The-papacy-its-history-dogmas-genius-and-prospects-wylie

ST DOMINIC AND THE INQUISITION. 447read over to him : he was allowed no advocate ; his friendstrembled to come nigh the place of his confinement, and puton mourning for him, as for one already dead. He knew nothis sentence even, till, led forth to the auto dafe, he read itfor the first time in the terrific symbols on his dress, or inthe dreadful preparations of pile and faggot for his execution.It is St Dominic whom the world has to thank for thisdreadful tribunal. St Dominic, whom the Church of Romecanonizes as a great saint, was a Spaniard by birth, and bydisposition a fierce, cruel, bloodthirsty bigot. His motheris said to have " dreamed before his birth that she was withchild of a whelp, carrying in his mouth a lighted torch, whoshould put the world in an uproar, and set it on fire."*This man it was who first suggested toPope Innocent III.the erection of such a tribunal for the extirpation of heresy;and, having given abundant proofs that his own genius laymuch this way, he was appointed inquisitor-general, thoughit was not till after his death that the Holy Office was regularlyorganized. In the beginning of the thirteenth centurydid Innocent give forth the bull which " decreed theexistence of this tribunal, to finish what the anathemas ofpopes, the sermons of fanatics, and the brand of crusaders,had left undone.Wherever the poor Albigenses and Waldensesfled, the Inquisition followed them ; and in a fewyears it was set up not only in Italy, Spain, and Piedmont,but in France and Germany, Poland and Bohemia, and incourse of time it extended as far as Syria and India. Thefamous Inquisition at Goa is well known to every reader ofDr Buchanan's " Christian Researches." Our own Mary issaid to have contemplated the erection of the Inquisition inEngland, in order to aid her in her pious labours of purging* The festival of St Dominic is on the :— 4th of August, when the faithfulare directed to offer the following prayer " God, who hast enlightenedthy Church by the eminent virtues and preaching of blessed Dominic, thyconfessor, grant that by his prayers we may be provided against all temporalnecessities, and daily improve in all spiritual good." (Roman ^Missalfor the Laity, p. 633.)