the archbishop of Seville reached Rome, it ner Alcuin, after insinuating that they might have taken immet with the disapprobation of Benedict II., who had suc- proper liberties in their quotations, says: "but it matters not ceeded Leo in the popedom. Having drawn up certain ani-nuch whether these testimonies have been altered or correctmadversions upon it, his holiness gave them to the Spanish ly quoted by you; for we wish to be confirmed in the truth deputy to communicate to his constituents, that they might of our assertion and faith by Roman rather than Spanish aucorrect those expressions savouring of error which they had thority.

been led incautiously to adopt. An answer, not the most The Gothic or Isidorian office has also been called the agreeable to the pope, was returned by Julian in the mean Mozarabic or Mixtarabic, probably because it was used and time; and the subject was afterwards taken up by a national held in great veneration by the Christians in Spain who lived council held in 688 at Toledo. Instead of retracting their under the dominion of the Arabians or Moors. The identity former sentiments, or correcting any of the expressions which of these formularies has, indeed, been of late disputed by the pope had blamed, the Spanish prelates drew up and sanc- several learned men. But it is most probable that they were tioned a laboured vindication of the paper which had given originally the same office, and that alterations were made offence to his holiness, of whom they speak in terms very upon it, both by the Mozarabes and the Montanes, (as those disrespectful, and even contemptuous. They accuse him of "a careless and cursory perusal" of their rescript, and of *Concil. Tolet. XV. post symbolum; Labbe, VI. 1296—1303, having passed over parts of it which were necessary to un- Harduin, III. 1759-1767. Cenni, at a greater expense than that of derstand their meaning. He had found fault with them for contradicting himself, labours to do away, or rather to conceal, the asserting that there are three substances in Christ, to which indignity offered to the Roman see, and the disregard shown to its they reply: "As we will not be ashamed to defend the truth, anthority, by the procedure of the Spanish councils. He allows that so there are perhaps some other persons who will be ashamed the fourteenth council of Toledo "arrogated to itself an unjust auat being found ignorant of the truth. For who knows not « it adopted a new and unheard-of method of approving of the deci thority, and openly departed from obedience to the Holy see;" that that in every man there are two substances, namely, soul and sions of a general council;" and that, on these accounts, "none of body?" After confirming their opinion by quotations from its decrees were admitted to a place in the collection of sacred the fathers, they add: "But if any one shall be so shameless canons." But he asserts that the fifteenth council of Toledo “manias not to acquiesce in these sentiments, and acting the part festly amended their doctrine concerning the three substances;" that of a haughty inquirer, shall ask, whence we drew such Julian" (as if the decree had been his only, and not that of a nathings, at least he will yield to the words of the gospel, in tional council,) "sometimes makes use of words rather too free, which Christ declares that he possessed three substances." he changed or explained his former sentiment, agreeably to the ad though somewhat obscure, against Rome; and that, upon the whole, Having quoted and commented on several passages of the monition of the Roman Pontiff." Yet he grants, or rather pleads, New Testament, the council concludes in these terms: "If, that this "apology," as he calls it, was not approved at Rome: is after this statement, and the sentiments of the fathers from angry with those writers who speak in its defence; and concludes by which it has been taken, any person shall dissent from us in any thing, we will have no farther dispute with him, but keeping steadily in the plain path, and treading in the footsteps of our predecessors, we are persuaded that our answer Hispante, tom. ii. p. 55—59.)

saying, that "this blemish on the well-constituted church of Spain should be a perpetual monument to teach the churches of all other the Holy see, in matters of faith and of manners."-(De Antiq. Ecel. nations to revere the one sure, infallible and supreme judgment of

On that cc

were called who betook themselves to the mountains to It is sufficient to exemplify this statement in the subjugaescape the yoke of the Moors), during the period that they tion of the crown and kingdom of Aragon. Don Ramiro I., lived asunder. who died in 1063, was the first Spanish king, according to Other instances in which the worship of the ancient church the testimony of Gregory the Great, who recognised the of Spain differed widely from the modern might be produced. pope and received the laws of Rome. In 1204, Don Pedro We have already mentioned that a national council, in the II., eight years after he had ascended the throne, went to beginning of the fourth century, prohibited the worship of Rome, and was crowned by pope Innocent 111. images, and the use of pictures in churches. It may be ad-casion his holiness put the crown on his head in the monasded, that the first council of Braga, held in the year 561, for- tery of Pancracio, after Pedro had given his corporal oath bade the use of uninspired hymns, which came afterwards to that he and all his successors would be faithful to the church be tolerated, and were ultimately enjoined under the highest of Rome, preserve his kingdom in obedience to it, defend the penalties. catholic faith, pursue heretical pravity, and maintain invioHaving produced these facts as to the early opinions and late the liberties and immunities of the holy church. Then usages of the Spanish church, we proceed to state the man- going to the chapel of St. Peter, the pope delivered the ner in which she was led to adopt the rites, and submit to the sword into the hands of the king, who, armed as a cavalier, authority of the church of Rome. dedicated all his dominions to St. Peter, the prince of the In the eleventh century Spain was divided into three king- the apostles, and to Innocent and his successors, as a fief of doms-the kingdom of Leon and Castile, of Aragon, and Na- the church; engaging to pay an annual tribute, as a mark of varre, of which the two first were by far the most powerful. In homage and gratitude for his coronation. In return for all this the latter part of that century, Alfonso, the sixth of Leon, and his holiness granted, as a special favour, that the kings of first of Castile, after recovering Valentia by the valour of the Aragon, instead of being obliged to come to Rome, should famous Cid, Ruy Diaz de Bivar, finally obtained possession afterwards be crowned in Saragossa, by the archbishop of of Toledo, which had been in the power of the Moors for Tarragona, as papal vicar. This act of submission was three centuries and a half. He had married, for his second highly offensive to the nobility, who protested for their own wife, Constance, a daughter of the royal house of France, rights, and to the people at large, who complained that their who, from attachment to the religious service to which she liberties were sold, and power given to the popes to disturb had been accustomed, or under the influence of the priests the peace of the kingdom at their pleasure. It was not long who accompanied her, instigated her husband to introduce the before these fears were realized. The king, having a few Roman liturgy into Castile. Richard, abbot of Marseilles, years after offended the pope by taking arms in defence of the papal legate, exerted all his influence in favour of a heretics, was laid under the sentence of excommunication, for change so agreeable to the court which he represented. The violating the oath which he had sworn; and his grandson, innovation was warmly opposed by the clergy, nobility, and Pedro the Great, was deprived of his kingdom, as a vassal of people at large, but especially by the inhabitants of Toledo the church, which kindled a civil war, and led to the invaand other places which had been under the dominion of the sion of Aragon by the French. Attempts to release themMoors. To determine this controversy, recourse was had, selves from this degrading vassalage were made by different according to the custom of the dark ages, to judicial combat. monarchs, but these always issued in the renewal of their Two knights, clad in complete armour, appeared before the oaths of fealty to Rome; and they found it too late to throw court and an immense assembly. The champion of the off a yoke which had by this time been received by all the Gothic liturgy prevailed; but the king insisted that the liti-nations around them, and which they had taught their own gated point should undergo another trial, and be submitted to, subjects to revere and hold sacred. what was called, the judgment of God. Accordingly, in the pre- The history of Spain during the period we are reviewing, sence of another.great assembly, a copy of the two rival litur-furnishes important notices respecting the Waldenses, Vaugies was thrown into the fire. The Gothic resisted the flames dois or Albigenses, whom we formerly met with in tracing and was taken out unhurt, while the Roman was consumed. the progress of the Reformation in Italy. It is well known, But upon some pretext-apparently the circumstance of the that these early reformers had fixed their abode in the southashes of the Roman liturgy curling on the top of the flames ern provinces of France, where they multiplied greatly in the and then leaping out-the king, with the concurrence of Ber- eleventh and twelfth centuries. Various causes contributed nard, archbishop of Toledo, who was a Frenchman, gave out to this. The inhabitants of the south of France, though infethat it was the will of God that both offices should be used; rior in arms, were superior in civilization, to those of the and ordained, that the public service should continue to be north. They had addicted themselves to commerce and the celebrated according to the Gothic office in the six churches arts. Their cities, which were numerous and flourishing, of Toledo which the Christians had enjoyed under the Moors, enjoyed privileges favourable to the spirit of liberty, and but that the Roman office should be adopted in all the other which raised them nearly to the rank of the Italian republics, churches of the kingdom. The people were greatly dis- with which they had long traded. They possessed a lanpleased with the glaring partiality of this decision, which is guage rich and flexible, which they cultivated both in prose said to have given rise to the proverb, The law goes as kings and verse; academies for promoting the Gui Saber, or polite choose. Discountenanced by the court and the superior eccle- letters, were erected among them; and the Troubadours, as siastics, the Gothic liturgy gradually fell into disrepute, until the Provençal poets were called, were received with honour, it was completely superseded by the Roman. and listened to with enthusiasm, at the courts of the numerThe introduction of the Roman liturgy had been undertaken ous petty princes among whom the country was divided. A rather more early in Aragon than in Castile, but was com- people advanced to this stage of improvement were not displeted in both kingdoms about the same time. The modern posed to listen with implicit faith to the religious dogmas inhabitants of the Peninsula please themselves with the idea which the clergy inculcated, or to submit tamely to the that they are hearing the self-same mass which has been per- superstitious and absurd observances which they sought to formed in Spain from the days of the apostles; whereas, the impose. Add to this, that the manners of the clergy, both exact day and place in which the modern service began, can higher and lower, in these provinces, were disorderly and be pointed out. The first mass, according to the Roman vicious to a proverb. “I would rather be a priest, than have form, was celebrated in Aragon in the monastery of St. Juan done such a thing!" was a common exclamation among the de la Pena, on the 21st of March 1071; and in Castile, in people on hearing of any unworthy action. With these feelthe Grand Mosque of Toledo, on the 25th of October 1086. ings they were prepared to listen to the reformers, who exGregory VII. commemorates this change, "as the deliver- posed the errors and corruptions which had defaced the ance of Spain from the illusion of the Toledan superstition." beauty of the primitive church, and whose conduct formed, His holiness was more clear-sighted than those moderns, in point of decency and sobriety, a striking contrast to that who, looking upon all forms of worship as equal, treat with of the established clergy. For the last mentioned fact we contempt or indifference the efforts made by the people to de- have the testimony of those monkish writers, who strove to fend their religious rights against the encroachments of do- blacken their characters, by alleging that they practised all mestic, or the intrusions of foreign authority. The recogni- kinds of licentiousness in secret. "I will relate (says the tion of the papal authority in Spain followed upon the abbot Puy Laurens) what I have heard bishop Fulco tell as establishment of the Roman liturgy; nor would the latter to a conversation which he had with Pons Ademar de Rodehave been sought with such eagerness, had it not been with lia, a prudent knight. I cannot bring myself to believe,' a view to the former. Having once obtained a footing in the said the latter, 'that Rome has sufficient grounds to proceed Peninsula, the popes pushed their claims, until at last the against these men.Are they not unable to answer our arwhole nation, including the highest authorities in it, civil as guments?' demanded the bishop. I grant it,' said the well as ecclesiastical, acknowledged the supremacy of the Ro- other. Well, then,' rejoined the bishop, 'why do you not

man see.

6

66

expel and drive them from your territories?' We cannot gave ample employment to the inquisition after it was estab do it,' replied the knight; we have been brought up with lished in that country. From the accession of pope Gregory them; we have our friends among them; and we see them IX. to that of Alexander IV. (that is, from 1227 to 1254) living honestly.' After relating this anecdote on the author- they had grown to such numbers and credit as to have ity of the archbishop of Thoulouse, the great adversary of churches in various parts of Catalonia and Aragon, which were the Albigenses, the historian adds: "Thus it is that false- provided with bishops, who boldly preached their doctrine. hood, veiled under the appearance of a spotless life, draws Gregory, in a brief which he addressed to the archbishop of uncautious men from the truth." Tarragona and his suffragans, in 1232, complains of the inThe Albigensian bards, or pastors, enjoying a respite from crease of heresy in their dioceses, and exhorts them to make persecution during the early part of the twelfth century, ap- strict inquisition after it by means of the Dominican monks; plied themselves to the study of the Scriptures, and devoted and his successor Alexander repeated the complaint. In their hours of relaxation to the cultivation of poetry. They 1237, the flames of persecution were kindled in the viscounty were held in veneration by the people, who named them in of Cerdagne and Castlebon, within the diocess of Urgel; their wills, and left for the support of the new worship those forty-five persons being condemned, of whom fifteen were sums which had been formerly bequeathed to the priests or burnt alive, and eighteen disinterred bodies cast into the fire. appropriated for the saying of masses for their own souls and In 1267, the inquisitors of Barcelona pronounced sentence those of their departed relations. They had chapels in the against Raymond, count of Forcalquier and Urgel, ordering principal castles; their religious service was frequented by his bones, as those of a relapsed heretic, to be taken out of persons of all ranks; and they numbered among their converts the grave; and two years after they passed the same sentence many individuals of noble birth, and who held some of the on Arnold, viscount of Castlebon and Cerdagne, and his principal situations in the country. Among their protectors daughter Ermesinde, wife of Roger-Bernard II. count of were the powerful counts of Toulouse, Raymond VI. and Foix, surnamed the Great. Both father and daughter had VII., the counts of Foix and Comenges, the viscounts of been dead upwards of twenty years, yet their bones were Beziers and Bearn, Savary de Mauleon, seneschal of Aqui- ordered to be disinterred, "provided they could be found;" a taine, Guiraud de Minerve, and Olivier de Termes, a cavalier preposterous and unnatural demonstration of zeal for the who had distinguished himself greatly in the wars against faith, which is applauded by the fanatical writers of that age, the infidels in the Holy Land, in Africa and in Majorca. but was in fact dictated by hatred to the memory of the brave Their opinions were avowedly entertained by the wives and and generous Count de Foix. When summoned in his lifesisters of these great lords, as well as by the heads of the time to appear before the inquisition at Toulouse, that noblenoble houses of Mirepoix, Saissac, Lavour, Montreal, St. man not only treated their order with contempt, but, in his Michael de Fanjaux, Durfort, Lille-Jourdain, and Montsegur. turn summoned the inquisitors of the county of Foix to appear When we have stated these facts, we have said enough to before him as his vassals and subjects. During his exile at account for the implacable hostility to this sect on the part of the court of his father-in-law, he was excommunicated by the the ruling ecclesiastics, and the bloody crusades preached up bishop of Urgel as a favourer of heresy; and although the against it by the monks, and conducted, under the direction sentence was removed, and he died in the communion of the of the popes, by Simon de Montfort and Louis VIII. of church, yet the inquisitors never could forgive the disinter France, during the early part of the thirteenth century. By ested and determined resistance which he had made to their means of these the attempted reformation of the church was barbarous proceedings. They put one of his servants to the suppressed, and its disciples nearly exterminated; one of the torture, with the view of extorting from him some evidence finest regions of the world was laid waste by countless and upon which they might pronounce that his master had died a successive hordes of barbarous fanatics-its commerce de- heretic; and, having failed in that attempt, they now sought stroyed, its arts annihilated, its literature extinguished; and to wreck their vengeance on the memory and the ashes of the the progress of the human mind in knowledge and civiliza-countess and her father.

tion, which had commenced so auspiciously, was arrested It has been said that the Poor Men of Lyons or Waldenses, and thrown back for ages. when they made their first appearance, were looked upon at The intimate connection which subsisted between Spain Rome as an order of monks who wished to revive the decay and the South of France had great influence on the fate of the ing fervour of piety among the people, and to lead a life of Albigensian reformers. Provence and Languedoc were at superior sanctity among themselves; and that it was serithat time more properly Aragonese than French. As count ously proposed at one time to give the pontifical sanction to of Provence, the king of Aragon was the immediate liege lord their internal regulations. Whatever truth there may be in of the viscounts of Narbonne, Beziers, and Carcassone. this statement, it, is a curious fact, that, in Spain, some indiAvignon and other cities acknowledged him as their baronial viduals of this sect did obtain a temporary respite from per superior. The principal lords, though they did homage to secution by forming themselves into a new religious fraternithe king of France or to the emperor, yielded obedience in ty. In consequence of a dispute held at Pamiers in Languereality to the Spanish monarch, lived under his protection, doc, Durando de Huesca, a native of Aragon, with a number and served in his armies. And several of them, by gifts from of his Albigensian brethren, yielded to the Romish missionathe crown, or by marriages, possessed lands in Spain. ries, and having obtained liberty to retire into Catalonia,

In consequence of this connection between the two coun- formed a religious community under the name of the Society tries, some of the Vaudois had crossed the Pyrenees and of Poor Catholics. In 1207 Durando went to Rome, where established themselves in Spain as early as the middle of the he obtained from Innocent III. the remission of his former twelfth century. They appear to have enjoyed repose there heresy, and an approbation of his fraternity, of which he was for some time; but in the year 1194, pope Celestin III. sent declared superior. Its members lived on alms, applied themthe cardinal St. Angelo as legate to attend a council at Lerida, selves to study and the teaching of schools, kept lent twice who prevailed on Alfonso II. king of Aragon, to publish an a-year, and wore a decent habit of white or gray, with shoes edict, ordering the Vaudois, Poor Men of Lyons, and all open at the top, but distinguished by some particular mark other heretics, to quit his territories under severe pains. from those of the Poor Men of Lyons, who, from this part of This edict not having produced any effect, was renewed their dress, were sometimes called Insabatati. The new three years after by Pedro II., in consequence of a decree of order spread so rapidly, that in a few years it had numerous a council held at Gironna. With the view of securing the convents both to the south and north of the Pyrenees. Bat execution of this measure, the subscriptions of all the gran- although the Poor Catholics professed to devote themselves dees of Catalonia were procured to the decree; and all gov- to the conversion of heretics, and their superior wrote some ernors and judges were required to swear before the bishops, books with that view, they soon incurred the suspicion of the that they would assist in discovering and punishing those in- bishops, who accused them of favouring the Vaudois, and fected with heresy, under the penalty of being themselves concealing their heretical tenets under the monastic garb. treated as heretics. Notwithstanding this edict, and the They had interest to maintain themselves for some time, engagements he had contracted at his coronation, Pedro was and even to procure letters from his holiness, exhorting the disposed to be favourable to this sect. He was from the be- bishops to endeavour to gain them by kindness instead of ginning displeased at the crusade which raged on the north alienating their minds from the church by severe treatment; of the Pyrenees; and having at last joined his army to those but their enemies at last prevailed, and within a short time of his brother-in-law Raymond, count of Toulouse, he fell, in no trace of their establishments was to be found. the year 1213, fighting in defence of the Albigenses in the The Albigenses were not confined to Aragon and Catalo nia. Of the extent to which they spread in the kingdom of Castile and Leon, we may form some judgment from amusing anecdote, related from personal knowledge, by Lucio,

battle of Muret.

This disaster, together with those that followed it, induced multitudes of the Albigenses to take refuge in Aragon, who

bishop of Tuy, known, as a writer against the Albigenses, by | It appears that the followers of Wickliffe had migrated to the the name of Lucas Tudensis; and which I shall give as Peninsula; for in 1441, the inquisitors of Aragon and Valennearly in his own words as is consistent with perspicuity. tia reconciled some of them to the church, and condemned After the death of Roderic, bishop of Leon (in the year 1237), others to the fire as obstinate heretics. If we may trust the great dissention arose about the election of his successor. monkish annalists, Spain was also visited at this period by Taking advantage of this circumstance, the heretics flocked the Beghards, a fanatical sect which the corruptions of the from all quarters to that city. In one of the suburbs, where church and the ignorance of the times had generated in Gerevery kind of filth was thrown, lay, along with those of a many and other parts of Europe. But this is uncertain, as it murderer, the bones of a heretic, named Arnold, who had was common for the clergy to apply this and similar names been buried sixteen years before. Near to this was a fountain, to the Vaudois, with the view of exciting odium against them, over which they erected an edifice, and having taken up the and justifying their own cruelties. In 1350, we are told, a bones of Arnold, whom they extolled as a martyr, deposited warm inquisition was commenced in Valentia against the them in it. To this place a number of persons, hired by the Beghards, whose leader was condemned to perpetual imheretics, came; and feigning themselves to be blind, lame, prisonment, and the bones of many of his disciples dug up and afflicted with other disorders, they drank of the waters of and consigned to the flames; and in 1442, it was found they the fountain, and then went away, saying that they were sud- had multiplied at Durango, a town of Biscay, and in the diodenly and miraculously healed. This being noised abroad, cese of Calahorra. Alfonso de Mella, a Franciscan, and brogreat multitudes flocked to the spot. After they had got a ther of the bishop of Zamora, who was afterwards invested number of the clergy, as well as laity, to give credit to the with the purple, having incurred the suspicion of being at the pretended cures, the heretics disclosed the imposition which head of this party, fled, along with his companions, to the they had practised, and then boasted that all the miracles per- Moors, among whom "he died miserably at Grenada, being formed at the tombs of the saints were of the same kind. By pierced with reeds; an example (says the biographer of his this means they drew many to their heresy. In vain did brother) worthy to be recorded, of the variety of human afthe Dominican and Franciscan friars attempt to stem the tor-fairs, and the opposite dispositions of persons who lay in the rent of defection, by exclaiming against the sin of offering same womb." On application to John II. king of Castile, a sacrilegious prayers in a place defiled by profane bones. They band of royal musqueteers was sent to scour the mountains of were cried down as heretics and unbelievers. In vain did Biscay, and the higher districts of Old Castile, who drove the adjacent bishops excommunicate those who visited the down the heretics like cattle before them, and delivered them fountain or worshipped in the temple. The devil had seized to the inquisitors, by whom they were committed to the the minds of the people and fascinated their senses. At last, a flames at St. Domingo de la Calzado, and Valladolid. Thus deacon, who resided at Rome, hearing of the state of matters were the Albigenses, after a barbarous and unrelenting perin his native city, hastened to Leon, and "in a kind of frenzy," secution of two centuries, exterminated in Spain, with the at the risk of his life, upbraided the inhabitants for favouring exception of a few, who contrived to conceal themselves in heretics, and called on the magistrates to abate the nuisance. the more remote aad inaccessible parts of the country, and at For some months before his arrival, the country had been a subsequent period, furnished occasionally a straggling vicafflicted with a severe drought. This he declared to be a tim to the familiars of the inquisition, when surfeited with judgment from heaven on account of their sin, but promised the blood of Jews and Moriscoes. that it should be removed within eight days from the time During these proceedings, Rome succeeded in establishing that they pulled down the heretical temple. The magistrates its empire a second time in Spain, and that in a more durable granted him permission, and he razed the builing to its foun- form than in the days of the Scipios and Augustus. This dation. Scarcely was this done, when a fire devoured a great conquest was achieved chiefly by means of the monks and part of the city, and for seven days no symptom of rain appear-friars. Anciently the number of convents and of monks in ed; upon which the heretics insulted over the deacon. But on Spain was small; but it multiplied greatly from the twelfth the eighth day the clouds collected, and poured down copious to the fifteenth century. The beginning of that period was and refreshing showers on all the surrounding country. marked by the infliction of that scourge of society, and out"After this, the aforesaid deacon raised persecution against rage of all decency-privileged and meritorious mendicity. the heretics, who, being forced to leave the city, were miser- Of all the orders of mendicant friars, the most devoted to the ably scattered abroad." We are assured, and not without See of Rome were those founded by St. Dominic and St. great probability, that the deacon was no other than Lucas Francis, the former the most odious, the latter the most franTudensis, whose modesty induced him to suppress his name tic, of modern saints. Within a few years after their instituin relating the prediction and the persecution, in both of which tion, convents belonging to both these orders were to be found he appears to have equally gloried. in every part of Spain. Though the Dominicans, owing to the

In spite of the occupation given to the clergy by the sup- patronage of the court of Rome, or to their founder being a pression of the Knights Templars, and the schism of the anti-Spaniard, enjoyed the greatest share of political power, yet popes, the persecution of the Albigenses seldom relaxed dur- the reception given to the Franciscans left them no ground to ing the fourteenth century. Scarce a year passed in which complain of Spanish inhospitality. An event which happened numbers were not barbarously led to the stake. Among those at the close of the fifteenth century contributed to the still who were condemned for heresy at this period, was Arnaldo more rapid increase of religious houses. A great part of the of Villaneuva in Aragon, a celebrated physician and chemist. wealth which flowed into Spain after the discovery of the He taught, that the whole Christian people had, through the New World, found its way to the church. Imitating the craft of the devil, been drawn aside from the truth, and re- Pagan warriors who dedicated the spoils which they had tained nothing but the semblance of ecclesiastical worship, gained to their gods, the Spaniards who enriched themselves which they kept up from the force of custom; that those who by pillaging and murdering the Indians, sought to testify lived in cloisters threw themselves out of charity, and that their gratitude or to expatiate their crimes by lavishing ornathe religious orders in general falsified the doctrines of Christ; ments on churches and endowing monasteries. The followthat it is not a work of charity to endow chapels for celebrat-ing examples show the rate at which the regular clergy ining mases for the dead; that those who devoted their money creased. The first Franciscan missionaries entered Spain in to this purpose, instead of providing for the poor, and especially the year 1216; and, in 1400, they had, within the three prothe poor belonging to Christ, exposed themselves to damna- vinces of Santiago, Castile, and Aragon, including Portugal, tion; that offices of mercy and medicine are more acceptable twenty-three custodia, composed of an hundred and twentyto the Deity than the sacrifice of the altar; and that God is one convents. But in the year 1506, the Regular Observanpraised in the eucharist not by the hands of the priest, but by tines, who formed only the third division of that order, had a the mouth of the communicant. Such being his avowed sen- hundred and ninety convents in Spain, excluding Portugal. timents, we need not wonder that he was doomed to expiate In the year 1030, the city of Salamanca did not contain a his temerity by suffering the fire, from which he saved him- single convent; in 1480, it possessed nine, of which six were self by flying from his native country, and taking refuge with for males, and three for females; and in 1518 it could numFerdinand, king of Sicily. To Arnald we may add a writer ber thirty-nine convents, while its nuns alone amounted to of the following century, Raimond de Sebonde, author of a eleven thousand.

treatise on natural theology, who was charged with heresy The corruption of the monastic institutions kept pace with for asserting that all saving truths are contained, and clearly the increase of their numbers and wealth. The licentiousness proposed, in the sacred scriptures. of the regular clergy became notorious. They broke through the

From 1412 to 1425, a great number of persons who enter-rules prescribed by their founders, and laid aside that austere tained the sentiments of the Vaudois were committed to the mode of living by which they had at first acquired all their flames by the inquisitors of Valentia, Rousillon, and Majorca. reputation. Even those who had vowed the most rigid povVOL. II.-2 P