DEATH AND CHARACTER OF FERDINAND. 393 CHAPTER XXIV. spared no effort to fasten the odious joke of the In- quisition on Aragon, and subsequently, though hap- pily with less success, on Naples. ^^ Ferdinand has incurred the more serious charge Accused of ~ hypocrisy. of hypocrisy. His Catholic zeal was observed to be marvellously efficacious in furthering his temporal interests.^^ His most objectionable enterprises, even, were covered with a veil of religion. In this, how- ever, he did not materially differ from the practice of the age. Some of the most scandalous wars of that period were ostensibly at the bidding of the church, or in defence of Christendom against the infidel. This ostentation of a religious motive was indeed very usual with the Spanish and Portuguese. The crusading spirit, nourished by their struggle with the Moors, and subsequently by their African and American expeditions, gave such a religious tone habitually to their feelings, as shed an illusion 53 Abarca, Reyes de Aragon, torn. ii. rey 30, cap. 24. — L. Ma- rineo, Cosas Memorables, fol. 182. — Zurita, Anales, lib. 9, cap. 26. Ferdinand's conduct in regard to the Inquisition in Aragon display- ed singular duplicity. In conse- quence of the remonstrance of cortes, in 1512, in which that high- spirited body set forth the various usurpations of the Holy Office, Fer- dinand signed a compact, abridging its jurisdiction. He repented of these concessions, however, and in the following year obtained a dis- pensation from Rome from his en- gagements. This proceeding pro- duced such an alarming excitement in the kingdom, that the monarch found it expedient to renounce the papal brief, and apply for another, confirming his former compact. (Llorente, Hist, de I'lnquisition, VOL. III. 50 tom. i. pp. 371 et seq.) One may well doubt whether bigotry entered as largely, as less pardonable mo- tives of state policy, into this mis- erable juggling. ^ "Disoit-on," says Brantome, " que la reyne Isabelle de Castille estoit une fort devote et religieuse princesse, et que luy, quel grand zele qu'il y eust, n'estoit devo- tieux que par ypocrisie, couvrant ses actes et ambitions par ce sainct zele de religion." (CEuvres, tom. i. p. 70.) " Copri," says Guic- ciardini, " quasi tutte le sue cupi- dita sotto colore di onesto zelo della religione e di santa inten- zione al bene comune." (Istoria, tom. vi. lib. 12, p. 274.) The pen- etrating eye of Machiavelli glances at the same trait. II Principe, cap. 21.
