Dominic became the first
regular inquisitor, as he had before been the first roving inquisitor.

Courts of inquisition were now erected in several countries; but the
Spanish inquisition became the most powerful, and the most dreaded of
any. Even the kings of Spain themselves, though arbitrary in all other
respects, were taught to dread the power of the lords of the
inquisition; and the horrid cruelties they exercised compelled
multitudes, who differed in opinion from the Roman catholics, carefully
to conceal their sentiments.

The most zealous of all the popish monks, and those who most implicitly
obeyed the church of Rome, were the Dominicans and Franciscans: these,
therefore, the pope thought proper to invest with an exclusive right of
presiding over the different court of inquisition, and gave them the
most unlimited powers, as judges delegated by him, and immediately
representing his person: they were permitted to excommunicate, or
sentence to death whom they thought proper, upon the most slight
information of heresy. They were allowed to publish crusades against all
whom they deemed heretics, and enter into leagues with sovereign
princes, to join their crusades with their forces.

In 1244, their power was farther increased by the emperor Frederic the
Second, who declared himself the protector and friend of all the
inquisitors, and published the cruel edicts, viz. 1. That all heretics
who continued obstinate, should be burnt. 2. That all heretics who
repented, should be imprisoned for life.

This zeal in the emperor, for the inquisitors of the Roman catholic
persuasion, arose from a report which had been propagated throughout
Europe, that he intended to renounce christianity, and turn Mahometan;
the emperor therefore, attempted, by the height of bigotry to contradict
the report, and to show his attachment to popery by cruelty.

The officers of the inquisition are three inquisitors, or judges, a
fiscal proctor, two secretaries, a magistrate, a messenger, a receiver,
a jailer, an agent of confiscated possessions; several assessors,
counsellors, executioners, physicians, surgeons, door-keepers,
familiars, and visiters, who are sworn to secrecy.

The principal accusation against those who are subject to this tribunal
is heresy, which comprises all that is spoken, or written, against any
of the articles of the creed, or the traditions of the Roman church. The
inquisition likewise takes cognizance of such as are ac