Severe Inquisition, Instituted By The Spaniards, Against The Believers And All Who Were Opposed To The Roman Church. A. D. 1492.

This century, it appears, could not close without a new inquisition, which the Spaniards invented, as had formerly been done by the Germans. It was first instituted against those of the Jewish, Mohammedan, and Saracenic profession, forasmuch as some of them, either through fear of persecution, or for some other reason, had accepted the Roman Catholic faith with the mouth, but whose sincerity 337 was doubted. But subsequently it extended to all who did not perfectly observe the Romish commands; among whom the oft mentioned Waldenses and Albigenses were none of the least, since they not only held the Romish belief in small esteem, but were also directly opposed to it in nearly every point, except the twelve general articles.

Concerning this, there is the following account: “Thus their (the Spaniards’) first decree was, in regard to the inquisition, to proceed only against the Jews, Saracens, and Mohammedans; but subsequently much greater power was given to the inquisitors, to try and punish all who did not observe, in every particular, the ordinances of the Roman church, and the Catholic faith. Pope Sixtus IV. confirmed this royal scheme. See the account in the Chron. van den Ond., p. 900, col. 1.