The history of the popes, from the close of the middle ages : drawn ...

320
HISTORY OF THE POPES.
to prevent the Pope from introducing the Inquisition into
Lucca. ^
Similar fears were also felt ia other cities of northern Italy
in the time of Pius V., at any rate of that form of the In-
quisition which was customary in Spain. At Milan where,
only a short time before, such strong and heated opposition
had been offered to the introduction of the Spanish Inquisition,
the Papal bull against irreverence in church, simony, sodomy
and concubinage,^ once m.ore caused anxiety lest this edict
should pave the way for the introduction of Spanish methods.*
This time it was the archbishop himself. Cardinal Borromeo,
who laid before the Pope the fears of the city. Nothing is left
undone in Milan, so he wrote, in the matter of the punishment
of the guilty, but the bull allov/s judicial proceedings
to be taken on the strength of a mere secret accusation,^
whereas, according to the Imperial code, secret accusations
are not permitted. The real cause, however, of all the anxiety
which is felt is to be found in the suspicion that it is intended
to introduce the Inquisition on the Spanish model, not so
much out of love for religion, as for political reasons, and be-
cause some of the municipal authorities wish to enrich themselves
at the expense of the citizens. All attempts to remove
this fear from the minds of the Milanese are vain ;
they tell
me that the Pope himself is guided by the purest motives,
but that in practice the ordinances of the bull can be in-
terpreted by the officials in their own way, and that thus all
kinds of novelties will be introduced by degrees.^
^ Lazzareschi, loc. cit. 7 n. i.
2 Cf. Vol. XVI. of this work, p. 336 seq.
^ Of April I, 1566, Bull. Rom., VII., 501 seqq.
* Verga, 30 seqq.
* ' Ut praemissorum delictorum . . . notitia facilius habeatur,
volumus quod in singulis casibus, non solum per accusationcm et
inquisitionem, sed etiam ad simplicem et secretam denuntiationem
procedatur." Bull. Rom. V.. 437, § 13.
* " Et accioche N. S. sappia una volta la radice ed il fondamento
ove s'appoggiano tutte queste difficolta, bisogna che habbia questo
per una massima verissima, che in questo popolo e universale