to eight hundred. The castle, the common prisons, the convents, and even private houses, were crowded with the victims. Eighty persons were committed to prison at Valladolid. When the alarm was first given, many were so thunderstruck as to be unable to take the least step for securing their safety. Some, not knowing what they were doing, ran to the house of the Inquisition and informed against themselves. Others, in attempting to make their escape, were pursued and overtaken; and some, who had reached a Protestant country, becoming secure, fell into the snares laid for then by the Papal spies, were forcibly carried off, and brought back into Spain. These events occurred in 1558. Philip, who was then King of Spain, Valdes, the Inquisitor General, and Pope Paul IV., were all heartily united in their efforts to extirpate what they called heresy. One law of Philip ordained the punishment of death, with confiscation of goods, against all who sold, bought, read, or possessed any book forbidden by the Inquisition. And a Bull was issued by the Pope, at the request of Philip and Valdes, authorizing the Supreme Council to deliver to the secular arm, to be burned, all who were convicted of having at any time taught the Lutheran opinions, even though they had not relapsed, and were willing to recant.

One of the first among those apprehended at Seville, was Constantine Ponce de la Fuente, who had been Chaplain to Charles V. When summoned before the Judges, he maintained his innocence, challenged the public prosecutor to show that he had done anything criminal, and repelled the charges brought against him with such ability and success, as threw his adversaries into great perplexity. The Inquisitors, however, having, through the treachery of a servant, obtained possession of a quantity of books which Constantine Ponce had for security deposited in the house of an opulent widow, found among thein, besides various heretical works, a volume of his own hand

writing, in which the points of controversy between the Church of Rome and the Protestants were discussed at considerable length. When this volume was shown to him, he acknowledged at once that it was in his hand-writing, and contained his sentiments. It is unnecessary,” added he, “to produce further evidence: you have there a candid and full confession of my belief. I am in your hands: do with me as seemeth to you good." No arts or threatenings could prevail on him to give any information respecting his associates. Though his Judges did not put him to the rack, they had him thrust into a low, damp, and noisome vault, where he endured more than some of his brethren did from the application of the engines of torture. Oppressed and worn-out with such a mode of living, he was heard to exclaim, "O my God! were there no Scythians, or cannibals, or Pagans still more savage, that thou hast permitted me to fall into the hands of these baptized fiends?" At length, putrid air and unwholesome diet, together with grief for the ruin of the Reformed cause in his native country, brought on a dysentery, which terminated his life, after he had been nearly two years in confinement. His effigy and his bones were brought out and burned in a public procession at Seville, in December, 1560.

Of the cruel and abominable devices used for the purpose of procuring evidence to convict those who were imprisoned on charge of heresy, the following is one specimen. Among the Protestants seized at Seville, was the widow of Fernando Nugnez, with three of her daughters and a married sister. As there was no evidence against them, they were put to the torture, but refused to inform against one another. Upon this, the presiding Inquisitor called one of the young women into the audience-chamber; and, after conversing with her for some time, professed an attachment to her person. Having repeated this at another interview, he told her that he could be of no

service to her, unless she imparted to him all the facts of her case; but if she did this, he would manage the affair in such a way that she and all her friends should be set at liberty. Falling into the snare, the unsuspecting girl confessed to him that she had at different times conversed with her mother, sisters, and aunt, on the Lutheran doctrines. The wretch immediately brought her into court, and compelled her to declare what she had owned to him in private. Nor was this all under pretence that her confession was not sufficiently ample and ingenuous, she was put to the torture by the most excruciating engines; and thus evidence was extorted from her which led, not only to the condemnation of herself and her relations, but also to the seizure and conviction of others, who perished in the flames.

The time having at length arrived for the exhibition of the last scene of this horrible tragedy, orders were issued by the Supreme Council of the Inquisition for the celebration of several public autos-de-fé, or "acts of faith," in various parts of the kingdom. Those which took place at Seville and Valladolid were most noted for the pomp with which they were solemnized, and for the number and rank of the victims. They were always celebrated on a Sunday or holy day, in the largest church, or in the most spacious square of the city or town. Public intimation was given beforehand, in all the churches and religious houses in the neighbourhood. The attendance of the civil authorities, as well as of the Clergy, was required; and with the view of attracting the multitude, an indulgence of forty days was proclaimed to all who should witness the ceremonies of the act.

The first public auto was celebrated at Valladolid, May 21st, 1559, in presence of Don Carlos, heir-apparent to the crown, and his aunt Juana, Queen-Dowager of Portugal, and Governor of the kingdom during the absence of her brother Philip II., besides a great concourse of persons of all ranks.

By the side of the platform occupied by the Inquisitors, was erected a box which the royal family could enter without interruption from the crowd, and in which they had a full view of the prisoners. The spectacle continued from six in the morning till two in the afternoon; during which time the people exhibited no symptoms of impatience, nor did the Queen retire until the whole was concluded.

The prisoners brought forth on this occasion amounted to thirty; of whom sixteen were reconciled, and fourteen delivered over to the secular power. Of the last class two were thrown alive into the flames, while the others were previously strangled. The greater part of those who were reconciled, and had their lives spared, were people of high rank and connexions. They were all deprived of their honours and offices, their property was confiscated, and most of them were condemned to wear a perpetual san benito, and to be imprisoned for life. One of them, the wife of Don Juan Alonso de Fonseca Mexia, was a very accomplished lady, understood the Latin language well, and was familiar with the writings of Calvin, and others of the Reformers. She appeared in the san benito, and was condemned to be separated from her husband, and to spend her days in a monastery.

Among those who were delivered over to the secular arm, was Dr. Augustin Cazalla, formerly Chaplain to the late Emperor. During his confinement he underwent frequent examinations; and being conducted into the place of torture, his courage failed; and promising to submit to his Judges, he made a declaration in which he confessed that he had embraced the Lutheran doctrine, but denied that he had ever taught it, except to those who were of the same sentiments with himself. This answered all the wishes of the Inquisitors; who, though they were determined on his death, kept him in suspense with the view of procuring additional information from him. The night before the auto, a Monk who was sent to him,

said, in answer to his inquiries, that if he would confess all that the witnesses had deposed against him, mercy might perhaps be extended to him. "Well, then," said Cazalla, "I must prepare to die in the grace of God; for it is impossible for me to add to what I have said without falsehood." On the scaffold, seeing his sister Constanza passing among those who were condemned to perpetual imprisonment, he pointed to her, and said to the Princess Juana, "I beseech Your Highness, have compassion on this unfortunate woman, who has thirteen orphan children." At the place of execution, having addressed a few words to his fellowprisoners, in the character of a penitent, he obtained the poor favour of being strangled before his body was committed to the fire. His Confessor was so pleased with his behaviour as to say, he had no doubt that Cazalla was in heaven.

The two individuals who had the honour to endure the flames, were Francisco de Vibero Cazalla, parish Priest of Hormigos, and Antonio Herezuelo, an Advocate of Toro. The former, seeing his brother, Dr. Augustin Cazalla, not at the stake, but on the adjoining scaffold, among the penitents, and being prevented from speaking by the gag, signified his sorrow by an expressive motion of his hands; after which he bore the fire without shrinking. Herezuelo evinced great intrepidity. From the time of his apprehension, he never exhibited any wish to save his life, or to mitigate his sufferings, by abandoning his principles. His courage remained unshaken amid the horrors of the torture, the ignominy of the public spectacle, and the terrors of the stake. The only thing that moved him, on the day of the auto, was the sight of his wife in the garb of a penitent; and the look which he gave as he passed by her (for he could not speak) seemed to say, "This is hard to bear." "Herezuelo," says Illescas, a Popish writer, "suffered himself to be burned alive with unparalleled hardihood. I stood so near him,

that I had a complete view of his person, and observed all his motions and gestures. He could not speak; for his mouth was gagged, on account of the blasphemies which he had uttered; but his whole behaviour showed him to be a most resolute and hardened person, who, rather than yield to believe with his companions, was determined to die in the flames. Though I marked him narrowly, I could not observe the least symptom of fear, or expression of pain; only there was a sadness in his countenance beyond anything I had ever seen. It was frightful to look in his face, when one considered that in a moment he would be in hell, with his associate and master, Luther." Enraged to see such courage in a heretic, one of the guards plunged his lance into the body of Herezuelo, whose blood was licked up by the flames with which he was enveloped.

Leanor de Cisneros, wife of Herezuelo, had been thrown into the prisons of the Inquisition, when only twenty-two years of age. She was precluded from all intercourse with her husband, kept ignorant of his resolutions, and perhaps deceived into the belief that she would find him in the class of penitents at the auto. Hence it is not to be wondered at, that she suffered herself to be overcome by the persuasions of the Monks, and consented to renounce with the hand that truth which she continued to believe with the heart. Such assaults have shaken, and threatened to overthrow, pillars in the church; as was the case with the illustrious Cranmer. But Leanor was not long in recovering from the shock. Her husband's parting look was never forgotten. The reflection that she had inflicted a pang on his heart, during the arduous conflict which he had to maintain, strengthened her secret attachment to the Reformed religion; and having resolved, in dependence on divine strength, to emulate the example of constancy set by her husband, she broke off the course of penance on which she had entered. Here

with having employed sorcery and magic to engage her affections. Apuleius conducted his own cause before the Proconsul of Africa; and he has introduced a character of his accuser, who was a Christian. This circumstance had escaped commentators till the time of Warburton. The passage is interesting, as a pic ture of the elegant superstitions of the Romans, and as illustrative of the manner in which the rites of Paganism were incorporated with all the ordinary actions and scenes of life. After mentioning his initiations into the mysteries of several deities, Apuleius goes on to remark, "But I know some, and especially that Emilian, (brother to Pudentilla's first husband, by whom the present accusation was carried on,) who laughs at all these things and derides them; for as I hear, from the accounts of those who know them well, he has never yet made supplication to any god, nor worshipped in any temple. When he passes by a consecrated place, he esteems it a crime to put his hand to his mouth by the way of adoration; nor does he consecrate to the gods of agriculture, who feed and clothe him, any first-fruits of grain, or of the vine, or of his flocks. Nor is there in his country-seat any chapel, nor indeed any consecrated grove, or other place whatever. But why do I talk of groves and chapels? They who have been there say they never saw in his territories so much as a stone anointed with oil, or a crowned bough. Insomuch that there are two surnames given him; Charon, as I said before, because of the fierceness of his look and temper; the other is Mezentius, upon account of his contempt of the gods, which last-mentioned name possibly he likes the best of the two."

The most celebrated of the writings of Apuleius is the "Golden Ass." It was represented by the author as a Milesian fable, a species of writing exceedingly popular at

Apolog., p. 496.

+ The epithet of Aureus was early added by its readers on account of its excellence.

that period. The fable of the Ass is founded on a tale in the collection of Lucius of Patræ. It opens with a representation of a young man (personated by Apuleius) sensible of the advantages of virtue and piety, but addicted immoderately to pleasure, and curious of magic. Having occasion to travel to Thessaly, he lodged in the house of a female magician, whose maid-servant stole for him a box of ointment which was to convert him into a bird. By an unlucky mistake, however, when he rubbed himself over with the ointment, he found himself transformed into an ass. This transformation was to continue till he did away the enchantment by eating the leaves of roses; and the remainder of the book is occupied with his adventures while in this state. It contains some beautiful tales, and altogether, were it not for its abominable indecencies, it would be a very entertaining work. There is one passage, and only one, that in any way relates to Christianity; and it certainly is of such a nature as would seem to favour the idea that his object was "to outrage our holy faith."§ Among the various masters into whose hands he fell, there was a baker who bought him, “a good sort of man," says he, “and not unreasonable; but the woman whom he had married was of so execrable a character, and led him such a life at bed and board, that even I could not but pity his lot. In the whole catalogue of vices there was not one that she wanted, and there was nothing good about her. She was perverse, passionate, self

Warburton compares it to the modern Arabian Tales. The Milesians were a colony of Greeks who spoke the Ionic dialect. Of the tales which they invented the name only now remains; but they found their way into Italy under a Latin translation by Sisenna, the Roman historian, about the time of the civil wars between Marius and Sylla, and gave for a long period a direction to the public taste. Those who take an interest in this subject, may find some curions information in the ingenious work by Mr. Dunlop, on the History of Fiction.

§"He draws the character of a woman stained with every vice, and then, to finish all, he makes her a Christian." (Warburton's Divine Legation, vol. i., p. 310.)