It may also be mentioned, that the utmost care has been taken to insure the authenticity of the statements which are advanced; though it was deemed inexpedient to enlarge the volume by notes of reference to the writers whence it is compiled, these for the most part being embodied in the text. To enumerate all the authors whose writings have been consulted, is as unnecessary as it would be tedious. But it may be of importance to state, that among others whose names will be found in the work itself, materials have been collected from Limborch, Baker, Hurd, Montanus, Salgado, Father Paul, Gavin, Dellon, Buchanan, Puigblanch, Llorente, Blanco White, and Don Juan Van Halen. EDINBURGH, _July_, 1834. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. Persecution for religious opinions, opposed to the spirit of Christianity, and to the sentiments of the primitive fathers—it increases with the growth of the Papal authority—edicts of the synod of Tours and of the Roman Pontiff against the Waldenses—the foundation of the Inquisition laid by Regnier and Guy—Innocent III. institutes two new orders of regulars—birth and education of St. Dominic—his erection of the Inquisition, and thirst for human blood—procedure of the first Inquisitors—difficulties which had to be surmounted previous to the establishment of the Inquisition—edicts of Frederick II. against heresy—erection of Inquisitorial tribunals indifferent countries—letter of Pope Gregory IX. to the Inquisitors—successful resistance of several states against the erection of these Courts, 9 CHAPTER II. Rise and progress of the Inquisition in Spain—new privileges conferred on the Inquisitors—their proceedings—sketch of the government of the ancient Spanish Inquisition—dreadful persecution of the Jews and Moors at Seville in 1481—they are exposed to similar persecutions in the other provinces of Spain—Torquemada appointed Inquisitor-general—he frames laws for the government of the different tribunals—his audacity and cruelty—proceedings of his successors Deza and Ximenes—the Reformers' works proscribed—zeal of the Emperor Charles V. in behalf of the Inquisition—his son Philip II. is still more superstitious and intolerant—horrid cruelty of that infatuated monarch—his efforts to establish the Inquisition in every part of his dominions—ignorance of the Inquisitors—ludicrous trial of the famous Galileo before the "Holy Tribunal," 25 CHAPTER III.