diff options
Diffstat (limited to '21395.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | 21395.txt | 2906 |
1 files changed, 2906 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/21395.txt b/21395.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..0e2ab11 --- /dev/null +++ b/21395.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2906 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Last Look, by W.H.G. Kingston + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Last Look + A Tale of the Spanish Inquisition + +Author: W.H.G. Kingston + +Release Date: May 8, 2007 [EBook #21395] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LAST LOOK *** + + + + +Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England + + + + +The Last Look, A Tale of the Spanish Inquisition, by W.H.G. Kingston. + +________________________________________________________________________ + +It is in the middle of the sixteenth century, and in Spain, where the +Inquisition, and subsequent torturing and burning to death by the +Catholic Church, of those who would not agree to its tenets, is getting +under way. + +An Archbishop calls at the house of a former friend of his, a woman who +had refused him in love. The woman is the widow of a great nobleman. +The Archbishop is chatting to his former friend's daughter, and is +thinking how like the child is to what she had been. Unfortunately the +child artlessly gives away the fact that the family had now adopted +Protestantism, due perhaps to her father having met Luther while on +visits to Germany. + +Some years later the child is now grown up, and has two suitors, one of +whom is a rich Catholic, and the other is a much poorer man but a +Protestant. She and others are meeting at the house of a woman who +often has such clandestine all-Protestant meetings, when they hear that +a person they all know has gone mad and has run around telling everyone +about these Protestant meetings. The Inquisition of course, with spies +everywhere, hears all about it. From then onward the story takes many +of them to the jails of the Inquisition, and some are burnt at the +auto-da-fe, a ritualised torture ceremony ending in death at the stake. + +The book is short, only three hours to read, but very tensely written by +this great author. Audiobook recommended. + +________________________________________________________________________ + +THE LAST LOOK, A TALE OF THE SPANISH INQUISITION, BY W.H.G. KINGSTON. + + + +CHAPTER ONE. + +AN UNWELCOME VISITOR. + +The beauty of Seville is proverbial. "Who has not seen Seville, has not +seen a wonder of loveliness," say the Spaniards. They are proud indeed +of Seville, as they are of everything else belonging to them, and of +themselves especially, often with less reason. We must carry the reader +back about three hundred years, to a beautiful mansion not far from the +banks of the famed Guadalquiver. In the interior were two courts, open +to the sky. Round the inner court were marble pillars richly carved and +gilt, supporting two storeys of galleries; and in the centre a fountain +threw up, as high as the topmost walls, a bright jet of water, which +fell back in sparkling spray into an oval tank below, full of +many-coloured fish. In the court, at a sufficient distance from the +fountain to avoid its spray, which, falling around, increased the +delicious coolness of the air, sat a group of ladies employed in working +tapestry, the colours they used being of those bright dyes which the +East alone could at that time supply. The only person who was moving +was a young girl, who was frolicking round the court with a little dog, +enticed to follow her by a coloured ball, which she kept jerking, now to +one side, now to the other, laughing as she did so at the animal's +surprise, in all the joyousness of innocent youth. She had scarcely yet +reached that age when a girl has become conscious of her charms and her +power over the sterner sex. The ladies were conversing earnestly +together, thinking, it was evident, very little of their work, when a +servant appearing announced the approach of Don Gonzales Munebrega, +Bishop of Tarragona. For the peculiar virtues he possessed in the eye +of the supreme head of his Church, he was afterwards made Archbishop of +the same see. Uneasy glances were exchanged among the ladies; but they +had scarcely time to speak before a dignified-looking ecclesiastic +entered the court, followed by two inferior priests. + +One of the ladies, evidently the mistress of the house, advanced to meet +him, and after the usual formal salutations had been exchanged, he +seated himself on a chair which was placed for him by her side, at a +distance from the rest of the party, who were joined, however, by the +two priests. The young girl no sooner caught sight of the Bishop from +the farther end of the hall, where the little dog had followed her among +the orange trees, than all trace of her vivacity disappeared. + +"Ah, Dona Mercia, your young daughter reminds me greatly of you at the +same age," observed the Bishop, with a sigh, turning to the lady, who +still retained much of the beauty for which the young girl was +conspicuous. + +"You had not then entered the priesthood; and on entering it, and +putting off the secular habit, I should have thought, my lord, that you +would have put off all thoughts and feelings of the past," answered Dona +Mercia calmly. + +"Not so easy a task," replied the Bishop. "A scene like this conjures +up the recollection of days gone by and never to return. You--you, Dona +Mercia, might have saved me from what I now suffer." + +"You speak strangely, Don Gonzales," said Dona Mercia. "Why address +such words to me? Our feelings are not always under our own control. I +know that you offered me your hand, and the cause of my rejecting your +offer was that I could not give you what alone would have made my hand +of value. I never deceived you, and as soon as I knew your feelings, +strove to show you what were mine." + +"Indeed, you did!" exclaimed the Bishop, in a tone of bitterness. "You +say truly, too, that we cannot always control our feelings. My rival is +no more; and did not the office into which I rashly plunged cut me off +from the domestic life I once hoped to enjoy, what happiness might yet +be mine!" + +"Oh, my lord, let me beg you not to utter such remarks," said Dona +Mercia, in a voice of entreaty. "The past cannot be recalled. God +chasteneth whom He loveth. He may have reserved for you more happiness +than any earthly prosperity can give." + +A frown passed over the brow of the priest of Rome. + +The lady of the mansion, anxious to turn the current of the Bishop's +thoughts, and to put a stop to a conversation which was annoying her-- +fearing, indeed, from her knowledge of the man, that it might lead to +some proposal still more painful and disagreeable--called her young +daughter, Leonor de Cisneros, to her. Dona Leonor approached the Bishop +with downcast looks. + +"You are wonderfully demure now, my pretty maiden," he remarked in a +bantering tone, his countenance brightening, however, for an instant as +he spoke to her; "but you were gay and frolicking enough just now, when +I entered. How is that?" + +"It becomes me to be grave in your presence, my lord," was the answer. + +"But you are generally happy and joyous, are you not?" asked the Bishop. + +"Yes, especially when I think of the good and loving Master I desire to +serve," answered the young girl, innocently. + +"Who is that?" asked the Romish priest, not guessing whom she could +mean. + +"The Lord Jesus Christ, who died on Calvary that I might be washed from +my sins by His precious blood there shed for me," answered the young +girl, promptly. + +"Ah! but you love the Holy Virgin, the immaculate Mother of God, too, do +you not?" asked the priest. + +"Yes, indeed, I do love the Holy Virgin, for she was blessed among +women, and nurtured and brought up the dear Jesus, who died for me and +for her too, that we might be saved," said Dona Leonor, without +hesitation. + +"Ah! what! do not you pray to the Holy Virgin, little maiden?" asked the +priest, looking at her sternly. "This must be looked to," he muttered +to himself. + +"Why should I pray to her, when I have the gentle loving Jesus, to whom +I may go in prayer at all times and in all places?" she asked with +simplicity, and with a tone of surprise that the priest should not agree +with her. + +"And you do not pray to the saints either, then, perhaps?" he asked, +before the girl had finished the last sentence. + +"Oh, no! they are dead and cannot hear me. I pray only to the good +Jesus, who always is ready to hear me; for He loves me more than my dear +father did, or even than my mother can," answered Dona Leonor. + +"These are not Catholic doctrines, young lady," said the Bishop in a +tone of harshness he had not yet used. "Who taught them to you? They +smack strongly of heresy." + +"I do not know what heresy means," answered Dona Leonor, in an artless +tone. "My dear father taught me what I know about the loving Jesus-- +that He is the only friend in whom human beings can really trust. It +was the sure knowledge of this which comforted him through his illness, +and made his deathbed so happy and glorious. He told us to meet him in +heaven, and I do hope to meet him there some day. The thought of that +makes me extremely happy, whenever it comes to my mind." + +"You hold very strange doctrines, child," said the Bishop, sharply. +"Has your mother embraced them?" + +"I know nothing about doctrines, my lord," answered Dona Leonor. "I +think that my mother must hope to meet our dear father in heaven, or she +would be very miserable; and I am sure she cannot hope to get there +except through her trust in the blood of Jesus. I hope, my lord Bishop, +that you expect to go there by that sure and only way." + +"I cannot expect to go there except by the way the Church points out, +and I cannot even know that there is a heaven except through what the +Church teaches," answered the Bishop, in a voice that sounded somewhat +husky. "That is the true Catholic doctrine, maiden, which it behoves +all Spaniards to believe, and which they must be compelled to believe. +You understand, maiden. Tell your mother what I say. But here she +comes." + +Dona Mercia, wishing to escape from the remarks of her former admirer, +had joined the rest of her guests, and afterwards retired to give some +direction for their entertainment, little dreaming of the dangerous turn +the conversation between her daughter and the Bishop would take. + +"Ah, Dona Mercia, I find that your daughter is a little heretic, and +holds in but slight respect the doctrines of the Church. As she tells +me she was instructed in them by her late father, and as he must have +imbibed such abominable principles during his visits to Germany from +that arch-heretic Luther, I trust that they have proceeded no farther. +But let me advise you to be cautious, Dona Mercia, and to inculcate +Catholic principles into the mind of your daughter. Remember that from +henceforth the eyes of the Inquisition will be upon you." + +"My lord Bishop, I have ever endeavoured to do my duty to my God, to my +child, and to all around me," answered Dona Mercia, meekly, +unconsciously placing her hands across her bosom. "I trust that I have +no cause to tremble, should the eyes of the whole world be upon me." + +"The eyes of the Inquisition are more piercing than those of the whole +world combined," answered Don Gonzales, in a low voice, which came +hissing forth from between his almost clenched lips, in a tone which was +calculated to produce more effect on the mind of the hearer than the +loudest outburst of passion. + +When the Bishop rose from his seat, he approached the rest of the +company with a smiling aspect, and addressed them with that dignified +courtesy for which Spaniards have ever been celebrated. Few would have +guessed the feelings which were even then agitating his bosom; still, +the party felt relieved when he and his softly-spoken, keen-eyed +attendants took their departure. + + + +CHAPTER TWO. + +THE INQUISITION. + +At the time our story commences, the inquisitors scarcely suspected how +far the opinions they so much dreaded had extended. They had satisfied +themselves hitherto with burning Jews, Moors, and the poorer class of +Christians, whose opinions did not agree with those of the Roman +Catholic Church. Thus, when Don Gonzales Munebrega, soon after his +arrival at Seville on ecclesiastical business, paid the visit which has +been described to Dona Mercia de Cisneros, he was considerably startled +at hearing her young daughter utter expressions which showed that she +had been taught doctrines of a heretical character. The whole family +were in his power. He had once loved Dona Mercia; she had rejected him. +How should he now use that power? Tumultuous feelings agitated his +bosom as he mounted the richly-caparisoned mule which stood ready to +convey him to the convent where he lodged. + +This was not the only visit he paid to Dona Mercia; but, though +courteous to her guest, she was ever on her guard, and carefully kept +Leonor out of his way. For once in his life he was baffled. Whenever +he paid his visits the same caution was observed. At length he was +compelled to take his departure from Seville. Years rolled on, but he +never forgot the remarks made to him by the young Leonor de Cisneros. +He had hated her father, he had been rejected by her mother. It is +difficult to describe the feelings with which he regarded the daughter, +still less those which he had entertained for the mother. Were they +holy and pure? The lives of thousands of cardinals, bishops, and +priests of all degrees, is the best answer to the question. + +Don Gonzales Munebrega was rising in the Church. He had become +Archbishop of Tarragona. His heart had become harder and harder; in +reality an infidel--an alien from God--a hater of all that was pure and +holy, he thought that he was becoming devout. He was resolved that if +he was not on the right way to heaven, no one else should get there by +any other. The war was now to begin against heresy and schism--terms +abused, especially the latter, at the present day almost as much as in +the darker days of Popish supremacy. There are to be found clergymen of +the Church of England who can, unconcernedly, see many of their flock +going over to the Church of Rome, whom they have possibly led half-way +there; and yet should any of the rest of their congregation, disgusted +with their Ritualistic practices, or fearing the effect of their false +teaching on their children, strive to set up an independent place of +worship, or to join any already established body of Christians, +anathemas are hurled at their heads, and they are told that they are +guilty of the heinous crime of schism--schism, in the sense they give +it, a figment of sacerdotalism, priestcraft, and imposture. But does +the crime of schism not exist? Ay, it does; but it is schism from the +true Church of Christ, the Church of which He is the head corner-stone, +the beautified in Heaven, the sanctified on earth; from God's people, +who are with Him in glory, who are with us here below, who are yet to be +born; from the glorious company of the redeemed; from Jesus Christ, the +Lamb of God, slain for the sins of the whole world, the risen Saviour, +the one Intercessor between God and man. Those are guilty of trying to +create schism who tell God's people--trusting to the same precious blood +shed on Calvary--that it is a crime to worship together, to commemorate +the Lord's death together, to put out the right hand of fellowship, to +call each other brethren; ay, those are the causers of schism, against +whose evil machinations Christian men have cause to pray. + +But we must return to Spain. The year 1552 arrived. During it an +_auto-da-fe_ was celebrated at Seville, but as only a few poor Moors and +Jews were burnt, it did not create much sensation; still there was no +lack of spectators to see the burning. Several criminals were condemned +to do penance on the occasion, and among them was the once celebrated +preacher, Dr Egidius, whose crime was being true to his Lord and +Master. The high conical cap and yellow robe in which he appeared could +not make him ridiculous in the eyes of many of his fellow-citizens, even +of those who did not sympathise with his opinions. At length he was +liberated, and once more mixed with his friends at Seville. It was +necessary, however, for him to be very cautious, lest, as his movements +were watched, he should draw suspicion on them. Soon after he was +released, he set out for Valladolid, where his wounded spirit was much +refreshed by finding the progress the Gospel had made in that city and +its neighbourhood. Over-fatigued by his return journey, he died shortly +after his arrival in Seville. God, however, did not leave His Church in +Seville without a minister. Constantine Ponce de la Fuente, on the +death of Egidius, obtained the post of Canon-Magistrate in the Cathedral +of Seville, previously held by him. This made him the principal +preacher in the place, and gave him great influence, which he used in +spreading the truth of the Gospel. He published numerous evangelical +works suited to the understanding of the least educated of his +countrymen. His system was not so much to attack the errors of Rome, as +to bring the light of the Gospel to shine on their minds through his +addresses and writings. In Valladolid and the surrounding towns and +villages, men of talent and eminence were equally zealous in spreading +Protestant opinions. They were embraced by the greater part of the nuns +of Santa Clara and of the Sistercian order of San Belem, and converts +were found among the class of devout women, called in Spain _beatas_, +who are bound by no particular rule, but addict themselves to works of +charity. One of the most active propagators of the reformed doctrines +in the surrounding country was Don Carlos de Seso, who had for important +services been held in high honour by Charles the Fifth, and had married +Dona Isabella de Castilla, a descendant of the royal family of Castile +and Leon. These few examples are sufficient to show the progress made +by the Reformation at that time among the highest and most intelligent +classes of the community in Spain--made, too, in spite of the +ever-watchful eyes of the officers of the Inquisition, and +notwithstanding the almost certain death with torture, and by fire, +which would be the lot of any denounced by its familiars. + +In Spain, in those days, as at present, it was the custom for ladies of +rank to receive guests at their houses on certain days of the week. +Dona Mercia de Cisneros was holding such a reception one evening. +Guests of all opinions came. There were a large number of Protestants; +they knew each other to be Protestants, but to the rest of the guests +their opinions were unknown. Among the guests were two young men who, +though apparently strangers to each other, were attracted by the same +object--admiration for Dona Leonor, the youthful daughter of the house. +Don Francisco de Vivers, the elder of the two, was an inhabitant of +Seville, of considerable wealth and excellent family. He was considered +amiable and generous; and was, moreover, handsome and agreeable in his +manners, dressed well, and possessed a house and equipages surpassed by +few. He was not at all insensible of his own qualifications for winning +a young lady's heart, and was, therefore, greatly puzzled at discovering +that Dona Leonor seemed insensible to them. Don Francisco loved the +world and his wealth far too much to give his heart to God; and Dona +Leonor had resolved not to marry any one who would not make up his mind +to do so. Possibly too, he might scarcely have heard of the reformed +doctrines; he was a firm Roman Catholic. It was a faith which exactly +suited him. He found it so easy for a person of his wealth to clear off +any sins which might trouble his conscience. + +The other young man who has been spoken of seemed to be a stranger in +the place, though several affectionate greetings which he received +showed that he was not so altogether. He was dressed in black, the +usual costume of a lawyer in those days, and though not so handsome as +Don Francisco, his broad forehead, clear eye, and firm mouth, showed +that he was far his superior in intellect. Dona Leonor no longer turned +away her head when he approached her, as she had done when Don Francisco +drew near, but received him with a friendly smile, while an acute +observer might have discovered that a blush suffused her cheek while he +spoke. Don Francisco watched him at a distance, and an expression +denoting angry jealousy came over his countenance as he saw the intimate +terms which existed between the two. He little dreamed, however, of the +cause of the earnest love which one felt for the other: it was the pure +holy faith which both enjoyed, the same common trust, the same hope, the +same confidence in the one ever-loving Saviour. They believed that they +were to be united, not only for a time, but for eternity. Their +acquaintance had commenced during a visit Dona Leonor had paid to some +relatives residing in the town of Toro, of which place Antonio +Herezuelo, the young man who has been described, was an advocate. It +soon ripened into affection. No barrier existed between them, for the +acute lawyer had already been converted to the truth, and, head and +heart alike convinced, held firmly to it as the anchor of his soul. +Dona Mercia did not oppose their union, for she perceived that Antonio +Herezuelo possessed courage, determination, and a superior intellect, +beside a gentle and loving disposition--qualities calculated to secure +her daughter's happiness, and which would enable him to protect her +during the troublous times which she feared might be coming on Spain. +She knew well what had happened, and what was occurring in the +Netherlands, as did all the educated persons in Spain; but that did not +prevent those who had the Gospel offered to them from accepting its +truths, or from endeavouring to make them known among their companions. +Those who were in the Church, and whose position enabled them to preach, +promulgated Gospel truth openly, while laymen spoke of it to their +friends in private, or addressed small assemblies of persons who +appeared disposed to receive it. + + + +CHAPTER THREE. + +A NARROW ESCAPE. + +The young couple, now formally betrothed, appeared everywhere together +in public, and it was understood that before long their marriage would +be solemnised. Many of the places, however, frequented by people of +their rank, they avoided--the bull-fights and the religious spectacles-- +the one tending to brutalise the people, the other to foster the +grossest superstition. Among the houses at which they visited at +Seville was that of the widow Dona Isabel de Baena. Her guests, +however, it was understood, only came by invitation. Most of them +approached her house cautiously--sometimes alone, or only two or three +together--generally when it grew dusk, and muffled in their cloaks so +that their features could not be discerned. Often there was a large +assemblage of persons at Dona Isabel's house thus collected, though the +spies of the Inquisition had not observed them assembling. Though +sedate and generally serious in their manner, they were neither sad nor +cast down; indeed, a cheerfulness prevailed among the company not often +seen in a Spanish assembly. Dona Leonor was there with her mother. Don +Antonio Herezuelo set out from his lodgings with the purpose of going +there also. He had not gone far when, suddenly turning his head, he +found that he was closely followed. Under ordinary circumstances this +would have caused him little concern, but at present he knew the +importance of being cautious. He remembered that by going down a lane +near at hand he might return home again. This he did, and walking on +rapidly, got rid, as he supposed, of his pursuer. After remaining a +short time he again sallied forth, and taking a circuitous way to Dona +Isabel's house, arrived there safely, and, as he hoped, without being +observed. Leonor had become anxious about him. She told him so when he +arrived. + +"Do not on similar occasions fear, my beloved," he answered, with that +brave smile which frequently lighted up his countenance. "God protects +those who put their whole trust in Him--not a half trust, but the whole +entire trust." + +"Yes, I know, and yet surely many of those who were tortured and +suffered in the flames in the Low Countries put their trust in Him," +answered Leonor. "I shudder when I think of the agonies those poor +people must have endured." + +Again that smile came over Herezuelo's countenance. "Sometimes He +requires those whom He loves best, and who love Him, to suffer for Him +here, that He may give them a brighter crown, eternal in the heavens-- +the martyr's crown of glory," he answered. + +"Ah, yes, I know that thought should sustain a person," she remarked; +"yet all tortures must be hard for poor, frail human bodies to bear." + +"Yes, if people trust to their own strength and courage they will mostly +shrink at the time of trial, but if they trust to the strength God gives +them, they will as surely bear with fortitude whatever He may allow to +be layed on them," was the answer. "Not one, but a hundred such +assurances He gives us in His holy Word. `My grace is sufficient for +thee,' He says to all who trust in Him, as He said to the Apostle Paul. +It is not moral, nor is it physical courage which will sustain a person +under such circumstances. No, dear one, it is only courage which firm +faith, or rather, the Holy Spirit of God, can give." + +"I know that--I feel that; yet it is very dreadful to think that those +we love and honour may be brought to undergo such suffering." + +"Not if we remember that they may thus be enabled to honour and glorify +their loving Lord and Master," answered Herezuelo. "But see, here comes +Don Carlos de Seso, one of the noblest of our band of evangelists. I +heard that he was about to visit Seville. To him I owe my knowledge of +the truth. He has, since his marriage with Dona Isabella de Castilla, +who is, you know, a descendant of the royal family of Castile and Leon, +settled at Villamediana, near Logrono. His evangelistic efforts at that +place have been as greatly blessed as they were at Valladolid; and among +many others, the parish priest of his own village has been converted to +the truth. At Pedroso also, the parish priest, Pedro de Cazalla, has +been brought to a knowledge of the truth, and now preaches it freely in +his own and the neighbouring villages. Oh, it is glorious work; would +that this whole nation might receive the Gospel!" + +"Say rather the whole earth," said Leonor. "If Spain becomes the +mistress of the world, she will spread everywhere the glorious light of +truth." + +"But if she puts out that light, she will as surely spread darkness and +error," observed Antonio, with a sigh. "See, De Seso is about to +address us. Let us pray that, whatever God in His wisdom orders, we may +believe in His justice, and submit to His will." + +A large number of persons had by this time assembled in Dona Isabel de +Baena's rooms. Among them, strange as it may seem, were a considerable +number of monks, and even several nuns, though such rather in their +outward garb than in reality. The latter belonged to the nunnery of +Saint Elizabeth, while the monks had come from the Hieronomite convent +of San Isidoro del Campo, situated about two miles from Seville. There +was also present Domingo de Guzman, a son of the Duke of Medina Sidonia, +and preacher of the Dominican monastery of Saint Paul. As soon as he +had embraced the reformed principles, he became more zealous in +propagating them. Such, indeed, was generally the case with all those +in prominent positions who embraced the Gospel. They were in earnest. +They had counted the cost, and well knew that should the Inquisition +discover their proceedings, the stake would be their doom. Both Don +Carlos de Seso and Don Domingo de Guzman addressed the congregation of +earnest believers on this occasion. They prayed also with all the +fervour of true believers, and hymns were sung of praise to Him who had +called them out of darkness into His marvellous light. Don Carlos had +deplored the want of books, and of Bibles especially, by which the truth +might the more rapidly be made known, and had prayed that God would +supply that want. Scarcely was the service concluded, when there was a +commotion among the guests, and it was announced that a brave Christian +friend, Julian Hernandez, after undergoing many dangers and +difficulties, and great fatigue, had arrived with a supply of the books +which were so much required. + +A short time afterwards there was a cry of Julianillo, or little Julian, +and a remarkably small but stoutly built man, dressed as a muleteer, +entered the room. The guests crowded eagerly around him to hear his +adventures. He had many to relate. How often he had narrowly escaped +capture with his precious burden! but the Lord had preserved him. Had +he been taken, he and his books together would have been committed to +the flames. God had determined that the seed of those books should take +root in the hearts of many natives of Spain, to bring forth fruit to His +glory. Julianillo's success made him resolve to set forth again to +bring a fresh supply across the Pyrenees. Some of the more timid of his +friends advised him not to make the attempt. "Satan and his priests +will not like me to bring them," he answered laughingly. "Those +Testaments and Luther's writings are the arms they dread more than +anything else. That makes me feel sure that I am doing God's work in +bringing them, and that He will take care of me while I am so employed." +A brave and faithful answer, little Julian. Oh, what noble, true +hearts there were in Spain in those days! and though many were crushed +and destroyed, still some survived, and their descendants at the present +day may yet become the salt of their native land--lights set on a hill +to enlighten their long benighted countrymen. + +Before the guests separated another short prayer was offered up, and a +Gospel hymn was sung. Scarcely had the notes of the last verse died +away, when a servant who had been sent out on a message hurried into the +room. "Bad news! bad news!" he exclaimed. "We are all lost; the cause +of the pure faith is lost; the inquisitors will have their way." + +The guests gathered round the man with anxious looks, for they knew well +that at any moment they might be placed in the perilous position he +announced. + +"The widow Dona Maria Gomez is the cause of it all," the man answered, +to the eager questions put to him. "She is acquainted with every one of +us, and we all thought her a true Christian. Every one here is also +acquainted with the learned Doctor Francisco Zafra. The poor lady had, +it appears, gone mad, and had been placed by her friends under Doctor +Francisco's care. As he is with us, this would not have been of much +consequence, had not Dona Maria managed to escape from his custody. +Now, horrible to relate, she has made her way to the Inquisition at +Triana, and has denounced all the Protestants in Seville. As she was +making her way to the Inquisition, she cried out what she was going to +do, accusing all her former friends, and declaring that she should have +no rest till she had seen every one of them committed to the flames. +Doctor Zafra has never even been suspected by the inquisitors of +favouring the Lutherans. Now, as he will be among the first denounced +by the wretched widow, he has no chance of escaping. What shall we do? +what shall we do?" + +"Do!" exclaimed a voice; "put our trust in God, and act like men! Do! +pardon me for speaking, senors--keep together and defy our enemies!" + +It was Julianillo who uttered these brave words. + +"But then we may all be captured together like fish by one net," +observed a gentleman. + +"Let us pray, friends, for guidance and protection to the loving Saviour +whom we serve," said Don Carlos de Seso. "He will direct us, and enable +us to undergo whatever He may think right for His own honour and glory." + +Don Carlos setting the example, the whole party sank on their knees, +while he offered up a deeply fervent, though short, prayer for the +assistance all needed. Refreshed, the company arose. + +"I cannot agree with our friend Julianillo that it will be wise to keep +together," observed the lawyer Herezuelo. "Should the unhappy widow +bring the accusation she threatened, and the officers of the Inquisition +find us all together, they will naturally suspect that the information +is well founded. No; let us retire each one to his own house, avoiding +observation as much as we can. There let us be together in spirit, +praying for each other. We should fear no harm when God is with us." + +Another short prayer was offered up and the Christian friends left the +house as they had come--two and three together, in different directions, +hoping thus to avoid observation. The monks returned to their convent, +not, however, without having first been supplied with books from the +rich stores which Julianillo had brought, and for which their brethren +within its walls were eagerly looking. All the other guests went laden +in the same way, and thus the Holy Bible and the works of Luther, and +others, were quietly and secretly distributed throughout the surrounding +towns and villages. Herezuelo begged that he might accompany Dona +Mercia and her daughter to their home, for it was fearfully possible +that even on their way they might be seized by the officers of the +Inquisition and carried off to its dungeons. The last to leave the +house was Julianillo. The lady of the house inquired where he was +going. + +"To bring to my famishing countrymen a fresh supply of food for the +soul," he answered. + +"But surely you have done enough, Julianillo. You run a fearful risk of +losing your life," observed the lady. + +"Enough, Signora! enough service to our loving Lord and Master!" +exclaimed the little muleteer. "Oh, no, no! As long as there are +persons in Spain desiring to learn about the blessed Jesus, so long will +I try to bring them books which tell them about Him. And as to fearing +the dangers which may overtake me, I am in the hands of One who can +protect me through far greater than are in my path at present; and +should He ever require me to witness to the truth of His gospel, I know +that He will give me strength to undergo all the trials and torments +with which its foes may seek to afflict me." + +Brave Julianillo! He went along the street singing a joyous air. To +the words, however, he wisely did not give utterance. He took the way +to the lodgings of the advocate, Herezuelo. Don Antonio had not +arrived. After waiting some time, Julian became anxious. Could he have +been seized by the officers of the Inquisition? It was too likely. +Herezuelo had, he knew, openly preached the doctrines of the Reformation +in his part of the country. At last, Julian thought that he might +possibly be at Dona Mercia's. "Why did not that occur to me before?" he +said to himself. "Of course, if I knew that there was danger, I should +stay by the side of my intended wife." + +He hurried off to Dona Mercia's abode. He was at once admitted. He +found the family in some consternation, for it was reported that Doctor +Zafra had himself been seized, and, if so, there could be little doubt +that he would be put to the torture and made to confess that the persons +denounced by the poor mad woman were really guilty of entertaining +Lutheran opinions. Herezuelo was endeavouring to comfort his friends. +He could not but feel that the reports were possibly true. Of human +help, therefore, he could not speak. An attempt to flee from the +country would be hopeless, but he could point to Jesus Christ, to the +God of mercy and love. + +"Ah, my dear friends," observed Don Antonio, "never let us forget that +He has redeemed us and washed our sins away; and if He thinks fit to +call us to Himself, even through fiery trials, He will give us strength +to endure all that we may be called on to suffer, that we may glorify +His name." + +"Just the remark I lately made, senors," observed Julianillo, who at +that moment entered the room. "Satan tries to frighten us, and to make +us believe that He is stronger than our Master; but praised be God, we +know that we serve One all-powerful to save, and who can, if He will, +crush Satan under His foot." + +"The truth, brave Julianillo," exclaimed Herezuelo, who in the volunteer +muleteer found one whose heart sympathised cordially with his own. "And +what do you propose doing?" + +"Wait till daylight, and see what comes of this matter," answered +Julianillo. "Those who fly will be the first suspected. Doctor Zafra +is a wise man. Sense may be given to him to outwit the inquisitors, or +should he fail to do that, he will, I have hopes, suffer torture rather +than betray his friends. In the meantime, cavalheros, let us be wise, +and seek for strength and endurance from the Giver of all power and +might." + +Following the advice of the muleteer, or rather the example of the +apostles of old, those assembled knelt down in prayer, thus gaining +strength and courage for what they might have to undergo. Oh, that +Christians at the present day would remember that by earnest, frequent, +persevering prayer, mountains will be removed, guidance obtained, +difficulties overcome! + +The greater part of the night was thus spent in prayer. As soon as the +morning dawned, and people were once more passing to and fro in the +streets, Herezuelo and Julianillo went forth to try and ascertain the +fate of Doctor Zafra, on which apparently their own and that of so many +of their friends depended. Should the mad widow's story be believed, +there could be no doubt that such an _auto-da-fe_ would take place as +had seldom been witnessed in Spain. They kept at a distance from each +other, lest being seen together they might be suspected; thus, though +fearless for themselves, wisely taking every precaution to avoid danger. + +Herezuelo, as he walked along, thought of his beloved Leonor, so +delicate, so gentle, so faithful. He himself was ready to undergo any +torture the cruel inquisitors might think fit to inflict on him, but how +would she be able to endure their barbarities? His heart rose in his +bosom as he thought of this, and he could not help praying that a power +might arise by which the foes of freedom would be driven from the land. +At first he thought of an arm of flesh, carnal weapons--that some hero +might arise who would liberate long-enslaved Spain; but, by degrees, a +better spirit exerted its influence. "Through the sword of the Spirit, +the Word of God, can error, superstition, tyranny alone be conquered." +He said to himself, "Ah! Julianillo is a greater hero than I am or can +ever become, inasmuch as he does more to spread the Holy Bible +throughout Spain than any other man." + +Hour after hour the friends waited in the neighbourhood of the +Inquisition, in vain endeavouring to ascertain what had become of the +widow and Doctor Zafra. In despair, they were about returning, when a +_caleche_ appeared, in which sat the doctor, with the widow by his side. +He seemed calm and unconcerned, his attention being apparently wholly +occupied in calming the agitation of the poor woman. Not a glance did +he bestow on either the advocate or Julianillo. They had good hopes +that the inquisitors had been satisfied; or, thought Herezuelo, "Can the +doctor have become a traitor; and is he allowed by the inquisitors to go +free that he may the more readily entrap others into their toils?" It +was too probable that such an idea was correct; but Herezuelo quickly +banished it as ungenerous from his mind, and hurried back to Dona +Mercia's house with the satisfactory information that Doctor Zafra was +free. Julianillo arrived soon after, and expressing his belief that all +were safe, stated that he intended to re-commence his perilous +expedition to Germany. Still some hours must elapse before the truth +could be ascertained for a certainty, as it would not be safe to visit +Doctor Zafra's house till dark. Much of the interval was spent in +reading the Scriptures and in prayer. At length the truth was known. +The sagacious Zafra, on being summoned, went boldly to the inquisitors, +with a fearless, self-satisfied countenance. He laughed when the names +of those denounced by the widow were read over to him. + +"She has been mad for many a day, and a strong proof of her madness is +that she should have picked out persons the most unlikely in Spain to be +guilty of such heresies," he replied. "Devout and exemplary I know they +are; and those among them with whom I am acquainted are especially +lovers of the true faith, and are persons in whom I have unbounded +confidence." The inquisitors, on hearing this, were so fully convinced +that the poor widow's representations had no other foundation than the +visionary workings of a disordered brain, that they allowed the learned +doctor to depart with her under his charge. Thus was the danger to the +infant Church at Seville for the time mercifully removed, and while it +gained strength to endure the coming persecutions, the number of +Christ's true disciples was much increased. + + + +CHAPTER FOUR. + +SIGNS OF DANGER. + +Two years had passed away. Leonor de Cisneros had become the wife of +Antonio Herezuelo, the advocate; they had settled at Toro, but +occasionally made visits to Seville and to Valladolid, where they +enjoyed the society of other Protestants--many of them illustrious, both +by birth and talents, among the nobles of Spain. + +The year 1558, fearfully memorable in Spain, at length commenced. +Philip was about to return to his paternal dominions. Charles the Fifth +was in his retirement in the convent of Saint Juste. The +Inquisitor-general, Valdes, became more than ever certain that heresy +was extending. Herezuelo and Dona Leonor were at Valladolid. They were +at their lodgings in that city when a certain Juan Garcia, a goldsmith, +was announced. He was well-known there as a sincere Protestant. It was +his office to summon the brethren to meet together for prayer and +sermon. The advocate, who knew him to be a true man, welcomed him +cordially, and promised to attend the meeting. It was to be held at the +house once occupied by Dona Leonor de Vibero, the mother of Doctor +Cazalla. She herself had been dead for some few years, as were several +of her children; but her house had been continued to be used, as it now +was, as a meeting place for Protestants. Juan Garcia had a good deal of +information to communicate with regard to the progress made by +Protestant principles. He was very sanguine as to the success of the +cause; and as the members of the Church had so long evaded the lynx eye +of the inquisitors, he had every reason to hope that they would continue +to do so. In his rounds he encountered Julian Hernandez, the +persevering Bible importer. A warm greeting passed between the two +friends. Julianillo was on the point of starting on another expedition, +and could not attend the meeting that night. His heart would be with +his co-religionists, and his prayers would ascend with theirs as he +followed his mules over the sierra. + +"The time may come, ere long, when we may worship together in public, +and the books which I now bring in small numbers with difficulty and +danger, may arrive in shiploads and be sold openly," he added, as he +shook his friend's hand. + +The goldsmith shook his head. + +"That time is, I fear, a long way off," he answered; "yet it behoves us, +nevertheless, to pray for it." + +Juan Garcia, having performed his duties, returned to his home. He was +not happy there. His wife, Maria Vallanegra, did not entertain his +opinions. Now, it could have mattered very little what Maria thought on +the subject, had she not gone to confession, where, not content with +confessing her own sins, she took upon herself, at the instigation of +the priest, to confess her husband's also. What the priest said to her +it is not necessary to repeat. She had had the same sort of things said +before, and had not been shocked. He now, however, before he allowed +her to depart, brought the enormity of her conduct fully before her, and +told her that he could not afford her absolution, because she was +married to one who held heretical notions, unless she could manage to +get him duly punished. She had made her confession; but, after all, she +had to go home without receiving absolution. She had observed that her +husband was away from home occasionally for some hours, and not engaged +in business; also, he occasionally remained out at night for a +considerable time, and declined telling her where he had been. She had +made a statement to that effect to the priest, together with her +suspicions that Lutheranism had something to do with the matter. + +"Then obtain all the information you can; and if you discover anything +of importance, not only shall you receive absolution for all your yet +unpardoned sins, but you shall receive a handsome reward, and a plenary +indulgence for the future," answered the confessor. "Exert your woman's +wit. Think of the indulgence you will obtain, and if your husband is, +as you suspect, a heretic, he is utterly unworthy of your consideration. +You cannot wish to associate with him in this world; and in the next, +if you go to heaven, you must be ever separated from him." + +Thus exhorted, the wretched Maria returned to her home. She knew that +her husband had a secret, and she resolved to discover it. If he should +prove to be a Lutheran, it would be a pious act for her to deliver him +up to justice. She procured a mantilla, such as is worn occasionally by +tradesmen's wives, and even ladies when going to confession, of a +manufacture different from that which her husband was accustomed to see +her wear. To throw him off his guard, she lavished on him far more +affection than was her custom, and pretended to forget that she had ever +complained of his leaving home without telling her where he was going. +More than once she put on her mantilla to follow him, but before he had +got far she lost sight of him in the crowd. At length, one evening, +when the weather was rainy, and there were fewer people abroad than +usual, she saw he was preparing to go out; and managing to leave the +house before him, she concealed herself within an archway, whence she +could watch which way he went. He came out; she followed him +stealthily, but quickly. He called at several houses, she noted them +carefully; then he went on till he came to the mansion of the Cazalla +family. He was admitted at a side door. She took up her post at a spot +whence she could watch the door. Her labours were to be rewarded. +Scarcely had her husband entered than several other persons arrived, and +then more and more, by twos and threes. Many of them she saw by their +dress and carriage, as the lights their servants carried fell on them, +were evidently persons of rank. She wished that she could venture to +follow them into the house, to learn more about the matter. Still, the +information she had gained might prove of the greatest value. The next +morning she hurried off to inform her father confessor of her discovery. +He told her to keep secret what she had seen; and the next time her +husband went out at that hour, to come instantly and let him know. + +The next prayer-meeting took place, and Maria gave timely notice of it +to her father confessor, Fre Antonio Lobo. Had he been addicted to +giving expression to his feelings, he would have rubbed his hands with +satisfaction; he merely cautioned Maria to be silent as the grave as to +what she had told him, and immediately set off to give the long +wished-for information to his superiors. The Chief Inquisitor, the +stern Archbishop, three other dignitaries appointed by the Holy Father +the Pope to assist him in the extirpation of heresy by the destruction +of heretics with fire and sword, and several other high officers, were +seated in the council hall of the Inquisition when Father Antonio Lobo +appeared among them. Some of them, like anglers, who, having been long +unsuccessful in their attempts to hook their finny prey, declare that +there are no fish in the lake, had inclined to the opinion that their +countrymen were too staunch adherents of the Pope ever to be led astray +by the doctrines of Luther. + +"It may be as you suppose, Fre Ignacio," observed the Grand Inquisitor +to one of his assistants, who had made a remark to that effect. "But +remember that it is our duty to seek diligently for all who may be +opposed to our order and system, and to destroy them without +compunction, with their wives and children, so that none of the viper's +brood remains to sting us." + +The stern expression visible on the countenances of those he addressed, +as the light from the brass lamp which hung from the vaulted roof fell +on them, showed that they were fully ready to carry out his advice to +the extreme. A grim smile played over their features when Fre Antonio +made his report. + +"I knew that before long we should gain the tidings we desired," +observed the Chief Inquisitor. "In capturing a few we must take care +that the rest do not escape us. Officers must be placed to watch all +those who come forth from the Cazalla palace, and they must be followed +to their homes and never again lost sight of. Meantime, messengers must +be despatched forthwith throughout the kingdom, and all the +ramifications of this most accursed heresy traced out, so that on a +given day all the heretics which exist in it may be seized together and +brought to punishment. We must surround the whole brood with our nets, +and let not one escape." + +The proposal was thoroughly in accordance with the wishes of most of the +council. No time was lost in carrying out the proposed plan. Through +the assistance of the artful Maria, who continued, in spite of his +caution, to worm out some important secrets from Juan Garcia, every +Protestant in Valladolid was discovered and marked for destruction. +Officers and familiars of the Inquisition were also placed on the +highways leading to the frontiers, so that any suspected person +attempting to escape from the country might be captured. + +The Protestants, meantime, continued to preach the truth, and hold their +meetings as before, not, however, without a sense of the danger in which +they were placed. How the feeling came on them they were not aware. +Still it did not make even the most timid wish to abandon their +principles, but rather drew them nearer to God, and made them more and +more sensible of their entire dependence on Him. The difficulties +encountered by those attempting to escape from the country were very +great. Few persons experienced greater than did the monks of San +Isidoro, near Seville. Nearly all the convents in its neighbourhood had +been leavened with the reforming principles. They had been originally +introduced into that of San Isidoro by the celebrated Doctor Blanco, who +afterwards for a time abandoned them, or rather, it may be said that a +timid disposition made him conceal them. He taught his brethren that +true religion was very different from what it was vulgarly supposed to +be; that it did not consist in chanting matins and vespers, or in +performing any of those acts of bodily service in which their time was +occupied, and that if they desired to have the approbation of God, it +behoved them to have recourse to the Scriptures to know His mind. After +a few years a still more decided change took place in the internal state +of the monastery. An ample supply of copies of the Scriptures, and of +Protestant books in the Spanish language having been received, they were +read with avidity by the monks, and contributed at once to confirm those +who had been enlightened, and to extricate others from the prejudices by +which they were enthralled. In consequence of this, they and their +Prior agreed to reform their religious institute. Their hours of +prayer, as they were called, which had been spent in solemn mummeries, +were appointed for hearing prelections on the Scriptures; prayers for +the dead were omitted, or converted into lessons for the living; papal +indulgences and pardons, which had formed a lucrative and engrossing +traffic, were entirely abolished; images were allowed to remain, as they +could not have been removed without attracting notice, though they +received no homage; habitual temperance was substituted in the room of +superstitious fasting; and novices were instructed in the principles of +true piety, instead of being initiated into the idle and debasing habits +of monachism. By their conversation also abroad, and by the circulation +of books, these zealous monks diffused the knowledge of the truth +through the adjacent country, and imparted it to many individuals who +resided in towns at a considerable distance from Seville. + + + +CHAPTER FIVE. + +THE STORM BREAKS. + +The advocate Herezuelo returned one afternoon to his lodgings in good +spirits. He had been pleading an important cause, which he had gained-- +right against wrong--the cause of a widow and her children; on one side +helplessness and poverty, on the other power and wealth. It had been +held that the widow had no prospect of success till the young advocate +undertook her cause. + +Leonor rejoiced with her husband. He had been prompted by no +expectation of fee or reward; but simply from a desire, through love of +his blessed Master, to assist the distressed. It was a happy evening to +both of them. They sat in a balcony overlooking an orange-grove, the +soft air they breathed made fragrant by the sweet-scented flowers. The +stars shone brilliantly in the clear sky; and as, their hands clasped +together, they gazed upwards into the immeasurable space, they felt what +happiness would be theirs, could they be allowed to wing their flight in +company to that blessed region where all is peace, and quiet, and joy. + +"But we may yet have work to do on earth in our Master's service, dear +one," observed Antonio. "Let us be content to remain till He calls us, +and let our earnest prayer be that He will then, in His loving mercy, +summon us together. It would be grievous to be parted from you, my +beloved Leonor, even for a brief season." + +"I pray that, through God's mercy, that day may never come," said +Leonor, looking with deep affection at her husband. "Oh, let us not +think even such an event possible." + +They were interrupted by the arrival of a visitor. Several other +friends had called to congratulate Herezuelo on his success. The fresh +visitor was in the garb of a laic; but when he threw back the cloak +which concealed his features, the advocate and Dona Leonor saw before +them their friend Don Domingo de Roxas, the well-known prior and +preacher, a son of the Marquis de Poza. + +"I have come to bid you farewell, dear friends," he said. "It may be +for a short time--it may be for ever. This is no safe country for one +who has preached the truth openly as I have done, and I have, therefore, +resolved to escape to Geneva, where I hope to remain till happier times +come for our poor benighted Spain. On my way I must visit our beloved +brother, Don Carlos de Seso, and, it may be, induce him to accompany me, +for I fear that neither is he safe while the inquisitors are seeking for +victims to satisfy their thirst for blood." + +"We may say, rather, that while those miserable slaves to the tyranny +and superstition of Rome think that any remain who have been freed from +that hideous system they will endeavour, by every cruelty they can +devise, to destroy them, if they cannot bring them back to slavery," +observed Herezuelo. "Of all the men in existence, I pity the officials +of the papal system, and more especially the inquisitors and their +families, be they cardinals, bishops, or other ecclesiastics, however +wealthy and powerful. While we endeavour to counteract their designs, +and to escape from their power, let us pray that their hearts may be +turned from darkness to light, and that they may learn to know, love, +and imitate that same Jesus whom they now persecute." + +"Amen! I pray for them likewise," said Don Domingo. "But I must not +delay. I came to advise you, my friend, to quit Valladolid. It is no +longer a safe place for you, for even were your religious opinions not +suspected, you have made mortal enemies of those whom you so signally +defeated at law this morning." + +"You are right, my friend; and we purpose, God willing, leaving this +city for Toro to-morrow morning by daybreak," answered Herezuelo. "We +shall not be out of danger even there; but I have duties to perform at +that place, and I shall at all events be at my post." + +"I wish you had arranged to start to-night," said Don Domingo. "The +delay of a few hours is dangerous. If, indeed, you can discover an +excuse for leaving the country altogether, let me entreat you to do so. +The storm I see coming may blow over; but you are a man of note, and as +the tallest trees are the most quickly blown down, you would be the +first assailed." + +"I have no fancy for fleeing from danger, and feel disposed rather to +face my enemies, and argue the case with them," observed the advocate. + +"The only arguments they trust to are the rack and the stake," answered +Don Domingo. "Against them your eloquence will avail you nothing. +Trust not to any one of the Romish priesthood, nor to those under their +influence; they are sworn foes of true religion and liberty, and the +more enlightened they believe you to be the more eager they will be for +your destruction." + +These and other arguments used by Don Domingo at length induced +Herezuelo to agree to set forth on his journey immediately that he could +procure a conveyance for his wife and her attendant. Don Domingo +himself offered, indeed, to remain and assist them; but of this the +advocate would not hear, and the friends departed, the former taking the +road for Calahora, where he hoped to meet with De Seso. + +Don Domingo, who was dressed as a Spanish cavalier of rank, attended by +a servant, pushed on at a rapid rate. He was no coward, but he knew +full well what the Inquisition had in store for him should he be taken, +and he wished to escape their treatment. He avoided as much as possible +all inns and places resorted to by the public, and kept, when he could, +out of the high road. He hoped thus to reach De Seso, and to persuade +him to bear him company in his flight. + +Calahora was reached without interruption. The noble De Seso was very +unwilling to believe the reports which Don Domingo brought him. + +"You go, my friend; but I cannot carry my wife and young children, and +will not desert them," he answered. + +No arguments would move him. He did not even think that the inquisitors +would venture to interfere with persons in his position. + +Reluctantly Don Domingo left his friends to proceed on his journey. +Hoping to avoid observation, he turned out of the high road, with the +intention of continuing his journey during the moonlit hours of the +night. He had not gone far when he saw approaching him a man riding a +tall mule, and leading a string of five or six pack mules. + +The muleteer was jogging on, to all appearance, carelessly singing what +sounded like one of the plaintive ditties then become common in Spain, +though learned from the Moors. There was something, however, in the +tone, and in a few of the words that reached the ear of Don Domingo, +which made him look hard at the muleteer. + +"My friend, if I mistake not, Julianillo!" he exclaimed. "What brings +you this way?" + +"Evil times, Don Domingo; for I know you in spite of your disguise," +answered Julianillo. "I received notice from a trusty friend that all +the passes are guarded, and that I shall not have a chance of escaping, +nor will you. For the present, if we would be safe, we must lie +concealed. Come with me; we shall not be the first Christians +compelled, for the truth's sake, to take shelter in the caves of the +earth; nor shall we be the last. I wish that we could give notice to +more of our brethren, who might join us." + +The arrangements proposed by Julianillo were now concluded; and, +followed by Don Domingo, he led the way down a road, or bridle path +rather, which branched off to the right. Scarcely had he turned aside +when the noise of horses' feet coming rapidly along the road was heard. +Don Domingo's servant, who was some little way behind, came spurring on +crying out, "Flee, master, flee! They are officers of justice! They +are in pursuit of us!" + +The advice was followed, but the path was rough. Don Domingo's horse +stumbled, and in another instant he and his servant found themselves in +the power of the officers of the Inquisition. Their mouths were +instantly gagged, and a dark cloak and hood were thrown over their +heads, completely concealing their figures and features. Some of the +horsemen pushed on, but after a short time returned, and Don Domingo had +the satisfaction of believing, from some of the expressions they let +fall, that Julianillo had escaped. As far as he could judge, his steps +were retraced till the party reached the neighbourhood of Calahora; they +were then joined by another band of horsemen escorting prisoners. He +had too much reason to fear that his friend De Seso was one of them. +Among the prisoners were several females--of that he was certain. He +longed to ascertain if his suspicions were correct. So strictly, +however, was each individual prisoner guarded, that he might never have +ascertained the truth, had not a storm suddenly burst on the heads of +the escort. Shelter was not far off, and while the horsemen were +pushing on to gain it, one of the party made a bold attempt to escape. +He had grasped the rein of one of the female's horses, when a flash of +lightning made it rear, and he had great difficulty in saving the rider +from being thrown to the ground. In doing so, his hood became +disarranged, and the features of De Seso were revealed. The officers of +the Inquisition immediately seized him and secured him more carefully, +while he and the lady were separated. + +"Alas! my noble friend is in the same condition as myself," thought +Domingo. "May God in His mercy support him; but he suffers not alone. +He will feel the sufferings of his beloved wife even more than his own. +And we, alas! alas! are but a few, perhaps, out of many hundred +Christians now in the power of these monsters of the Inquisition." + +The unfortunate prisoners were allowed no rest, were permitted to +communicate with no one, but were hurried on till they reached the +portals of that mansion of horror and despair--the Inquisition. But was +it to them an abode of despair? No! A power more than human supported +them. That strength which never fails those who put their faith in God +held them up; for God has promised that His Holy Spirit, the Comforter, +will be with them who trust in Him in all their troubles and +afflictions. + +As soon as they passed through the gates, each of the prisoners was +conducted blindfolded to separate cells. Into these dark and foul holes +delicate women and men, accustomed to all the refinements the age +afforded, were thrust indiscriminately. No couch, no chairs, even, were +allowed them; when weary of standing, they were compelled to sit down on +the hard, cold and damp flag-stones. Scarcely a ray of light was +admitted into their dens; the only sounds which ever reached their ears +being occasionally the groans and cries of their companions in +suffering. The system pursued by the inquisitors was too generally +known to allow them a ray of hope that they would escape without the +most fearful torture, or the alternative of giving evidence to condemn +those nearest and dearest to them. + + + +CHAPTER SIX. + +THE ARREST. + +Antonio Herezuelo and his wife Leonor knelt in prayer after their friend +had left them. On rising from their knees, they decided not to make the +attempt to escape. + +"We cannot flee from the country, and the alguazils of the Inquisition +can as easily find us at our house as in the city of Valladolid, should +they suspect us of holding to the true faith," said Antonio, calmly. +"Our Heavenly Father knows what is best, and He may require us to +testify to the truth of the doctrine we have learned of Him through the +teaching of the Holy Spirit, and let us rejoice rather than grieve if we +are so honoured. Oh, my beloved Leonor, be firm, whatever happens; +cling to the truth as it is in Christ Jesus. Never allow that saint in +heaven or priest on earth has the power to come between us and our one +great loving Mediator, who stands at the right hand of God, pleading +that He paid once and for all a full and complete ransom for us. Never +acknowledge that by the word of a man bread and wine can be changed into +the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, of that Lord who is now in +heaven, standing at the right hand of God, pleading that body broken, +that blood flowing freely for all of us; pleading that all-sufficient, +all-perfect, all-complete sacrifice made once, and never to be repeated, +on Calvary. Never dishonour that Saviour, that precious blood-shedding, +by acknowledging that it was insufficient to wash away all stains of +sin, and that the fires of purgatory are required to cleanse the soul +from sin, and to make it pure and holy, and fit to enter the presence of +God. Oh, never acknowledge that any being in heaven or in earth has a +heart more loving, more gentle, more merciful than the heart of Jesus, +or that there exists a being, create or uncreate, who will more +willingly hear our prayers, and bear them to the throne of grace--not +even His mortal mother, who, though blessed among women, herself +required, as being a daughter of Adam, to be sprinkled by His blood to +obtain salvation. Do not own that sinful man, though he be called a +priest, can absolve his fellow-sinner from sin, or that prayers can +avail for those who have passed away without accepting the perfect +salvation offered them here on earth. Die rather than be guilty of that +gross idolatry of worshipping the elements of bread and wine, unchanged +and unchangeable as they must ever be; and above all things hold fast to +God's blessed testament to fallen man, and refuse to acknowledge any +doctrine which cannot be clearly proved from its whole and entire +tenor." + +"Husband, dear husband, I will," answered Leonor, solemnly. "Set me the +example, and I shall be firm." + +"Dear wife, trust not to my example, but seek strength from the Holy +Spirit. He will guide and support you. Your husband is but a frail +man. Dearly as I love you, there is One who loves you more; trust Him." + +Much more passed between them. How solemn was that conversation! What +deep, earnest, true love did Herezuelo exhibit to his young wife! It +was interrupted by a sound which a quick ear only could have detected. +It was that of footsteps stealthily ascending the stairs. Herezuelo +arose, and unconsciously placed his hand on his sword, as the door burst +open, and several dark and masked figures entered the room. + +"Antonio Herezuelo and Leonor de Cisneros, you are our prisoners," said +one who appeared to be in command of the rest; "you are summoned to +appear before the tribunal of the Holy Office to answer to certain +charges which will there be made known to you." + +Antonio, though brave as a lion, saw that resistance was useless. "If +you will allow my wife time to put on her walking dress, we shall be +ready to accompany you," he answered, with as firm a voice as he could +command; but when he turned round to speak to Leonor, she was not to be +seen, though he caught sight of a figure closely enveloped in a dark +cloak, borne rapidly along a passage leading from the room by two of the +alguazils. He attempted to follow, being sure that it was his wife thus +forcibly carried off; but the moment he moved he found himself seized, +and his arms pinioned behind him, while two men stood on either side of +him with pistols presented at his head. In vain he struggled; in vain +he attempted to free himself. The cords which bound him were drawn +tighter and tighter. He was in the hands of those who had long utterly +disregarded human misery and suffering. + +In vain he pleaded, in vain he petitioned that he might see his beloved +wife, even for a few moments, that he might have some parting words with +her. He spoke as to men who were deaf. Not the slightest answer by +word or sign did they give him, but immediately proceeded to examine all +the cases and drawers and boxes in the room. They then went to the +sleeping apartment, searching it throughout, and taking possession of +every scrap of written paper, as well as of all the books they could +find. There were gestures of triumph and satisfaction exhibited when a +Bible and hymn-book were drawn forth. Antonio fancied that he could see +the dark eyes of the familiars flashing under their hoods as they handed +the books to each other. The advocate knew well the language those eyes +spoke. "Here we have evidence which will convict him without doubt; no +hope for him, no prospect of escape." Yet he stood calm and motionless, +striving by a mighty effort to quell the agitated feelings of his bosom, +and to seek strength from the only Source whence it could be obtained. +He seemed as though he had succeeded, when a faint cry reached his ear. +He knew the voice; it was that of his wife. In an instant he had torn +asunder the bonds which held him; he had dashed on either side the +cowled alguazils who crowded round, and at a bound dashed through the +doorway, down the passage whence the sound proceeded. + +"Leonor! Leonor! I come to you," he cried out; but as he uttered the +words, a blow from a heavy staff on the forehead laid him senseless on +the ground. When he returned to consciousness, it was to find himself +in a narrow, dark, and noisome cell, which he well knew must be one of +the secret prisons of that fearful institution, the Inquisition. He had +often heard of the horrors those gloomy walls could reveal. He knew +that thousands of his fellow-creatures had been confined within them; +that very many had never again seen the light of day; that others had +been brought forth as spectacles to be mocked at, dressed in fantastic +costumes, and thus had been committed to the flames. + +On the hard flag-stones he knelt down, and then, in close communion with +his God, he obtained a strength and courage which no human power could +have given him. Hour after hour, and day after day, passed away, and he +remained alone in darkness, a cowled figure entering occasionally, and +as quickly retiring, without uttering a word or making a sign. When not +engaged in prayer, his thoughts were with Leonor; and even when thus +engaged, they often turned to her, and she became their chief and +absorbing subject, that she might have strength, that she might have +courage to hold to the truth. + +At length the moment arrived when his powers of endurance were to be put +to the test--his faith, his courage. The door opened, and six +familiars, with their countenances masked, and their figures concealed +by dark robes, entered his cell. His eyes, long accustomed to darkness, +could scarcely endure the light from a torch which one of them carried, +but he saw that they made signs to him to rise and accompany them. He +knew that to disobey would be useless. Rising from the ground on which +he had been resting, he endeavoured by earnest prayer to nerve himself +for the fearful ordeal through which he might have to go. + + + +CHAPTER SEVEN. + +THE TORTURE. + +Antonio Herezuelo was only one of many who on that unhappy night were +seized by the officers of the Inquisition and dragged off to prison. In +consequence of the information given by the wife of Juan Garcia, eighty +persons were immediately apprehended in Valladolid, among those who had +been present at the meetings; and in Seville and its neighbourhood two +hundred were betrayed into the hands of the inquisitors by the treachery +of a pretended member of the Protestant Church, and the superstitious +fears of another. The first, suspecting that some of his acquaintances +entertained Lutheran opinions, insinuated himself into their confidence +for the express purpose of learning their secrets and of betraying them. +The latter, hearing Lutheran principles denounced in the most fearful +language, as the only means of saving himself from the results of the +anathemas, hurried off and informed against all those he knew to be +Protestants. Dismay seized upon large numbers of the most timid of the +Protestants; and as people are often panic-struck when a ship strikes +the rocks, and leap overboard into the raging surf, so some of them +hurried off to the Triana, and accused themselves to the inquisitors of +entertaining doctrines for which the stake was the sure punishment. +Others, who had been before unsuspected, betrayed themselves by the +hurried manner of their flight. Thus in a few days the chief members of +all the Protestant Churches throughout Spain were either in prison, or +fugitives, or hiding in the caves of the earth, among mountains and +forests. In no place, however, were they safe, and many even of those +abroad were betrayed into the hands of the emissaries of the +Inquisition, and dragged back to Spain to suffer death at the stake. +The inquisitors were not content with those who denounced themselves. +Every possible means was employed to discover heretics, and to assist +the object Philip renewed a royal ordinance--fallen into desuetude-- +allowing to informers the fourth part of the property of those guilty of +heresy. This abominable edict greatly increased the zeal and activity +of the vile tribe. Pope Paul the Fourth also assisted with eagerness in +the object, and issued a bull enjoining all confessors to examine their +penitents, from the highest to the lowest, and to charge them to +denounce all whom they knew to be guilty of buying, selling, reading, or +possessing any book prohibited by the Holy Office, the punishment being +death. The great aim of the papists was to strike terror into the minds +of the whole nation; and while they had not the most distant intention +of extending mercy to those who professed themselves penitent, they were +nevertheless anxious to secure a triumph to the Catholic faith (as they +called their system of idolatry and tyranny), by having in it their +power to read, in the public _auto-da-fe_, the forced retractions of +those who had embraced the truth. + +Antonio Herezuelo stood before the council of inquisitors. So +well-known is the scene that it scarcely requires description. It is +too true a picture--an exhibition of devilish ingenuity of man when he +desires to tyrannise over his fellow-creatures, unsurpassed in cruelty +by the heathen or most barbarous nations of ancient or modern days. +There sat the inquisitors in a gloomy vaulted chamber--on one side the +fearful rack, with grim, savage executioners ready to perform their +office, a black curtain only partly concealing other instruments of +torture, with hooded familiars standing silently round; while at the +table sat two secretaries, ready to note every word uttered by the +prisoner, to be wrested, if possible, to his destruction. The only +person whose countenance could have been regarded with satisfaction was +the prisoner. He stood calm and undaunted amidst those cruel men, who +had resolved on his death. Hark! the president addresses him in a +harsh, pitiless voice: + +"Antonio Herezuelo, you have been accused by most credible witnesses of +holding in disrespect many of the principal articles of our most holy +faith. What have you to answer for yourself?" + +"That I hold most sincerely and truly all the doctrines necessary for my +eternal salvation, and all other doctrines which I find clearly set +forth in God's blessed Word, sent in His mercy and love as a sure guide +to perishing man," answered Antonio, boldly. + +"Then you consider the Bible, by which so many are misled, as the only +guide and rule of faith?" said the Chief Inquisitor. "You set at nought +the authority of the Church?" + +"I bow with all submission to the authority of the Church in all points +in which she is clearly guided by Holy Scripture," answered Herezuelo, +who still clung, as did many of the Protestants of those days, to the +false idea that there exists only one sole visible Church on earth; and +believing that such a Church does exist, supposed it to be, in spite of +all its errors, the Church of Rome. + +"Then, heretic, you dare to say that the Bible is above the Church?" +exclaimed the Inquisitor. "Why, fool, it is through the Church that you +have a Bible; but it is not fit that the laity should possess it, for +they can only, as we have evidence that you and others have done, make a +most improper use of it. Therefore it is a prohibited book, and yet you +dare to acknowledge that you have both possessed one and studied it. +Ay, you have done so, and to your own utter destruction of body and +soul." + +"To the salvation of my soul," said Antonio, boldly. "Our blessed Lord +Himself appealed to Scripture on many occasions, and to Scripture I +appeal and trust." + +"Then you reject the traditions of the Church?" said the Inquisitor, +looking towards the secretary, who was busily noting down all the +questions he put, and the answers made by the prisoner. + +"By tradition we may be deceived. Scripture is a sure guide, which, +through the teaching of the Holy Spirit, will lead us infallibly +aright," answered Herezuelo. + +"Oh, what abominable--what terrible heresy!" exclaimed the Inquisitor. +"You deny, too, that the Blessed Virgin should be adored and honoured +above Christ, as, being His mother, and, from being a woman, more ready +to hear the prayers of the faithful than He can be?" + +"The Virgin Mary was blessed in that she became the earthly mother of +Jesus, and thus she was peculiarly honoured among women; but I find +nowhere in Scripture that prayers should be made to her; on the +contrary, at the marriage feast of Cana of Galilee, our Lord says, +`Woman, what have I to do with thee?' when she ventured to interfere in +a matter she was incapable of understanding. Saint Mark tells us of the +remark made by our Lord when told that His mother and His brethren +waited without: `Who is My mother or My brethren? Whosoever shall do +the will of God, the same is My brother, and My sister, and mother.' +When hanging on the cross, too, and looking down on Mary and His beloved +disciple John, He said, `Woman, behold thy son!' and then, addressing +His disciple, He said, `Behold thy mother!' `And from that hour that +disciple took her to his own home.' Not a word more does the Holy +Spirit reveal to us of the history of the mortal mother of Jesus. All +we know is, that, as a mortal child of Adam, she must have been saved by +His precious blood shed on Calvary, for without that blood shed there is +no remission of sins." + +The Inquisitor rose from his seat as if he would tear off his clothes, +and sat down again, exclaiming, "Blasphemy! blasphemy! You deny, too, I +hear, the necessity of confession and of priestly absolution?" + +"I nowhere find it written that we are to confess our sins to man, but +always to God. `A broken and a contrite heart, O Lord, Thou wilt not +despise.' In the Epistle of James (chapter verse 16), he says, `Confess +your faults to _one another_, and pray for _one another_, that ye may be +healed'; that is to say, if you have trespassed one against another, or +if one brother has offended another. Nowhere do I find, however, that +on sinners coming in faith to our blessed Lord, does He require them to +confess their sins to Him before He will hear them. He says, simply, +`Thy faith hath made thee whole; go, and sin no more.' I find it also +written, `Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none +other name given among men whereby we may be saved!' When our Lord sent +out His disciples, He said to them that all those who would accept the +offers of the Gospel would be forgiven, or would have their sins +remitted through them, or rather through their preaching; and those who, +in spite of the preaching, refused to accept the offer, would have their +sins retained. Through faith in Jesus Christ only can a person obtain +forgiveness of sins; and John says, `He that believeth on the Son hath +everlasting life, and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; +but the wrath of God abideth on him.' This great truth a minister has +the power to declare, but in no other way has he, according to the +Scriptures, the right to absolve any persons from their sins. I hold +that when our Lord said to His disciples, `Whose soever sins ye remit, +they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are +retained,' He said it not only to all the ministers of the Gospel, but +to all Christian men who go forth with the Bible in their hands, that +they should declare the glorious Gospel truth that all who trust in Him, +Jesus Christ, are forgiven; but that all who refuse to trust in Him +still remain in their sins--their sins are retained." + +"Oh, what hideous blasphemy!" exclaimed the Inquisitor, he and his +associates lifting up their hands as if in horror at what Antonio had +said. "But go on, go on, fill up the measure of your iniquities. How +do you interpret, `Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in +heaven; and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in +heaven'?" + +"Much in the simple way that I interpret the previous passage. The +apostles, as employed in preaching the Christian doctrine among the +Jews, were to release or loose them from certain obligations of the +Mosaic law; but as they were not to release them from them all, they +were to pronounce what were to be retained, or by what they were still +to be bound; in other words, when a thing might lawfully be done among +the Jews, it was a common mode of expression to say that that thing was +loosed to them, and that if anything was unlawful for them to do, it was +bound to them. The meaning of the expression was thus very clear to the +Jews who heard Him. So Peter understood the same expression, and he +knew perfectly well that he was simply to declare, both to Jew and +Gentile, what was to be believed, and what was not to be believed, thus +unlocking to them the doors of the kingdom of heaven, inviting them to +come in, to become subjects of Christ. Such are his keys. On the great +truth which he had confessed, `Thou art the Christ, the Son of the +living God,' was Christ's spiritual Church to be founded, as on a rock +against which the powers of hell are never to prevail." + +"Most horrible! most horrible!" cried the Inquisitor. "Then you do not +acknowledge the authority of the Church, that his Holiness the Pope is +the successor of Saint Peter, that the priesthood have power to forgive +sins?" + +"The Scriptures speak nowhere of Saint Peter having a successor, nor +does our Lord give authority to him to appoint one," said Herezuelo, +boldly. "No Church can have authority with regard to spiritual matters +except such as is clearly derived from the Bible, which is equally open +to all men, while the only priest a Christian can acknowledge is the one +great High Priest standing at the right hand of God, ever making +intercession for us." + +"Horrible! horrible!" again cried the Inquisitor. "Then, if you do not +acknowledge the priesthood, you deny the doctrine of transubstantiation, +the great work performed at the Mass, the chief glory of the Church?" + +"Certainly, I deny that the bread and wine at the Mass are changed in +any way into the body and blood of Christ, with the soul and deity, the +bones and sinews," answered Herezuelo, solemnly. "I deny that when +Jesus said, `I am the living bread which came down from heaven,' He was +even speaking of the Last Supper, or that He intended that it should be +supposed that He was to become literally bread and wine, or rather that +bread and wine should become Him, any more than that He should become a +door, or a shepherd, or a rock, to all of which He likens Himself. He +says, `The words that I speak unto you they are spirit, and they are +life'; and then He continues, as if he would say, `Come to Me, and +believe on Me, for that is what I mean by eating My flesh and drinking +My blood; He that cometh to Me shall never hunger, and he that believeth +on Me shall never thirst. As by eating bread and drinking wine your +physical body is sustained, so by believing that My body was broken for +you on the accursed tree, and that My blood was shed for you, will your +spiritual life be sustained; and I enjoin you to meet together +occasionally to break bread and to drink wine in remembrance of Me. +Moreover, I promise you that as oft as you do this in My name, through +love of Me, I will be spiritually in the midst of you.' No other +construction can I put on these words of our Lord, and in that faith I +am prepared to die." + +"And die you shall, audacious heretic!" exclaimed the Inquisitor, who +was no other than the infamous Munebrega, Archbishop of Tarragona, who +had come over from Seville in consequence of the illness of his +colleague. His eyes rolled; he gnashed with his teeth in fury at +finding himself unable to intimidate the prisoner--he, before whom so +many men of rank and condition had been compelled to humble themselves. +He remembered, too, whose husband the prisoner was--the daughter of one +who had despised and rejected him. "To the rack with him! to the rack! +We must learn from him what other persons hold these abominable +opinions, while we teach him to abandon them himself. Spare him not: +for his soul's good his body must be afflicted." + +Antonio Herezuelo cast his eyes to heaven, and from the depths of his +heart there came up a prayer, earnest, solemn, of mighty power. Not for +himself he prayed--not even for the beloved wife of his bosom; but he +prayed that in the fiery trial he was to undergo he might not dishonour +his holy faith; that he might hold fast to the truth; that the love of +Christ, by which He keeps His own, might be exhibited through him. To +resist would have been useless; and yet it cost him a hard struggle to +submit to the indignities to which he was subjected by the brutal +executioners ordered to carry out the Inquisitor's sentence. There he +stood, full of life and strength and energy, capable of enjoying to the +full all the blessings that God has bestowed in this life on man. Even +the confinement to which he had been subjected had not been able +sensibly to diminish the strength of his well-knit frame. In another +instant he was thrown, naked, and bound hand and foot, on to the cruel +rack, every sinew and muscle of his body extended to the utmost, whilst +agonising wrenches were given of the most fearful character, as the +screws and ropes of the horrid instrument were set in motion. Not a +word did he utter; scarcely a groan escaped from his bosom, though every +limb was suffering the most excruciating torture; the blood gushed from +his nostrils and mouth, his eyes well nigh started from their sockets. +His physical nature at length gave way, though his courage did not fail +him. He fainted. Death would have been a happy release, but his +torturers took pains not to allow him that boon; restoratives were +administered, and consciousness again returned. The surgeon who stood +by, however, gave notice that he must not be subjected, for a time, to +equal torture, or he would sink under it. He was therefore removed on a +blood-besprinkled stretcher to another chamber, and the inquisitors +proceeded with callous indifference to examine a fresh prisoner who was +now brought forward. + +The person who was next led before the inquisitors was of a character +very different from that of Herezuelo. A glance at the rack made him +tremble in every limb. The inquisitors saw immediately that he would +afford them but little trouble, though, at the same time, that he might +be made useful by his giving information regarding others. He might +have passed in the world in quiet times as an earnest true Christian, +but now alarm for his personal safety overcame every other +consideration. He at once incriminated himself, and was soon induced to +bring damnatory accusations against his friends. When all the +information which could thus be obtained from him was secured, he was +dismissed, though still ignorant of the fate which awaited him--it might +be, if victims were required, to be consigned to the flames, or perhaps +to add to the sad band of penitents supposed to have recanted their +errors. Such was the character of several of those accused of heresy, +though by far the larger number of persons seized by the Inquisition +gladly suffered death rather than deny the truth. And now another +prisoner appears--a female. She is clothed in black from head to foot. +As the light from the lamp which hangs from the roof falls on her +countenance, it is seen to be very pale, but not enough so to detract +from the beauty of those young and fair features. + +"Leonor de Cisneros, you are brought here accused of holding opinions +which, if generally entertained, would be subversive of the opinions of +our holy faith," said the Inquisitor, in a peculiarly harsh voice. +"Have you become sensible of your errors? and are you prepared to recant +them?" + +"I hold to the doctrines which I have been taught from my earliest days, +and which I find clearly set forth in the blessed Word of God. I am, +therefore, not aware that I hold any errors," answered Leonor, calmly. + +"What do you mean by God's holy Word?" asked the Inquisitor. + +"The Bible," said Leonor, firmly. + +"Are you aware that the Bible is prohibited to the laity, and that, were +it not so, it is not susceptible of any private interpretation?" asked +the Inquisitor. + +"I am aware that without the aid of God's Holy Spirit, which when Christ +ascended up on High, He promised to us as our Instructor and +Enlightener, we cannot expect to read aright this blessed Gospel," said +Leonor. "I am aware that in the Second Epistle of Saint Peter, 1st +chapter, 20th verse, there is this expression--`Knowing this first, that +no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation.' 21st, +`For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man; but holy men +of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.' I am aware, +however, that the Greek word epilusis, which has been translated +interpretation, means rather _impetus_, _impulse_; and therefore that +the clear meaning is that no writer of the Scripture wrote according to +his own mind or thoughts, but entirely as he was moved or impelled by +the Holy Spirit. Therefore Peter in no respect contradicts his Lord, +who says, addressing the people, `Search the Scriptures; for in them ye +think ye have eternal life: and they are they which speak of me.' Oh, +my lords, what I have done--what thousands have done in Spain--has +simply been to obey our loving Saviour in reading His holy Word, in +striving to carry out His precepts by assembling ourselves together in +prayer, by exhorting and comforting one another. If this be a crime, I +am a criminal; but if not, why imprison us? why torture us? why kill +us?" + +She stretched out her hand as she spoke. Her youth and beauty, her +pathetic look, the truth which came from her lips, might have moved +hearts of stone, but nothing could move the demon-inspired minds of the +Inquisitors of Spain--the base instruments of the Pope and his +supporters, Valdes and Philip. They compressed their lips as Leonor +spoke. + +"You have disobeyed the Church," answered the Inquisitor, with an +unmoved countenance. "Unless you recant your errors, your punishment is +certain. It may be that you will see the wisdom of so doing, and follow +the example of those you love best. Remove the woman." + +So ended the first trial of Leonor de Cisneros. The inquisitors +consulted together how she should be treated. She was evidently not +likely to change her opinions by argument; the Archbishop was unwilling +to have her subjected to torture. He had made up his mind that her +husband must die. He was too clever a heretic, even should he recant, +to be allowed to live. He was not likely ever to recant. But Leonor, +she must be won over; her life must be saved. Notwithstanding her +knowledge of Scripture, the clear declaration she had made of Protestant +principles, the Archbishop did not despair. He had seen many who, firm +at first, had, after a few weeks' solitary confinement and scanty food, +with occasional visits from friends desirous of saving them, completely +recanted, and acknowledged their errors. He knew, too, the subtle +arguments, the system of deception, the threats, the promises, the +various artful methods of proceeding which could be brought to bear on a +prisoner. Should these fail, he had other means in store by which he +hoped to make her give up what he honestly thought her folly. How could +a weak woman venture to set herself up in opposition to the Church? +Many others, to be sure, had ventured to do the same, but few had spoken +as she had done, and several had at sight of the rack recanted, and +given all the information required of them. + + + +CHAPTER EIGHT. + +THE STAKE. + +It was midnight. Eighteen days had passed since Antonio Herezuelo had +been stretched on the rack. His lacerated flesh had healed, his +stretched sinews had recovered somewhat of their original strength. His +cheeks were still pale, his voice, when he spoke to himself, was hollow, +his eye had lost its brightness, yet his mind retained much of its usual +vigour; his spiritual life had never flagged nor had his faith grown +dim. He was pacing slowly and still painfully up and down his cell, +when the door silently opened, and a friar stood before him. + +A harsh voice uttered these words: "Antonio Herezuelo, I have come to +announce to you that unless you renounce your errors, and are forthwith +reconciled to the Church, you will to-morrow suffer the just punishment +of your infidelity, your blasphemies, your crimes." + +"I have confessed myself to God, who can alone forgive sins, as a lost, +undone sinner, though washed in the precious blood of Jesus, and +redeemed through faith in His perfect and complete sacrifice. I have, +therefore, become one of the Church of the first-born. I am reconciled +to God, from whom I was once separated," answered Herezuelo. "What more +would you have me do?" + +"The Church knows nothing of the expressions you utter. Be reconciled +to her; that is what you have to do, or you and your errors will be +burnt together." + +"I cannot abandon the faith I hold, even to escape the cruel death you +threaten," answered the advocate. + +"Prepare, then, obstinate heretic, to meet it!" answered the friar, +savagely. "Be assured that there will be no mitigation of your sentence +unless you recant; and then, in her loving mercy and kindness, if you +are reconciled and confess, you will enjoy the privilege of being +strangled before the flames reach your body." + +A scornful smile came over the features of the prisoner. + +"A gracious boon, forsooth! And this Church calls itself after the name +of the gentle, loving Saviour, who went about doing acts of kindness and +mercy, and saving from physical suffering all who came to Him desiring +to be cured!" + +"I came not to bandy words with you," cried the monk; "the flames which +you will feel to-morrow will give you a foretaste of those you will have +to endure throughout eternity as the consequence of your obduracy." + +"Our blessed Lord says, `I say unto you, My friends, be not afraid of +them which kill the body, and after that have no more than that they can +do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear Him, which after +He hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, fear +Him.'" Herezuelo spoke these words calmly, and added, "Now, friar, I +own that you and those you serve can kill my body, but you can do no +more: my soul is in the keeping of my loving Saviour; neither the powers +of earth nor hell can prevail against it; therefore I am fearless." + +With a curse, the friar turned and left the cell. Herezuelo sought +strength in prayer for the fiery trial he was to go through. "It will +endure but for a few minutes, and oh, then the eternity of bliss which +will follow!" he ejaculated. "Why should I fear? why should I tremble? +My trust is in God." + +Ere the sun, rising in a cloudless sky, gilded the spires of the +numerous churches of Valladolid, on the 21st of May, 1559, their bells +began to toll solemnly, and crowds to assemble in vast numbers in the +streets. It was Trinity Sunday; but it was not because it was the +Sabbath that the citizens were so early afoot, but there was to be a +grand spectacle, looked for with almost the same eagerness as a +bull-fight. The first grand _auto-da-fe_ of Protestants was to take +place that day, and all the people were eager to gaze at it--most of +them for the sake of seeing so many lost and abandoned monsters put out +of the world. + +For this it was that the people came from all parts of the city and +surrounding country into the grand square of Valladolid to witness the +spectacle which had been prepared for them by those who impiously called +themselves ministers of the loving Jesus. In a short time the whole of +the grand square was filled with impatient spectators, except that space +occupied by two large platforms between the church of Saint Francis and +the house of the Consistory. In front of the town-house, and close to +the platform intended for the inquisitors, a large box or deep-covered +balcony had been erected for the use of the Royal Family, which they +could enter without interruption from the crowd, and from whence they +could enjoy a full view of the prisoners. Near it was a high altar, +with the usual crucifixes, candlesticks, vases, and other ornaments of +the Romish worship, made on this occasion as imposing as possible. In +the box sat Dona Juana, Queen-Dowager of Portugal, and governess of the +kingdom during the absence of her brother, Philip the Second, in the +Netherlands. She was accompanied by her unhappy nephew, Don Carlos, +heir-apparent to the throne, then a lad only of fourteen. It is said +that on that occasion he vowed an implacable hatred to the Inquisition. +To that fell tribunal, there can be little doubt, he became a helpless +victim. Intimation of the intended festival had publicly been made in +all the churches and religious houses in the neighbourhood. The +attendance of the civil authorities and of the clergy was requested; and +that the multitude might be encouraged to come, an indulgence of forty +days was proclaimed to all who should witness the ceremonies of the act. + +While outside preparations were going forward, the officials of the +Inquisition were busy within the walls of the prison. The prisoners, +being assembled, were clothed in the several dresses in which they were +to make their appearance in public. Those who had erred only in a +slight degree were clothed simply in black. The other prisoners wore a +san-benito, a loose garment of yellow cloth, called in Spanish _zamara_, +and on their heads was placed a high conical pasteboard cap, called +_coroza_. On the dresses of those who were to be strangled were painted +flames burning downwards, called _fuego revolto_, to intimate that they +had escaped the fire; while the san-benito and coroza of those doomed to +be burnt alive were covered with flames burning upwards, around which +were painted devils carrying the faggots or fanning the fire. + +Now, on that bright May morning, a procession was to be seen moving +forth from the Inquisition of Valladolid. First marched a band of +soldiers to clear the way, and then came a number of priests in their +gaudy robes--alb, chasuble, tunic, and other garments, the names of +which are familiar to modern ears. They were attended by acolytes and +boys of various theological colleges, chanting the Litany in alternate +choruses. Then came the mournful band of prisoners--those in black +first, those marked with the _fuego revolto_ following, and those +destined to the flames walking last. Each prisoner was attended by two +familiars of the Inquisition, and each of those destined to die, in +addition, was accompanied by two friars, who employed all the arguments +they could bring forward, all the eloquence they could command, in +endeavouring to induce the prisoners to recant and confess their errors. +Among the last of the sad band came Antonio Herezuelo. Though his face +was pale, he walked with a firm step, and he replied now with a smile, +now with a few gentle words, to the exhortations of the two friars. He, +as was the case with his companions, had a halter round his neck, and in +his hand he carried an extinguished torch, while his companions destined +to the stake also carried extinguished torches or crosses. Many +trembled and tottered as they moved along; indeed, no one bore himself +more bravely than the young advocate. After the prisoners came the +local magistrates, the judges, and officers of state, accompanied by a +train of nobility on horseback. Then came the secular and monastic +clergy; and at some distance, as if they were too great and important to +mingle with ordinary people, rode in slow and solemn pomp the members of +the Holy Office, preceded by their fiscal, bearing the standard of the +Inquisition. That accursed bloodstained banner was composed of red silk +damask, on which the names and insignia of Pope Sextus the Fourth, and +Ferdinand the Catholic, the founders of the hellish tribunal, were +conspicuous; and it was surmounted by a crucifix of massive silver +overlaid with gold, which the ignorant populace had been taught to hold +in the highest veneration. These were the persons who were to take the +chief part in the performances of the day; they were followed by their +familiars on horseback, who, with many of the principal gentry of the +country, formed their body-guard. + +With a few years' judicious educating by the Jesuits, and a continuance +of supineness and incredulity as to Rome's designs on the part of +British Protestants, of which all denominations are guilty, it is not at +all impossible that similar scenes may be enacted in England. +Ritualistic forms and ceremonies, and public processions, and, still +more, the insidious teaching of numbers professing to be ministers of +religion, are accustoming the people to a system which must end in their +subjugation to sacerdotal despotism. + +An immense concourse of people of the lower ranks closed the procession, +vociferating to one another, with open eyes and necks stretched out +eager to catch a sight of the condemned prisoners and the grand +inquisitors as they ascended their respective platforms. The latter +took their places, and then the Queen-Regent and the young prince took +their places in the royal box, or bed of state, as it was called, +surrounded by a number of the chief nobility of the kingdom. + +It was six o'clock in the morning, and the sun was already glittering on +the gilded crosses and other devices on the tops of the banners, when, +the company having taken their places, Francisco Baca, the presiding +inquisitor, was seen advancing to the bed of state on which the Regent +and her nephew were seated; and then, in an authoritative tone, he +proffered to them an oath to support the Holy Office, and to reveal to +it everything contrary to the faith which might come to their knowledge. +The Prince was seen to hesitate, and not till urged by his aunt would +he consent to take the oath. It was the first time such an oath had +been exacted from any of the Royal Family. Poor Prince! that look of +his sealed his fate! + +Antonio Herezuelo, from the moment he saw his wife dragged off by the +familiars of the Inquisition, had been kept in utter ignorance of what +had become of her. Not a reply could he get from any of the stern +familiars who attended him. It vain he petitioned to be told whether +she was in their power--whether she was well in health--whether she had +been placed under examination. A sinister look was the only answer he +received. + +"Ay, I must trust in God!" Yes, Antonio, you--all who are in trouble, +sickness, or any other adversity--may trust in Him with confidence, +assured that He in His good time will bring you out of all your +troubles. + +As the familiars were clothing the prisoners in their habits of infamy, +Herezuelo thought to himself, "How can I more advantageously employ the +last moments of my life than by declaring to the misguided people the +glad tidings of salvation, by telling them of the Saviour's love, and +that they require no other priest, no other intercessor than He?" Thus +resolved to speak, he walked firmly onward to death, like a soldier to +the fatal breach; but ere he reached the platform, at a sign from the +monks, who had in vain, with all the sophistries they could utter, been +endeavouring to shake his faith, one of the familiars thrust a gag into +his mouth, which the other secured, and he was rendered speechless. +Bitter for an instant was the anguish he felt, but prayer quickly +restored to him his serenity. + +"See! see! there is his lordship Melchior Cano, Bishop of the Canaries, +mounting the pulpit. Listen! he is to preach the sermon," was repeated +by many in the crowd. + +In flowing language and sonorous tones the Bishop put forth the claims +of the Church of Rome to infallibility. He spoke of the importance of +unity, of the crime of heresy and schism; and, finally, he enlarged on +the duty of all Catholics to deliver over to justice all who were in the +slightest degree guilty of those crimes. The sermon concluded, the +clerk of the tribunal read the sentence of the penitents, who, on their +knees, and with their hands laid on the Missal, repeated the confession. +Those around them stood aside as the presiding inquisitor, descending +from his throne, advances to the altar, and absolves the penitents _a +culpa_ under the obligation to bear the several punishments which have +been awarded, whether banishments, penances, whipping, hard labour, or +imprisonment--the deprivation of property being in all cases rigidly +enforced, to the great advantage of the inquisitors. The Bishop, then, +in a loud voice, administered to all present on the platform, as well as +to the surrounding multitude, an oath binding them to live and die in +the communion of the Roman Church, and to uphold and defend against all +adversaries the tribunal of the Holy Inquisition. + +As he spoke the multitude fell on their knees, lowly bowing their heads. +Of the vast assemblage two men only were standing, with heads erect and +arms folded on their bosoms. They were the martyrs resolved to undergo +the fiery trial of the stake rather than disavow one article of their +holy faith. They were Antonio Herezuelo, the advocate, and Francisco de +Vibero Cazalla, parish priest of Hermigos, who was likewise gagged. +There were twelve other unhappy persons condemned to death, but, having +confessed, they were allowed the poor favour of being strangled before +their bodies were committed to the flames. They, less courageous than +the advocate and Francisco Cazalla, were compelled to kneel. But why +does Antonio Herezuelo start and cast an inquiring look towards the +group of black penitents kneeling near the altar? Before he could cast +a second look they were hid from his sight; and now the Bishop of +Placencia advances towards the group of those sentenced to death, and +with a knife commences the operation of degrading the priests by +scraping off the crown of the head the part which was supposed to have +received the holy oil at their consecration. Then garment after garment +was torn from them, the Bishop pronouncing all the time terrible curses +on their heads. This done, the secular judges were summoned to receive +the prisoners, and the Inquisitor formally delivered them over into +their hands, saying, as he did so, in a hypocritical tone of compassion, +"We beseech you to treat these poor people with the utmost +commiseration--not to break a bone of their bodies, nor to shed a drop +of their blood." He said this, not only knowing that the prisoners were +to be executed, but having especially arranged that they should be so-- +having, indeed, a few days before, acquainted the judge with the number +of prisoners to be delivered over to him, in order that the required +quantity of stakes, faggots, and other things necessary for the +execution might be in readiness. The canons of the Romish Church, +however, denounced against ecclesiastics who should be accessory to the +inflicting of any bodily injury, and the above-mentioned expressions +were used to avoid the censure of irregularity. The magistrates, on +their part, swore that they would faithfully execute the sentences +against the persons of the heretics delivered over to them. + +All these ceremonies--audacious mockery of justice--occupied several +hours; and now the condemned prisoners were compelled to march in front +of the royal box, and pass those who had by recanting escaped the +extreme penalty of the law. Again Antonio Herezuelo looked eagerly at +the black penitents. What an expression of agony was seen to rise on +his countenance as he beheld among them his beloved Leonor, the wife of +his bosom, formerly united to him, as he supposed, in the one blessed +faith and hope which animated his own soul. Who could paint the +feelings which passed through his swelling heart? He would have given +worlds to have been able to utter a loving entreaty to her again to take +hold of the blessed truths of which he was even then reaping the +fruition; but the gag prevented him. One prayer he breathed from the +depths of his soul for her, and as he passed he cast at her a look of +such unutterable agony, yet of such loving reproof and regret, that, +like the lightning's flash, it went to her heart. Well she understood +its meaning. "Oh, my beloved Leonor," it seemed to say, "why did you +not seek for grace to hold fast to the truth, and for strength to go +through the fiery trial, that, as we have lived happily together on +earth, we might have ascended together to be ever with our risen Lord +and Saviour?" + +Full well she understood that silent appeal. It sunk into her heart. +"Yes, yes, my Antonio, I will join you," she exclaimed, stretching out +her hands towards him. In vain she made the attempt to rush into his +arms, for the cruel familiars held her back. In vain she struggled. +She saw that to join her beloved lord in life was hopeless. She drew +herself up with dignity. "Inquisitors, I will die with my husband," she +exclaimed. "I renounce for ever the gross errors of the Romish faith, +which I have been induced to assume. I am ready to die as a true +Protestant--a believer in the simple truths of the Gospel." + +"Away with her! Away with her to prison!" cried the Inquisitor. "She +is mad; she is beside herself!" + +"I am a Protestant. I will die with my husband," exclaimed Leonor; but +before she could say more a gag was thrust into her mouth, and she was +surrounded by friars and familiars, so as to conceal her from the public +view. + +The look Herezuelo cast towards Leonor was the last he gave her on +earth. Not another was allowed him. He was hurried off by the +stony-hearted familiars, with his brother martyrs and their companions +in affliction. The first part of the exhibition had been a cruel, a +blasphemous mockery--that which was to follow was to be a diabolical +reality. + +Those condemned to death, either by fire or strangulation, were now +formed into a melancholy procession, each person accompanied as before +by familiars and monks, the latter disturbing the last moments of their +yellow-robed victims by their senseless exhortations. Thus they +proceeded slowly through the gates, accompanied by nearly all those who +had witnessed the first part of the proceedings; the eager crowd making +their observations on the appearance and bearing of the sufferers, many +of the more brutal mocking and jeering, especially as they caught sight +of the two principal martyrs. It might have seemed strange to them that +of all the human beings collected they should have appeared the calmest, +though the look of agony which arose on Herezuelo's brow at the sight of +his wife had not yet left it. + +Arrived at the spot where the stakes were erected and the faggots piled +up, further efforts were made to induce Cazalla and Herezuelo to recant. +The former, seeing his brother Augustine not at the stake, but among +those who were to be strangled before being burned, signified his sorrow +by an expressive motion of his hands. The latter remained firm as +before, unmoved by all the exhortations of the priests and monks. Even +when instigated by his tempters, the unhappy Doctor Augustine Cazalla +urged him to be reconciled to the Church of Rome, he turned on him a +look of sorrow and compassion, mingled with contempt, which at once +silenced the recreant from the truth. Herezuelo's calmness seemed to +excite the rage and all the evil passions of the priests and soldiers. +They cursed and swore and reviled him in every possible way. "Ah! ah! +in a short time, in spite of your bold looks, you will be in hell with +your associate, Luther," they shouted. To these and similar expressions +he made no sign of complaints--only turning his eyes to that blue sky to +which his beautified spirit was about to wing its flight towards the +martyr's crown of glory awaiting him in the realms of the blessed. + +The faggots were lighted, the flames ascended, when one of the soldiers, +enraged at his constancy, plunged his lance into his body, and thus +saved him from the pangs he might otherwise have had to suffer. His +fellow-martyr died with equal firmness, and the other victims were +strangled before their bodies were cast into the flames. With them at +the same time were also cast the bones and effigy of Dona Leonor de +Vibero, which had appeared at the _auto_. This was done because at her +house the Protestants had frequently assembled for prayer and praise. +In a short time, of the fourteen human beings who had dragged their +tortured, lacerated limbs to the spot, a few ashes alone remained. Such +was the termination of the first great _auto-da-fe_ of Protestants in +Spain. + +There was yet another spectacle to be witnessed that day. It was to see +the house of Dona Leonor de Vibero, the mother of the Cazallas, razed to +the ground, and the place on which it stood sown with salt. On the spot +a pillar, with an inscription stating the cause of its demolition, was +immediately afterwards erected, and stood till the commencement of the +present century. + +It is easy to conceive how Dona Leonor de Cisneros had been induced +apparently to abandon the faith to which she had so long adhered. +Falsehoods and devices of all sorts had been employed to induce her to +make her peace with Rome. Every argument which sophistry could invent +had been brought forward to shake her belief. There was a rack, with +other fearful tortures, and the stake, on the one hand, and forgiveness +and reconciliation with the Church on the other--ay, and a happy life +with her Antonio. When at last the inquisitors found her stubborn, they +did not hesitate to assure her that she had less wisdom than her +husband, who had lately--convinced that the Protestant cause was lost in +Spain--agreed heartily to conform to the faith of Rome, and to be +reconciled to the Church. A rigid course of penance was prescribed for +her, and after its performance she was told that she would be set free, +and allowed to join her husband, who, as had been some others, would be +banished the kingdom, though possibly a milder punishment might be +awarded him. + +Could it be possible that her husband would abjure his principles? Her +faith wavered. If she remained obstinate, he might, she was assured, be +brought out to witness her death. She was meditating on these things in +her solitary cell when the door opened, and the Archbishop Munebrega +stood before her. He spoke to her gently and kindly, as an old family +friend. He would urge her to take his advice, and conform at once. +Long she thought on the subject, but she could not pray for guidance. +Why? Her conscience revolted against the act she contemplated. In a +husky voice she told the Archbishop that she would yield. + +"We will endeavour, then, to induce the advocate Herezuelo to yield +also, lovely Leonor," said the Archbishop, taking her hand and pressing +it to his lips. + +"Why, you told me that my husband had already yielded!" exclaimed +Leonor, scarcely conscious of the act. + +"I surely could not have said so, as I am not cognisant of the fact," +answered Munebrega blandly. "Be assured that for your sake I will +endeavour to win him over to the truth." Much more was urged by the +Archbishop, but poor Leonor's mind was in too great a whirl to +understand the meaning of what he said. Cruel indeed was the conflict +going on within her. "For the sake of appearances you will have to +undergo some penances; but I will take care that they shall be as light +as possible, that your health may be in no way injured," he remarked; +and with a treacherous smile the tempter left her. + +No words can describe the unhappy Leonor's feelings at seeing her +husband among those condemned to the stake. It had been hoped by +Munebrega, from the position in which she was placed, that she would not +have discovered him. The effect has been described. On being conducted +back to the convent to which she had been removed, she at once refused +to continue the penances which had been prescribed. No persuasions +could make her alter her determination; and therefore, as an obstinate +heretic, she was returned to a cell in the Inquisition. Munebrega was +soon in her presence. He reminded her that she was a widow and +helpless--that he had the power of setting her at liberty. He entreated +her on his knees once more to recant--to preserve her life--not to allow +her beauty to be marred by a long imprisonment. She turned from him +with loathing. Munebrega well knew the importance of caution. His +chief and brother inquisitors were very indifferent what means were made +use of (even the most abominable), provided they contributed to bring +about the objects they had in view; but they would allow no private +interests to be gratified. Day after day Munebrega visited the unhappy +lady. His protestations, his arguments, every subject he introduced, +only tended to strengthen her resolution. "Get thee behind me, Satan," +was her daily ejaculation when he appeared. She did not trust to her +own strength, but hourly sought strength and grace from above to +withstand all the trials and temptations to which she was exposed. Like +Peter, she had fallen once; severe was the lesson she had learned. Like +Peter's repentance, hers had been deep and truly sincere. No longer did +she trust to herself. Munebrega at last retired, gnashing his teeth at +having been foiled by a weak woman, utterly incapable of comprehending +the mighty power which had been fighting on her side against him. He +now allowed other persons to attempt to move her. + +Among others, her former admirer, Don Francisco de Vivers, was induced +to visit her. He was still unmarried. What arguments he used it is not +necessary to state. He was not hardened to the craft of the priests, +and he left the prison abashed and confused. He visited her again more +than once, and the idea was entertained by the inquisitors that he was +moving her obdurate heart. At length, however, he was missing from +Valladolid, and some of his friends feared, from some words that he had +let drop, that he had offended the inquisitors, and was immured in their +prisons. + +It would be impossible to imagine, much less to describe, the cruelties +practised on Leonor de Cisneros; and yet there were many hundreds of +delicately-nurtured females and hidalgos of high rank suffering as she +was physically in the numerous prisons of the Inquisition throughout +Spain--many shut up in loathsome dungeons, destined never again to see +the light of day. + +Numerous _autos-da-fe_ succeeded each other for the purpose of stamping +out Protestant principles from Spain. The second celebrated at +Valladolid took place on the 8th of October, 1559, for the purpose of +celebrating the return of Philip the Second, husband of Queen Mary of +England, who was employed at that time in burning her own bishops and +other subjects for the same cause. King Philip was himself present, +enjoying the spectacle, with his unhappy son Carlos, his sister, the +Prince of Parma, three ambassadors from France, and a numerous assembly +of prelates and nobility of both sexes. + +The Inquisitor-General, Valdes, advancing to the bed of state, +administered the same oath which had been taken by Don Carlos and the +Queen of Portugal. Philip took it without hesitation, and, rising from +his seat, drew his sword, in token of his determination to use it in +support of the Holy Office. + +A similar group to that before described, clothed in yellow garments +covered with pictures of flames and devils, stood on the platform before +the King and his court. The most noble-looking and highest in rank was +Don Carlos de Seso, the upturning flames on whose robe showed that he +was doomed to the stake. With him was Domingo de Roxas, Pedro de +Cazalla, parish priest of Pedroso, who was destined to share the fate of +his family. Dona Isabella de Castilla, wife of Don Carlos de Seso, was +there, and her niece, Dona Catalina--condemned to lose all their +property, to wear the san-benito, and to be imprisoned for life. There +were also three nuns of San Belem; one of them, Dona Mariana de Guevara, +was condemned to be strangled and then thrown into the flames; she was +highly born, and even connected with Valdes, the Chief Inquisitor, but +he could not save her from the consequences of her opinions. His +subordinates resisted the applications he was said to have made on her +behalf as an interference with their jurisdiction, and a proof of +partiality and weakness unworthy of one of those whose office required +him to be insensible to the feelings of nature and friendship. + +The death of Don Carlos de Seso was worthy of his life; though gagged on +the platform and on the way to execution, the instrument was removed +when he was bound to the stake by the friars, who stood round exhorting +him to confess. He replied in a loud voice, "I could demonstrate to +you, unhappy men, that you ruin yourselves by not imitating my example; +but there is no time. Executioners, light the pile which is to consume +me." These were his last words. The order was instantly obeyed, and, +looking up, he died without a groan. + +Another martyr was Juan Sanchez. Entrapped in the Low Countries by the +emissaries of the Inquisition, he was brought a prisoner to Valladolid, +and condemned to the stake. The cords which bound him having rapidly +been consumed, he leaped unconsciously on to the stage where the friars +were confessing some who had recanted at the last moment. The friars +immediately collected round him, and urged him to retract his errors. +Looking at the unhappy penitents who were risking their salvation to +escape a few moments' suffering, and then at the noble De Seso, standing +unmoved amid the rising flames, he walked deliberately back to the +stake, exclaiming, "I will die like De Seso." More fuel was brought, +and he was quickly in the joy of his Lord. + +Numbers bore testimony to "the truth as it is in Jesus" by dying +fearlessly like De Seso. At the same time, eight females, of +irreproachable character, some of them of high rank, were burned alive; +among them Maria Gomez, who so nearly betrayed the Protestants during a +sudden fit of insanity. Having recovered her senses she returned to the +Protestant faith, and soon was brought before the Inquisitors. She +suffered with her three daughters and a sister. So hardened had the +populace become by similar scenes, that not a single expression of +sympathy escaped them as they thus witnessed the destruction of a whole +family. Year after year passed away, and the same horrors continued to +be enacted; the bloody-minded inquisitors being hounded on to their work +of death by the bigot king; that king who, it has truly been said, was +busily engaged in making Spain what she in a few years became, the +lowest and least influential among the nations of Europe; while as truly +was Elizabeth, by her wise measures, laying the foundation of England's +greatness and power. + + + +CHAPTER NINE. + +FREEDOM. + +We must return once more to the unhappy Leonor de Cisneros. She was +seated on a rough bench in her dungeon beneath the halls of the +Inquisition. One gleam of light only was admitted by a small aperture, +leading into a courtyard, far above her head. + +The gleam fell on her marble countenance, pale as that of one who has +ceased to breathe. Her once rich hair, now glistening like snow, hung +over her shoulders, while her figure was draped in the dark robe she was +doomed to wear. Heavy chains hung on her arms, which she could with +difficulty lift to her head, whenever she strove to press her hands upon +her burning brow. Even the agony of mind and body which she had endured +had scarcely dimmed her beauty. Though her eyes had lost their lustre, +yet in them was a fixed look of courage and resignation. Now she knelt +down on the cold stones before the stool, and lifted up her manacled +hands to heaven, towards which her countenance was turned, earnestly +imploring strength and resolution to withstand the fearful temptations +to which she was exposed. She was not disappointed. While she thus +knelt, the door of her dungeon grated on its hinges. Slowly, and not +without difficulty, she rose from her knees, and stood prepared to +receive her visitor, whoever he might prove to be. She dreaded lest she +should see the arch-fiend Munebrega; but instead of him, Don Francisco +de Vivers stood before her. He advanced a few paces into the vault, and +placed the lantern he bore on a stone shelf projecting from the wall on +one side of the cell. He did not speak till the door closed behind him. +He then stood before her with his plumed hat held in his hand, keeping +still at the distance of a few paces. + +"Dona Leonor," he said, "I come to bid you farewell. The words you +spoke to me during my last visits to you sunk deep down in my heart. +The glorious truths you explained took root, and have since by God's +grace been abundantly watered. I obtained a copy of His blessed Word. +I sought for instruction from those able to give it, and I am now ready, +if it is His will, to add my testimony to the truth by my blood. I was +sent here to win you back to life, and to gain you over to the false +faith of Rome. You have been the cause of my becoming a thorough +Protestant, and being made willing, if called upon, to suffer death-- +such death, that is, as man is able to inflict upon his fellow-man. Yet +I am young, and do not desire to die. I have therefore resolved to quit +my country for another land, where I may freely worship God according to +the dictates of my conscience. I knew that you would rejoice to hear +this. I therefore resolved, at every risk, to seek another interview +with you. Dear lady, you will pardon me for the words I spoke to you on +my former visits. I uttered them in my ignorance. I thought that I was +thus benefiting you, instead of endeavouring to deprive you of that joy +unspeakable which is prepared for those who truly love the Lord, and are +ready to give up all for Him." + +"Oh, believe me, Don Francisco, when I say it, I have nothing to +pardon," replied Dona Leonor. "I rejoice to hear of your determination. +Alas! I fear you would not benefit our unhappy countrymen by remaining +among them. The spirit of evil has gained the supremacy; and while he +reigns, with the sanguinary inquisitors as his ministers, the truth can +never make progress in the country. Go, then, Don Francisco; my +prayers, day and night, will be offered up to the throne of mercy that +you may be protected from the dangers of your journey, and safely reach +the haven of rest. It is mockery to speak of joy, but such joy as I am +now capable of feeling will be mine when I hear that you have safely +reached your destination. And oh, Don Francisco, pray for me, not that +my life may be prolonged, but that I may have courage and support in the +trials I may be called upon henceforth to bear; and that it may be God's +will that I may, ere long, be emancipated from my bondage, not to go +forth into the world, but to be raised on wings of light to join my +martyred husband, now singing praises with the heavenly choir before the +great white throne of our loving Father." + +"Dona Leonor, your wishes shall ever be a law to me," answered Don +Francisco. "I shall see you no more on earth. Even should I be +successful in escaping from this unhappy country, I believe that I shall +never again return to it; and even if I did, I should not be permitted +to see you. I hear that many Spanish Protestants are assembled at +Genoa, among whom are several who were once monks at San Isidoro. +Thither I have resolved to bend my steps, that I may worship with them, +and gain from them instruction and counsel." + +"I thank our Heavenly Father that you have resolved on this step," +answered Leonor, "and I pray that you may be more successful than were +my beloved Herezuelo and myself. Oh, that I had not believed the +falsehoods that were told me before that dreadful day when I last met +him on earth! Bitterly have I repented my weakness and want of faith. +I should have known that no human power would have induced him to deny +his Lord and Master, even for the sake of saving his life and being +reunited with me. Ah, how weak and faithless was I! but I thank my God +that, through the influence of the Holy Spirit, I had strength and power +given me boldly to declare my faith in the truth, even though my so +doing has brought me into this dungeon, and will ere long cast my body +amid those flames which consumed the mortal frame of my husband. Oh, +believe me, Don Francisco, to that day I look forward with eagerness and +joy. My heart will bound with thankfulness when I am told to prepare +for going forth to the stake." + +Don Francisco stepped forward and raised the manacled hand of the +speaker to his lips. Then, casting one more glance of respect and +sorrow at that still lovely countenance before him, he hastened from the +cell, drawing his hat over his brow to conceal his agitation; then +wrapping his cloak around him, he took his way through the narrow +passages which led to the vaults, guided by one of the familiars of the +Inquisition, till he reached the door of an apartment, at which his +guide stopped and knocked. A voice desired him to enter. Don Francisco +passed through the doorway, and stood in the presence of the Archbishop +Munebrega. + +"Do you expect to move her, Don Francisco?" asked the Archbishop, eyeing +him narrowly. + +"My lord, I do not," answered Don Francisco, firmly; "yet I warn you +that severe treatment will not effect your purpose. For myself, I would +beg that I might not be again requested to visit her; but I yet entreat +that her chains may be removed, and that she may be placed in a room +where the light of day is allowed to enter, and be supplied with food +such as her delicate nature requires." + +"Don Francisco, you ask what it may be impossible for me to grant," +answered the Archbishop, again casting a penetrating glance towards him; +"but I will make known your request to my coadjutors, and, should they +see fit, it may be granted." + +Don Francisco was glad when the interview with the Archbishop came to a +close. He well knew the character of the man with whom he had to deal, +and he dreaded lest any word he might incautiously drop should betray +him. He hurried home. Already he had made every preparation which was +possible for his journey. As the shades of evening drew on he left his +house, and all the comforts and luxuries it contained, feeling that he +should never return. Keeping his countenance concealed with his cloak, +he passed unquestioned through the gates. Now he hurried on at a rapid +pace for a league or more from the city. Then, turning on one side, he +entered a small wood. He had not gone far when he found, standing under +the trees, two horses, held by a short man in the costume of a muleteer. + +"Ah! my friend Julianillo, I knew that I could trust you, and I am +thankful that you have not failed me. It is time, if I would save my +life, that I should leave Valladolid. Already the savage Munebrega +suspects me, and I have bidden farewell to her for whose sake alone I +should desire to remain in Spain. I could not bear to see her die; and +yet, knowing the savage hearts of her persecutors, and her own firm +resolve, I feel sure that, ere long, she will add another to the +glorious list of martyrs. She has bidden farewell to the world and her +fellow-creatures, and places her trust in One who alone can give her +strength to undergo the trials she may be called upon to endure." + +"True, Don Francisco, true," answered Julianillo; "but we must not +delay. A few minutes may make the difference between life and safety, +and imprisonment and death. When our brother Don Domingo de Roxas +attempted to escape, from a short delay caused by his visit to the noble +De Seso, he fell into the power of the inquisitors. But you, I trust, +are not suspected, and we may in safety gain the borders of Spain +without impediment. It will be necessary, however, to use caution, and +above all things to trust to no one. There are guards on all the roads, +and spies at every inn, ready to entrap the unwary." + +Saying this Julianillo held the stirrup while Don Francisco threw +himself into the saddle. He then mounted his own horse, and together +they rode out of the wood, and took the road towards the frontier. + +Julianillo knew every part of the country. Each highway and every +by-path was as familiar to him as if he had it mapped down before his +eyes. Often and often he had travelled those roads, with his bales of +goods surrounding the copies of the Bible and the works of Luther and +others, which he had brought across the Pyrenees into Spain. He had, of +late, however, been compelled to give up bringing any more copies of +God's Word into the country. He had, instead, devoted himself to +assisting Protestants to escape from their persecutors. Those who had +trusted themselves entirely to his care and guidance he had never failed +to convey safely to their destination. + +Their horses were fresh, and they were thus able to gallop in the +greater part of the night. When morning broke, Valladolid was many +miles behind them. As soon as the horses were rested they again +proceeded on their journey. They thus continued till they were within a +half-day's journey of the frontier. + +"We are now approaching the most dangerous part of the road," observed +Julianillo to Don Francisco. "It would be safer for you not to appear +to be under my guidance. I may possibly be suspected, and as I am +well-known, I should certainly be seized, while you might be allowed to +continue your journey. But whatever happens, take no notice of me, and +let us appear to be total strangers to each other." + +These remarks were made when the travellers were yet some distance from +the inn where they intended to stop. Julianillo rode on ahead, Don +Francisco following at a distance, so as just to keep him in view. + +When Don Francisco entered the common room of the inn, Julianillo was +already there, seated among a number of muleteers and other persons, +laughing and joking with them. Don Francisco, on entering, took no +notice of him, but placed himself at an unoccupied part of the long +table, at the other end of the room. The guests were waiting for +dinner, and in a short time large dishes of fried beans and pork were +placed on the table. Don Francisco could with difficulty partake of the +rough fare put before him. He ordered, however, a flagon of wine, and +requested the host to partake of it, who, nothing loth, accepted his +offer. + +The guests had only just seated themselves when a party of mounted +alguazils arrived at the inn, and, having stabled their horses, walked +in to partake of the dinner going forward. Julianillo appeared in no +way to be disconcerted. It was an anxious time for Don Francisco, for +he could not help fearing that the alguazils were in search of suspected +persons. + +Having allowed time for the horses to rest, Julianillo started up, and +beginning to sing a well-known comic air, sauntered out of the inn +towards the stables. Don Francisco waited till he supposed his +companion was on the road, and then, paying his reckoning to the +landlord, begged that his horse might be brought round. Just as he was +mounting, the landlord whispered in his ear-- + +"Stop not till you have gained the other side of the border, and then be +not content till you are many leagues from it." + +"I know not what you mean," answered Don Francisco, carelessly; "but +supposing the advice to be of value, I should be truly grateful to you +for it." Saying this he rode quietly through the street of the village. + +He had not gone far when he heard the mounted guards who had entered the +inn following close behind. Instead of attempting to escape them he +drew in his rein to allow them to come up with him. It was a moment to +try the nerves of most men. They, however, rode by, saluting him as +they passed, when they continued at a rapid rate. Fearing, should he +show any inclination to push on, he might be stopped, he continued at a +leisurely pace in the direction taken by Julianillo. + +In a short time the sound of horses approaching him reached his ears, +and he saw the very same party he had met before returning with someone +among them. As he drew near, great was his grief to recognise +Julianillo. Following the advice given him by that brave man, he +approached the troop with as unconcerned a countenance as he could +assume. + +"Who have you got there?" he asked in a calm tone. + +"A culprit who has long eluded us, but who has been caught at last, as +many others who now think themselves safe will be ere long," was the +answer. + +Anxious as he felt to assist Julianillo, he was well aware of the +uselessness of making the attempt; the words he had just heard making +him more anxious than ever to escape from the country. He therefore +rode forward with the same unconcerned air which he had assumed on +approaching the emissaries of the Inquisition. Following the advice of +the innkeeper, as soon as he was out of sight of the party he put spurs +to his horse, and ere night closed in he was many leagues within the +territory of France. His adventures were like those of others who made +their escape from the Inquisition. Being well supplied with money, he +had, however, less difficulty than many others. He ultimately succeeded +in reaching Genoa. There, though he was at first looked upon with +suspicion, he was soon able to prove the sincerity of his conversion, +and was received as a faithful Protestant among the brethren assembled +in that city. + +Meantime Julianillo was led by his captors to Seville. He was there +brought before the Inquisitors. With undaunted eye and firm countenance +he confronted his judges, who were at the same time his accusers. He +denied nothing. He was accused of having been one of the chief +instruments in disseminating the Gospel throughout Spain. He smiled +calmly at the words addressed to him. + +"I should indeed be proud to have performed so excellent a work," he +answered; "but those who have far more influence than I possess have had +that honour. If I brought the Word of Life to those perishing for lack +of it, I merely performed the part of the baker's boy who brings the +loaves to the door. It depended upon the people whether they would take +the Bread of Life; and if they took it, whether they would feed on it. +Hear me, ye ministers of tyranny and falsehood: I glory in declaring +that I believe the only knowledge we possess of the perfect and +all-sufficient sacrifice which Christ offered up once for all on +Calvary, is that revealed to us in the Bible, and applied to our hearts +by the Holy Spirit. I believe that the Pope and priests of Rome are +ignorant of this great and glorious truth, that `the just shall live by +faith,' and faith alone. In this belief I have now for many years +lived, rejoicing also." + +"Silence him! away with him!" cried the inquisitors, in deep and angry +voices. "He is hopelessly contumacious. A speedy death by fire must be +his doom." + +Julianillo smiled calmly as he heard these words pronounced. + +"For many years I have been prepared for this," he answered. "When I +undertook the work in which I have been engaged, I counted the cost. I +knew that I should have a rich reward, and all you can do is to hasten +the time when I am to wear that crown of glory prepared for me in the +skies; and, humble though I am, I feel well assured that it is a +brilliant and a glorious crown." + +Before Julianillo could say more he was hurried away from the hall of +the Inquisition, and thrown into a dark and noisome dungeon, there to +remain till the day fixed for the next _auto-da-fe_, at which he was to +suffer the extreme penalty inflicted by the Inquisition. He was among +those who suffered on the day already described, when Don Carlo de Seso +received the crown of martyrdom. Though he boasted of no exalted rank +or lineage, yet, bold in the faith, he died as bravely as the most +noble. + +On the morning of the _auto_, addressing his fellow-prisoners, he +exclaimed, "Courage, comrades! This is the hour in which we may show +ourselves valiant soldiers of Jesus Christ. Let us now bear faithful +testimony to His truth before men, and within a few hours we shall +receive the testimony of His approbation before angels, and triumph with +Him in heaven." + +These words were repeated to the inquisitors, and they, knowing full +well his courage and determination, ordered him to be gagged, lest, when +marching forth among the other condemned criminals, he should address +the multitude, and perhaps gain their sympathy, or induce them to accept +the truth, for holding which he was condemned to suffer. In spite of +the gag, he continued by his gestures to encourage his companions +condemned to death with himself; and thus until the flames rose up +fiercely around him, he bore witness to the truth, and endeavoured to +support them to the last. + +Meantime the unhappy Leonor de Cisneros lingered on in prison. Every +effort was made by the inquisitors and their familiars of high and low +degree to induce her to recant, but she continued contumacious. Once +only a gleam of satisfaction was seen to pass over her countenance; it +was when a few words, incautiously let drop by one of her visitors, +informed her that Don Francisco de Vivers had escaped from Spain, and +had arrived safely at Genoa. + +Was it in mercy, because her bigoted persecutors yet hoped that she +would recant, that her life was still spared? or was it because their +vindictive feelings made them unwilling to liberate their captive, and +terminate her sufferings by consigning her to that death for which she +waited longingly? Often she exclaimed with the Apostle Paul, in sure +and certain hope of the resurrection of the just to happiness +unspeakable, "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." + +Year after year passed by, and still she remained a prisoner in those +dreadful dungeons. She had but numbered twenty-two summers when +consigned to them, and eight long winters of existence passed afterwards +over her head. During those weary years that heroic woman, with the +most perfect constancy, endured insults, torture, starvation, while +compelled to listen to all the arguments which cunning priests could +adduce to make her change her faith. + +At length, once more she stood before the judgment-seat of the +inquisitors, among whom the Archbishop Munebrega presided. Did no +recollection of that young woman's mother, whom he had once fondly +loved, or thought he loved, cross his mind? Did he not remember Dona +Leonor herself, when in her early youth, radiant in beauty, he first +beheld her, and heard from her lips the startling acknowledgment that +she believed the simple Word of God and trusted to it? Now she stood +before him a pale wan woman, weighed down with grief and physical +suffering. + +Again she was asked if she would recant, and reminded that it was for +the last time. + +"Oh, no, no!" she answered, her heart bounding with joy at the +announcement. The captive was to be set free. + +Now, in solemn mockery, the inquisitors arose, and pronounced Dona +Leonor de Cisneros hopelessly contumacious, and condemned her to the +flames. + +A bright gleam rested on her countenance as she heard her sentence, but +she uttered not a word, she made not a movement till summoned to return +to her cell. + +The 26th of September, 1568, at length arrived. Ere the dawn had broken +in the outer world she rose from her hard pallet. Yet, hard as it was, +her slumber had been calm and sweet. She knew not that it was her last +day on earth. Kneeling, she lifted up her hands in prayer. She prayed +for her persecutors. She prayed that the day-star might yet arise over +Spain, and the Gospel be preached throughout the length and breadth of +the land. + +The door opened. A harsh voice ordered her to rise from her knees; +prayer was not for one whom the Church had excommunicated. She obeyed. +A monk, with a savage gleam in his eyes, stood before her. At the door +were several familiars. + +The monk's errand was soon told. He had come to conduct her to the +courtyard where the victims destined to appear in the _auto-da-fe_ were +collecting. The cruelties, the mockeries, the blasphemies of those +hideous spectacles have often been described. All, all, Leonor endured, +not only with patience and courage, but with a rejoicing heart. Calm +and unmoved she listened to the long sermon poured forth by the Bishop +of Zamora, who, from a lofty pulpit, addressed himself both to the +victims and the populace. + +When the blasphemous ceremonies were brought to a conclusion, joy +lighted up her countenance. Firmly she walked to the place of +execution, and submitted without a murmur to be bound to the stake. The +moment she had longed for had arrived! The flames rose up around her, +and her emancipated spirit flew to rejoin her beloved husband, and to be +for ever with their Lord. + +THE END. + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Last Look, by W.H.G. Kingston + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LAST LOOK *** + +***** This file should be named 21395.txt or 21395.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/1/3/9/21395/ + +Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +http://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +http://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at http://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit http://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. |