INQUISITION

The title given to a court armed with extensive criminal authority in various European countries; especially instituted to inquire into offences against the established religion. The first of these tribunals of faith was that established in the south of France after the conquest of the Albigeois in the 13th century. They were established in Spain in the middle of the same century, not without much opposition on the part of the bishops and secular clergy, who, in Castile, long maintained their exclusive spiritual jurisdiction. In 1840, the supreme general inquisition was founded at Seville by Queen Isabella, with the aid of the Cardinal Pedro Gonzalez de Mendoza. This great court, commonly known by the name of the Holy Office, had far more pxtensive authority than those local tribunals of the same name which had previously been established. Thomas de Torquer a ada, prior of a Dominican convent, was its first president, with the title of inquisitor-general. The proce of the inquisition was widely different from that of all other courts of justice. The kings named the grand inquisitor, who appointed his a e ors, some of whom were secular, but the greater part regular ecclesiastics: the counsellors were six or seven in number, of whom one, by the ordinance of Philip III., must be a Dominican. A party who was brought under cognizance of the court by secret accusation was immediately seized by its officers (termed officials or familiars), and his property put under sequestration. If the accused was fortunate enough to absent himself, and did not appear at the third summons, he was excommunicated, and in me cases burnt in effigy. The subsequent proce of the court by imprisonment, secret examination, and torture, is well known. Penitent offenders were subjected to imprisonment, scourging, confiscation, and legal infamy. Those convicted, who were sentenced to death, were burnt at the.\utosda Fe, which usually take place on some Sunday between Trinity and Advent. During the eighteenth century, the chief officers of the inquisition were for the most part men of intelligence and moderation, and its proceedings chiefly directed against parties guilty of such offences against [s. 613]